2007

I love Old Hollywood glamour! Being a makeup artist I often find inspiration from the 20's-50's, especially the Golden Era. My favorite photographer George Hurrell, captured a moment in time where everyone and everything was beautiful and striking. One of his regular subjects was Joan Crawford, whom he used on his business card in the early 30's. There was a Hurrell photography exhibit at The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA and it was amazing~ so many images I have never seen before. Some photographers come close to recreating his style but there will only be one Hurrell, a true legend.

I am fortunate to currently live in the Hollywood area and try to notice and appreciate all the details, architecture and history it has to offer. Art Deco is the best! While Los Angeles is small in terms of high fashion (the kind of makeup I usually do) compared to NYC, it does have a large retro revival scene. There are so many people, places and things dedicated to the love of this period. Vintage, Burlesque, Jazz, Pinups, etc. I'll try to post some links and info.

Makeup from the 1920's- 1950's is so great~ I am a little tired of the nude/bronzy and smokey eye looks. Give me arched brows and red lips anyday. (Although, I must admit that the natural brows on most of these fashion models are great.) I have done some retro & vintage inspired makeup from time to time, would like to do more. If only I was a Westmore! For those who don't know, Max Factor and the Westmore family were the leaders in modern makeup as we know it today. Max Factor started out as a wigmaker and inventor of modern cosmetics in the early 1900's and by 1914 was revolutionizing Hollywood movie makeup with false eyelashes, lipgloss and pancake makeup. George Westmore started the first movie studio makeup department in 1917, and his 6 sons followed suit. During the Golden Era, every major movie studio had a Westmore heading the Makeup/Hair Department. The Westmores were also leaders in the prosthetics and special FX makeup and are currently on the 4th generation of makeup artists.

If you are a makeup artist or hair stylist I highly recommend getting their books- I couldn't be without them! Max Factor's Hollywood Glamour, Movies, Make-Up by Fred E. Basten, Robert Salvatore, and Paul A. Kaufman & The Westmores of Hollywood by Frank Westmore. It's important to know the history of our craft and appreciate what they did for the industry.

I adore Dita Von Teese~ she is the perfect combination of Old Hollywood Glamour and a bit of modern fashion; she just walked in the Gaultier Spring Couture show. This is one of my favorite pictures of her as it has a 30's feel, which is my favorite decade. She normaly goes for the 40's look and usually does her own hair and makeup for all of her performances, shoots and events. She is an amazing performer and the leader in the Old Hollywood Glamour revival. She grew up like a lot of us, loving black & white movies, vintage fashions, movie stars and the glamour surrounding them. Wanting to live her life in that fashion, she created the life she desired and made it happen!

I will post about things I love: makeup and fashion, vintage, Old Hollywood stars and movies and favorite people, places and things.


http://www.hurrellestate.com
http://www.dita.net
http://www.thepinupfiles.com
http://www.thehollywoodmuseum.com
http://www.hollywoodheritage.com
http://www.historicla.com
http://www.return2style.de/amimakup.htm