There Is Nothing Like A Colonial Dame

Oh, well. I am not Rio bound and I don't suppose most of the potential makeup buyers back in 1945 were either. But we can all get a "Rio-Tan" complete with a hyphen if we use Colonial Dames Campus Make-Up.

Doesn't it sound like they're trying for too many angles though? Either you are a fancy Colonial Dame gliding across campus at Smith or Wellesley, or else you're a glamorous jet-setting tanned party gal down at Carnival. Well, which is it? Maybe both. Just put some bronzer on your face and people will think you're a wealthy, well-connected society gal. If they notice that you're wearing an old housedress and Keds, why - they'll just think you're downplaying your wealth. Like Howard Hughes - but, obviously, a lot cleaner and not nutty.

Maybe this is supposed to appeal to genealogists. The Colonial Dames of America is a lineage society open to women who are descended from residents in British America (1607-1775) who served the country in some way - military or otherwise. Its headquarters are in New York City. There is also a second society called The National Society of Colonial Dames of America, which has similar requirements for membership, but it is based in Washington, DC.

Marietta Willats

You don't think that people saw this ad and thought: well, that's an interesting way to raise money for all those afternoon teas, do you? If you did, you hadn't read the little parenthetical statement at the bottom: "Not associated with any society." In fact, the makeup company still exists; their site is here. It was founded by an actress named Marietta Bosworth Willats - who, I gather, was a descendant of Colonial Governor Henry Wise of Virginia. So that makes sense. The link under Marietta's picture on your right will take you to the official history of the company, on their site. Colonial Dames makeup has been used in movies and TV for decades, so...well, I guess you could look like you'd been to Rio or Smith College. Or at least like you were starring in a movie about Rio or Smith College.

[Title from the song in South Pacific, "There Is Nothing Like A Dame." It was the first thing that came to mind, really.]