Tuesday 2 July 2013

Channeling my inner Flapper (1920's)

Evening mushies,Here's a OOtd Post with another costume piece of headgear!

First the inspiration and a l'il gyaan.
 
Cosmetics in the 1920s were characterized by their use to create a specific look: lips painted in the shape of a Cupid's bow, kohl-rimmed eyes, and bright cheeks brushed with bright red blush
The heavily made-up look of the 1920s was a reaction to the demure, feminine Gibson girl of the pre-war period.In the 1920s, an international beauty culture was forged, and society increasingly focused on novelty and change. Fashion trends influenced theater, films, literature, and art.Women also found a new need to wear more make-up. A skewed postwar sex ratio created a new emphasis on sexual beauty.Additionally, as women began to enter the professional world, publications such as the French Beauty Industry encouraged women to wear makeup so as to look their best while competing with men for employment

Key Features of 1920's makeup look:

Eyes: Dark, Smokey, Heavily lined, an appearance of being heavy lidded.  Focus is at centre of the eye opposite to modern makeup where we emphasis outer corners. Kohl was used to line & common household products such as petroleum jelly (Vaseline) was mixed with soot or coal. The mid to late 20's saw the development of mascara in the form of various styles such as cake, tube, wax, and liquid applied with a brush.

Eye brows: Low, thin, angled down & extended, it almost gives a look of sadness or melancholy.

Foundation: Pale, matt (although Chanel accidentally made tanning fashionable when she fell asleep in the sun one time). Early in the decade powders were generally white & ivory.  Sadly ceruse, made from white lead, was still popular, being most famously used by Merle Oberon well into the 30's & 40's to hide her Indian heritage, this product was later discovered to be toxic and blamed for physical problems including facial tremors, muscle paralysis, and even death.

Cheeks: Bright & 'rosy', rouged in reds & pinks, focus on the apple. Popular forms available; creams, powders, liquids, and rouge papers.

Lips: Red, from brights to dark, Cupid bow which focuses on the centre of the lip leaving the outer corners untouched. Around 1915, lipstick started to be sold in metal containers, with various push-up tubes. The first swivel-up tube was patented in 1923, in Nashville, Tennessee. This packaging allowed manufacturers to package to sell, creating stylish and seductive packages for consumer goods, and so the love affair with packaging begins!

*Phew*
 
So I tried to recreate the look ,not a very wearable one but sure a party rocker (say dress-up/Halloween)Also a fun and easy D-I-Y for the headband which is an absolute essential of 20's is just down below!

Here are the things your are going to need:
  • Fabric Glue
  • Your choice of feathers,sequins and stones (get going with your imagination)
  • Black sating ribbon(you could use other colours too)
  •  Glue Gun




I start with using a craft mirror as a base ,the glue gun doesn't not really stick it hence makes it the most practical way of placing my feather and work on it,easily mend able!
Then I just arrange everything  the way I like it to be and stick it with the fabric glue.Make sure to remove the mirror in the end.Its purpose is just to give a sturdy support.I did not go with anything extravagant,something I had actually wear out! Let the Pictures do talking!









And here's the me trying to be very Lily like!(as in the Gatsby).Now I really wish I had done this when my hair was even shorter.









 Here are some close up shots in natural light.Maximized my smokey eyes the other way around extending it to my brows in the inner corner,Also a little piece of advice would be if your eyes are small or closely set steer clear from this look.


Now my lips are not so tiny and shapely.A major characteristic of makeup was really defined cupid's bow more like a deep V.As for my eyebrows are real heavy I  kept them natiural and dark.Women back then really had thin shapely brows,but there is hardly anything I could have done with mine here!
Maybe in a video I will :)
I have drawn this using a lip pencil ,concealed my lips to make it look smaller and shapely!
Also bit my lips inward..oh yeah I did a hell lot of stuff to achieve that!
I have use a real burnt sienna rusted blush from inglot and applied it heavy handed!

Disclaimer:I'm not telling you this is how the women in 1920's did it,just my own take on the makeup look back then.

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And here's what it looked like indoor with the flash on sans accessories!

I really hope you enjoyed this post and effort pays off, I'm  going to improvise on this look further.Here's to the first steps!
 See you real soon in my next Post !
XOXO

4 comments:

  1. You got the 20s smokey eyes spot on! And love the little head piece, very creative! :)

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  2. Ur hard wrk paid off, i loved it the way u used small sequences around d diamnond and gud use of black satin

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  3. Thanks so much Nisha,means a lot coming from you.I have adored and drooled after your hair ever-since :P
    Sanky baby you are my support,I don't know what I had do without you!

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