Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 51

1 Sec. Sunday, Nov, 29, '53 DETROIT FREE PRESS Not a Word of It Is True But Brenda Starr Influences Women's Choice of Clothes, Hairdo, Dogs BY NORMA LEE BROWNING There is a runior making the rounds these days that a certain girl reporter, name of Brenda Starr, is greatly influencing women's fashions. This is most unusual. strip chicks chopped their skirts off a foot above the knees and took to smoking cigars. FOR A WHILE "Big Stare" clubs were going strong in certain teen-age sets.

Out in Texas where folks want their men he-men but their ladies like lilies, the "big stare" boomeranged. It wasn't ladylike for ladies to smoke cigars, screamed the Texans, and Brenda got booted from some of her Texas newspapers. She also made the front page of Women's Wear Dally, trade paper of the fashion industry, as a first-class menace to Mr. Dior's "new look." 'They said I was trying to kill the new look," said Brenda's creator. "Well she giggled, then added, "That's what's wrong with American women.

They're like sheep. Someone tells them they have to wear short skirts or poodle cuts and then they all come up looking alike. Miss Messick is a cute, petite (five foot two), and talkative woman with a mop of reddish hair, practically no Inhibitions, and the bounce of a Mexican jumping bean. She doesn't take any credit for writing Brenda. "It just comes," she says, "I started off with a lot of confusion and it just keeps going.

Like life-." fl rf-i ft Hf Ml I -v'; She never knows what Brenda is going to do next. "Does anybody in real lifs ever know what anybody is going to do next?" she asks. "Look at me. I just got myself a new husband and at my age! (She married Oscar Strom, an attorney in Gary, last April.) I'd like nothing better than for Brenda to get married, it's so wonderful, but of course, you know, she'd probably have 8 baby, and, well, you never can tell, it's just fate." Brenda just missed being a girl bandit Instead of a reporter. Miss Messick had derided on a girl bandit, for a fast-action cartoon strip, then changed her mind.

A girl reporter, she reasoned, never having known one, could fill the bill for action and still look like a fashion plate, and primarily what Dale Messick wanted to draw was a girl who wore pretty clo(hes. She loves clothes herself and she likes to draw fashions. DALE'S MOTHER was a milliner, and while most of her childhood girl friends wers playing with dolls, Dale Messick was helping Mom make hats. When she was 12 she had 21 silk dresses, mostly made-over because her mother also was an expert seamstress. Brenda's influence on fashions is not accidental "I-always get her into new fashions as they're coming in," she says, "where most men cartoonists get their women into them just as they new styles are going out." She's only seen one fashion show I yyy Dale Messick Ss She works from her home at Ogden Dunes, Ind.

Girl reporters generally don't know a peplum from a peau de soie swatch, but Brenda does. Brenda is that lucky girl who works for The gets all the top assignments, and always looks like a glamor ad. She has Rita Hayworth's hair, Betty Grable's figure, and the clothes to go with them all originals designed by Dale Messick, America's top woman cartoonist and creator of "Brenda Starr, Girl Reporter." Any similarity between Brenda and real-life reporters is strictly coincidental and very remote. Miss Messick doesn't know any reporters and Is a strong believer In artistic license. Since Brenda Is strictly a figment of Miss Messick's Imagination she can be plumped up for a bathing suit or slimmed down for a tailored suit.

"Maybe I'm a little impractical sometimes," says Miss Messick, "but I can't bear to leave Brenda in one outfit very long, so I get her out of situations fast in order to change her costume. That's why there's always so much action in the strip." BRENDA NOW appears In more than 100 leading newspapers (including the Free Press) and was recently voted the most popular comic strip among America's teen agers. Young brides-to-be swamp Miss Messick with requests for Brenda's bridal gown patterns every time Brenda gets In the marrying mood. Women like her glamor hats. Career girls envy her tailored suits.

College co-eds copy her boudoir lingerie. Brenda introduced the fad for black orchids which has swept the nation and currently launched what may well become known as the Pink Poodle era Reports have it that some pet owners are dyeing their poodles pink and a lady lamp-maker in California who specializes in poodle lamps at $100 a lamp says 80 per cent of her requests now are for Pink Poodles! All this Is because of Brenda's escapades with Madame Fou-Fou and the Pink Poodle Cocktail lounge. This kind of trend-setting seems pretty phenomenal to ordinary girl reporters who can't even keep up with the latest in typewriter ribbons. Brenda Is always about two jumps ahead of the newest style trends. And if she doesn't like what's new she can be scathingly individualistic.

When Mr. Dior's first "new look" came in a few years back, Brenda teed off with a new look of her own, called the "big stare." All the comic Red Ink Spells Lots The Harmonie Will Buzz With Christmas Activity Brenda Starr of Fun Cocktail pours and dinners preceded and followed the formal dancing benefit of the Edward W. Sparrow Hospital Guild, in the ballroom in Hotel Olds. General ball Henry Crouse, arrived in a waltz-length, strapless mode of pink satin beaded with pearl drops. 1 i ill: at work on her creation, Still others are Mrs.

Lawrence McSherry, president of Curie League; Mrs. John Phalen, president of the Industrial League; Mrs. Merritt Stahl, president of McAuley League, and Mrs. Jeffreys, president of Mercy League. The Country Club of Lansing Is being "dressed" this week for upcoming Christmas season Small fry will have their special one Dec.

23; Juniors on Dec. 26; and parent-members a wingding corns' Dec. 31. EXPECTING TO be back home in time to deck their hearth with holly are East Lansingites, Mr. and Mrs.

W. F. Doyle, who left this week for Florida. They are driving to Lauder-dale-by-the-Sca with Daughter Cynthia. She is employed in Chicago and joined them Thanksgiving Day in Detroit when they visited their son and daughter-in-law, Mr.

and Mrs. O'Brien John Doyle and three-year-old grandson, O. J. SATURDAY NIGHT was "Charity Ball" all the way. A i BY KATHIE MILL LUSK Free PreM Correipondent LANSING-That red ink in date books these days doesn't mean financial chaos but rather holiday good times ahead.

December's arrival is being heralded by merry-making, plus exodus plans to the West Coast for the Rose Bowl contest. On Dec. 15 the St. Lawrence Hospital Auxiliary has bid its Leagues and their guests to a holiday tea at the building on the East Lansing campus. Tea hours are to be from 2 to 4 o'clock.

MRS. BERNARD LUCK, auxiliary president, has named Mrs. Joseph Barrow and Mrs. Oscar Olander as co-chairmen of the Yule affair. Mrs.

Donald Stirm, Mrs. Joseph Heck-ert and Mrs. Clifford Jeffreys are their aides. Hostesses for the afternoon will be Mrs. Luck, Mrs.

Donald Dobie, president of Angelus League; Mrs. H. W. Johnson, president of Assissium League; and Mrs. Francis Jones, resident of Camillus League.

The Harmonie will make Its quiet square off Madison Ave. hum with Yuletfde doings during December. To brgln the club' round of festivities the new members will be received at a buffet dinner on Saturday. 1 i THERKSE MARY engagement to Sgt. El-dred McKenna Barden, L'SMC, has been announced by her aunt.

Miss Mary Manda, of Dexter Blvd. Sgt. Barden Is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eldred McKenna Barden, of Sorrento Ave.

WHAT IS IMC SfCRfT BBHIND JHi "GARDEN UNDBK Imagine? Red row, white gardenias, and rare natural flower brought in Irom the deep Bruilian forem are forever preserved under crvfrtal-clear glass by ipe An evening: of dancing will follow the short introductory program. Other dates highlighted on the December calendar are the old-fashioned card party and dance on Dec. 12 and the century-old Christmas carol concert, to he given Dec. 19 by the choral group under Frank Murch's direction. Another concert by The Harmonie choruses will be given in co-operation with the city at 8 o'clock Dec.

22 in Grand Circus Park. Then on Dec. 26 there will be the annual Christmas party for club members' children, featuring dancing and singing. And last the traditional New Year's Eve party. Donor Luncheon Hebrew Ladies Aid Society has set Monday for its 21st annual Donor Luncheon to be held at Holiday Manor.

Rabbi Moses Lehrman and the Choral Group of the Adas Sholom Sisterhood are on the program. r. 1 i i blonde ie Kit 4 tiai sealing proceM it makei a glorious bouquet, a pageant oi color and lovelineu. IMIltD HMt OffeU AT SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PBCf mm Kculatlr 14 00 NOW only tl.00 Dim .50 to covpr domc and hindliiu 30" riind 0lwv Aitortmtnt icnulirlr in 00 NOW only ti.SO plui Shipmcnif of these tite Btazilian Aowert Sorrr. no C.O.D a.

All ordefa ihipped VflLAST GAIDIN, I lUetkar ate Wlietlier YOUR Hair dark 'i-'? i Let them read about the people the town the friends they know i but she keeps ahead of current modes by subscribing to the fashion industry's trada papers. So far Brenda has discreetly ignored Mr. Dior's second "new look." Which is a pretty good sign her millions of female fans will, too. UNSIGHTLY HAIR GONE FOREVER dtW SHUNT wm MUH0DS" ft NVfHM 4fMS4fg A. WOLGIN, R.

E. f.ltt lrJn, ISnC OAVII) IIHIIIltKlUt rOWEI J.S047 BREATHTAKING- GARDEN UNDER GLASS Cinferpfec mf tvsfc, Jowrtn prMrve1 forever! A Chrittmot Gift They'd Cherish Through The Yerl Give your dinner pttties i center of attriction nd Tonverucion. Place this magnificent centerpiece on your dining (able. See how your china and silverware reflect iti exciting color Pur it on your television et, coffee table, or end table. Your $ueti will exclaim at (he beauty of this amazing "gar den under glasv" They 11 aik yoia where you got it.

how it can way through the yeara. .50 in rnvrr pmum ind handlinn o( i Ibi. few ORDLR TODAY before supply is gone. immediately! Send (heck or money otder to: Dltt. 6N17 NtW TOIK II, NIW TOIK the cost of sending the Free Press Daily Sunday FPO) State State Daily and Sund.iy Sunday Daily 1.75 5.00 10.00 20.00 2.60 2.50 5.00 10.00 7.50 15.00 J0.00 Camp, Army or Flret Pint Olfirr 'I 1812 Daughters To Hear Talk On Red Cross Members of the Gen.

Alexander Macomb Chapter, U. S. Daughters of 1812, will hear Helen Blazko speak on "The Red Cross at Work" at the group's Wednesday meeting. The get-together will be held In Newberry House. There will be an 11 o'clock board meeting, a noon luncheon and a business session afterward.

Hostesses for luncheon will be Mrs. George S. Guy, chairman; Mrs. E. McKittrick, Gordon W.

Kingsbury and Mrs. Robert Vint. Women to Form Auxiliary Women in the field of pharmacy and wives of members of the American Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association will meet Wednesday at the student center at Wayne University. At the 7:30 to 10 m. gathering women will form an auxiliary to A.

Ph.A. gray ft." cOtn. on! Campus at Woodward Randolph at Monro Engagements Mrs. Roy D. Chapin has announced the engagement of her daughter, Marian, to Hugo Scherer Higbie, son of Mr.

and Mrs. Harley G. Higbie. Mr. and Mrs.

Leonard R. Growdon, of ChilUcothe, have announced the of their daughter, Suzanne, to Frederick Thornley Hotchkiss, son of Mrs. Albert Brown Hilton, of Los Angeles, and Andrew Dwight Hotchkiss. Mr. and Mrs.

William D. Rocsser, of Buffalo, N. have announced the engagement of their daughter, Susan, to Ensign Jack Sherman Putnam, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie C.

Putnam. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Williams Kettering, of Hinsdale, 111., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jane, to Richard David Lombard, son of Mr. and Mrs.

Carleton Joshua Lombard, of Chelmsford, Mass. Miss Kettering is the granddaughter of Charles Kettering and the late Mrs. Kettering. i. i 1 Thei friendly is the perfect gift iiiii Weddings -RDUX COLOR SHAMPOO On top of the list always for those in service is "news from home." They'll find regularly their favorite features, columns, comics and sports reports.

Rarely do you find a gift that will be appreciated so much as a subscription to The Detroit Free Press. Remember, too, that there will always be something from you at every "mail call" the friendly Free Press. Send to your favorite serviceman now fill out the attached coupon and mail it today. 1 You See the Friendly Free Press Everywhere or lovelier, younger-looking haircolor if If your hair is faded and listless looking, you'll want to brighten it with this glorious new color beauty. And if it's starting to show gray, youH surely want the lasting, natural-looking color of Roux Color Shampoo! Dec.

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Cosmetics Dcp't, Street Floor for Do It Now! Send the Friendly Free Press to Your Favorite Serviceman Name Address -ity This gift Name Address City Nov. 16 To Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Walter Rohr, Jr. (Ann Kitchen), a daughter, Emily Janet.

Nov. 17 To Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Johnson (Elizabeth subscription is from: MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES N.

Jones), a daughter, Deborah Gove. Nov. 22 To Mr. and Monroe D. Macphcrsort (Kath- ryn Ann Lynch), of Beloit, formerly of Detroit, a son, Douglas Monroe.

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Peabody is a former resident of Detroit. COSMETIC DEPARTMENTS One Month Three Month Six Months On Year No Extra Char ft for Pntlagr if tetil to any a nftafAiisv aC. 1,4, Aj, aj mm 'III "1ITA 1 11 Ai A' A A A A A -A. ii, A ffj iSi.