Dating 1938 Style: Tips For Single Ladies Back In The Day (PICTURES)

Don't Drink, Chew Gum Or Cry: Dating Tips For Single Ladies From 1938 (PICTURES)

Don't look bored, smudge his handkerchief with lipstick, talk to other men, cry or caress him in public.

Got all that? Welcome to the world of dating, 1938 style.

This twee series of sepia photographs demonstrating 12 golden dating rules on how to snare a man, hit the shelves during the Great Depression.

As well as an era of economic and emotional restraint, it was an age of elegance where the ideal woman was epitomised by the likes of Katherine Hepburn and Greta Garbo, actresses known for their poise in the company of the opposite sex.

Scroll down for your 1938 picture guide to dating

Drinking or chewing gum was out of the question, as was uttering a sound while cutting a rug, for, as the guide solemnly states: "When a man dances he wants to dance."

It primly adds: "A man expects you to keep your dignity all evening."

It's a snapshot of a life a world away from today where prison inmates can date online, married couples are just a mouse-click away from a discrete rendez-vous between the sheets and students are on the hunt for sugar daddies to fund their studies.

The question is, would you like to go back to it?

We're unsure of the original source of the images, but thanks to Sad And Useless for flagging this charming guide up.

Close

What's Hot