vintage inspirations

Beauty of the 1920s

Ava Gardener


Lena Horne


Dorothy Dandridge


Dita Von Teese


Casey and Fleur

What is it about vintage eras that keep us intrigued with their daily beauty rituals, style of dress, and customs? I believe it's the undeniable femininity exuded from each woman. My favorite decades are the 20s, 30s, and 40s, as they were great triumphs in terms of style! In these decades women oozed femininity; vulnerable, yet incredibly confident and strong. They were extremely sexy, but with modest standards. They were so glamourous, and even during more daily rituals, they held a beauty that is quite unparalleled to present customs. I'm not sure if any of these women had the choice of a comfy pair of sneakers over a pair of moderate heels, or baggy jeans over a stylish skirt. Sometimes I almost wish I didn't have so many comfy options at my disposal (sometimes!), as I would then be forced to get creative and pull my style together! There is something so wondrous, even romantic, about going to great lengths to really dress. Can you imagine if we all had to dress like this, keep our hair in rollers, and endure press an curls...every day?

It almost seems a bit daunting to try out this lifestyle, yet more of us are beginning to take in the beauty and jump right in to try these styles out.  It goes without saying that Dita Von Teese is one of the vintage reigning queens. She's so poised, articulate and stunning without fail! Two of my favorite bloggers, Casey of Elegant Musings, and Fleur of Diary of a Vintage Girl,  have managed to drench their lives in vintage living. I remember when I first started reading Elegant Musings three years ago, I had no idea women had the resources to completely live as if they came from a different era. I saw Casey, and I just knew she stepped out of a black and white film. Fleur is such a classic beauty! Her diary is filled with tales from another era, lived in technicolor. Casey and Fleur have caused me to want try it out myself. 

I'll start off with hair and makeup, and then slowly start adding different thrift/consignment items into my wardrobe. Youtube is a great tool for learning different makeup tips and styles, as ladies like Casey and Fleur have taken the time to create tutorials for us! Here are two videos of theirs that I adore:

Casey's 1940s Hot Roller Set

Fleur's tutorial for Glamorous 1940s Red Lips

This vintage change ties to my goal to find the perfect red shade this year and be brave enough to pull it off. After looking up different shades, Duwop's Private Red seems to be a perfect choice. Once donned, it promises to adapt into the exact shade of red that compliments your complexion. If this lipstick works as I expect it will, what with so many positive reviews, I'll never have to troll Sephora looking for another shade of red again! Private Red retails for $22. Cassie of SHE has a great post on how one should go about donning red lips.

Bonne Nuit!

Source: Summer Requim | Elegant Musings Tumblr | Modern Day Black Girl | Google Images | Dita Von Teese Fan | Elegant Musings | Fleur De Guerre |