Dorothea Lange’s photo of a “Migrant Mother” was the definitive image of the Great Depression. The woman in it, Florence Owens Thompson, was tired, hungry, and desperate, and the hardships she suffered made her look far older than her 32 years. Wrinkles creased her forehead, worry was etched around her mouth and eyes.
Well. The women of the Greatest Depression are not about to let themselves be caught looking like that. Today’s Journal reports that despite the economic downturn, many working women have refused to give up the cosmetic treatments that keep them looking vibrant and youthful, even though they’re breaking the bank.
Maralyn Burr of Omaha, Neb., in June lost her job as a district sales manager for bookstore chain Borders Group Inc. Ms. Burr, who is $140,000 in debt from her 22-year-old daughter’s musical education, says she has slashed spending and all but stopped eating out. But she hasn’t given up her Restylane and Botox injections. “It’s like comfort food,” she says.
Well. At least when future generations look back at this historic meltdown, the pictures will be nice.
Keeping Up Appearances in a Downturn [WSJ]
