What did marriage advice used to sound like?In this episode, we read real excerpts from mid-20th-century marriage manuals, advice books, and studies, the kind that confidently instructed women to “be a pretty wife,” breathe deeply for a better bustline, and never let their husbands see them unkempt.We’re not here to scold the past or argue ideology. We’re here to laugh at the absolute certainty with which these rules were written, and to translate them into plain language for modern ears.Some of it is funny. Some of it is shocking. A few parts are… genuinely baffling.All of it is real.Think of this episode as a time capsule: a 2026 married couple reacting to what marriage, gender roles, and “good behavior” were supposed to look like not that long ago, with humor, curiosity, and a few raised eyebrows.Find us on TikTok: @⁠⁠resurfacepod⁠⁠

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Visit our website: ⁠⁠www.resurfacepodcast.com⁠Sources:1) Sara, Dorothy. The Bride’s Encyclopedia. New York: Greenberg, Publisher, 1951.Excerpt: “Be a Pretty Wife,” pp. 282–283, pp. 2902) Walker, Mary Alice. Venture of Faith: A Guide to Marriage and the Home. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1959.Excerpt: “Venture of Faith: A Guide to Marriage and the Home,” pp. 128, pp. 273) Lord, Daniel A. Planning Your Happy Marriage. The Queen’s Work, 1949.Excerpt: “Planning Your Happy Marriage,” pp. 54) Duvall, Evelyn Ruth Millis. When You Marry. New York: Association Press, 1953.Excerpt: “When You Marry,” pp.13, pp. 225All sources can be found at www.archive.org** Disclaimer: This episode includes verbatim excerpts from historical marriage manuals, advertisements, and studies for commentary and discussion. The views expressed in the quoted material do not reflect our own and are presented for historical and educational context. **

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