Makeup Tutorial - Christmas Bitch

I feel like holiday beauty ideas can be kind of repetitive. Red lips, gold shadow, cat eye liner, or shimmery brown shadow with rosy cheeks and lips. It's all very pretty, but it tends to blur together after a while. There's wholesome, Norman Rockwell winter beauty, but there's also stark, bleak, frozen tundra winter beauty. I wanted to try something a little more along that vein, something that was still really pretty and wearable, but not your typical look. It's a little Robert Palmer girl, a little goth, and really fun.
 One note that I should make is that I didn't realize how weird the low angle of shots made things look until after I had finished putting on all the makeup. Whoops. I guess that's what test shots are for. I hope things are still pretty clear.
I did this at the end of the day, over the minimal makeup that I was already wearing for the day, but the instructions are pretty much the same as they would be if you were starting with a clean face.

My starting point.
Start, as usual, with foundation. I used a little heavier hand that I normally would, and went it and corrected all the little spots and dots and blotches with concealer. I dusted on a light layer of powder to finish and set. 

My brows were already filled, but I elongated the shape and rounded the arch, giving them a slightly exaggerated appearance. I also still had on the mascara that I'd applied in the morning, a fairly heavy coat on the top and a lighter coat on the bottom.

For the eyes, I started with a base of silver eyeshadow. Using my finger, I applied Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Silver Strike all the way up to my eyebrows. Then, I applied the shimmery charcoal shade from my Pixi palette to my crease with a small brush, blending it upwards towards my brow for a cut crease effect. With liquid liner, I made a straight line under my lower lash line, adding a slight, downward flick at the inner corner. I also tightlined my lower lash line.

I wanted to keep the look pretty frosty, so I skipped blush in favor of highlighter. I used my silver cream shadow (including the leftovers from applying my eyeshadow) to highlight the tops of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and my cupid's bow. I also brushed a light bronzer under my cheekbones for some added definition.



For the lips, I was looking for something along the lines of frozen berries. I wanted it to be matte, but not too perfect. I used my OCC Lip Tar duo in red and blue to blend a deep berry color, then blotted it until it was just a stain. I applied it well within my natural lip line, minimizing my lips a little bit. It might sound weird, but I feel like it makes my eyes look bigger.

This is a great look for casting sultry glances over your shoulder - all big eyes and glimmering cheekbones. It might not be your every day style, but I think it could be an awesome look for New Year's.

So what do you guys think? Is this a look that you would be interested in trying out for a night?

The Vintage Man: Fall Fashion Inspiration

One of the things that I really appreciate about my boyfriend, Brian, is that he likes dressing up almost as much as I do. While he doesn't spend as much time thinking about or shopping for clothes as I do (at least, I hope; no one should, really), he has a pretty distinct vision of how he wants to look, which I think is kind of unusual for guys. To say that he's a bit of a retrophile is a serious understatement, and his love of all things vintage is one of the things that gave me the confidence to delve as deeply into vintage as I have, and to wear what I want with pride.

Not only did he want to dress up 30s style, with the boater, bow tie, and suspenders, he even picked out my outfit to match.

That is the face of a man who is not afraid to rock a serious Hawaiian print.

In the car on the way to Randolph Street Market a few weeks back. Brian's brother has a car that I always call an El Camino, but which is not an El Camino.

We sometimes type up stories on his vintage typewriter.
I already did my fall fashion inspirations, and I was curious about what his were. He had a pretty succinct description.
"Oddly enough, the cab drivers and longshoremen from classic Film Noir. They aren't the main characters but they give those films their character, grit, and authenticity. It's not the flashy, flamboyant style of a '40s star (which is great, but a bit impractical). It's simple, classic, durable clothing with a bit of a tough edge."

Marlon Brando and other cast members from On The Waterfront, 1954.

I know Bogart was a star, not a background character, but do you know how hard it is to find images of background characters from film noir? I think Brian may literally be the first person to take them as a fashion inspiration.
Obviously he's a bit more practical than I am. I also think it's funny that his fall shopping list is about half as long as mine.
• Brown bomber jacket (He actually already thrifted one for something like $8)
• Fresh raw Levis blue jeans
• Navy surplus chukka boots
• Round 30's sunglasses
• Brown felt fedora
• Surplus wool sweater with elbow and shoulder patches
• Shirts - printed patterns, no button collars, non slim cut
I'd set up a list of options from online shops for him, but I know that's not how he does things. Chances are he's doing to thrift most of this stuff, which is a skill that I need to learn from him.

So, do any of you have a significant other who dresses in vintage or enjoys vintage style? If not, is that something that you would enjoy?

Edit 8/27: So, Brian was not a fan of one of the photos that I used and requested that I swap it out with one that's a little more flattering. On the bright side, he did say he'd let me take more photos of him in the future, which is pretty great.

Fall Fashion Inspiration

This fall, I'm feeling sartorially ambitious. Although this year I've loved dressing for summer, fall is really where it's at for me. In the summer, it's easy to put together a piecemeal wardrobe, picking up a dress or a skirt here and there, each outfit largely standing alone. The cooler months are different. I find that I like my wardrobe to be a little bit more coherent so that I can mix and remix my different layers for maximum effect.
So why do I like fall so much? Well, Halloween is my favorite holiday; if it wasn't already apparent, I love dressing up. I also love layering, and all of the different textures and colors that you can incorporate into an outfit when your main goal isn't just to be as naked as possible while staying within the boundaries of the law. I love the colors, both in clothes and in nature, rich and vibrant and mellow and jewel-like. And the food. Roasted squash and mashed sweet potatoes and creamy mac and cheese. (My mouth is watering just writing this.) In the fall, I always have this sense of anticipation, the way one year is winding down and moving into another one. It's kind of morbid, actually, the way it makes me contemplate death.
Since autumn means so much to me, I'm spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to wear. This is actually kind of a practical maneuver for me as well, since I usually wear fall clothes well into spring the next year. I guess I never really grew out of the back-to-school mentality.
There are certain things that I've noticed popping up again and again when I think about what I want to be wearing this fall. Glamour, tempered by a rustic sensibility; luxurious fabrics like silk and satin, worn side by side with nubby knits and tweeds; shades of dusty brown and green, gray and black, accented by pops of vibrant red and green and blue; a hint of the morbidity that I love running through the whole thing.
Of course, I'm not going to buy an entire new wardrobe. I've got some great pieces that I'm excited to bust out again once the weather will cooperate, and so any new items that I get will have to integrate with what I already have. I don't really see that being a problem, though, since the sort of things that are influencing me this year are things that I've enjoyed and been inspired by for a long time.
One of the things that I'm most excited to wear again is the baby blue Lilli Ann swing coat I got myself for Christmas last year. It is so beautiful. I also got great deals on a vintage stole that I believe is fox, as well as a capelet made of some fur I don't know enough to identify. I picked up a couple of vintage suits just as the weather was warming up, so I haven't had a chance to wear them yet, and some of my favorite hats are wool or felt. I also have this crazy plaid bondage gown that's like something out of a 90s goth wet dream. I've had it for a while now, and I always say that I'm going to wear it somewhere other than a costume party; this might be the year that I finally do.
Keeping in mind what I've already got, I'm trying to tailor my influences to fit what's already in my closet, while still aspiring to something different and exciting.
1. God Save McQueen

This dress is my favorite dress. Like, ever, really. The tulle and the embroidery and the neckline, all of it just makes me think of a princess in a fairytale.

Ignoring the winged headdress (or not, because that is awesome), a fur collared, knee length tweed suit with a high necked blouse is actually both practical and luxurious.

Love the plaid, love the leather, love the attitude.

I would probably reinterpret this as a feathered hat, although I would love the wings.

It is no exaggeration to say that Alexander McQueen is the reason that I'm into fashion. Sure, there are other great designers out there whose pieces I would love to own, but he's the first designer to ever really capture my imagination, who created something so beautiful, and the resonated with me so strongly, that nearly 10 years later I still think about and have to revisit it. The world lost an undeniable talent when McQueen took his life in 2010, but he's left a lasting impact on the fashion world.
His Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear collection is one of the first fashion shows that I ever saw online, and it's one that's stayed with me through all the intervening years. It's a little 40s, a little bit Victorian lady of the manor, a little bit Scottish fantasy heroine, and it is, in short, exactly what I want to be wearing this fall.
Key pieces
40s style tweed suits
Plaid skirts and dresses
Tulle underskirts
Beading and embroidery
Heeled oxford booties

2. I just want to be your Teddy Girl

A group of teddy girls walking past some teddy boys in London. Love the cameo brooches and the ladylike tweed suit on the girl on the far right.

That attitude. This girl just looks so cool to me.

I think this is probably a modern editoral shot, but I love the military jacket and the flat, comfortable shoes.

The tulle skirt, the plaid wool jacket, the ribbon around the neck - just perfect.

Another modern editorial, but I like this more masculine take on it.

The lovely Joanna from Dividing Vintage Moments left a comment on one of my posts a while back saying that I reminded her of a Teddy Girl. I wasn't familiar with the reference, so I had to look it up, and I was really interested in what I saw.
Teddy Girls (and their male counterparts, Teddy Boys) were a youth subculture in Britain in the 1950s. Inspired by both contemporary trends and Edwardian fashion, they were frequently photographed in the ruined remains of buildings that had been bombed out in the blitz. The style was revived in the 80s and took elements from the Goth and New Romantic scene.
I love the romantic, Edwardian influence to the aesthetic, as well as the masculine meets feminine quality. Along with full or hobble skirts, cameos, and ruffled lace blouses, they would wear rolled jeans and flat shoes, and a lot of the photos show women with short, fluffy curls.
Key pieces
Fitted, high waisted, jeans, rolled to show the ankle
Flat shoes like moccasins, brogues, saddle shoes, or creepers
High necked blouses with ruffle or lace details
Cameo brooches
Tweed suits and jackets

3. From Russia, With Love

Photo by Margarita Kareva. I love the beautiful shawl and the long red skirt.

The firebird. The vibrant oranges and greens against the black background are stunning.

Matryoshka dolls.

A Soviet era textile.

I would love to wear the layered skirts and coordinating prints that these three princesses are rocking. A beautiful print from Kate Baylay, a British artist. Check out the rest of her work at www.KateBaylay.com.

Babushka glamour, courtesy of Ulyana Sergeenko Couture.

Russia is one of those places that I find fascinating. Lately it's been in the news for all the wrong reasons, and the history of the region is fraught, to say the least. From Tsarist era poverty to Soviet authoritarianism, serfdom, oppression, and famine have been all too common in Russia.
However, Russia is more than just its political history. They also have a fantastic culture, and some of the best literature, art, architecture, and ballet ever produced has come from them.
I love a lot of the folk art of Eastern Europe, but I find Russian folk art especially beautiful. Often on a black background, it's vividly colored, intricate, and dense. Although folk art and folk tales were censored in the early years of the Soviet Era for their Tsarist associations, the Soviet government later repurposed them to elevate Communist values.
I'm also really enamored of Babushka style these days. Although the traditional Russian grandmother style can be seen as dowdy, a beautiful scarf tied under the chin, or an embroidered shawl draped across the shoulders, are a beautiful way to make it through some harsh weather. An apron layered over a floral skirt is an opportunity to bring another fun pattern into an outfit. I'm also planning on taking a cue from the Russians, with their notoriously harsh winters, and busting out the vintage furs that have been languishing in my closet for the past several months.
Key Pieces
Red dresses and skirts
Black dresses or skirts with bright embroidery
Brightly printed scarves to tie under the chin
An embroidered shawl or wrap
Fur accents

Like I said, I'm being kind of ambitious. Am I actually going to look like a Russian fairytale princess, or Alexander McQueen's highland nymph? Probably not. However, I'm really excited to start putting together looks that incorporate elements of that, and I'm feeling downright excited to get dressed come fall.
So, how about you guys? What are some of your influences? Do you like putting together a mood board or a set of images like this, or does your style tend to evolve more organically? I would love to see some images of what your ideal fall wardrobes would look like in the comments.

Vintage short hair inspiration

I've gone through a lot of hair colors in the past several years. I'm a natural redhead, but I cycle through blonde, black, and red hair on a pretty regular basis. I enjoy changing up my look, having that drastic change where I practically don't recognize myself in the mirror for a little while.
My hair's been blonde before, usually platinum, and I really like the color. I have blonde eyebrows and eyelashes (ultimate ginger kid here), so blonde hair means that I don't have to worry about it if I don't feel like wearing mascara or coloring in my brows all the time. Usually, though, when it's blonde it's also very short, which means the damage doesn't have time to accumulate too much before it gets cut again. Trying to grow it out while also bleaching it is starting to feel like an exercise in futility. My hair's got that gummy texture and fragility that means, unfortunately, that despite how gentle I've tried to be with it, the damage is pretty much irrevocable.
I've spent so long growing my hair out that if feels like a shame to cut it, but it's damaged enough that even if I stop bleaching and go dark again, I'm still going to need a fairly major cut. I do love the look and versatility of longer hair, but I'm not so attached to it that chopping it off will be unduly painful.

My pixie from back in the day, after about six-ish months of growing out.

And the bob it grew out into.

So, how short should I go?

I adore Jean Seberg's pixie cut. It's so classic and beautifully androgynous. It might be a nice way to add a little edge to my look, since my style is so extravagantly feminine.

Audrey Hepburn's short cut is a little longer and softer, so it might give me a little more to play with in terms to styles and textures.

Liz's short curls are really cute, and an almost defiantly vintage look. My only concern is that it might veer too close to "grandma" for me to really pull off.

I've already got the Louise Brooks' bitchface down; maybe I need her bob too.

Marion Davies isn't the icon that Louise Brooks is, but I love the waves on this 1920s film star (and William Randolph Hearst's lover). Although I love how striking a pixie cut can be, a bob would give me more options (curly vs. straight) and isn't as difficult to grow out.

So, what do you guys think? Short or shorter? Any other short haired vintage vixens you can recommend to me?

Vintage dressing for transitional weather

I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I find it much easier to wear vintage when it's slightly cooler out than in the heat of summer. Vintage sundresses are comfortable and lovely, but they're not that practical on a bike (the longer skirts get caught up in my wheels and get all gunked up), and I don't really want to get a nice vintage piece all soaked in sweat.
The weather here in Chicago has been doing its thing lately, going from hot to pouring rain to downright chilly, all in the course of a single day. It's hard to dress for that, but there are a few things that help.

1. Layering.
Layers. I know, revolutionary, right? But seriously, a cardigan and a scarf or a lightweight trench coat can make the difference between being miserable and shivering when the weather takes a turn for the cooler, and being comfortable. I am, frankly, nuts about cardigans.

This isn't even all of them. My favorite are my vintage cashmere cardigans, which are super soft and versatile, but JCrew is one of my go-to stores for classic cardigans, and I also really like Forever21 for fun, printed styles.

2. Long sleeved tops with shorts.
I know it probably sounds counterintuitive, but when it's really hot out, I almost always wear long or 3/4 length sleeves. It's actually a little cooler than letting the sun beat down on your bare skin (which isn't very good for you anyway), but it's also warmer if the clouds start to roll in.

It's kind of hard to see my shorts here, but combination of a Breton striped top and high-waisted, printed shorts has a fun, French, pinup kind of feel, and looks great on a lot of different body types.

3. An elastic waistband is your friend.
It can be hard to find authentic vintage pieces with elastic waists, but they're worth keeping an eye out for. You'll see it on some pieces from the 60s and later, and they're fairly common on patio dresses and skirts (you'll sometimes see them labeled as "squaw" dresses) and items meant for square dancing. Wearing a very tight waistband in the heat of summer can be really uncomfortable, especially when sweat starts to collect in it, so something with a bit more give and flexibility can be a lifesaver. I don't always love the look of an elastic waist, so weather permitting I might belt it.

The elastic panels on this 60s sundress make it one of the most comfortable pieces that I own.

I adore the embroidery on this 70s era dress. It also has an elastic waist, although as you can see here, I belted it for a slightly more polished look.

During the cooler months I shoot for a classic, ladylike kind of look, but this summer I'm looking forward to playing around a bit with some pinup style looks. I've spent some time browsing through rompers and playsuits, something I never really thought I'd get into.

I really love this adorable two piece playsuit from VintageRagsAndDigs. The size and fabric are customizable, and I believe it's made using a vintage pattern.


Isn't this 80s does 40s romper to die for? It's on sale from TaraMiSioux on Etsy. I love the classic color and shape, and it looks like it would be really comfortable for biking.

Five Links to Love

1. January Jones, you are a secret DGAF hero Betty Draper does not care what you think of her, and I love that. 
2. Women wear too much makeup because they mistakenly think men like it My kneejerk reaction was that maybe women aren't wearing makeup, too much or otherwise, for other people, but for themselves. And then I actually read it. You should too!

3. Types of curl All the different kind of curls that you can make with various irons. This could be really helpful if, like me, you like reading beauty and hair tutorials, but don't always know what they're talking about.
4. Bill O'Reilly blames Beyonce for everything Bill, Bill, Bill. You are such a confused guy. I get that you're worried about teenagers having sex, but they're not having sex just because Beyonce (who is, in fact, married, and quite famously so) said that sex is fun. Trust me, they've been doing that for a long, long time. The important thing to do, and the thing that actually works, is to educate them about how to keep themselves safe, healthy, and happy while they're doing it.

5. FIG I'm moving on Thursday, and I am so excited to decorate a new house. Ok, so I can't have the gorgeous hardwood floors that this place does, but the clean, open spaces, white and navy color scheme, and dark wood accents are dreamy, but still doable.

Spring Inspiration

It's been bitterly cold here in Chicago for the better part of five months now. I'm not even exaggerating. When it's that cold for that long, spring weather starts to seem like some kind of a beautiful dream. It's finally, finally starting to warm up, though, and I couldn't be more excited to start dressing for more pleasant weather.
I get a lot of inspiration from vintage fashion magazines and ads, as well as movies from the period, but I also really enjoy keeping an eye on current fashion. It's a great way to figure out what pieces you'll likely be able to find in what the British call high street stores (midi skirts are everywhere right now, and come fall, there will be tons of stuff on the racks for girls with a mod, 60s aesthetic), and it's also a great way to get a fresh perspective on style.

Alice&Olivia always manage to create covetable, sweetly retro collections. I'm in love with pastels right now, and a matching crop top and midi skirt will definitely be making an appearance in my wardrobe come summer.

If a crop top feels a little overexposed, add a long cardigan with a thin belt at the waist, like Michael Kors did here. It's also great for those cooler nights. I could definitely see wearing this to the beach or a barbeque. 

Speaking of full skirts and belted cardigans, I love this Rochas look. A chunkier knit is great for this transitional weather, while a full, floral skirt in cream and pastels makes me think of spring. 

This gown from Spanish fashion house Delpozo isn't an every day look, I admit, but I love the proportions here. I would normally pair a very full skirt with a fitted top, but this has me thinking about remixing my vintage skirts with swingy trapeze tops, just to change things up a bit. 

If there were a procedure that would allow me to trade a year of my life for a designer collection, the Michael Kors Pre-Fall 2014 collection would be the one I would do it for. This look, in particular, really caught my eye, with the bold use of color and pattern. I never would have thought to pair a vivid red with baby blue, but now that I've seen how beautifully it works here, I've been mad for it.

This is another unusual color pairing that I've fallen in love with since I've seen it. Granted, I don't really see myself wearing a long, open skirt with striped pants and a sheer crop top, but Ulyana Sergeenko's dark, rich hunter green with the baby blue (again; it's definitely the color of the season for me) is really striking. 
Actually, if you're looking for some inspirational eye candy, just Google Ulyana Sergeenko. She's an amazing Russian designer with a grand, romantic, vintage sensibility. You will want to save up all your rubles to buy her couture pieces.
I went outside with bare legs for the first time in months this morning. It felt so delicious. I can't wait to start riding my bike to work, and eating my lunch outside, and setting up a hammock in my yard. You know what? Just wake me up when it's May.

All photos courtesy of style.com.