Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Originally published as a series of sketches in Harper’s Bazaar magazine, Loos’ debut novel was an instant success that popularised the tropes of the ‘dumb blonde’ and the ‘gold-digger’; we follow Lorelei, a young blonde flapper, through a series of diary entries as she and her friend Dorothy take an extravagant trip across Europe.

Lorelei involves herself with various men, seeing them only as entertainment and the means to increasing her jewellery collection – whereas Dorothy is more romantically inclined (much to Lorelei’s chagrin). The way that their exploits are told in Lorelei’s distinctive narrative voice and the imaginative writing techniques used by Loos form the heart of the novel, coming together to create a timeless comedic tone that will connect with contemporary and modern readers alike.