2 posts tagged “vintage”

Joy, joy, joy! I’m sporting a new hairstyle now. My head is topped off with a retro-fabulous flashback look that reproduces the styles of the 1920s flappers who wore finger waves. You’ll find modern celebrities with similar coiffs, all inspired by the original Hollywood divas of days long gone by, like one of my favourites -- Mae West.

I put my mess of a curly mop of big volume, frizzy hair that tends to look more hippy than I’d prefer, into the skilled hands of a stylist in Soho. I expressed my love for old fashioned styles, so he suggested a more manageable, bob cut, and combined it with a bit of razzle dazzle for me by adding finger waves. To instruct the shampooist, he told her that he’d be “doing a Gwen Stefani.” This made me laugh, because clearly this new look for me is a fairly off-the-shelf cut that must be popular among many London ladies.

I absolutely marveled at the talent the stylist had for producing finger waves. He molded my hair with his fingers, sculpting it with a bit of hair gel, so that it formed gently rolling waves that remind me of being at the seaside, watching the waves lap against the shore. It isn’t something I can easily replicate, but my hair naturally waves on its own anyways. I found some basic instructions on how to do it, so if you want to experiment, here’s a quick reference guide another fan of the look suggests:

Get the Look! Finger Wave It

Step 1: On towel-dried hair, apply the correct styling product for your hair type from hair roots to ends.

Step 2: Pre-dry hair with a blow dryer.

Step 3: Set up hair with desired part. Dividing hair into 1-inch sections, work a curling iron through, section by section. Starting from close to the scalp, spiral hair unto the iron's barrel, hold briefly, then release. Work through hair until complete.

Step 4: After allowing hair to cool, test curl - if curl has not taken, take the curl and pin it up to the scalp with a pin, rolling as you go. If curl is firm, separate with fingers and finger comb to desired look.

Step 5: Take hair accessory and pin back hair on one side back, away from the face

The website She’s A Betty also has some good tips here.

I’m thrilled to now be finger waving it, along with the likes of Renée Zellweger,

who carried the look in the movie of the musical Chicago, and, the fabulous Gwen Stefani. I lilke to think that I just might be keeping the spirit of Betty Davis and her era of gorgeous glamour flapper babes alive with my hair. Or, at least I hope so.

I hold no illusion about being able to take centre stage with proper divas, and certainly can’t hold a candle to the silver screen stars I admire so, but I am pleased with my new look.

Lot’s of thanks to Ricky at basecuts in London’s Soho on Berwick Street, who I’ll definitely be returning to for help with my hair.

If you want to the look, ring up basecuts on 02072876807 and tell them that you want Ricky to finger wave you.

 I’m finger waving it,

Who’s Lisa Devaney?

I head the Hai Media Group, a multimedia communications company based in London, offering client’s traditional public relations, combined with new technology marketing strategies. I also perform, creating original Cabaret-style comedy skits for festivals, theatre and parties. Find out more about me, and the talented entrepreneurs I collaborate with, by visiting: www.haimediagroup.com

 

As a child, New Year's Eve was thrilling because we got to stay up 'till midnight, mostly eating and watching Dick Clark get nostalgic about news events of another 1970 year, while he ticked off the traditional countdown. Close to the striking time, my family of six would rush into our suburban backyard with as many pots and pans as we could carry. We'd scream and bang the metal kitchen utensils together, joining in the neighborhood's noisy racket. A neighbor would likely have bought an arsenal of fireworks, despite the fact that they were illegal in our state, and we'd be amazed by the explosions overhead. The cops would start chasing the illegal firework blasters, but they would hop over fences and find new roofs, backyards and parks to light them off from. Some neighbors would even hide the culprits, if the police came looking. Easy, cheap entertainment and great when you are 12.

Well, this year, actually for the first year ever, my husband and I decided to actually plan something fancy and festive for the New Years celebration and we headed to Volupte Lounge for a night of cabaret, burlesque and vintage themed style. The masked ball was a popular venue for London revellers, unfortunately for punters, the organizers overbooked for the size. Plenty of entertainment was on offer - but seeing it was the hard part. I missed getting some video of the fantastic Can-Can dance, and couldn't even see the number :-(. But, I did catch host Dusty Limits who bills himself as The Dark Prince of Cabaret, doing a naughty little number of You Put a Spell On Me (see video below).

London had what the BBC reported as being the largest gathering along the banks of the Thames River for the coming of 2007 - with 350,000 people attending fireworks. The city was a generally happy place, except for a few drunken fights (99 were arrested) and there were numerous disgusting vomit piles to avoid the next day. Everyone was smiling at each other, it seemed.

At the party, Midnight could not pass without all the traditions of Champagne toast, and the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne'. Now, this is where I learned something, and I am not afraid to share my ignorance - its a Scottish tune and tradition, written by poet Robert Burns. Firstly, this is of major shame for me, as I've been married to my wonderful Scotsman for two and a half years now and did not know this. Secondly, I always thought it was 'Old Lang Sign' and who knows what the other words are. I have learned that Auld Lang Syne, losely translated, means Times Gone By. I'm very happy to say that he is not planning to divorce me in 2007, and hopefully anytime after that!

And so I offer a tribute to Scotland's heritage by noting the orgins of Auld Lang Syne and hope that others will remember its highland roots at future New Years Eve celebrations!