A brief history of the dress fashions and beauty style of the iconic 1920′s woman.

1920′s Fashion  – The Rise and Fall of the Flapper Style and Dress
See also our popular post:
1920′s Fashion – Women’s Dress and Style

Also:
The Flapper Slang Guide.
In 1929, a famous New York Times article by Mildred Adams declared ‘ The Death of the Flapper’ and in many ways, her declaration was true. ” Time had once again caught up with women’s liberation in fashion and most notably, the hems of skirts began to drop to more conservative heights, and feminine curves were back in mode.”

1920's Flappers - Clifton Adams - National Geographic

The Flapper defined the style of the 1920′s,with her flat tomboyish silhouettes and her Parisian inspired cloche [ bell ] hats; though she is often misunderstood and misrepresented as the frivolous ‘ bright young things’ of the UK after the 1914 to 1918 war, and the typical so called ‘ flapper’ dress is more of a retro 1960′s reproduction, replete with fringed beaded dress, cigarette holder and badly fitting bobbed wig and feather!

In reality, the flapper [ at the time more of a derogatory term for women of loose morals etc ] was a newly liberated woman, freed from the ‘ Gibson girl’ corsetry and s-bend silhouettes of the Edwardian era, and the constraints on her lifestyle that such clothing, inflicted on her. The infamous La Garconne [ Bachelor Girl ] novel by Victor Margueritte, with its beautiful dress illustrations by Van Dognen, and its risque storyline of its heroine – Monique, who dressed like a man, smoked cigarettes and has multiple sexual partners of both sexes, perhaps copper fastened the image of  the ‘flapper’. Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka also made the image of the garconne / lesbian by choice type flapper famous through her stunning paintings.

La Garconne

The First World War, was where it all really began. Red Cross uniforms – simple, understated and prettily functional, led the way.Hair was cropped for practical and safety reasons, and remained short thereafter. The older generation back home clung tenaciously to their corsets and Gibson Girl dresses, but their days were numbered. Throughout the war, the silhouette stayed human, skirts widened for more free movement and the one piece gown took center stage. The changing styles of young women was captured accurately in the brilliant 1970′s TV drama – Upstairs Downstairs, where the young Georgina, wonderfully portrayed by Lesley-Anne Down, evolved from war nurse to frivolous flapper.

Georgina-the-red-Cross-Nurse---Upstairs-Downstairs----Lesley-Anne-Down

In truth, though the war played it’s part – it was art, design, theater, and the exciting and glamorous new films from Hollywood, that all had an influence on the fashion and beauty styles of women throughout Europe and the USA. The History of Make-up from the 1920′s onwards was revolutionary, with the name of Max Factor and brands such as Maybelline, forming the vocabulary of every young woman. The health and fitness craze which swept the western world, had boarding school girls marching in line around the school grounds; actress Isadore Duncan, with her loose Greek inspired robes, encouraged normally respectable middle class women to leap about in ‘nature dances’ and tableau’s;  and thus the demand for loose clothing, offered fashion designers the chance to ‘liberate’ women’s dress.  Paris designers like the Madeleine Vionnet, whose ‘bias cut’ helped create the sleek body clinging 1920′s dress style, and the young Coco Chanel, who turned the walking suit of the late Victorian era into a more fashionable day dress, caused a storm with their new and exciting lines.The new automobile demanded that a woman’s skirt have a ‘slit’ to allow her easier access into the dreaded contraptions. Corsets began to loosen up and in some cases disappear, in favor of the corselette.

1920′s Fashion in Color film.

1922 - The 1920s Dress drops briefly to the ankle again !

Paris, under the influence of silk manufacturers who bemoaned the new fads of shorter skirts, brought out new longer lengths which Mildred Adams described as having ‘ New York women, on a hot summer day, swathed to the toes, frequently ripping their dresses whilst dashing for a bus and the fad didn’t last the year.

1920′s fashion – The Paris Exposition of 1925

The “Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industrial Modernes”  put Paris firmly back in the fashion firmament. The Art Decoratif mode which influenced its leading designers such as Jeanne Paquin, Coco Chanel and Madeleine Vionnet, later became known as Art Deco – termed many decades later in the 1960′s by British art critic and historian, Bevis Hillier. One notable designer at the 1925 expo was artist Sonia Delaunay, whose colorful geometric shapes in clothing; from coats to swimwear, caused a stir.

Coco-Chanel

Sonia-Delaunay-1925

From 1925, skirts were climbing steadily and ‘ the Flapper went out shopping for her crown’. For the first time in history it was smart to be practical – and to wear clothes that demanded less care. Women’s magazines were filled with patterns based on the ‘new Paris styles’ and if a girl could sew, all she needed was the proper material and a large table, on which to lay out her new future dress. The ‘One Hour Dress’ – written by the famous Women’s Institute fashion writer - Mary Brooks Picken became a hit among home sewers.

The Rise and Fall of the Hem – 1920′s Dresses

By 1925, skirt hems had risen by up to 16 inches, just above the knee.It is this hem length that defines the flapper dress, and not the tardy retro 1960′s mini version. Skirts and dresses were weighed heavily with beading. Evening frocks in the early 1920′s were quite short, and it is in this period that the ‘ flapper’ image took hold. By 1929 however the hems, along with the Wall Street stock exchange – virtually fell to just above the ankle again and remained there until the late 1930′s when designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli helped bring back more free form clothes to fashion. Evening gowns by 1929 had also returned to more opulent affairs and nearly always reached the floor.

1920′s Style timeline – 1921 compared to 1929:
Images from L’Officiel de la Mode Archives

From these: 1921 Day Outfit and Evening dress

1921 Day Outfit

1921 Evening Dress

to these: 1929 day outfit and evening frock

1929 day outfit

1929 evening frock

Check out our complete post:
1920′s Fashion – A Visual Timeline from 1921 to 1929.

1920s Shoes.

The Mary Jane ankle strap shoe was the most fashionable shoe of this era and T-bar shoes or others styles with buckles and bows also became popular. the main aim was to allow easy movement – especially when dancing !

1920's-shoes style

The changing shape of the 1920′s silhouette.

The Garcon look – flat chested and boyish, had only a brief fling – lasting in all from 1924 to 1927 ! Busts were pulled in with the infamous Symington Side Lacer. The main bra to speak was the four sectioned lace bandeau bra, but camisoles were often more popular. The aim during these few short years was to look as boyish as possible.  Between 1920 and 1928 – the sales of corsetry declined considerably. But by 1928, corsetry made a return with major brands competing like Spirella and Maidenform. New softer material such as lastex began to make girdles and corsets actually wearable without squeezing the life out of its wearer. By 1930 the feminine curve was back in vogue again.

1920′s Swimwear.

The iconic Jantzen Swimsuit, came in answer to the new fitness craze which swept the world after the war. It was an elasticized revealing and skintight one piece and a revelation.Women of a daring disposition could not wait to jump into them. They first appeared in beauty pageants in the early 1920s and very quickly a swimsuit mania swept across the world. One left over from the 1910′s was the wearing of rolled stockings with your swimsuit, when not bathing. The result was a glamorous beach look that has found few contenders since. This look disappeared fairly quickly by about 1925, and the sleeker swimsuit look with bare legs was preferred.

The early 1920′s Flapper Swimsuit

The Late 1920′s Swimwear Look.

Sonia-Delaunay-beachwear---1927

The 1920s Flapper Make-up look.

Dark kohl eyeshadow seems to be the standard retro version applied now for the Flapper make-up look. But this style takes more from the Hollywood vamp look of the period. The average 1920s woman who dabbled with this ‘ dangerous’ new accessory, tended to go for a more understated look. White flawless skin was the aim, with a healthy rouge flush and just a dab of lip color.

Lipstick was still looked on as an accessory only worn by ‘loose’ women’. On the other hand, mascara was extremely popular with the Maybelline brand out selling all others.They did after all invent it !

Excerpt from Wild Women 1922 – Janet Lee

” If I ever find any of you using face paint in this house, I’ll take you in hand.” pronounced my father at the dinner table.” Powder’s bad enough – I’ve stood for that, too much of that in fact, but we’ll have no ‘ Painted Ladies’ in this house!” I stood up, regained my composure, and swept majestically from the room.

Download beautifully restored and original 1920s make-up and beauty guides, as actually taught to women of that glamorous era.

The 1920s Flapper Hairstyle – Crops and Bobs abound !

Louise-Brooks---The-Bob-Hairstyle---GlamourDaze

The 1920′s hairstyle was in a single word – short ! Bobs, crops and shingles were the order of the day and were quite severe until the late 1920′s, by which time, softer more waved alternatives began to tempt women back to slightly longer lengths.

The Cloche hat – iconic image of 1920′s Flapper Fashion.

Cloche-Hat---Leslie-Anne-Down---Televisions-first-Flapper

Caroline Reboux, the “Queen of the Milliners.” is generally credited for inventing the famous bell shaped Cloche. As early as 1921, she responded to the new Eton crop style haircut favored by many Parisian women, by  creating a hat to fit snugly by placing a length of felt on a customer’s head and then cutting and folding it to shape. The style took off and became an iconic image of 1920′s fashion. By mid 1925 – with hair cropped close to the scalp -  cloche hats almost resembled bathing caps.

By 1929, with longer hairstyles back in fashion again – the Cloche regained a brim of sorts. The cloche hat reached its zenith in popularity by 1932 and along with the Flapper herself – finally faded disappeared.

That’s all !

copyright 2012 Glamourdaze

Clifford Adams - Two Flappers - National Geographic

This visual 1920′s fashion timeline can be read as an appendage to:
1920′s Dress Fashion – The Rise and Fall of the Flapper

1920′s Dress Fashion – Visual 1920s clothing Timeline from 1921 to 1929.

1920s fashion - The Flapper

A 1920′s fashion timeline of French day and evening dress styles from 1921 to 1929 with imagery from the  L’Officiel de la Mode Archives. The notable transition from straight angular silhouettes through the mid 1920′s back to more feminine curves by 1929 is evident. Also interestingly – evening frocks in the early 1920s were quite simple affairs, and hems rose dramatically, often higher than skirts and dresses worn in daytime, but by 1927, fell to the floor again, in much more opulent styles. 1920′s Dress simplified!

1921 Day Outfit.

1921 Day Outfit

1921 Evening frock.

1921 Evening Dress

1922 Day Outfits – Winter.

1922 Winter day Outfit

1922 Evening frock.

1922 Evening Dress

1924 Day Outfit.

1924 day Outfit

1924 Evening Dress.

1924 Evening Dress

1925 Day Outfit.

1925 day dress

1925 Evening frock.

1925 evening frock

1926 Day Outfit.

1926 day outfit

1926 day dresses

1926 Evening frock.

1926 Evening Frock

1927 Day Outfit.

1927 day outfit

1927 Evening frock.

1926 Evening Dresses

1928 Day Outfit.

1927 Summer day dress

1928 Evening Dress.

1928 evening frock

1929 Day Outfit.

1929 day outfit

1929 Evening frock.

1929 evening frock

That’s all !
copyright – Glamourdaze 2012

See original post here:

Shoe Fashion – Time travel back to the 1930′s

It isn’t often you get a high quality fashion film feature from the 1930′s but Glamourdaze is delighted to present ‘Shoe Fashion – Time travel back to the 1930′s’. A sparkling fashion film featuring women’s designer shoes from the 1930′s.
Other 1930′s fashion posts:
1930′s fashion – Hollywood Shoe styles
1930′s fashion report – Swimwear
1930′s fashion report – Paris Styles for new decade
1930′s Hollywood Shoe fashion – Carole Lombard

copyright Glamourdaze 2012

Download vintage 1930s beauty guides.

1930s Paris Fashion Dress

See also – 1920′s fashion -Women’s dress and style
More 1930′s fashion posts:
1930′s fashion report – Paris styles for the new decade
Vintage Geisha Girls – 1930′s fashion on Film
1930′s fashion – Vintage hairstyles on film
1930′s swimwear fashion on film

An original fashion report from Ladies Home Journal January 1930s.

Now that the surprise, shock and indignation of the arrival of the new mode are only memories, we begin 1930 and a new decade at that, with sports and daytime frocks at becoming but practical lengths, with the realization that waists may be high but also becoming, that individuality has achieved importance of its own, that a new and really beautiful fashion has been evolved. Paris sends us these fascinating design to drool over, authentic in chic, with a heart beat to every line and trimming.

1930s Paris fashion A

1-Doeuillet-Doucet’s ” Ramona dress” [ above image ] tempers the feminine mode to the very tall slim woman who finds too many vertical lines unbecoming. the riffled circular flounce is held cleverly by wide bands crossing in back and appearing again in front as a crushed girdle.Designed for size 12, 14 and 16. Worn with it is an intricately and becomingly draped black felt turban from maria et Andree.

1930s Paris fashion B.

2-The House of Lucille’s exquisite evening gown is not only an inspiration for a tropic-going wardrobe but sufficient excuse for a midwinter trip !
An original gray and rose printed chiffon, the circular skirt edged with black velvet. Just below the velvet girdle are placed gray and rose flowers in the tones of the fabric. The circular skirt is long in front and back, the under-skirt at each side – the floating cape in back – both feminine and flattering.

1930s Paris fashion C

3-Lenief Outfit.

1930s Paris Fashion Dress

Lenief has written an entire explanation of how to be a la mode but not fussy in her gorgeous outfit pictured here. There are swagger little pockets and four circular godets in the skirt, applied bands with bow ends on the bodice and sleeves. Designed in dark green crepe, for ages 16 to 30. The simply entrancing hat, with bow in back, is from Agnes.

1930s Paris fashion D

4-Phillipe et Gaston

The scalloped line on which the circular jabot is attached, the scalloped line of the yoke above the pleated skirt, are echoed by a scalloped yoke in back in Phillipe et Gaston’s design. The dashing hat is from Lewis.

1930s Paris fashion E

5-Phillipe et Gaston

In the next outfit they have thoughtfully provided an excellent excuse for a southern cruise in ” Les Regates”. It should be treasured for Spring if you are not going south. The little sleeveless blouse was designed in red, with a long sailor collar and a tie of white to match, but smart young sportswomen will probably have several in various colors.
The skirt is on a camisole top and is pleated except in the center back.The smart felt hat worn with it is from Marcelle-lely and has a brim which is raised in front.

1930s Paris fashion F

6- Drecoll-Beer.

Drecoll -Beer creates a chic travel or sports dress, in one piece, the skirt buttoned in front and circular at the
sides. A large bow of black velvet trims the beige felt Hermance hat !

text -copyright Glamourdaze 2012

For a complete guide on 1930′s make-up styles – you can download beautifully restored archive beauty guides from the 1930′s as actually taught to women of that glamorous era. other era’s include the 1920′s, 1940′s, 1950′s and soon the 1960′s !

1950′s Make-up Fashion – Lovely Lips masterclass.

Adapted from Make-up & Beauty – Vintage 1950′s Make-up Guides.
Available for instant download from Vintage Make-up Guide.com

See our other great 1950′s Make-up fashion posts:
1950′s make-up Fashion Tutorials
1950′s Woman does her Make-up Film
Get the Mad men Look
Hazel Bishop – 1950′s Stay on Lipstick
1950′s Make-up Fashion – The Powder Room

You can also buy beautiful gold cased retro lipsticks from Besame Cosmetics.

Full,ripe, lovely lips and a sweet mouth characterize the truly feminine woman. Before the easy glamor of modern 1950′s lipsticks, women had their tricks; saying “peach”; biting their lips together hard just before entering a roomful of friends ( this understandably reddens lips quite prettily – though often bloodily if she bites to hard); licking cinnamon red-hots and allowing a bit of rosy stickiness to cling to the lips ( not great in the long run for a girls teeth).

There are many little things which can make or mar lip loveliness. have you ever, while waiting for someone in a hotel lobby, for instance, studied slyly the faces of the women passing by? There is the girl who smiles happily up at her date – her mouth is a pretty curve of vivid red, with a perceptible up-tilt to the corners.

Obviously a pickle puss is the woman whose thin lips press more and more tightly together as she watches the minute hand of the clock.’He’ won’t be charmed to see her unless she relaxes that mouth. ( a little corrective make-up is in order too – poor dear).

Then there’s the girl who pulls her lips in unsightly lines as she gives emphasis to something she’s saying in a too loud voice. You have seen mouths in action often enough to know a pretty one from an ugly one. Watch yourself, or tell you very dearest ( feminine) friend to call to your attention any mouth mannerisms which need correction.

We’ll take it for granted that you haven’t any bad habits like that. You therefore deserve a beautiful bright red lipstick with which to camouflage any little imperfections of size or shape and make your lips full, ripe and lovely.

1950′s Lipstick color matching and selection.

Select your lipstick, first of all, to harmonize with clothing. Second in importance is your complexion and hair color. Since red-heads stopped fearing pink, there are no complexion-color taboos left! It’s a wonderful relief.
Imagine our poor russet-topped darling who found green nauseating and was attached by it every time she entered a clothing department. Color has been emancipated, and redheads with it.

You really need a variety of shades of lipsticks.What difference does it make, budget wise, whether one lipstick at a time lasts three months, or a collection of four in different reds lasts a year? Your lipstick for evening, under artificial light, should be brighter and stronger than the one you would use in the office in daytime.

1950′s Make-up guide – Using a Lipstick brush!

Your navy dress wouldn’t look well with an orange-red lipstick, nor would you combine jungle green with blue eyed.learn to use a lipstick brush darling. It eliminates ragged edges;gives your mouth natural-looking curves and helps give you the lush, colorful mouth of a very feminine woman.Practice on the back of your hand – or a piece of paper – order to get the ‘feel’ of it. Practice on your girlfriends too. It’s fun!
In applying lipstick with a brush, work the brush into your lipstick, saturating the bristles generously. See that your mouth is dry, otherwise you’ll find it a frustrating  experience.

• When you apply lipstick to your left upper lip, start at the left corner of the upper lip and stroke toward center.

• For the right upper lip, start at the center of your lip and brush downward to the corner and inward. Then press your lips together. This gives you the outline to follow on your lower lip.

• When you do your lower lip, work from the left corner downward to the center;then from the center upward to the right corner.

To effect a flattering lift, separating upper and lower lips, moisten a cotton applicator with powder foundation. Apply at corners of mouth, working inward towards the inside  of the mouth. For correcting smudges, covering mistakes and effecting a beautiful outline, do this; Using cotton applicator ( cotton bud) or clean brush moistened with foundation, apply carefully to outside of your lip-line.

1950′s Make-up Fashion – Lip Shading techniques.

• Below you see drawings of lips which need improvement. That can be done with lipstick. you’ll see a grey, dotted region. That is the natural shape of the lips,all of which would normally be covered with lipstick. To correct lip shapes, draw a new lip-line with lipstick as indicated by the red part of each drawing. Grey areas beyond the corrected lip-line should be toned down with foundation to cut down on the size of the lip. Voila !

  Click Image to expand.

text -copyright Glamourdaze 2012

1940′s Fashion – Achieve the 1940′s Eye Make-up look .
Adapted from Make-up & Beauty – Vintage 1940′s Guides.

Other 1940′s Make-up Posts include:
1940′s Fashion make-up Guide

General 1940′s Fashion and Dress style posts:
1940′s Fashion – Women’s Dress Code
1940′s Fashion – Women’s Dress after the war – The New Look
1940′s Fashion – A Young Woman’s Wardrobe Plan
When you think of the 1940′s, particularly the Hollywood sirens of that time like Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth – the most striking aspect of their make-up is in the eyes. This was the decade which really went to town on mascara. Unlike the smoky eyes of the 1920s or the plucked invisible type of eyebrows in the 1930s , the 1940′s celebrated the allure of a woman’s eyes, and beauty guides like this one stressed that shape to match your face was the key to beautiful eyes.

1940′s make-up – Eyebrows

” Today a generous eyebrow is considered smart. Unless you want to accent a pretty nose, pluck your eyebrows clean at the inside end for the distance of about 1/8 of an inch. And from this point, begin to shape the natural arch. Now that the eyebrows are cleaned, the next step is to accent ! There is a technique for each type of face. Choose the one for your face type and see how pretty your eyes can really be! ”

Round face:
Follow the natural arch, penciling in the lower part of the eyebrow rather than the upper, and finish with an outward extension toward the top of the ear. Smudge the line to make it appear part of the brow.

Oval face:
Here again, follow the natural arch, but slightly elongate the end of the brow, making it point to the center of the ear. Blend.

Long, narrow face:

Trim the eyebrow into a definite, high arch with the end tapering into a fine line pinting toward the lower tip of the ear. make it appear part of the brow.

Square face:
Arch the brow high, and extend the tip toward the upper tip of the ear. Blend the pencil marks well with the fingertips.

1940′s Make-up – Eyelashes

For good grooming, eyelashes should be brushed regularly with an eyebrow brush and then a little Vaseline or even olive oil should be applied to the first finger and the lashes should be stroked upward to give them that luscious curve which is the delight of photographers and motion picture directors.The response to this daily care will pay big dividends.

Text copyright Glamourdaze 2012

Also visit:
1920s Dress Fashion – The Rise and Fall of the Flapper.

The Flapper Makeup Style - Lesley-Anne Down

The Glamourdaze definitive 1920′s Fashion Guide
Also – see 1920′s Fashion – Revisited

Advice from a society Dame to women on the ‘art of making up’ for that ‘ special night out’ !
Adapted from ‘ Home beauty Course’ by Marjorie Oelrichs -1927.
( Excerpt from Make-up & Beauty – A 1920s Guide – available from vintagemakeupguide.com ).

Darling – before you head for the Jazz club this evening, how you make-up will measure the loveliness of your appearance to the eyes of a potential admirer.

How to choose the right 1920′s style make-up

1920′s Make-up -  Rouge and Powder.

The objective for the modern woman in beauty is to achieve a fine porcelain finish to your face and neck. All rouging should be done over a thin, even coat of powder. Be sure to apply the powder over the neck and chest also, so that no line shows where the powder begins and ends. For a blonde, or brunette with a blond skin, powder should be of a flesh shade as this blends most naturally with blond contouring. Dark brunettes should use white powder, or one with a cream tint. When there is an olive tone to your complexion, choose brunette powder. Blondes should use a light rouge to blend naturally with their dainty coloring. Brunettes should choose a rouge dark and rich in shade.

Remember that brilliant color in the cheeks is never considered becoming in the daytime. You want the fresh alluring rose which proclaims youth and health. At night, in making up for artificial light, you can allow yourself much more color !

1920′s Fashion Film Archive

Following are some highly important, definitive rules for the application of rouge in the artful way which accentuates beauty and conceals defects. The same secrets have been learned by many a Movie actress – the secrets by which she completely transforms her appearance. These rules are based on the fact that there are four separate and distinct types of facial contour. That each type requires a completely different application of make-up. What becomes one type would disfigure another type. These types are designated as the oval, the oblong, the round and the rather large, sometimes heavy face.
As the oval and oblong belong to the same type, the same general rules for make-up apply to both.The round face and the large face are closely related and you will notice a similarity in directions.

1920′s Make-up Rules – Rouge.

Thorough knowledge of the secrets of make-up gives you the power to totally alter your appearance in a most surprising way. If you study your type carefully and recognize the opportunities for beautifying, you will soon be rewarded with a complete transformation. Once perfected, this can be your unique look.

Illustration 1 -  shows the correct way to rouge if you have a round face and fairly high cheekbone.
Apply rouge up and down, which makes the cheeks seem less full. Color may be becomingly bright in the center, then blended toward the edges so softly and delicately that it melts into your natural color. Your cheek bones and face are thus slenderized. Rouge well towards the temples, but be careful to leave an un-rouged space between temples and ears. Also – do not rouge too close to the nose.

Illustration 2 – shows you how to apply rouge when your face is of the oblong type. Note that the rouge is spread well over the cheeks, with the center much lower than is recommended when the face is round. This fills out the hollows, making your face seem plumper and shorter. The same care should be used in blending edges so that your color will seem perfectly natural.
For a more detailed version of these vintage instructions see our post on our downloadable 1920′s Make-up guides

Illustration 3 – When your face is more oblong, work out for yourself a happy medium between the style recommended for round faces and that suitable for the oblong type as shown here.

Illustration 4 – shows proper make-up for the large, rather heavy face. Apply color sparingly, for excess is not becoming to this type. Spread it with an up and down motion, letting the rouge come well up to the outside corner of the eye, but keep a wide white space on the side of the face in front of the ear and do not rouge the temple. This softens the face in a magical way, and makes it seems decidedly smaller.

The Secrets to Alluring Eyes – 1920′s style.

The eyes are often the most effective features of a woman’s face in the 1920′s. They speak more directly her personality. Their beauty, therefore, should be enhanced in every possible way. The brows and lashes emphasise the beauty of the eyes. While there are some fortunate enough to have beautiful brows and lashes, most of us find it expedient to assist nature along. The art of beautifying the eye is more difficult to master than any other part of make-up. The rewards, however are great.

Consider carefully your type of face before shaping the brows. when a face is round, a pronounced arch is most becoming. For a narrow, somewhat thin face, level eyebrows – with just a suggestion of arching – are most attractive.
Proceed tweezing slowly so as to be sure you make the line you desire.
Be sure not to leave any straggling hairs out of line. Put cold cream on to alleviate soreness. keep your eyebrows smooth and well groomed by brushing them with an eyebrow brush. Then use an eyebrow pencil to carefully accentuate the shape you desire.
By emphasizing the center of the brow you can make small eyes seem larger. A tiny bit of brilliantine applied to the eyebrow makes them more lustrous and healthy looking.
Unless you are a pronounced brunette, don’t use a black pencil. Medium or dark brown is more becoming and doesn’t leave a ‘ made-up look’

Small eyes, or eyes set too close together, can be made to look better by penciling a light line directly out from the outer corner of the eye. You may slant it a little if this proves more becoming.

For rings under the eye – apply ever so lightly – some rouge and blend it imperceptibly to merge with the rouge on your cheek. It is most effective. And now I am going to let you in on a trade secret – known only to a few. A small bit of cold cream or cleansing cream rubbed on the upper lid and under the eye near the nose gives that natural ” dewy” look that we read about in poetry and sometimes see on the big screen. It is most attractive.
Beading the lashes, if skilfully done, is another trick which adds a great deal to the attractiveness of the eye.

Remember Ladies – always seek good light, in applying your make-up. It is absolutely necessary, to achieve that softly, smoothly beautiful effect.

Vintage 1920′s Make-up Guides – Instant Download.

A charming 1960′s eye make-up commercial from Maybelline – the creator of mascara. The original formula was invented by New York chemist T.L. Williams in 1915. He gave it its name after his sister Maybel – who had shown him how she concocted her own basic lash make-up from mixing charcoal and Vaseline. When sold locally as Lash-Brow-Ine – it became an instant hit. When it was launched countrywide in 1915 it was marketed as  “the first modern eye cosmetic for everyday use”

Here’s what Maybelline say about themselves in their 1960s TV advert -

In the quiet moments there are no words. The important things you say with your eyes ! Make sure your eyes are eloquent, beautiful. Maybelline is the eye make-up that brings out hidden loveliness !
With Maybelline – even ordinary eyes become important. Discover Ultra brown with the contour brush that softly shapes expressive brows ! Ultra shadow – veils soft color with brush on ease. Maybelline fluid eyeliner adds depth and expression. And ultra lash mascara – the dual taper brush softly colors, curls, builds and lengthens!

Copyright Glamourdaze 2012

Download Original Vintage Make-up Guides.

1940s Makeup Tricks – Ladies Home Journal 1944

See also The Correct Way to Apply your 1940′s make-up

Make-up is the art of making the most of your looks – the art of subduing your bad-looking features, and emphasizing your good points, so the world will see you at your best. Certainly the desire to look your best is a healthy normal feminine ideal. Self respect and a desire to please others make it an ideal well worth pursuing.

Make-up that is intelligently done is in perfectly good taste. It is only when make-up is misused that it cheapens a girl.
Make-up is horrid when it is used to conceal an unclean or unhealthy skin.
Don’t ever think of make-up as a substitute for skin care. It is the merest finishing touch, while the care of your skin for health and cleanliness is fundamental.
How to use rouge and lipstick to heighten your color is only one aspect of successful make-up. To make the most of yourself you must think, too, of the shape of your face. And you must
use every device to accent your type, your individual qualities.

Download 1940′s Make-up & Beauty Guides.

SCULPTURING YOUR FACE – WHICH IS YOUR TYPE : PRETTY OR SMART ?

In planning your make-up, you must play up your own type, carry out every detail of make-up to be ‘ pretty’ or to be ‘smart’, whichever you individually are.
Of course, some girls are simply born pretty. Mary Pickford, for example, as a typical 1920s prettiness ideal and Janet Gaynor for a current 1940s ideal.. Some girls are born smart looking.

Marlene Dietrich or Gloria Swanson have the gift of inherent smartness. The rest of us have to achieve one or the other effect, building on whatever foundation of near-prettiness or
almost-smartness we have.There aren’t very clear words to describe the difference between prettiness and smartness. Being pretty implies softness, curves, an appealing gentleness of looks and manner.
Being smart implies a certain crispness, sharp angularity, a challenging brittleness in looks and manner. Being pretty usually begins with having regular and smallish features; if you have
irregular ones – a crooked nose or wide mouth – better to set about being smart and striking looking.

So the basic make-up secret for being pretty is: Strive for softness, for naturalness. The basic make-up secret for being smart is:Strive for striking effects, for distinction !

MAKE-UP FOR PRETTINESS – The 1940s Face.

For a pretty make-up, choose your powder to harmonize with your skin, of course, but to emphasize the ‘pinkish’ tones in your skin. Powder in a shade of flesh, natural, rose cream, rose or peach, that plays up the pinkness in your skin, makes you pretty.
Wear rouge on the apple of your cheeks, to give a rosy warmth of color to your face. Don’t make the mistake of letting make-up show; it will destroy the natural loo that is essential to being pretty.
No eye-makeup ! No heavy or screaming lipsticks, but lipstick to match the natural colors of your mouth and lightly applied girls!

MAKE-UP FOR SMARTNESS – The 1940s face

In contrast, a smart make-up makes less pretense of being your own natural appearance. Powder should be near enough to your skin tone not to give you a floury look, of course.
But choose it in a shade with a minimum of pink in it. An ivory, Rachel, beige, or ocher powder. Only the faintest rouge on your upper cheekbone for added slimness. Thus your skin will take on a cool flat monotone. But then – use eye shadow and mascara to make your eyes look big and deep and important. Vivid lipstick, rather thickly applied. A smart make-up is characterized by striking effects, challenging to look at.

1940′s  FINGERNAIL TIPS

If you want your hands to be pretty, wear nail polish in colorless, pale, light rose or natural shade. – just enough pinkness in your nail polish to give an effect of healthy natural color. They make no pretense of looking natural, but they are striking, effective. Because of the bold artificiality of deeply tinted nails, they are most appropriate, and therefore smartest, with evening clothes.

Dorothy Cocks for Ladies home Journal in 1944.
Copyright Glamourdaze 2011

 

Vintage Swimwear Fashion (1961 Film) – Cloche Swim Caps from Playtex

These days a girl has to keep her head to keep up with the changing seasons and styles. That goes for swim caps as well, with model Joan here seen above favoring the new crest shape motif against the new cloche shaped swim cap.(pic 1)
The colorful 1920s updated for today’s (1960s) highest ‘high fashion’ ! Outdoors at the Caribbean vacation retreat, our camera moves poolside with the fashionable young moderns for a close up of Mary’s swim-cap.
They call it Rosetta La Rocks – a clean lined number with a touch of glamor, guaranteed to turn heads her way.) pic 2 and 3).

Continuing the showing of Playtex designer swim-caps, we find that flowers do go to malady’s head.Witness Sheilas bouquet fro the beach ! (pic4).

Pretty enough – she says, to wear away from the water. Virginia needs room on a board to show of her nosegay ( bouquet of flowers) and what a sweet way it is to keep her hair dry !
A heads up job to bring you the latest in 1960′s fashion news ! ”

Text copyright Glamourdaze 2012.
Check out the amazing Pam Fierro’s Glamoursplash for her posts on vintage swim-caps.It’s the definitive blog on vintage swimwear.If it’s genuine vintage swimwear you’re after, she runs a unique vintage swimsuit shop called Glamoursurf and ships worldwide. !

Beautiful vintage beauty guides now available for instant download from Vintage Make-up guide.com.

What Katie Did have just launched their new retro swimwear range for 2012.

Then there’s Modcloth- a vintage retro fashion haven ! They always have beautiful retro swimwear for sale. Well worth checking out.