vintage looks

How to Bring out the Bombshell in You!

A bit of old Hollywood glamour has made a come back to the fashion world in recent years and I think it’s no longer a “phase” but a style. If you love the sultry, glamorous and seductive appearance of a 1940’s movie star, it is possible to achieve a similar look on a budget and limited time. You can achieve this without your own personal hair and makeup artist tending to you every morning! Like anything, it just takes a bit of practice (and reading this article).

Everyone has great features, you just need to discover what yours is and highlight it! If you look at Elizabeth Taylor, you’ll notice her amazing eyebrows and beautiful eyes. Her brows were always full and immaculately groomed, and she had beautiful long lashes. To highlight this, her hairstyle was always kept simple.

With some guidance and research, you too can enhance your features in your own individual way and release your inner screen siren! We will reveal you in this article some key make up tips – easy hairstyles and tell you what to wear …there are lots of little tips “hidden” in the text. 

audrey inspired photo shoot - vintage girl - look

6 Key makeup traits of a bombshell:

  1. Eyebrows are so important! They frame and highlight your eyes. And eyes certainly play a key part in the sultry look!  Don’t go crazy and pluck your brows yourself, perhaps get a specialist to shape them for you first.  A brow specialist will be able to shape them to suit your face shape, then you only need to keep them tidy.
  2. If you have the opposite problem and only have very thin eye brows with sparse hair, find yourself a great brow pencil and brush. You will still need to have created a great brow shape and possibly pluck the odd hair to keep them neat and tidy. To achieve that strong brow a vixen wants, you’ll soon discover that a brow pencil or pallet is your best friend.
  3. Your eyes are transformed by adding black eyeliner across the top lid with a flick at the end (called winged liner) and don’t be afraid of false eye lashes either.
  4. You’ll want to highlight your cheeks with blush, but start by applying a little in a circular motion.  You can always add more if you decide you need it.
  5. Lips need to be full and a luscious shade of red.  Lining your lips first with a lip pencil of similar colour, then applying lipstick will help create a great shape.
  6. Expert tip: Keep your lips looking healthy and supple with a good exfoliating scrub. It really works! Combine ½ a teaspoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of sugar (make sure it’s grainy, not really refined) and 1 teaspoon of honey into a bowl.  Mix it all together then massage into your lips for about a minute to remove flaky skin, then remove with a damp towel.  Do this once a week.

vintage photography

Simple vintage hairstyles to inspire you:

Never have a bad hair day again!  The beauty of vintage inspired hairstyles is that there’s something for everyone! The dirtier your hair is, the better!  Freshly washed hair is actually your worst enemy.

“The Poodle”

If you have naturally curly hair, then this is so easy for you!  Sweep all your hair on top of your head and secure it, then pin the curls wherever they sit.

This is also a great hairstyle for when you’ve had your hair set for the last few days, it’s starting to look a bit tired but you can’t be bothered to wash it.

I read recently that this style became popular during WWII when money was tight. Women who usually had their hair permed but could no longer afford it, had straight roots and curly ends. And that’s how someone came up with the idea to sweep it all up on top of their head and make use of the last of their perm. BRILLIANT!

Victory Rolls

This style became popular in the 40’s as women started to embrace longer hairstyles after the popular bobs of the 20’s and 30’s. A functional do for the working woman who had to keep hair of her face, or a look of glamour on Hollywood starlets, this was a very versatile and feminine look of the era.

Victory Rolls are said to have been named after the fighter plane manoeuvres of WWII, when the planes created an exhaust roll that remained in the sky after leaving the area. Inspired by this, patriotic women began sporting these V-shaped rolls.

Pin Curl Set

Many vintage hair styles rely on volume and/or curl, and a pin curl set is a great way of achieving this. Exactly how it sounds, a pin curl set simply involves spritzing the hair with hairspray, curling the hair flat against the scalp and securing with a hair pin. It’s also fairly comfortable to sleep in, if you wrap a scarf around your head.

There are many different patterns in which you can set the direction of your pin curls to achieve different curls or waves. It is a time consuming job, but it does get easier with practice. And it is very effective whether you’re wearing your hair down or trying to create volume to wear your hair up. The effect is well worth the effort and a set can last for days depending on how well your hair holds curl.

 

vintage looks

So what do you wear?

I believe that women of yesteryear are proof that making some effort with your hair and makeup, can make you look a million bucks no matter what you wear or what your circumstances are.  Have you seen photos from WWII when women joined the work force?  Even dressed in overalls and with their hair wrapped in a scarf, they looked stunning! With all the available resources donated to the war effort, there was even a shortage on bobby pins!

 

Vintage

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some original pieces, wear them! And smile as the vintage-purists swooooon at your finds! Ebay and Etsy are great places for sourcing garments. You can go through using their search options, or just type keywords to search such as “1950’s dress” or “40’s blouse” and you’ll suddenly be presented with literally thousands of options. Ask Nana!! Hopefully Nana hasn’t done a big clean out, and she’s got a box of goods in the back of a cupboard somewhere. There’s nothing better than a vintage garment with a story!

Reproduction (or “repro”)

Women’s bodies are very different to 60 years ago and so repro clothing can often be the best bet for those with a fuller figure or anyone not wanting to necessarily repair minor details on original vintage pieces. Repro is also often easier to care for and you’ll have the option of different colours and fabrics, unlike if you bought an original vintage number. There are many brands around these days, specialising in vintage reproduction styles and catering to every budget. All you need to do is Google!

Modern

Some ladies love the look but they’re a little afraid of walking down the street looking like they’ve arrived in a time capsule, or their lifestyle just doesn’t permit a complete transformation. If you’re in this category, that’s fine too!

If you want to ease into this look, perhaps start with perfecting your hair and makeup? Once you feel comfortable with red lips and a defined brow, you might suddenly find yourself wanting to wear a dress! Rather than walking down your local shopping strip all dolled up and being concerned at the number of people staring at you, perhaps attend a car show or Rockabilly festival where everyone is like-minded. You’ll pick up handy tips and tricks, PLUS build your style-confidence in a comfortable environment! For those that still like modern fashion, it is also possible to tie a bandana around your head and have a perfect red pout, giving you just a hint of Rosie the Riveter.

dancing girl - animated gif - funny

 

 

Don’t forget there are LOTS of boutiques around now that specialise in vintage or vintage-reproduction too. When you buy from an actual shop front in your town, you’re supporting your local community and your country!

You’re only limited by your budget!

 

[big_text]Remember every woman is beautiful.[/big_text]

[big_text]It’s purely about your confidence and finding the right look for you![/big_text]

This blog post was written for fabulous-femme.com by Elyan Shotbolt.  (Find her on Facebook)

 

how to create vintage looks