Poise Is The First Essential For Dignity And Good Looks

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 195, 15 May 1936, Page 5

Poise Is The First Essential For Dignity And Good Looks

(By

Lorelei.)

It is extraordinary how few women ever give a thought to the business o. acquiring grace and poise. Au expert corset maker pointed this out the other day. She remarked ca all the good money spent on expensive corsets and belts for hips and abdomens by gins and women who, when wearing these garments, stooped and slouched along as though they bad done all that was necessary for figure beauty'. You cannot have distinction unless, you hare learnt to be graceful, nor can von wear clothes well, or hope to look smart, In fact, however good your figure may be, you will not retain it for long if you do not keep it supple and well poised. If you have certain shortcomings in your figure good posture can hide them A narrow badly developed chest can soon ire tilled out and rounded by deep brathing and by a correct stance. One of the commonest faults of posture is a forward carriage ot the head. How disastrous that is to grace and good looks. More than -that, if you continue bolding your bead forward when you walk you will soon develop a hump on the back, and maybe a thick double chin as well. So heads up at all costs.

If you are a sinner in this direction, it is not enough merely to try and remember to correct the fault; you must ■ also set about strengthening your neck i muscles so that they will hold your head gracefully erect without continual prompting. Women who carry their heads badly frequently have a good deal of unconscious stiffness at the back of the neck, and this must be loosened and the neck made more supple before grace can be acquired. Lie on the floor, or on your bed, with ■a couple of pillows under your shoulders. Your head must not be supported. Droop the head back as far as it will go until the throat muscles' are taut Then force it forward as fat on to your chest as you can push it. Do this exercise twice every day until you have completely limbered up that rigidness, and disposed of any underchiu plumpness. It is one of the best exercises possible for the acquiring of graceful carriage of the head.

A weak back, from which so many women suffer, is often the cause of ungraceful movements Strengthen your back with regular exercises. The best are those which are done lying Hat on the floor, such as sitting up and slowly touching the toes, or lifting the knees up towards the chin. You must gradually build up those back muscles if you want to be graceful. Leg muscles, too, must lie strengthI cued if they are to bear us beautifuiiy, n itli grace and without fatigue. Standing on one hip is a very ungraceful and harmful habit in which so many of us indulge. It throws the hips out of plumb and looks dreadfully slovenly. Teach your leg muscles to be strong. Goose-step round your room for a few minutes daily, and dance at every opportunity. When you walk, bend your feet correctly so that their muscles are exercised and not just fatigued. Then, apart from grace in walking, how do you sit? Watch women sitting at ease, and notice bow many slump down on the very lower part of the back. Ungraceful, yes, to the point of ugliness, but worse than ugly, that position in sitting gradually makes the hips ami thighs thick and enlarges the abdomen. So, if you want to look well ami keep a youthful, figure, cease putting your weight when you sit on the last bone of your'backbone. The correct position in sitting is really much more restful, too. in the eud. though few of us realise the fact. If you are inclined to heaviness in thighs or hips, sit always with your feet well together. That position will make you appear far more slender, ami keep you so. Crossing the knees is bad for the circulation and puts a strain on the spine. There are always a number of good posture exercises to choose from. Do not always do the same one, for that becomes so monotonous that one gradually drops exercising altogether. Keep variety in your daily dozen and never fail to take one walk in the fresh air every day. Breathe deeply part of the time while you are out. and learn the meaning of rhythm in walking.