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These Pill Box Lip Balms Will Take You Back to Another Era

Jaime Richards — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:12:00 PDT

Do you go gaga for all-things vintage? Well, you'll definitely love these vintage-inspired pill boxes ($20 to $24), then. Not only are they cute to look at, but within each of the six designs lies a 100 percent natural lip balm made by British-based aromatherapist Andrea Garland. Choose between clear, rich red, or hot pink; refills available for $8 a pop. From the classic to kitschy, they're just the thing you'll need to channel your inner Mad Men style.

Source: Thinkstock

Look Like You're in the '30s With This Vintage Book

Annie Tomlin — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 04:00:56 PST

If you're looking to re-create the vintage look of stars like Ginger Rogers, you can't go wrong with this reprint of a 1930s beauty book ($17). Originally published in 1932, the reissued book is available on eBay. Whether you're looking to replicate classic makeup looks or just want to see how people defined glamour back in the day, it's a fun little read.

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Learn How to Get Mad Men-Style Winged Eyeliner

BellaSugar — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:00:49 PST

The retro makeup look of dramatic winged-out eyeliner and bold red lips not only looks great but is easy to re-create at home. MAC makeup artist Christopher del Castillo shows us how to get the style. Watch now to see how you can get this glamorous look.

Find Out How to Get This Retro Makeup Look

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Here's an excerpt of a retro-inspired makeup look from OnSugar blog The Make-Up Blogette:

Every year, I am in charge of organizing my office dinner and dance, and this year, my team and I decided to do a retro-themed event. And it's really happening, because for the first time, I can really see most people putting in the effort to dress to the theme. My whole team and I went all out, of course, and we turned up from the various decades past.

I went for a classic winged liner with red lips look, rather than the retro-mod style of Edie Sedgwick/Twiggy-type of big eyes/pale lips combo - simply because of my rad outfit. No time to set my hair, because we had to be there early running about and setting up the venue. To find out what makeup she used, just keep reading.

Lynda Carter's Beauty Secrets

BellaSugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:00:01 PDT

Oh, man. I already liked Lynda Carter for playing Wonder Woman, but after unearthing this video from her '80s makeup video, I think it's love. "Don't be afraid to express yourself," she says. "Why not play with all the colors of the rainbow?" Check out this clip and you'll see why she was named the beauty and fashion director of Maybelline back in the day.

Who Couldn't Use Some Pazazz? (Uh, Me.)

BellaSugar — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:00:42 PDT

One of the best (or worst?) parts of the internet is its ability to archive just about anything. For instance, take this Clairol ad. I remember seeing it, thinking the hairstyles were amazing, and begging my mother to buy the tinted mousse that would make me as cool as the women in the commercial. She refused, proving that sometimes mothers really do know best. Have a look - did any of you use this stuff?

Perm Sales Are Up; The '80s Are Back

BellaSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:08:08 PST

When model Agyness Deyn started dressing like Max Headroom, I figured it was just a harmless nod to '80s style. But now, I'm worried that the decade's look coming back in a bigger, more nefarious way. In Britain, the perm is back in a big way:

Sales of do-it-yourself permanent wave kits have climbed 50 percent in the past year, according to Superdrug. The chain sold more of the kits in the past week than it did during all of February 2006.

I lived through the first, er, wave of home perms, and I have the unflattering junior-high class photos to prove it. But apparently, most of the women buying these perms are in their teens and early twenties, so it's new to them. (Is it only a matter of time before Kelly LeBrock's hair, pictured, is dictating styles?) Can't say this is one retro throwback I'm going to follow, even if it does wind up being the next big thing.

But speaking of perms . . . if you need a midafternoon laugh, I've found a pretty good video clip. To see it,

read more. This clip isn't from the '80s, but it's still worth a view. Ever the comedienne, Giggle says that Scatter Perm would be an awesome name for a punk band.

Rodarte Fall 2012

Marisa Tom — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:35:12 PST

Leave it to Kate and Laura Mulleavy to not only draw a star-studded front row - hello, George Lucas, Natalie Portman, and Dakota Fanning - but to deliver a stellar, 1940s-inspired Fall '12 collection too. One part cave-drawing-infused, one part retro femme, and one part Australian outback-reminiscent, Rodarte showcased a beautiful mix of totally girlie pieces with both red-carpet appeal and wearable ladylike style. The sister duo paid close attention to feminine details á la Peter Pan collars, artfully structured ruffles, and metal star appliqué hair combs. Yet, never ones to shy away from throwing some quirk into the picture, they added literal hand prints to long, flowy evening gowns and added cowboy buckles to double-strap leather belts. The biggest covet-worthy takeaway from today's show? After several seasons of collaborating with key shoe designers like Nicholas Kirkwood and Christian Louboutin, the Mulleavy sisters debuted their first-ever in-house shoe collection. We're calling it: Rodarte's two-tone pumps with heels made of plexiglass, sexy dominatrix-inspired spat heels, and lace-up boots will be Fall '12 It girl items. All in all, it's a gorgeous autumnal lineup, just begging to be worn.

Trends: Cropped cable-knit sweaters, hand-print chiffon dresses, and 1940s-inspired silhouettes.
Colors: Warm, earthy tones like rust and terracotta juxtaposed against cool neutrals.
Key Piece: Super-cute chunky cable-knit sweaters paired with terracotta-hued trousers; diaphanous hand-print chiffon dresses.
Accessories: Ladylike round-toe pumps with heels made of plexiglass or filled with sand, sexy lace-up gladiator-inspired spat heels. Look out for the subtleties in each heel design.
Who Would Wear It: Front-row attendees Natalie Portman and Dakota Fanning are high up on the list, but we think a plethora of A-list talent will be clamoring to wear this collection. Don't be surprised to see Taylor Swift, Alexa Chung, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning flaunting Rodarte's wares, too.

Experts Say Sexism Keeps Women Out of Military Combat Roles

Annie Scudder — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:06:25 PST

Ask GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum why women shouldn't be allowed to serve in combat roles, and he will give you various reasons. First off, a man's emotions. Santorum believes men will try to save their fellow female soldiers, explaining this weekend: "instead of focused on the mission, they may be more concerned about protecting someone who may be in a vulnerable position, a woman in a vulnerable position." In addition to chivalry, Rick says "You throw on top of that just simply physical strength and capabilities," and women simply can't handle the job. Fortunately, the military, which recently opened 14,000 combat jobs up to women including tank mechanic and front-line intelligence, doesn't completely agree with Rick, and experts say "sexist" attitudes are responsible for a policy against trained female soldiers serving in combat positions.

Sociologist Ryan Kelty, who specializes in studying the military, tells LiveScience that the old-fashioned belief that women must be protected is not a good enough reason to exclude women who want to and are capable of serving their country. In other words, chivalry is not a legitimate basis to deny a woman employment, especially when there is no evidence that professional and highly trained male and female soldiers are incapable of carrying out their missions. Kelty explains the military should employ gender-neutral, objective requirements. For example, a soldier should be able to carry 100 pounds for eight hours, regardless of gender.

There may be back and forth, but the truth is that women already serve in these combat roles. In Iraq and Afghanistan, 144 women have lost their lives, 60 of them in combat, while 865 have been wounded. And countries including Canada, Israel, and Australia already allow women in close-combat roles. Despite the slow evolution of American rules on women serving, it can be said that the US military doesn't have the most retro policy. In China, women recruits must display a talent like singing or dancing and Russia holds a Miss Russian Army beauty pageant.

Trend Report: Awesome Eyeliner at the Grammys

Miriam Lacey — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:26:04 PST

Looks like we're in for another awards season sprinkled with pretty retro looks. At the Grammys this time around, tons of beautiful women showed up with vintage-style winged eyeliner. It was on everyone: Adele had perfect late '60s wings, Katy Perry wore her pinup girl look, and Nicki Minaj took things to extremes. Even Lady Gaga was wearing winged eyeliner underneath her mask. Winged eyeliner is so flattering that its ubiquity is no surprise on the red carpet. Why wouldn't you wear something that spells instant sex appeal? Now if the rest of us could only get makeup artists to come along and help us with the liquid liner, we could all be wearing it, too.