A curious collection of photographs
from the 1930s has shown us just how different life was for the American
family just 75 years ago - particularly for women.
Using
burlesque dancers as models, Allen Gilbert, who was promoting his new
Manhattan School of Undressing, gave readers a few pointers and lamented
in the article that wives with a faulty 'disrobing methodology' were
largely responsible for America's ballooning divorce rate
Dubious advice: Ex-burlesque stripper June St.
Clair, pictured, demonstrates how a wife should teasingly remove her
lingerie in front of her husband in the bedroom, during class at the
Allen Gilbert School of Undressing in 1937
Comparison: Ex-burlesque stripper June St.
Clair, right, sexily undresses as a typical wife clumsily disrobes next
to her during demonstration on how wives should undress in front of
their husbands in the bedroom
How to undress: The images, published originally
in LIFE Magazine in 1937 and again on LIFE.com this week, illustrate
step-by-step how a wife should - and should not - undress for her
husband
Gilbert said in the
February 17 issue that at his undressing school wives, anxious to
improve their marital manners, would learn 'the correct way' to take off
their clothes.
'I am dedicating my school to the sanctity of the American home,' he explained.
At the time of print, 48 New
York wives 'who suspect there is something wrong with' how they undress
in front of the man of the house had already signed up for the $30 six
lesson course.
'From
these they will learn how to make going to bed appear a thing of charm
and pleasure rather than a routine chore,' the article reads.
Dress: Ex-burlesque stripper June St. Clair, pictured, carefully hangs up her dress in the bedroom
Oops: Typical wife clumsily taking her dress off
over her head in a demonstration of how not to undress in front of you
husband in the bedroom
Divorce: The article suggested that wives'
failure to disrobe sexily for their husbands was contributing to the
ballooning divorce rate in America
Clumsy: A typical wife, pictured, clumsily
removes her dress after pulling it off over her head during a
demonstration of how not to undress in front of your husband in the
bedroom in 1937
Thankfully, even back
then, LIFE's editors weren't entirely convinced, believing the course
may be a stunt to promote the burlesque producer's upcoming show.
'Mr. Gilbert plans to put on a revue next spring entitled Sex Rears Its Ugly Head,' the article reads.
'It may be that this current lapse into pedagogy is partially motivated by the knowledge that advance publicity for the producer is not a bad thing.'
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