Hair From Beyond #5: Do the Clara Bow

It dawned on me the other day that I'd never styled short hair. I mean, sure, I've styled long hair into faux-bobs plenty of times, but actual, real short hair? Never. Conveniently, my flatmate happens to wear her hair cropped very short and very straight. Always up for a challenge, I marched straight into her room and declared I was turning her into Clara Bow for the evening. She never knew what hit her.

Clara Bow was one of the very first silver screen icons, THE 'it' girl of the 20s. As Anne Helen Petersen writes in this fabulous post for The Hairpin, "Girls wanted to be her, boys wanted to date her, and old people thought she was a sign of the apocalypse, which obviously meant she was star material".

And so I set to work curling, teasing and spraying, until I was moderately satisfied with the results. Now, you can't have a Clara Bow without the Clara Bow eyebrows. This posed a bit of a problem, as you can't really get Clara Bow eyebrows without plucking it all away, and my flatmate/beautiful model was (understandably) really not that keen. Thus I was forced to compromise and draw them in on top of her (partly concealed) natural eyebrow, but oh well.

~

Here I'm looking for Clara Bow, but all I see is Theda Bara...

Theda Bara

~

Model: Betty. Hair, make-up and photography by moi.

A little silk blouse...

This morning I found a forgotten gem at the back of my closet, a little silk blouse inherited from my great-aunt. I have no idea what period it's from - possibly 40s? any ideas, do leave a comment! - but I have been watching much too much Mr Selfridge lately and thought I would incorporate it into a Belle Epoque-inspired outfit.

Blouse - Vintage

Skirt - H&M

Shoes - Primark

A Very Vintage Valentine's

I know, I know, this dates a little, but I came by the photos while going through my phone and wanted to share them with you. Also, confession number 2: it was only mildly vintage. I just thought the title sounded cool.

Coat - Collectif

Velvet Dress - Collectif

Jewellery - Topshop

I tried to take a close-up of my hair but couldn't get the light right, so all I'm left with is this rather embarrassing selfie to show off my faux-rolls. Oh well.

Despite the fancy schmancy outfits, we had quite the trashy bohemian night, with a Sing-Along screening of Moulin Rouge at the Prince Charles Cinema (THAT is how this movie is supposed to be enjoyed. With singing and mock-crying and shouting at the screen and an audience in show-girl costumes), dinner at Five Guys and witnessing a mysterious break-up scene on our way home. Quite the adventure.

Outfits from Outer Space #3: Halloween

Better late than never, right?

Leaving you to ponder this for too long is potentially dangerous, so here's a distracting compilation of all my Halloween 2013 costumes.

1. Pop Art

This was put together very last-minute for MCM Comic Con, inspired by Roy Lichtenstein's art. Mostly it just involved orange face paint and a LOT of eyeliner. Drawing on those dots took fucking forever.

A very confused Castiel discovers pop art.

2. 50s movie character

After reading this inspiring blogpost, I decided to go greyscale for Halloween and aimed for a 50s-inspired look.

Top - Collectif

Skirt - Coast

Behind the scenes:

Originally, we were meant to go as a greyscale couple, but he flipped out when I brought out the eyeliner and wouldn't let me paint the rest of his face..

3. Last-minute Cruella De Vil

I got invited to a Disney pub crawl in Shoreditch, and was too lazy to go home and change, so I concocted this with what little clothes I had at my boyfriend's... Fun fact: I've owned this faux fur jacket since I was 6 years old and my cousin's bridesmaid. It's served me well.

People kept complimenting me on my 'white face makeup'... I wasn't wearing any. Sob.

4. Creepy nondescript Tim Burton character

Inspired by Emma Pickles' makeup tutorial, I wore this for Voodoo Rock Night. 

Corset - Primark

Skirt - Topshop

Armwarmers - Claire's

Annoyingly, it turned out to be one of those cases where everything looked better during the makeup test than on the actual night.

My eyebrows just wouldn't disappear!

5. ...And a minion

...What did YOU dress up as on Halloween?

Hair from Beyond #2: Once Upon a Time's Ruby

Today, in Hair from Beyond... Storybrooke's favourite rebellious granddaughter.

"You dress like a drag queen at Fleet Week". 

Yes, Granny, I also feel like a drag queen at Fleet Week. So much makeup!

This one was actually a lot of fun. The makeup is a little heavy for me, but the 60s-style pigtails I suspect I'll be wearing again. Sorry for the low quality images, I didn't have my camera at hand!

Again, if you want a tutorial, feel free to let me know in the comments. Have a great day!

I'm looking for Ruby, all I see is Kat Dennings... what?!

Victorian Winter Ball

So lately the boyfriend and I have been taking 19th century folk & ballroom dancing classes at the Quadrille Club. It's ridiculously fun, and the healthy kind of exhausting, so what started off as a 'just for fun' trial ended up developing into a full blown hobby.
The Quadrille Club, ran by 19th century social dances specialist Ellis Rogers and his wife, meets once a month to run a day-long dancing workshop, and these lovely people throw an period ball in early winter.
This year's Victorian Ball (themed 1850-1900) happened last weekend, and words can't even begin to describe how much fun it was. I wish this was better advertised to people of my generation, because I know so many who would enjoy it if they took the initiative to try something different.

Anyway, back to the ball. Although a light dinner was included, the focus was placed entirely on the dancing, which happens to be a lot more tiring than it sounds. Especially when one is wearing a corset under their heavy period gown, crinoline and petticoats, and may or may not have had one too many glasses of wine between dances. I am assured that 'the men's clothing are just as restrictive', but somehow I remain doubtful.

A Victorian profile

I was going to make my dress, but I couldn't finish it in time for the ball and ended up hiring this one instead. I don't want to give it back (T_T)

On the night, I styled it with a black 1870s-style ribbon tied around my neck, white and blue net gloves (thrifted), and a hairstyle copied straight from an 1877 fashion plate.

In a beautiful turn-of-the-century gown

An Early Victorian gentleman in white tie, and an Edwardian lady