Monday Moments in Makeup History - The 1940's

It is true what they say: you really can find inspiration anywhere.

Watching the Indiana Jones marathon today gave me an idea. Not that Harrison Ford was a hot piece back in the day or how it was more than a little far-fetched that an archaeology professor would be so adept with a bull whip, but it got me thinking how beautiful 40's era women were. At least, the way they were portrayed in films, that is. It got me thinking about the various looks that were popular in the past, and that maybe these deserved a post of their own.

Hence, I give you Monday Moments in Makeup History.

Nothing says understated glamour like the classic beauty of women from the 40's. Perhaps it was because, for the first time in history, they were expected to go out to work as well as keep the home while the majority of the men were off fighting in World War II. These women were the hardworking heroes of the everyday, ones who still took the time to put on some lipstick and do their hair.

Veronica Lake

The look can be characterized by red lips, subtly defined eyes, well-groomed but not overly plucked brows and a soft rosy complexion. I've included some examples of how it was done, both in Hollywoodland and in the real world.

Ava Gardner

I also came across this great post from Tart Deco which features scanned pages detailing how to recreate a 40s Pinup look from Vintage Face, a book that is now sadly out of print. Both Tart Deco and Glamour Daze are great reference sources for creating vintage makeup, so if that's your thing these are definitely worth a visit.