It was April of 1983, and Mary Kirby was an azure-eyed up-and-coming author. She was single, but on purpose and men would trail her everywhere. She was so good at meeting men that she wrote a book about it! She called it Mary Kirby's Guide to Meeting Men. Twenty-five years later, the text is still amazingly instructive.

Today's selection comes from Chapter Four: Flirting. It concerns the ways in which women can make themselves more attractive to menfolk.

The first and most effective flirtaphernalia a man notices is your hair, which is why it's probably a woman's most personal and creative accessory. It's one of nature's flirtaphernalia and it should be used to accentuate all your different personalities...

For some around-30 women, tousled, disheveled, and shorter curls look great because it's a youthful, alive look that moves easily into evening. Add a few whimsical feathers for a sexy touch. Or get a pair of oversized, dramatic earrings if you want to accentuate a slicked-back look. Earrings are flitty because men love the little tinkly sound that jewelry makes as a woman goes by...

Cutting your hair short can be an exciting way to change your look.... I never thought of my ears as particularly sexy until one man looked at me dreamily and said, "You have the most sensuous lobes. May I nibble one?"

You needn't go to extremes to be flirtatious. Sometimes a little braid at the side of your face can be more intriguing than a whole head of braids. It's certainly more feminine than simply pulling the hair back with a barrette.

Next week: Where to meet men! Hint: Tenant meetings! Opera Parties! Celebrity Tennis Tournaments!