Fairytale hair inspiration

On a snowy day like today, I wish I could curl up in bed and read folklore. Then, I imagine plaiting my hair rural-Rapunzel style, putting my most ethereal dress on and going for a forest walk with friends. Sadly, I am in work with lukewarm coffee and a snow-ruined hairdo, but everyone needs dreams, right?

Pics found at Cartoon Styles - Kim Noorda by Jamie Isaia.

How to get The Literary Look: Bertha Rochester

As a character, Bertha Rochester – also known as Bertha Antoinetta Mason - deserves her own eponymous book. Jean Rhys attempted to reinvent her identity with Wide Sargasso Sea, such was character's impact on the writer.

She is destined to be included in the mad-woman-in-the-attic canon of literary creations, but the first wife of Mr Rochester in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is an incredibly visual character. And despite being locked in the loft for  insanity (spouse-diagnosed, naturally), she’s got chutzpah – imagine tearing the veil off your husband’s new fiancée on the day of her wedding? Quite right too, I say.

Upon noticing Bertha crouched in the corner for the first time, the only thing Jane sees is her “dark, grizzled hair, wild as a mane”. I don’t know about you but I’ve been trying to achieve wild hair forever. Maybe it’s a fondness of early Kate Bush or just a longing for volume. Either way Bertha is the perfect inspiration.

To get the look, you need mousse, volumising spray, large round brush, curling irons or small rollers, salt spray and hairspray.

1. Towel dry hair and apply the mousse all over, paying special attention to the roots.
2. Turn your head upside down and blast with a hairdryer on high heat.
3. Section hair and use the round brush to dry each part thoroughly. Applying heat to the roots for increased lift and pull tresses in an upwards direction with the brush.
4. Use volumising spray at the roots – Wella Professional’s SP product gives incredible results – and begin to curl hair with tongs. Pin each curl to the head. Alternatively set entire head in small rollers or heated rollers to get tight corkscrew curls.
5. Leave for 15 minutes and remove.
6. At this point you should have big hair, shiny and gorgeous. This is not the look we’re going for ladies.
7. Brush out the curls and backcomb at the roots to create disheveled tufts and messy volume.
8. Spray the salt spray liberally and scrunch into hair. Although usually used to create beachy waves, this product essentially gives visible texture – a must for this look.
9. Finishing with a light hairspray to hold – hair musn’t be rigid – and add messy black eyeliner, liberally. 

Picture credits: Top two models - Alexander McQueen from www.style.com, third pic - Angelo Seminara from www.angeloseminara.co.uk

Beauty, illustrated

Rene Gruau's fashion illustrations were beautiful, stylistic and are almost as synonymous with Dior as a capital D.  Everything about his work was exaggerated to characterise the louche but glamorous and completely composed woman who was made to spritz herself with Miss Dior and sip champagne all night. His work is on show at London's Somerset House until January 9th.

Picture credits: Miss Dior, René Gruau, c. 1960, Private Collection, © SARL René Gruau, Miss Dior, René Gruau, 1971, Private Collection, © SARL René Gruau, Diorella, René Gruau, 1972, Private Collection, © SARL René Gruau

I dream of yellow

Every now and again, a trend comes along that gives me a bittersweet pang - such is the life of a freckled, pale-skinned beauty lover. You might fall for a look, but there's still a good chance it will make you look hideous.  A couple of weeks ago I suffered this wistful longing for the first time in a long time at the Kenzo retrospective in the V&A. As models stomped down the runway in a myriad of colourful prints, I thought three things:
1. Why can't I wear clothes that let me show off my bra?
2. Perhaps I could work a turban...
3. Yellow eye make-up is the way forward.
Models, made-up by MAC, had a bold sweep of banana across their lids. This wasn't a hint of lemon, this was uncompromising, the-sun-as-got-his-hat-on YELLOW. And I loved it.

Sadly, the most summery of the primary colours makes me look like I've got rosacea. But if you've got the skin tone, jump on this band wagon with spring in your step. I recommend Golden Rod or Chrome Yellow by MAC or Sister by Illamsqua for a completely matte finish. Apply a coral-toned cream blush to give the look that sweet 1950s touch if you're more vintage lady than high fashion. Add a healthy dose of black mascara and voila! My favourite look of 2011 so far. Oh to be one of you...