It has been a long time since I read The Great Gatsby, but with the release of a new Hollywood version of the ‘Great American Novel’, I keep seeing huge billboards of lead actress (and British export) Carey Mulligan peering down at me as I drive home.
Seeing her perfectly coloured pout, cute beauty spot and short cropped bob started me thinking about 1920s glamour, how utterly glammed-up women in that era appeared to be. And it makes sense, by the 1920s a new generation of women abandoned tradition Victorian style and adopted something new.
This new style became a worldwide phenomenon and the Flapper was born.
This unique fashion style used lots of cosmetics to achieve the glamorous look which includes dark eyes, full red lips, red nail polish, blushed cheeks and lashings of mascara.
With new cosmetic advances and products coming to the market every day, women of the 1920s embraced this new life and started an era of nightlife, jazz music, sexuality and art. The Flapper look was a direct reaction to the subdued pre-war styles.
In a recent poll my Twitter folowers voted lipstick as their must have make-up product and for the 1920s woman lipstick was a new, revolutionary product and they loved it just as much as us!
Heavy lashes and perfectly shaped Cupid bows were teamed with very thin, over-plucked brows were the look of the day but in the new film Carey Mulligan’s Daisy has a modern take on this glamorous style.
Her peachy, perfect skin is not too pale and her brows defined but not plucked within an inch of their life and her pillow lips are full on but not painted on like a doll.
So here’s how to get the cooler, prettier take on Flapper glam:
FACE: For that flawless look you’ll need good coverage foundation a water-based product works well I like LIZ EARLE’s liquid foundation (21 pounds). Wet a make-up sponge, squeeze out the excess, wipe it round the foundation pot until you can see that the water has activated the dry foundation. You may need to re-wet the sponge a few times, but it is important not to put too much water in the foundation. This will result in streaky coverage. Sweep the foundation across your face, for double coverage allow it to dry and apply a second layer. Finish with a translucent face powder to set your make-up, use LUSH’s Translucent (12 pounds).
BROWS: For a more modern twist on the 1920s too thin eyebrows use my old faithful BENEFIT’s Brows-a-Go-Go (27.00 pounds) use the wax to shape then using the powder transform yourself into a 1920s siren with dark, defined brows. Get your brows shaped professionally, never over pluck. A brows shape should cost you no more than 8 pounds and it’s well worth the money. I go to Glam Beauty above Rowberry’s on Oxford Street, it’s quick and easy and makes such a difference to your face.
EYES: Use a matt cream-coloured shadow to cover your whole lid then focus on lining your top lid. I LOVE Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear gel eyeliner (17 pounds) it gives you the look of liquid liner but is far easier to use. Dip tip of a liner brush into the pot and work quickly as it dries fast. Flick out at the edge of eye for uber glam eyes. Then apply strip lashes pick a soft, natural lash with lots of length. Don’t go too heavy with the lashes as it will feel too modern and TOWIE for a Gatsby girl. I love MAC lashes (10 pounds) but there are lots of cheaper options out there again head to my favourite haunt The Powder Room in Swansea Market for real bargains. Then add lashings of mascara to top and bottom lashes.
LIPS: This is the key to the whole Daisy look we want to create a defined Cupid’s bow so a lip liner is a must. We’re going for full-on red pout here so a softer red shade of liner will work best RIMMEL 1000 Kisses in RED DYNAMITE (2.99 pounds) is a great cheaper liner and use NARS semi-matte lipstick in JUNGLE RED (18.00 pounds) for the perfect flapper lips.
Here are my top tips for applying red lipstick seamlessly and smudge free:
1.Make sure you have applied your foundation and powder over your lips previously to form a dry base
2.Apply liner all over lips and create your defined pout (lightly don’t over draw as you’ll end up looking like a clown!) work your lip liner all over as this will stop the lipstick bleeding which is common with reds.
3.Apply your lovey red lipstick taking care to stay within the lip liner’s defined lines. Use a lip brush if you prefer.
4.Carefully seal with kiss on a tissue.
5.If you want to really modernise this classic look add a dab of clear lip gloss (Boots Natural Collection 1.99) for a touch of sparkle
Then complete the look, have some fun and dot that all important beauty spot with a soft brown eyeliner then add a spritz of CHANEL No 5 which was actually launched in 1921 and is still a timeless classic and to take this look to the next level (and only for the lucky ones among us) become a real-life Daisy by whacking on the old Tiffany diamonds!
Well I can dream can’t I?
With thanks to:Emma Bryant Twitter @bbygrove
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