Friday, September 25, 2009

Redheads Lipstick Harmony


Lipstick is a huge part of any girl's wardrobe. Gook Housekeeping's Beauty Clinic from the 1930s has plenty of advice for use Redheads about the proper use of lipstick:

Remember your bright hair dominates your personality. It's your keynote. Play up to it and take advantage of every ounce of glory it can give you. You know that if you put orange zinnias and pink roses in the same vase, the effect is terrible. In the same way a rosy-pink lipstick would clash with your hair. Always choose one on the orange side. If your topknot would clash with your hair. Always choose one on the orange side. If your topknot is flaming red, the orange note in your lips can be pronounced, but it your hair is sandy red or a soft russet, the color must be soft geranium red. There is a wide variety of shades you should investigate - brownish-red, rust, nasturtium, and brownish-red. One of them may be just what you need to complete the picture.

My mom (a redhead in her own right), has always used an orangish lipstick. I always wondered why, because I don't usually see orangish lipstick on that many people. Apparently, she was right as usual :)








I have never been able to get blush right. I blush so easy naturally, so it always seems useless to use it, but sometimes it is necessary. Here is Ruth Murrin's 1930;s advice:




There is one exception to the rule that redheads should use rouge and lipstick of an orange-red tone - the girl with fair skin and dark mahogany red hair. A raspberry or even darker lipstick may be charming for her,








Should you use cheek rouge? No, if your hair is a bright, strong color. Yes, if your coloring is pale and your hair is a light, sundry shade.





Cream or light facial powder is the choice of most fair redheads, but there are types of olive complexions or countless freckles who look better with a beige or punky-ocher powder. Nobody can advise you specifically about this. Try different shades and find the most becoming one.






As someone with auburn, reddish hair, I have found that cosmetics are basically hit and miss. There is a lot of trial and error involved. You think you find the perfect cosmetics, get it home, try, it out, and its terrible and you feel like your wasted a bunch of money.





You may have scanty lashes and colorless eyebrows. Lots of redheads do. But you need not worry. A little practice with a brow pencil , black or brown mascara, and brown or green eyeshadow and your eyes will not be overwhelmed by the brilliance of your hair.


Unfortunately this info doesn't work for me. Eye makeup just irritates me to much. I have pretty decent brows, so I groom them. I read somewhere to use a bit of Vaseline to bring out your eyes and eyebrows by putting a small amount of it on the eyebrows, eyelashes, eyelids, etc. Seems to be doing the trick so far.!






If you like the deep tones of nail polish, there are many good shades from which to choose. Rust, suntan, ten rose, cherry and all the soft orange-red shades are good possibilities for you.






Again, I am totally boring. I usually only where a clean layer. Boring! I do occasionally wear red, but it gets chipped so easily because all the lifting I do at the library, that the manicure is ruined by the time I get home.








Tomorrow's Last Red Headed Lesson - The Colors You Wear

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Red Head Beauty Skin Care


Ruth Murin, who wrote a monthly beauty column in Good Housekeeping, addresses Redheaded beauties this month. She acknowledges, that most of the time us poor redheads are ignored in favor of blonds and brunettes, so Murrin attempts to remedy this.


Because Redhead's skin is so fair, it "coarsens readily, wrinkles early, and freckles with maddening ease". A Redhead's skin needs at least one good cleaning a day with soap and water to keep it fresh and clear. Use a Bland cream at other times or even an Oatmeal mask that is neutral for sensitive skin. Use a great lubricating cream and night and be sure to protect your face from sun, wind, and cold weather.




No sunbathing! "You must shield your face and cover up your back and arms if you want to save them from permanent freckles." Be sure to protect your skin at all costs in order to maintain as ideal skin as possible.


"Whether your hair is red-gold, sand, brick, copper, or carrot, it is important for you to see red - really see it and recognize it as orange or a true red or one with a note of blue. If you don't know the difference between geranium and rose, vermilion and carmine, you probably will go haywire when you choose your lipstick and clothes."



Tomorrow's Lesson - Lipstick and Makeup for Redheads

Weird Wednesday Kiddie Koop

I found this fun little invention for child protection called the Kiddie Koop. It is basically the same concept as a chicken coop, or a playpen on stilts that is completely enclosed.

The Kiddie Koop was patented in Nov 25, 1913 by Edward Maurice Trimble of Rochester, New York. It is basically supposed to be a combination Crib and Play Pen.

According to the Patent Application, the crib could be lowered to the floor and the top removed so the baby could play.


To be used as a crib, the legs can be raised and covered so it can be an enclosed crib.


Sounds really interesting, because it could be folded up like a carrying crib of today.

Wonder why it fell out of style. All I can think of is that not many kids wanted to feel like a chicken in a cage.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Too Sleepy


Sorry again dears, but I'm just way too sleepy to come up with a clever post. Wiped out from a tough day at work. When my days last until 9 PM, it's hard to think by the time I get home. Looking forward to a good night's sleep, hopefully. Since I've got an early day tomorrow, should have more time to put up a Hollywood post. Best wishes all and Good Night!

Cleaning Day


Spent the whole day cleaning today. Very tired. Will have bigger post tomorrow.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Fashion Friday Neiman Marcus Show 1945



I have always fashion shows intriguing. This fashion show took place in 1945 and highlights clothes from Neiman Marcus.




The fashion is totally wearable and stunning. I want this dress!


Everything from everyday wear, formal wear, and of course outerwear was highlighted. I know it is totally non-pc, but I adore these furs. Stunning!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Drefting Away


Feeling a bit under the weather today. Another rough day at work, so I decided to take a bit of a tub.




A trick my mom taught me for dry skin, is a bath in Dreft laundry detergent. It really works! Not only does it reduce the itch for those of us with dry skin, but it creates tons of wonderful bubbles! As a child, I had many a Dreft bath due to Chicken Pox or because of the poison ivy I would often get from picking raspberries off my Grandmother's raspberry bush. Why were the tastiest ones always stuck in the poison ivy?



Dreft was the first commercial laundry detergent, created in 1933 by Procter and Gamble.


Unfortunately it cleans only light stains, so Procter and Gamble tried many different ways to market the wonderful product.



Today it is marketed as a laundry detergent for baby clothes. I bet they never thought of it as a dry skin aid!



Check out this vintage Dreft Laundry Ad. Around the time this commercial was made (1947), Dreft only cost less than a quarter!

Weird Wednesday Dog Show


Dog Shows bring out the Dog lover in all of us, and some disturbing characteristics if the film Best in Show is to be believed (Hilarious movie by the way). I happen to love watching Dog Shows, so I'm not ragging on them. The pups are just so cute!




This fun Dog Show is from 1946. Several society ladies showed off their own personal pets.



Not only that, but the animals were dressed up in costume





Don't know what's going on with this poor pup




Dachshunds in sweaters are timeless


And who doesn't love a pup in a bonnet?



Well, here is why this Dog Show was featured for Weird Wednesday. This "Birthday Cake" was presented at the dog show. Totally do not want to know what is in it.






Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Vintage Inspiration September 15th Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot


Temps out in MN are roasty. The sun was shining. There was a wonderful breeze. Thought summer was done. Could really use a nice frost so my hay fever would settle down.


I also wish I could have enjoyed the nice weather instead of being stuck at work until 9 PM. No rest for the wicked, I guess. The lovely Esther Williams sure knew how to enjoy a gorgeous day!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Weird Wednesday Hair Torture

A little girl from 1938 getting a perm. I have no idea how she sat still for this procedure.
This pic shows our Vintage Inspiration from yesterday, Joan Blondell, enjoying her permanent. These permanents were done by sectioning hair into about 20+ sections and winding hair starting at the root, and winding it up the curler. Heat was applied and thus the curls. Staring in the 1930s, chemicals were used to seal the curl, gradually discontinuing these fun devices. I'm not sure what's worse for your hair - tons of heat or harsh chemicals . . .

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Vintage Inspiration September 8th Joan Blondell



Caught Joan Blondell in a bunch of films on TCM this morning. She seems like such a sweetie, and has such a fun persona.
Some Joan Blondell Trivia:
  • Real name was Rose Joan Blondell
  • She was 5'3" tall, and her measurements were 37-21 1/2-36
  • Mike Todd, her third husband, went through all Joan's savings and then left her for Elizabeth Taylor. What a cad!
  • She has 208 credits to her name, with a career spanning from 1930 to 1981. Amazing!
  • Some of her more famous films include: Grease, Nightmare Alley, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Gold Diggers of 1937, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933, and Topper Returns







Vintage Inspiration September 7


Sunday, September 6, 2009

If I Had One Wish . . . Linda Darnell


Linda Darnell finishes off the wishes from the October 1946 Photoplay. There have been some serious ones, and some light hearted ones. Let's see what Linda wishes for . . .


"There is just one thing I have really wished for in my life that hasn't come true so far, and that is to go to South America. I suppose every person has one place where he would rather go than than any other place in the world - a place beyond the horizon of the world which beckons - a distant Shangri-La."



"When I was growing up in Texas, we had a servant who was born and raised in Brazil. Her romantic stories about the South American way of life fired me with a great desire to go there and sometimes I actually find myself feeling wanting for a land I had never seen. It was a strange feeling and it has never quite left me. Every time I hear Brazilian music I get the urge to suddenly fling everything aside and hop the next ship sailing south. I'm sure I wouldn't [next word unreadable in my copy here] in the country because I believe that beauty [next words unreadable in my copy here] lie in the eyes of the see-er."


And so we conclude our trip into the dreams of the stars. I hope you enjoyed the trip. We saw dreams of racial harmony, fantastic trips, and even wishes to be a fish. Thanks for coming along for the trip!


Saturday, September 5, 2009

If I Had One Wish . . . Zachary Scott


I simply adore Zachary Scott. He is in my current fav film, Mildred Pierce. I didn't really know a lot about him, but after doing a bit of research, I respect him even more.

So on that note, here is Zachary Scott's One Wish: "If I had one wish that could actually be fulfilled, it would be for the complete and utter elimination of racial prejudice."



"Recently a great colored artist came to town - an artist whose talent brought happiness, entertainment, and great escape from reality to millions of people all over the world. I know many famous Hollywood people who would have deemed it a privilege to meet him, I decided to entertain. I live in a small house which is inadequate for large parties, so I tried to make reservations elsewhere. I called every place I could think of, but each one had a different excuse. Finally and appallingly, the truth dawned on me. It was because of the artist's being colored. Most restaurant owners were amenable, but they said their help would walk out!"
Horrible story. Wonder who it was. I love the Forties, but there were things that were definitely not cool about the time.


"I still suffer from shock when I think this can happen. My sincerest wish is that racial prejudice could be vanished from this Earth."
Serious stuff, but Zachary did really walk the walk and talk the talk. He did tons of charity for the poor, U.S. soldiers, and racial causes.




Some Zachary Scott Trivia:
  • He was a descendant of George Washington's sister, Betty
  • He was a son of a surgeon, and was going to be a surgeon too until he caught the acting bug
  • Hobbies included: Classical music, golfing, gourmet cooking, gardening, horseback riding, antique collecting, and swimming
  • His first wife Elaine Anderson divorced him and married author John Steinbeck
  • He was nearly drown in a rafting accident but survived, only to become incredibly depressed from it
  • In 1951 he was arrested at a bar in Louisiana for violating segregation laws. He was in a black establishment drinking alcohol with African-Americans. he protested in court that he was invited to the bar by black men in uniform and that he was proud to drink with US soldiers
  • Was married to Ruth Hall on July 6, 1952. For info on Ruth, check out my post here: http://flapperdays.blogspot.com/2009/08/favorite-food-of-famous-stars-8-ruth.html
  • Arrested in 1961 in Hawaii for doing a Hula dance intoxicated
  • Unfortunately he passed away penniless from a brain tumor on October 3, 1965

If I Had Only One Wish . . . Esther Williams


America's Mermaid, Esther Williams, has today's quote from the October 1946 Photoplay. And would you believe that her wish is that she wants to be a fish?



"I'd wish to be reincarnated as a fish. Then I'd have a legitimate excuse for spending all my time in the water. I guess the only reasonable facsimile of that wish would be to have a huge swimming pool right outside my bedroom door, so that every morning I could climb out of bed, plunge into the water, and swim to my heart's content with nothing to interrupt me - weather or engagements or work or friends."
I think it would be cool to plunge into a pool right out of bed. Might be a little difficult if you were a sleepwalker :)




"I seem to have been born with an innate love of water, starting when I was two years old, I used to cry when my mother would take me out of the bathtub. I think I learned to swim even before I learned to walk. In high school I used to do my homework in the bathtub during the winter. Unless I spend part of the day in the water, I suffer a slight drying of the skin."
Never heard of that study method. Wonder how she didn't get her homework soaking wet. Her skin care method is also intriguing. I've always heard to stay in water as little as possible if you have dry skin. I wonder if Esther's beauty tip works.





"I have everything I want except my dream pool where I could spend several hours a day just making like a fish."
What a wonderful wish, to be able to be free and swim the day away. You have to admit, you could totally see the stunning Esther Williams as a fish.
On a side note, TCM is releasing a new Esther Williams collection of October 6, 2009. It contains the films: Thrill of a Romance, Fiesta, This Time for Keeps, Pagan Love Song, Million Dollar Mermaid, and Easy to Love. Super excited about this release. I just love the simple, sweet Esther Williams films.

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