"We had individuality. We did as we pleased. We stayed up late. We dressed the way we wanted. I used to whiz down Sunset Boulevard in my open Kissel, with several red Chow dogs to match my hair. Today, they're sensible and end up with better health. But we had more fun."- Clara Bow
If you were to google the word “flapper” and start browsing through images, you are sure to find Clara Bow on page 1. Her look embodies the “devil may care” attitude, and image, of the roaring 20’s. In the time before talkies, her deep expressive eyes and perfect merlot-stained pout won her It Girl status in Old Hollywood. Like so many silver screen icons, she was a tortured soul who rose from the wreckage of a poverty-stricken, traumatic childhood.
Although I had spent hours scrolling through photo after photo from the flapper era, I came across this particular photo of Clara during my search for fresh, spring-inspired images. I will absolutely be paying homage to the traditional flapper girl look in future posts, but there is something really special to me about this picture. Ms. Bow is sexy, yes, but in a girlish, coy, ultra-feminine way we modern girls can learn something from. The look is a perfect juxtaposition of intense, smoky attitude and sweet, playful charm.
Clara’s dress was likely sewn with layers upon layers of frills- a look that you simply will not find in a modern store. Hunting down a dress with that rounded collar is likewise impossible, unless you are shopping in the toddler department. But I was determined to capture this fun, flirty, deliciously vintage look, so I continued to search tirelessly for The Dress. I finally found it in (drumroll please)... My own closet. Yep, the answer was right under my nose all along. Come on, ladies, I know I’m not the only one who has stuffed a piece of clothing into the back of a drawer or closet, only to pull it out while looking for something else completely and say “Oooooh, this! I love this! How could I have forgotten I owned such a fabulous piece of fashion?” This happens especially often as the seasons change, and I could not have been happier to see the scalloped, white hem of this lovely cotton dress peeking out at me. I don’t know how I could have forgotten it, because it is my go-to Spring dress. I believe every woman should have a Little White Dress hanging beside the Little Black one. It looks soft yet sophisticated when paired with heels and a string of pearls, then effortlessly sexy and casual with a pair of Frye boots and a jean jacket. And now, it was just the frock I needed to channel Clara and greet spring with a curtsy.
To complete the look, I added a simple length of antique green satin ribbon as a sash. Then I popped the heads off a bunch of artificial daisies, and used a hot glue gun to attach them in a meandering bunch at the shoulder, then a few more scattered along the bottom hem.
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To add some volume to the skirt, I wore a pettiskirt underneath. The pettiskirt came with a higher price tag than the actual dress had, and when I bought it, I felt a twinge of guilt at spending so much money on what I then considered a frivolous impulse buy. But I am amazed at how much play it actually gets in my wardrobe- it is often that something extra I am looking for to complete a look.
Although Clara’s dress varies from the dark glitz and glam of the flapper era, her makeup and hair are Roaring 20’s all the way. For the eyes, I applied matte black shadow to the inner corner of my lower lids, blending across the crease to the outer corner. Then, I pressed pale silver shadow to the center of the lower lids, and under the brow. Finally, I applied black cream liner to my upper and lower lash line with an angled brush. For a full-on, dramatic 20’s look, you can mute your natural brows with loose powder, then create the tiny arched brows of the flapper by using dark brown or black pencil to draw a thin curve over the arches only.
To create Clara Bow’s signature beestung pout, I applied a dot of crimson lip liner just above both peaks on my upper lip, then a single dot just under my natural lip line, between them (think inverted triangle). Connect the three dots with lip liner, creating an exaggerated beestung effect, then line the rest of the upper and lower lips.
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I filled in the lip with crimson lipstick, then added just a touch of black cream eyeliner to get the deep, blood red shade that’s so difficult to find. It creates the perfect, opaque flapper red, and gives your lip color more staying power, too.
Hair styling is not my strong point, which is perhaps why I ended up marrying a hairdresser:) However, roller sets and up-do’s are not his area of expertise either; scissors are his tool of choice. But together we came up with the following process: Start by misting hair with a primer spray. Create a defined side part, then divide hair into four sections. Proceed to subdivide into smaller offset sections, in a “brick lay” pattern. Wind each section of hair around your finger, then secure ends to roots using alligator clips. Allow to set naturally until completely dry. Mist generously with hairspray, and gently remove clips. If necessary, use a curling iron to touch up any curls that frizzed up or look wilted.
The end result was less wavy and more ringlety than I was going for, but for a first attempt, I felt the look was similar enough to the inspirational photo that I wasn’t altogether unhappy. If you have any ideas or how-to photos on creating seamless flapper waves, please share!
Don’t be afraid of looking too costumey, especially if you are dressing up for an evening event. Flappers were all about being brash and bold, so go for it and have fun. Give the look your unique flare, and own it!
Dress, Old Navy 25$
Artificial Daisies, Jo-Ann Fabric, 8$
1.5 inch green satin ribbon, Jo-Ann Fabric 2$/yard
Pettiskirt Slip, American Apparel 74$
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Too Faced eyeshadow in “Smolder” (matte black)*
Too Faced eyeshadow in “In a Flash” (pale silver)*
Studio Gear Gel Cream eyeliner in “Invincible Onyx”, Ulta 16$
Urban Decay 24/7 lip pencil in “69,” Ulta 20$
Lipstick Queen Lipstick in “Medieval”, Birchbox 22$
* These shades are in the “Smokey Eye” palette (Ulta, 36$), which is a staple in my makeup collection. It comes with 9 shades to create a “Day”, “Classic”, or “Fashion” smokey eye look, as well as illustrated How-To cards. Love it!
Alligator Clips, Sally Beauty Supply, 7$
Bumble and Bumble Prep Spray, Sephora, 21$
MoroccanOil Luminous Hairspray, Medium Hold (This is a great, non-sticky hairspray, but the best part is the yummy vanilla scent). Amazon 20$
If you were to google the word “flapper” and start browsing through images, you are sure to find Clara Bow on page 1. Her look embodies the “devil may care” attitude, and image, of the roaring 20’s. In the time before talkies, her deep expressive eyes and perfect merlot-stained pout won her It Girl status in Old Hollywood. Like so many silver screen icons, she was a tortured soul who rose from the wreckage of a poverty-stricken, traumatic childhood.
Although I had spent hours scrolling through photo after photo from the flapper era, I came across this particular photo of Clara during my search for fresh, spring-inspired images. I will absolutely be paying homage to the traditional flapper girl look in future posts, but there is something really special to me about this picture. Ms. Bow is sexy, yes, but in a girlish, coy, ultra-feminine way we modern girls can learn something from. The look is a perfect juxtaposition of intense, smoky attitude and sweet, playful charm.
Clara’s dress was likely sewn with layers upon layers of frills- a look that you simply will not find in a modern store. Hunting down a dress with that rounded collar is likewise impossible, unless you are shopping in the toddler department. But I was determined to capture this fun, flirty, deliciously vintage look, so I continued to search tirelessly for The Dress. I finally found it in (drumroll please)... My own closet. Yep, the answer was right under my nose all along. Come on, ladies, I know I’m not the only one who has stuffed a piece of clothing into the back of a drawer or closet, only to pull it out while looking for something else completely and say “Oooooh, this! I love this! How could I have forgotten I owned such a fabulous piece of fashion?” This happens especially often as the seasons change, and I could not have been happier to see the scalloped, white hem of this lovely cotton dress peeking out at me. I don’t know how I could have forgotten it, because it is my go-to Spring dress. I believe every woman should have a Little White Dress hanging beside the Little Black one. It looks soft yet sophisticated when paired with heels and a string of pearls, then effortlessly sexy and casual with a pair of Frye boots and a jean jacket. And now, it was just the frock I needed to channel Clara and greet spring with a curtsy.
To complete the look, I added a simple length of antique green satin ribbon as a sash. Then I popped the heads off a bunch of artificial daisies, and used a hot glue gun to attach them in a meandering bunch at the shoulder, then a few more scattered along the bottom hem.
To add some volume to the skirt, I wore a pettiskirt underneath. The pettiskirt came with a higher price tag than the actual dress had, and when I bought it, I felt a twinge of guilt at spending so much money on what I then considered a frivolous impulse buy. But I am amazed at how much play it actually gets in my wardrobe- it is often that something extra I am looking for to complete a look.
I filled in the lip with crimson lipstick, then added just a touch of black cream eyeliner to get the deep, blood red shade that’s so difficult to find. It creates the perfect, opaque flapper red, and gives your lip color more staying power, too.
Don’t be afraid of looking too costumey, especially if you are dressing up for an evening event. Flappers were all about being brash and bold, so go for it and have fun. Give the look your unique flare, and own it!
Dress, Old Navy 25$
