posts tagged ‘beauty’
forties fringe
A question I receive a lot regarding 1940s hairstyles is what to do with short bangs. Understandably, if you’re a gal sporting a short fringe, it can seem like 1940s hairstyles with their pompadours and rolls means short bangs were just not done. Contrary to popular portrayal, there were plenty of styles in the 1940s that allowed for shorter bangs (both straight and curly). I thought I’d share a smattering of images I’ve collected of ladies with short bangs from the era (note: I realize not all these images are strictly from the 1940s; some are late 30s, but I feel they are great illustrations to my point! lol.).
[ l to r: 1942 ( via ), ella raines, 1947 (personal collection). ]
Straight, blunt-cut bangs seem to be most often worn with the smooth, minimalist styles of the decade. Think of the elegant chignons of the mid 40s, or the winsome pageboy style (first image) that was so popular throughout the entire decade.
[ l to r: unknown, paulette goddard, rosemary lane. ]
If you’d like some volume, try pincurling your short bangs! The key is to do probably 2-3 rows of pincurls to create enough depth (note the bangs aren’t “shallow”, they go back from the hairline a bit), and use a good setting lotion (such as the ever popular “Lottabody” brand) to keep the curls from falling. If you were feeling really glamorous, you could even tease the curls out into a poufy bang a la Betty Grable!
[ l to r: anna neagle, virginia vale. ]
This style is a nice mix between the severely blunt and curly bangs. Gently curling the hair under into a soft wave creates a nice line that allows for the rest of the hair to take center stage. This would be a great way to handle short bangs if you want to do side rolls.
The key really is just making the bangs look like a part of the entire ‘do, otherwise they will look decidedly modern with your vintage look. I hope this helps a tiny bit for gals who have short bangs, but still want to do 1940s styles with their hair!
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Posted to: beauty. | 13 lovely thoughts
the age old problem
[ click for a larger view. ]
As is typical for me, I’ve let my hair grow out again. I seem to boomerang between mid-back (or longer) length hair, and just-past-the-shoulders. I’m getting to the point where I need to build up the courage to cut it–I’m really silly and get very protective of my hair! lol. But something needs to be done since it’s gotten really long and unmanageable as far as 40s-styles go. My last, straight-up 40s cut was inspired by Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe (while she was still young, in the late 40s). This time though, I’m leaning more towards the Gene Tierney/Lauren Bacall length (somewhat shorter still). Oddly enough, a handful of people over the past year say I look a bit like Lauren Bacall when she was young, which I think is nonsense, but maybe I just don’t see what others do? lol. Regardless, I really love that simple, slightly sporty hairstyle. I just need to get over the aspect of uncertainty of getting one’s hair drastically cut! lol.
[ click for a larger view. ]
p.s. Thank you all for your sweet comments on yesterday’s post about the Christmas deocrations! They meant so much to me, because I had an rather disappointing day in regards to the gingerbread house. It’s not ruined, just delayed a bit longer! More to come…
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Posted to: beauty. | 30 lovely thoughts
swanky updo’s
[ click for a larger view. ]
If there is one thing that I love and never tire of, it’s the vintage updo. Truth be told, I wear my hair up in some configuration the majority of days; it’s just easier to have it out of the way (not to mention cooler not to have it against my neck!). Something I have been doing in spare moments lately is scanning through my image files for new vintage updo inspiration! A girl can never have too many ideas for new ways to arrange her hair…
- 01. alida valli, I love this simple, almost Grecian inspired chignon.
- 02. madeleine carroll, a simple wave at the front with a crown (or “Heidi” braid)–so very elegant!
- 03. evelyn venable, a variation on the previous style with a twisted crown braid, rather than a plaited braid (try a hair extension for this one).
- 04. lauren bacall, a casual updo in this context, but just haphazardly piling curls atop your head would look sweet with a more modern cocktail dress!
- 05. joan bennet, another “curl pile” ‘do, but this one is a little more purposefully balanced and arranged.
[ click for a larger view. ]
So many of these are deceptively simple. But even for those that aren’t, just the concepts are good in that they can be imitated with a little hair know-how. Even if you’re not game for doing an updo on a regular basis (my everyday ones are never anything special!), they are great for special occasions that crop up!
- 06. lena horne, a simple center part with a triple layer of braids piled atop the head–so dramatic! (again, hair extensions would be key for this one.)
- 07. jane wyman, a fun idea for incorporating a string of pearls (or any other costume jewelry–chain necklaces, brooches, or even bracelets!) into the hairstyle.
- 08. audrey hepburn, I love this modern, sleek updo; it would go with so many party dresses!
- 09. deanna durbin, when in doubt, add flowers! one can never have too many, imho.
- 10. ginger rogers, a bit more involved than some of the other styles, with a rope of hair hanging down the back. still, an adventurous style for the more hair adept!
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Posted to: beauty, style inspiration, vintage inspiration. | 11 lovely thoughts
makeup review: besame’s new lipstick
[ wearing besame "red velvet" over mac "cranapple" lip pencil, with a dab of red lipgloss over top. ]
After my post on red lipstick, I was contacted by Besame asking if I’d like a sample of the new lipstick they were developing once it was available. I eagerly said yes, and was delighted when it showed up in my mailbox last week! I was really looking forward to trying their lipstick, not only because this was from their new line, but I had never tried Besame cosmetics and I wanted to see how the lipstick held up to my beloved MAC.
Upon initial inspection, I found that the sample I had received (in Red Velvet) was pretty identical to MAC’s Russian Red (my personal favorite red lipstick). Even over the various lip pencils I have, the two did not differ much. I wore the Besame lipstick a few days in a row to compare it to the wearing experience against my MAC lipstick. Here’s the pro’s and con’s that I discovered while I gave it a test drive. Please note this is only reviewing the Red Velvet lipstick; not the pencil or the brush (which I was not sent).
[ for comparison (left to right): nyx "hot red" jumbo lip pencil, mac "russian red" lipstick, besame cosmetics "red velvet". ]
Pro’s
- It’s a lovely, deep rich, red color. Perfect for either your vintage or modern look. Red Velvet definitely falls into the “classic red” category for me! I also was impressed with how the color looked next to my pale skintone.
- The color is quite matte, which is hard to find in many red lipsticks. This makes for an even more vintage look to the color.
- It blends beautifully with both a brick red and raspberry red lip pencils I tried the color over. This makes for a really versatile color–one you don’t have to stick to one base color with!
Con’s
- The application was a bit dry and tricky. I used the recommended application method of a lip brush, as well as applying straight from the same stick. Either way, I felt that it dragged across my lips (which were properly moisturized).
- The color wore off more quickly than many of my other red lipsticks. I found that even without eating or drinking, it had begun to fade and wear off towards the inside of my lips.
- The lipstick is currently only available in a set with the pencil and brush applicator. For someone like me, that is not only on a beauty budget, but doesn’t need another brush applicator (or red lip pencil for that matter), it’s a bit of a hassle to have to order the complete set every time you need a new lipstick.
So what’s my final opinion? I like it, but with caveats. Namely that it does dry my lips out more than my MAC colors. Because of that, I wouldn’t rush out to buy the lipstick. However, if I was in the market for a versatile red I would say this might be a color worth considering.
So I want your opinion: have you tried this, or any other Besame, lipsticks? What your review?
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After my post on red lipstick, I was contacted by Besame asking if I’d like a sample of the new lipstick they were developing once it was available. I eagerly said yes, and was delighted when it [...]
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Posted to: beauty. | 13 lovely thoughts
reader inspiration: christine
[ reader inspiration: christine. click for a larger view. ]
I always love receiving emails from people who read my blog, and this week I got a really fun one from Christine. She told me she had been watching my hair tutorial videos on YouTube and wanted to share some photos of her 40s inspired looks. She was kind enough to allow me to share these photos with you all! I just love the pageboy and the half-updo style that was inspired by a 1937 movie. She told me she uses foam rollers and a setting lotion, and offered these helpful tips about using a setting lotion:
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“I find that if I use plenty of setting lotion on damp (almost dry) hair that the curls will last 2-3 days. I used to use my mother’s mousse and gel when I was in high school and they never seemed to work very well. My hair doesn’t curl easily (forget heat styling!) so I was very surprised when I started using the setting lotion that it made such a difference. The curl is more like a natural curl– when you bounce it springs into a tighter curl, not out of the curl like when you heat style. The term “lotion” is a bit misleading– it’s actually a thin liquid. I’m sure there are several brands out there, but Wella’s Elan is what I use (the Extra Hold formula). I get it from the local Sally’s Beauty Supply.“
Aren’t her hair do’s gorgeous? Thank you so much, Christine for sharing these! I’m inspired (and can’t wait to get my hands on some setting lotion; something I haven’t tried yet)!
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Posted to: beauty. | 16 lovely thoughts
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