Modern Romance à la 1952

Last month, I sold an issue of Modern Romances in my Etsy shop. Have you ever heard of this magazine? It was produced monthly by Dell Publications from 1931 until the 1970s. Filled with lurid articles about love and lust, it must have been quite racy for its time.

The issue I sold, from June 1952, has three sections. The first is comprised of booklengths and novelettes; the second section has short stories. And lastly, there is a modern family section with articles about home and family. Sprinkled throughout are ads for make-up, hair care, unusual beauty products, and lots more.

Here is a closer look at some of the issue's pulpier pieces . . .

The Loose Girl article has the subhead "Pity the boys who become her victims." (Oh my.)

Baby Born of Scandal is the story of a woman persecuted. It has the subhead, "Wanton was the word hurled at her." (Now that's a word you don't hear very ofter today.)

Kiss Intoxication has this intriguing subtitle: "What did he want of her? Tonight she would find out..."

The article entitled Who am I? is about a woman suffering from amnesia who finds herself in a mountain cabin after an accident. The subhead reads, "Was there a lover in her past? A job? Parents? Children? Was she married or single? Should she stay in the cabin with the hermit? Then one day a single secret from her forgotten past was revealed to her. She was a nurse..." (Yikes!)

This article is called How to Lose a Boyfriend. Its subhead reads, "Carol had everything — looks, figure, ability. How could any other girl hold her own against those heavy odds?" (Hmm, didn't they forget to mention brains?)

I Was Bait for Every Wolf is a career wife's story of her way up.

I've saved the best for last. The article called An Engaged Girl's Trickery has the subhead "Advice for those whose men are alter-shy." Love the photo! A woman is wearing a black negligée, holding a pair of tweezers, and gazing into a hand mirror while thinking to herself, "Why wasn't I married? I was average good-looking, correctly permanented, and all the rest."

Thank goodness we no longer have to be "correctly permanented." What a hoot!

Susan

Comments

[Elsie]

O.K. Susan you want laugh....I know you do. My sister use to
buy these AFTER she married,
which was at the age of 16 and
yes against my parents wishes
anyway I use to read these at
her house. I was 13 at the time.
MY MOHTER WOULD HAVE SPANKED MY
SHINEY IF SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS
READING. When I saw that on your
etsy I had a good laugh thinking
about back when. By the way, thanks for the laugh and thanks
for sharing in this post for I
have the biggest smile on my face
right now.

[Elsie]

Oh I forgot to tell you sis & her hubby are celebrating their 48th
anniversary.

[Claudia]

Oh boy. What lurid titles! These remind me of my Grandfather's Detective magazines. They had the same sort of illustrations and titles. Thanks for sharing them! I started my day with a chuckle.

xo
Claudia

[Juju at Tales of Whimsy.com]

Awesome.
The loose girls part is hysterical!