It's Not All Downhill From Here

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses addiction, depression, and suicide.

The House of Beauty and Glamour is Loretha’s beauty store. She has two storefronts—one in Pasadena and the other in Los Angeles. By the end of the novel, she sells the LA storefront and moves the Pasadena storefront to a new, more prominent location. When asked to describe what she does, Loretha says, “I tell them ‘I sell beauty’ (I leave off ‘products,’ since it’s the truth)” (8). However, Loretha’s view of beauty shifts throughout the narrative and has markedly changed since her younger days. As Loretha owns the storefront and decides what to sell and what makes “beauty,” her shop reflects her views about herself and beauty. Because of this connection, the House of Beauty and Glamour becomes a symbol of Loretha’s self-opinion.

Loretha struggles with the decision to sell her LA storefront because she believes she must maintain her past decision—symbolically, a past identity that describes who she is. Her decision to sell symbolizes a willingness to let go of who she used to be and who she believes she must be to adapt to her new life. Her Pasadena storefront’s grand reopening, which everyone important in her life attends, reflects her acceptance of a new self-image. She no longer holds herself to the standards of her younger days and no longer believes her wrinkles and age marks define her. Instead, she embodies her present beauty and works to maintain it just as she chooses to preserve and enhance the Pasadena storefront rather than trying to manage multiple locations.