Channel the Brow

I, like many others, have fallen prey in the past to the over-plucking of the eyebrows. It's a basic mistake often made when you're about 14 years old and you just discovered what tweezers were for. It was cool for a moment, but like every trend, some have a use-by date for a reason. And thanks to whoever, the thick brows are back in and I'm loving it. It helps shape the face so well, and makes for a stronger look. I chose some local Aussie beauties who are representing the thick brow in the best way poss.

Ruby Rose, Abby Lee Kershaw, Miranda Kerr - All photos from Google images

Had to post this pick of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. I would say most of the time these girls' pouting kinda bothers me, but in this photo, those brows overcome all annoyances I may have had in the past. Gorgeous!!!!

My brows are a work in progress..... I need to stage an intervention with my tweezers as of next meeting. It's a new beginning.

Beauty & Style Transformation

We have all done it - got addicted to one way of having our hair done, wearing the same eyeliner style, wearing lip stick - or never, wearing jeans only, dresses only, black only - you get the picture. Often we look back at our style five (or more) years later and say "What was I thinking?".

This is what I was thinking about when I saw this youtube tutorial of doing a Megan Fox make up look (it's amazing!). I know, it seems unrelated, but stay with me.

A while ago I saw this newspaper article with two pictures of Megan Fox - one when she was about 16 and a recent one. The difference was startling. I mean don't get me wrong - in my opinion she has always looked more beautiful than most of us, she has naturally pleasing features - but while she used to look naturally beautiful, in the last couple of years she has started looking like an extremely polished out-of-this world beauty.

 Megan Fox - then and now. Pics found through Google Images

I won't go into any speculations about cosmetic surgery or will argue about weight loss or usage of stylist and make up artists - I don't care what a person chooses to do to themselves, as long as they feel good about it and don't hurt anyone else.The point is about transformations.

We could all afford to try something new to continually get closer what really looks great on ourselves. Because there is nothing worse than being stuck in the same routine - no matter what you do right now, I am sure you can adopt a little personal 'continuous improvement'. :)

For me, recently this has involved the courage to wear bright red lipstick and the realisation that dresses and high waisted skirts really look the most flattering for my body type.

What is something you have recently tried, started or stopped doing when it comes to your style?

Bows Bows Everywhere!

Feels like everywhere I turn there's a bow in sight, but I'm not seeing it on the street just yet. I love the ostentatious nature of the big bow sitting atop the face, it's so... glamourous and gorge! There is always the exception where the bow in the hair can make on look like a minnie-mouse wannabe, but I think when done right they can look a million bucks.

I love the Marc by Marc Jacobs take on the Spring/Summer 2010 collection. The soft red lip, minimal eye makeup with the bow sitting to the side. This is an everyday look I'll be experimenting with this Spring for sure.

Diane Von Furstenberg... nothing to say here, aside from a beautiful touch of glamour to a spring collection. Love the prints of these bows, a little big for everyday wear (for me anyway) but the concept is awesome.

Peter Som (sorry about the quality here, but you get the idea) has done the turban-esque take on the bow headpiece. This is a fave of mine! I've definitely been inspired by this one... on the hunt for a turbany bow, any hints on where I can find one? I'm thinking a trip to one of the Barcelona vintage stores is my afternoon adventure today.

Happy Bow hunting!!!!

1950s Beauty & Make Up

I hadn't planned on making this a series, but after somekindofstyle.com commented she can't wait for the 50s, I guess I am obliged to continue the beauty decades (see previous 30s and 40s post) haha...
But I warn you - good things come in threes (only)...

So the 50s. All I can think of are the beautiful, feminine dresses... But let's look into beauty aspects.

Elizabeth Taylor

Most people who refer to 'oldschool hollywood glamour make up' mean the 1950s look. The 50s were all about feminity with women once again focused on finding a husband and becoming housewife. To find the right man, make-up and the right wardrobe were essential.

It involved:

• Pancake make-up: To cover up any imperfections and to neutralise the face.
• Peachy complexion using blushed and powder
• Coloured, lush lips with darker reds for the evening
• Liquid eyeliner for the evening
• Thin arched eyebrows
• Soft, curly hair and shorter hairstyles were in.
• Pincurling and rolling (no hair dryers!) continued to give hair shape.
• Perms were also used to get the hair pre-curled, but even then you would still set your hair to get it very neat
• Hair spray became commonly used, making more complicated hair styles possible.

And of course I went on a hunt again and here are two tutorials. The first one is a Marilyn Monroe look and the second of Audrey Hepburn, which are quite different looks, but both from the 50s.

Marilyn Monroe:

Audrey Hepburn:

1940s Make Up & Beauty

Last week I wrote about the 1930s look and posted some video tutorials. This week it's the 1940s!

Personally, I am a much bigger fan of this look, with more natural eyebrows and lips filled within the natural lines.

Key features of 1940s make up were:

• Foundation: matched to your natural colour - moving away from the pale look of the 30s.
• Cheeks: Rosy pink
• Brows: Well plucked but full, arched eyebrows - moving away from thin eyebrows of the 30s. Brush with matt eyebrow power, set well with either eyebrow wax or vaseline.
• Eyes: no eyeshadow or neutral cream base. Lots of mascara on top lashes only.
• Lips: Focus was on full lips, the top lip rounded (unlike 1930s make up). All colours reds, fuchsia - anything to impress. The 40s were the golden age of lipstick!

As I'm still not quite ready to do my own tutorials, I again went on a youtube hunt to illustrate what 1940s beauty and make up was all about:

No 1: Basic 1940s beauty routine

While very basic, I really love how these ladies put emphasis on looking after themselves.



2. And here is a more comtemporary version of 1940s make up - by the fabulous strawberrykoivintage:



Et voila! Now off you go and look after your eye brows and put on some pretty lipstick :)

1930s Make Up & Hair

Ever since the Hair & Make Up workshop I went to in Adelaide (run by Lindy Charm school for girls) I've been really interested in learning about (and trying) the hair and make up styles from the past. So I thought I'd share with you what I've found.

Most of you know the look of the 1930s hollywood stars including Greta Garbo, Carole Lombard, Bette Davies and the absolutely fabulous, beautiful, amazing, talented, stunning (... you get the picture - I am biased as I am German too) Marlene Dietrich:

For me, the key feature of the 1930s look are the thin eyebrows - plucked to oblivion. But let's break it down:

1930s Make up

• Skin: Pale skin, using ivory tones for foundation. Sometimes they even used bleach cream!
• Eyes: As I said, thin thin eyebrow, but with big arches. Eyeshadows used were green, blue and browns. Lashes were long and curved and falsh lashes were sometimes used.
• Lips: To achieve the famous 'rosebud' look of this era, you needed to overdraw the top lip, making the top lip seem more plump

1930s Hair

• Fingerwaves, lots of curls and waves
• The snood became famous in this time

clockwise:
Norma Shearer
Greta Garbo
Jean Harlow
Bette Davies
All pics from moviemaiden.com

Want to try the look? Watch the tutorial by LisaFreemontStreet:



As the look Lisa creates is quite strong and classic, I thought I'd also include a modern version - a Marlene Dietrich inspired make up tutorial:



Next week, I'll write about the 1940s when eye brows became much more natural!

Beauty Inspiration: Hedy Lamarr

Austrian born actress (and engineer!) Hedy Lamarr is this week's beauty inspiration for me:

She acted in pre-war movies in Germany, later in the U.S. (under the MGM label) but also also co-invented an early form of spread spectrum communications technology, a key to modern wireless communication! Don't you love a beauty with brains?

Anyhow, this week I chose her as my beauty inspiration for her full lips and classic late 30s / 40s make up.

Have a look at the necklace she is wearing! Not unlike the bib necklaces which have been cropping up all over the place over the past few months.

Watch out for some vintage make up tutorials I will be posting over the next few weeks.

Thou shalt endeavour to always wear red lipstick

... is how it all began. The Lindy Charm School For Girls Vintage Beauty & Make Up workshop that is.

I attended the Adelaide session yesterday, held by head mistress Chrissy and lady Kim. These ladies looked like they have just stepped out from the 30s or 40s - perfect make up, hair, dress, matching shoes and accessories, which beautifully set the mood for the day - being more lady like and caring for yourself.

The course began with a talk about undergarments. Would you believe it - Chrissy and Kim wear corsets most days a week! Kim hand-makes two types of corsets which we tried on. There is the 40s/50s "Hourglass", which is not so uncomfortable, and the 50s "Dior Wasp, this one is a little less comfortable - letme put it in the words of another attendant - "well you won't die". Thefirst one took one inch of my waist - the second one 3.5!! So it can definitely be worth it. While I am not rushing to buy in, I did consider it, as one of the side benefits is great posture and you just feel a lot more lady like! Check out Kim's website.

One of the workshops attendees with Kim, photo by me

Then the ladies talked about hair and make up and did a few demonstrations. I enjoyed the hair session the most as I am always struggling to do something interesting with my hair. Did you know that ladies used to stuff the hair that came out from brushing in a old nylon sock was used to make hair fillers or round buns to put in your hairroll?

Anyway, here is one of the girls that got a make over done:

Before &After of one of the workshop attendees, photo by me

Don't you love the result?

The Lindy Charm School For Girls is holding this workshop across Australia, with a couple coming up in Sydney, Gold Coast, Canberra and Melbourne. Check the website if you are interesting in attending: http://www.thelindycharmschoolforgirls.com/

And here am I on the day:

Dress, Vintage from Irving Baby Adelaide

Wedge Shoes, Shoes Shop Melbourne

Belt, MNG Melbourne

Bracelet, Sportsgirl

I wore the flower dress I bought on my recent Opshopping trip. I am really not sure what shoes go with this style, I tried about 5 different pair which I thought might go, but no luck. So if you have any suggestions please let me know.

Before I go, I need to tell you one more thing: the Lindy Charm School of Girls oath (which all the girls take at the beginning of the workshop) contains one line that particularly struck a chord with me: "thou shalt never wear socks with sandals" - Alexa Chung do you hear me??

Off to put on some lipstick...