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"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing...kissing a lot. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls."
Audrey Hepburn


Thursday, March 31, 2016

Classic Pin Up Hairstyle for Short Hair!

So my hair is growing out really quickly...seriously, every day it's a little different. I think it's interesting because when my hair is past my shoulders, I feel like it takes forever for it to get any longer. Since it's been cut short, the grow-out process is lickety-split! Almost too quick, actually. I wanted to do more 1920's hairstyles before it got past that point, but never got a chance. So maybe someday. Til' then, there are so many great pin up prints that showcase hair at my current length...I mean, check this out-short hair was so en vogue!:


And then there is the lady of the hour, this darling print by Gil Elvgren from 1958:

Styles like this one tend to be pretty easy because they are rarely complicated, so as to translate to a painting. This is no exception. I opted to use my Remington Tight Curls, which aren't the best choice for high humidity environments like mine usually, but they worked out okay in this case. Foam rollers would have been a better option. Either way, prep your hair a bit before you blow it dry with a little setting lotion or mousse.


The Steps:

1. Part Hair on the side. If your bangs form a natural cowlick like mine, then you've got that part of the style well in hand. Otherwise, while your hair is still damp, you'll want to part the bangs so they've got this little bit of separation that you see.

2. Roll all hair downwards, using your rollers or Tight Curls. No method here really, just get it up there.

3. Allow hair to 'process' for about 30 minutes to an hour, if you're using a heated set, or until completely cool. This is imperative for longevity. If you're using a wet set, just make sure your hair is completely dry before unrolling.

4. Unroll and run your hands through the curls.

5. Using your Denman Styling Brush, brush out the curls into fluffy waves.

6. If your bangs were too short to incorporate into the roller set, curl them with a small curling iron. Integrate this into the rest of your style, spraying with your favorite hair spray as you see fit.

7. Lastly, either balance the heavy side of the style out with a hair flower or other accessory, as I did in the video, or use a side comb to secure the side like our painted lady.

And you're done!

As always, if you have any questions or requests, feel free to post them in the comments below. Or better yet, visit the video embedded below by clicking on it and letting it take you to Youtube. Those questions and comments are notified to me via email.



Tim next time, So Long Dearies!!

xoxo,
Ashley


Friday, March 18, 2016

Diamonds & Dames Does: Nora Charles


For my most recent episode of Diamonds & Dames, I decided to consider the request of those who have been hankering after a Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) hairstyle on my channel requests for a while. Since my hair is in a bob, the only real differences between my hair and Loy's is that her's is cut slightly longer in the back ,as per the style of the day, and mine has bangs. But since those things aren't detrimental to the look I was aiming for, I broke out my foam rollers and pin curl clips to tackle it anyway.


A little about the movie...

The Thin Man (1934)
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Nick and Nora Charles are a happily married couple living in upper society New York when Nick is approached by an acquaintance about doing some detective work. Since Nick hasn't been a detective for years, he balks at the idea, but Nora eggs him on since this is all very exciting and new to her. Amid cocktail parties, witty banter, kooky friends, and stellar 1930's fashions, the case is solved- leaving Nick and Nora more nauseatingly inlove than ever.

Myrna Loy has never been more irresistibly charming than she is as Nora, and she and William Powell's Nick have some of the best onscreen chemistry in history. Dashiell Hammett was the creator of these gumshoe stories and the plots are sometimes predictable, but the offbeat humor, oddball characters, and never-ending supply of one-liners make the movies utterly timeless. Part of this is thanks to Van Dyke's direction, which keeps the story clipping along even if we aren't necessarily on the edge of our seats.

My Rating: 10/10
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The Tutorial:

For this style, I used pin curls on the top and sides and small foam rollers in the lower sections along the nape. The reason for this is that my hair is still cut somewhat asymmetrically after my pixie grow-out process. So pin curls are still difficult on those lower sections. I sprayed each section with simple water before rolling it up, although my hair did have some setting mousse scattered through it beforehand. For those of you who wonder, I still am using the remains of my last can of the Sahag Sculpt Mousse (which is now unavailable unless you are super lucky) but will likely go back to Lottabody Setting Lotion when I'm finished.

The style I chose from the film was one of several that Myrna Loy wore. Her bob was at times peppered with accessories, at times center parted, at times side parted. Since I have a super angry little cowlick, I opted for the latter at this time.


After my hair was completely dry (morning, since I slept on the set), I removed my trusty headscarf and began releasing the clips and rollers. From there, styling this one is very simple and involves very little effort. A basic knowledge of brushing out a vintage set is necessary, but if you're not familiar with that process, it really just means that after the initial brush out, when hair gets super frizzy, you just have to keep brushing. Brushing 'past the frizz' is an age-old technique and still works beautifully today. You will see waves begin to develop instead of frizzy curls and you can then take hands and perhaps a little pomade to begin molding those waves into place. Since I have bangs, I had to clip them out of the way and work my top hair over them to somewhat mimc the look of Loy. But if you don't have bangs, you should be able to more closely copy her casual look by brushing back, pushing forward, and repeating that process until you have your desired look. As far as product goes, I used very few. I strongly believe that a Denman Styling Brush is a MUST-HAVE for vintage styles and if you're lucky enough to find the now-discontinued Vintage Glam Thermal Shine Spray, make sure to grab it!

Otherwise, here is the video from last week. As always, let me know if you have any questions!

So Long, Dearies!!



Thursday, March 10, 2016

The Starlet Series: Episode 3-1922



For this installment of my Starlet Series on Youtube, I took advantage of my newly bobbed hair to create a style inspired by Anna May Wong in the 1922 film, The Toll of the Sea. I was unfamiliar with the movie prior to my viewing it for this series, and I'm so glad I saw it. It's a fantastically preserved piece of film making and was shot entirely in early technicolor-something very rare for this early period in cinema. The movie clocks in at only an hour and is available on YouTube in its entirety so do yourself a favor and give it a few minutes of your time!



About the Film:
The story follows Anna May Wong (in one of her first starring roles) as Lotus Flower, a lovely Chinese girl who falls inlove with a young sailor who is washed upon her shores after a shipwreck. The couple begins a life together and to sweet and gentle Lotus Flower, their union is nothing less than a marriage. However for the young man, though he promises Lotus Flower that he intends to take her home to the states when he returns, fickle feelings begin to surface and his friends influence him to leave her behind. Time passes and young Lotus Flower is now a mother who anxiously awaits the return of her 'husband', whom she refuses to believe would abandon his wife and child. When Carver (the young man, played by veteran actor Kenneth Harlan) is finally persuaded to return, he has an American wife who is not unsympathetic to the girl's plight and tries in vain to assist her in any way possible. Tragedy ensues as Lotus Flower takes matters into her own hands.

If the story sounds familiar, that's because it is a variation of several other traditional tales. The Little Mermaid comes to mind...so does Madame Butterfly. But in spite of the well known storyline, the movie still holds impact due to the memorable performances of Anna May Wong and Beatrice Bentley (who plays the American wife)as well as the stunning technicolor. The rest of the cast is not particularly memorable but the direction moves the story along at a brisk pace and doesn't fail to keep you interested.

My rating: 8/10


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The Tutorial:

For this look, I took inspiration from the simple hair from the film as well as the makeup from a few promotional shots of Wong, around this time period.


Due to the color of the film, I thought in muted tones instead of black and white, and filmed the video that way. Purple hues make a lovely option for this sort of look so that's another great option for you to individualize this one.


The makeup application calls for a flawless complexion that has a little youthful vitality. Highlighting primers and creams work best to add a little sheen without any shimmer. The eyes feature thin, straight brows and are intentionally slanted and catlike. In this case, eyeshadow is utilized over liner to bring softness to the look. View the video below and feel free to ask questions about products and placement in the comments.

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Product Info:

For a primer, I used my favorite Clinique Moisture Surge, which keeps full coverage foundation from ever having a cakey or chalky appearance. Under my eyes, I used the Hydrating Under Eye Primer by Smashbox. This not only prepares the eyes for concealer but also brightens quite a lot. Using my Beauty Blender, I applied the Clarins UVPlus in the light tint.
This provides significant coverage that can be built upon. I followed this up with another foundation, the Napoleon Perdis Shear Genius Foundation, which gives the face a flawless but luminous quality. Next, I began on the eyes, using my Cover FX cream to conceal beneath my eyes, but also at the outer corners, to lend a more upturned look to them. The eyeshadows I used are by Stila and Two Faced but again, not brand specific. Go with any shimmery neutrals in your collection or colors that will keep that bright look at the forefront. Smudgy pencil liner, dark minimized lips, and no blush are all that's left to characterize this early '20's look. As always, I set the whole thing in Dermablend Original Setting Powder and press my powdered face with my hands to keep the finish of my foundation and prevent it from looking too dry or matte.

Hair is simple and self explanatory when you watch the video. The only product that I strongly recommend is a shine product, to finish out the style with movie-star glamour!

As always, let me know if you have any questions about this or any of my tutorials.

See you soon!

Ashley