No Sweat
By Stefene Russell
Photo by Dorrill Studio, courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collection
Don’t laugh too hard at the belt massagers along the back wall. These days, they’re sleeker and made of white and green plastic, but they’re still only a shade more effective than the Molby revolving hammock. The rubber bands actually offered muscle resistance (Jack La Lanne called his version “Glamour Stretchers”), but how was a lady supposed to break an honest sweat in dainty tailored shorts, Keds and salon curls? No wonder they wanted to just apply the belt to a jiggly spot, flip the toggle switch and seizure their fat cells to death. Look at the clock; it was 4:10 in the afternoon. These five still had to get back into their wool dresses and coats, slip on their white gloves and ride the streetcar home.
