Scarlett Rules

Bertagnoli: SCARLETT RULES Scarlett rule 1 Pretty is as pretty does Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm. . . .Gone with the Wind Beauty is all very well at first sight; but who ever looks at it when it has been in the house for three days?George Bernard Shaw Fans who've seen the movie yet not read the book all agree: Katie Scarlett O'Hara was beautiful. Drop-dead gorgeous Vivien Leigh brought Scarlett to life on the silver screen, and Leigh was perfect for the role. Her model-slim figure, wavy jet-black hair, and green eyes eerily matched Margaret Mitchell's description of our heroineexcept for one important detail. Where Vivien Leigh's classic features made people stop and stare"What a lovely child," commented Queen Mary of England when the sixteen-year-old Vivien was presented at courtScarlett wasn't beautiful, a fact made clear in the very first sentence of the novel. What made Scarlett different from every other average-looking girl in the world is that Scarlett was unaware of her lack of beauty. And if someone had had the nerve to mention that fact to her, she probably wouldn't have cared. Scarlett knew how to dress to play up her figure, and she knew how to act to make men (and women) forget she was anything but ravishing. Scarlett's favorite gowns were green, the better to highlight her bewitching, catlike eyes. She wore hats and gloves to protect her milky-white complexion, so prized by Southern belles, from the harsh Georgia sun. When she could, she wore gowns that showed off as much of that peaches-and-cream skin as she could. Scarlett knew that clothes make the girl. More important, she understood that charm almost always seals the deal. She knew instinctively that the perfect accessories for her just-right gowns were the Scarlettisms that Gone with the Wind fans know so well: fluttering eyelashes, a flirtatious smile, that calculated toss of her head. When she had harsh words to say, Scarlett sugarcoated her speech, smiling and fluttering those eyelashes all the while. Better than most anybody, Scarlett knew that it's not what you say, it's how you say it. But Scarlett's charm was as filigreed as the French lace trimming her pantalets. Unlike Melanie, who was born gracious, or Ashley's sisters, who'd rather die than display anything less than impeccable manners and perfect charm, Scarlett's veneer carried her only so far. When Scarlett did not get her way, her Irish temper flared, her brow furrowed, and she forgot every single deportment lesson drummed into proper Southern girls. Only when the upset world was righted once again and tilting decidedly in Scarlett's favor was she sweetness, grace, and charm personified. On the surface, Scarlett had charm in spades. But she lacked true charm: the ability to be unfailingly unflappable, polite, and well-mannered even under awful circumstances. Had Scarlett been truly charming, she would have accepted Ashley's marriage to Melanie graciously and would never have let Rhett get under her skin, as he did so many times. Truly charming people make anyone feel that he or she is the only person in the world. They know how to deliver a compliment and how to accept one. They know how to make people feel good about themselves and about life, no matter what the circumstances. Like a mean backhand or a perfect risotto, charm is a skill that takes cultivating. What does it take to be like her, the woman whose entrance makes a party, whose smile is like the sun breaking through clouds, who's invitedBertagnoli, Lisa is the author of 'Scarlett Rules ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780812975314 and ISBN 0812975316.