Tuesday, January 5, 2010

How to Highlight that Resort Tan: South Sea Shades of Lipstick

Ah, now that we've got our resort tans, we need new cosmetics! How about some "South Sea" inspired lipstick (or lip "tattoo") or some cosmetics in "savage" hues that apparently transport one to a land of palm trees and tropical moons?

1930s makeup 2


Perfect Music: "Isle of Capri" Gracie Fields

1930s makeup


For more on the subject of 1930s and tanned complexions as a new standard of beauty, I refer again to the oh-so-fabulous bloggers behind The Painted Woman for a fascinating discussion which they posted this past summer. It is only very recently that I clued into the fact that those backless and shoulder baring gowns from the era that I love so well were designed not just to highlight what I consider some of the most attractive parts of a woman (her back, her shoulders, etc), but also to allow the leisured rich to flaunt their resort tans (great examples of this to come in a later post). These glowy deco gals are such a far cry from the ideal ladies in the Victorian period, when a wealthy woman would try at all costs to keep lily white and even freckles were seen as unsightly.


For more on how to do a 1930s-accurate makeup application, I highly recommend Miss Amanda Lee's articles at AlleyKatsVintage. Miss Lee, I hope it's okay I copied that first ad from your article. If not, drop me a line and I'll delete it!

12 comments:

Kristin said...

Vintage comsetic advertisements are so lovely! Far less cheesy than today's advertisements!

Kori said...

I love these advertisements! I always wanted to collect them and make a scrapbook of them. Hope you are doing well honey! Kori xoxo

The Dreamstress said...

Heh heh - just in time for me, it's summer here in NZ and I am all about Vintage styles!

Miss Matilda said...

I really really love coral lipstick, i need to design a frock for Able Grable just to go with a coral!!

BaronessVonVintage said...

oh, yes please, Miss M!

Sydney B. said...

Love to look at these Vintage ads! Yes! I too love a coral lipstick in the summer months! Thanks for sharing darling...

XO~Syd

Miss Go Lightly said...

These ads are the cats pajamas dahhling! Happy New Year doll! Xoxo

Mademoiselle LaĆ­se Carla ♥ said...

Oh, that's so wonderful! Today we don't have so glamour like in this time... Beautiful post dear! ♥

Hugs from Brazil~~

Lesley Ann said...

"Maddening Hues" and "Savage"-I love it!

Q's Daydream said...

amazing!!!

Thanks for the info on Carole! I want to know all I can. I have yet to read her bio.

Anonymous said...

Lovely! Those Savage ads' colors were always so subtle! Baroness, I found an article about crusing in the 30s, back when the big liners were taking short hops to Bermuda, Bahamas, etc. to try to make up for lost revenues - sounds dreamy!
"Vacations at sea, 1930s-style: the Empress of Britain set the standard for cruise travel during the Great Depression"
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCP/is_4_26/ai_n8687716/

BaronessVonVintage said...

THANK YOU for the article link. FABULOUS!