What Women REALLY Wore in The 1920s (Part 1) || Fashion Archaeology Ep. 3
Uniquely Madison・2 minutes read
The 1920s saw a revolution in the beauty industry, with new products, beauty parlors, and celebrity endorsements shaping beauty ideals influenced by ancient Egypt and the Orient. Skincare was prioritized over makeup, while the bob haircut trend, despite criticisms, spread rapidly, transforming women's appearance and setting the stage for a new era of experimentation and style evolution.
Insights
- Celebrity endorsements played a crucial role in the 1920s beauty industry, with Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden, and Max Factor leading the way, showcasing the power of influencer marketing even in earlier times.
- The 1920s saw a significant shift in beauty ideals, with the influence of ancient Egypt and the Orient shaping trends. This era emphasized skincare over makeup, with products like cold cream and vanishing cream acting as primers, showcasing a focus on skincare routines and beauty rituals that transcended mere cosmetic applications.
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Recent questions
What influenced beauty ideals in the 1920s?
Ancient Egypt and the Orient
What was the most popular makeup product in the 1920s?
Lipstick
How did skincare routines evolve in the 1920s?
Prioritized over makeup
What was the significance of the bob haircut trend in the 1920s?
Transformed women's appearance
How did celebrity endorsements impact the beauty industry in the 1920s?
Powerful marketing tool
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Summary
00:00
"1920s Beauty Trends: Makeup Evolution and Ideals"
- The 1920s marked a significant shift in the beauty industry, with makeup becoming a daily necessity and new products and beauty parlors emerging.
- Celebrity endorsements became a powerful marketing tool for beauty products, with companies like Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden, and Max Factor leading the way.
- African-American-owned companies like Overton Hygienic Company and Madam CJ Walker Company provided cosmetics for black women, addressing the lack of diversity in mainstream products.
- Beauty ideals in the 1920s were influenced by ancient Egypt and the Orient, with the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb sparking a trend towards Egyptian-inspired beauty.
- Skincare was prioritized over makeup, with elaborate routines developed to address skin issues, though some products were marketed with false claims like weight loss soap.
- Face shaping tools and massaging tools were popular among affluent women, claiming to remove blackheads, create a youthful glow, and prevent aging.
- Makeup in the 1920s focused on achieving a flawless face with cold cream and vanishing cream acting as primers before applying colored powder, with limited shade options available.
- Rouge, or blush, was used to add color to the cheeks, with orange-red and berry-red shades being popular choices, and matching lipstick with rouge was advised for a perfect match.
- Eye makeup became popular in the 1920s, with mascara made from burnt cork or coal mixed with petroleum jelly, and eyebrow styles tended to be thin and arched downward.
- Lipstick was the most popular makeup product, available in various forms and colors, with lip pomades adding shine, and the shape of lipstick application was soft and rounded, not with sharp high points.
21:51
"Bob Haircut: 1920s Trend Revolutionizes Women's Style"
- The bob haircut trend, popularized in the 1920s, actually originated in 1915 with Irene Castle's chop. F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" further fueled the trend, embraced by actresses and designers like Coco Chanel.
- Despite superstitions and criticisms, the bob haircut spread rapidly, with doctors warning of baldness and shops refusing to style it. Misconceptions even led to claims of divorce, insanity, and religious consequences for women with short hair.
- Not all women adopted the bob; some hid their long locks with buns, braids, or wigs. Various bob styles existed, from short and sharp to curly and bohemian, with different techniques like pin curls, marcel waves, and kiss curls.
- The 1920s marked a transformative era for women's appearance and the cosmetic industry, with makeup acceptance and short hair becoming a norm. Despite the impending Great Depression, this decade ushered in a new era of experimentation and style evolution.
