A 1940s Aesthetic Guide
By Frankie LopezGBACG President The following links are my personal recommendations to achieve The 40s Aesthetic. Here are some resources and techniques to achieve this quintessential look. Hair Lotta Body Setting Lotion I typically dilute this in a spray bottle, and use it for my wet sets. This brand has been around since the 1970s and it is a great […]
Lovely Ladies with Lavish Coiffures
By Sally Norton. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. Hair and hats were an important feature in La Belle Époque, both on stage and off. The large hat, often with up-turned brim, sat forward on the coiffure, emphasizing the extraordinary forward tilt of the early 1900s woman. The hat, an increasingly elaborate affair, could be an inconvenience at […]
Let It Go To Your Head!
by Danine Cozzens Langdell. Published in the March/April 2015 issue of Finery. If you long to don your finest Regency evening wear and step out on the dance floor, put Saturday, May 30, 2015, on your calendar. Our Sister Organization, The Bay Area English Regency Society puts on only three balls each year. This one takes inspiration from an event […]
Book Reviews: Vintage Hairstyling and Retro Makeup by Lauren Rennells
by George McQuary, First published for the July/August 2012 issue of Finery Lauren Rennells’ book Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with Step-by-Step Techniques, 2nd Edition can be used in two ways: First, as a look book. Take it to your favorite hair stylist, point at a picture, and say “Make my hair do this for tonight”. Or you can take the […]
Completing the 1912 Evening Look
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the March/April 2012 issue of Finery In the early 1910s, women’s hair began with thick, wavy hair that was “dressed” in loose, “Grecian” styles. Wavy hair was desired, specifically the kind of wave that comes from thoroughly brushing out curly hair. If your hair did not have a natural wave, it would generally […]
Book Review: Betsy-Tacy Series
by Catherine Scholar, First published for the January/February 2011 issue of Finery Why review a beloved children’s series for a costume newsletter? It’s a fair question, one the author partially answered herself: “in these Betsy-Tacy stories, I love to work from real incidents.” The Betsy-Tacy books were based closely upon author Maud Lovelace’s own life, and almost all of Betsy’s […]
Rococo Beauty Tips
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the November/December 2009 issue of Finery Coiffures of the 18th century defined the style of the era. Women’s hair was always curled, waved, or frizzed before styling. When higher hairstyles came into fashion, they were accomplished by raising hair over pads made of wool, tow, hemp, or cut hair. Throughout the century, hair was […]
Hairstyles and Hats of the Edwardian Era, 1900-1915
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the July/August 2008 issue of Finery Hairstyles and headwear are inextricably linked in almost every era; hairstyles affect the shape and placement of the hat and vice versa. The “pompadour” popular in the 1890s belied its name. Rather than a large amount of volume, hair was dressed loosely but still simply and close […]
Gibson Girls on the Loose
by Anonymous, First published for the March/April 2004 issue of Finery Will you be a graceful Edwardian lady in a lavishly trimmed white gown or a sporty Gibson Girl in a trim shirtwaist and tailored skirt at our garden party on April 25th? Edwardian dress gives you many choices and styles to choose from. In the summer of 1899, fashion […]
