The "Toilette Table Chat" continues...

The woman who knows what colors she can and cannot wear becomingly, and who avoids the latter as she would the plague, has solved one of the great problems of feminine social success; but, unfortunately, she is a good deal of a rarity. One of the commonest, and yet one of the most terrible of sartorial mistakes is the idea that practically every woman can wear black. As a matter of fact, only the fairest of women really looks well in black, though, inasmuch as it is considered the "thinnest" color the stout woman can wear, it is recommended on general principles to every woman who would fain reduce her apparent inches of girth. White, on the other hand, makes a woman look large and statuesque, at the same time imparting to her appearance a certain innocence and winsomeness that are usually irresistible. Dark-haired, dark-eyed women look well in brilliant red, as also does the blond of the extreme type; but to the auburn-haired blond red is more often than not fatally unbecoming. Certain shades of green, however, are particularly well adapted to her, especially if she have the clear, creamy complexion that ought always to go with auburn and chestnut hair. For the woman with silvery hair, there are grays which convey more than a hint of silver in their high lights, while she may also take her choice of mauve, heliotrope and violet. Black, however, she should avoid, unless it be of velvet and her own coloring of the most perfect. Dark blue, olive green and heliotrope, by the way, rank next to black as "reducing" colors; while light blue, pale gray and every shade of red have precisely the opposite effect. Brown-haired women generally look well in russet-colored gowns, especially the warmer shades of russet.
-printed in "The Designer" magazine, June 1904

Among the many ads in the June 1904 issue of "The Designer" magazine, there were several pertaining to special accessories for the hair. The "Swedish Hair Powder", shown in the ad at right, was a dry shampoo, guaranteed to remove dust, dirt, and oil and leave the hair soft and glossy. I think I'll stick with today's liquid shampoos... This ad featured an especially charming photo of a young miss showing off her tresses.

The advertisement at left shows a pompadour comb. Not only did this comb gracefully roll the hair upon the head, it was supposed to prevent headache, invigorate the scalp and stimulate hair growth; quite a tall order to fill, I think. Your quarter could buy you one of these combs in either tortoise shell or light amber.

Wigs, hair switches and even attachable pompadours made from real human hair were available at the time. That is why the young wife in O. Henry's Christmas tale "The Gift of the Magi" was paid so handsomely for selling her lovely long locks. The two ads below feature hair pieces of these types, the one on the left offering "perfect-fitting" wigs for both men and women priced at $3.00 and up, while the one on the right boasts "Fadeless Switches" and "Transformations adapted for covering gray and streaked hair", priced at $8.00. This "Parisian Hair Co." of Chicago also sent 6 free shell hair pins and an illustrated catalog with any order.