The 1940s face

Out of all the vintage beauty looks, the 1940s face still remains my favorite. Makeup looks in the 40s were glamorous but still natural, with cosmetics used to softly define the face and highlight the features. I think it's a more subtle, yet still distinctively vintage, look compared to many other eras that can still easily be worn in modern day.

Some of the hallmarks of 1940s makeup are:

Photo credit: Glamour Daze

The base: Women generally applied pancake makeup, either from a compact or a foundation stick, spread evenly up to the hairline. Base products left a matte finish on the skin. Powder was patted all over the face lightly, but thoroughly, with a puff in a shade that matched the complexion exactly. Excess powder was tissued off to avoid a "floury" look to the skin.

The cheeks: Rouge was applied sparingly. If one desired a flushed look, pot rouges were applied to the skin using a "tri-dot" system and blended upwards towards the cheekbone until completely diffused. "Nothing dates you as much as too much rouge," they believed.

Max Factor's guide to applying eye makeup (1940).

The eyes: Makeup was meant to enhance the eye and make it appear sultry and alluring. Single eyeshadows were matte and applied in a soft wash over the lid and slightly up onto the brow bone, depending on the eye shape. Some of my favorite eyeshadows are the Clair Obscur shadows by Chanel. They are lovely, matte "non-color" colors that don't look too bold but add a light dimension to the eyes. In the evening, shadows in muted shades of grey and violet were used, sometimes with a hint of shimmer.

Eyeliner was very natural, applied just to the lash line to emphasize the lashes, if used at all. For a 1940s look I prefer a pencil or gel eyeliner, which creates a softer look than a liquid pen and can be blended out easily. Mascaras, either in black or brown, were applied with a brush - Besame Cosmetics produce beautiful mascaras in both cake and cream formulas that are still available today.

There was a focus on "lifting" the eyes and the face, therefore, products such as eyeliner and mascara were applied to the top lids and upper lashes only.  

The brows: Eyebrows were natural in appearance and lightly shaped to flatter the face. Most commonly, the eyebrow was tweezed into a well defined, slightly rounded arch that gave a very feminine look to the eye. The eyebrow shape was balanced, with sparse areas of brow were filled in with a pencil and then softened with a brow brush, working the product into the hairs. Vaseline was used to condition and set the brows in place.

Vintage Face: Period Looks from the 20s, 30s, 40s, & 50s.

The lips: Of course, red was in fashion. The 1940s even birthed its own shade known as Victory Red, worn by many women in support of the troops during WW2. Victory Red is still produced today by Besame Cosmetics and is one of my personal favorites to wear. It's a perfectly cool-toned red that downplays my rosacea but also doesn't wash my fair skin out of all its color. The most important thing is to find a shade of red that works well with your own coloring.   

The lip shape was full and emphasized, with a coordinating lip liner used for slightly overdrawing the cupid's bow into a voluptuous rounded shape, known as a hunter's bow. If your lips are even, you may apply straight from the bullet; if not, using a lip brush can help you achieve precise application. Start from the center of the lips and work outwards, making sure not to leave any visible areas of lip exposed near the corners of the mouth.

Traditional lipsticks had a lovely satin finish and could be blotted to create a more matte, long-wearing stain on the lips. On occasion, a light layer of vaseline was applied over top to give the lips a subtle sheen. Lipsticks that harmonized with your rouge and nail color created the illusion of being well-groomed and put together.

— TYG  

What a housewife must know

What should every housewife know in order to run her home smoothly, efficiently, and with style? Guides, like this 1930s film by McCalls, titled Recipe for the Perfect Housewife, were released to encourage the art of homemaking. I love these instructional, simple but authoritative videos that give a glimpse of life in the past when homemaking was considered a true art form. How lovely does this lady look pottering around her home in the clip below? She is totally chic with her short waved hair and pussybow blouse. 

A housewife must know...

Food, and how to cook: A housewife should enjoy cooking for herself and her family. A few times a week, get creative in the kitchen and hone your culinary skills by attempting new recipes. Each time you make a recipe, make notes on what you could change to improve it or add your own twist. After a few attempts it will be perfected, and slowly you can build up your own menu of foolproof dishes that can be whipped up at a moment's notice. It's also important to know how to economize your kitchen by using up scraps and leftover servings.

How to set her table attractively: Make the effort to set the table nicely with china, silverware, flowers, and candles. Personalize the table's decor by coordinating linens, flowers, and candles to create various color palettes and themes that are pleasing to the eye. Table setting makes your meals feel more special - a reminder to slow down and enjoy your food and to connect with whomever is sitting with you.

How to make her home comfortable and inviting: Each room should be tastefully decorated with no clutter. Things like flowers, candles, throw pillows, antique books, lamp shades, and old paintings are easy ways to bring in charming decor. I enjoy looking at old homes because of the more formal style that the decor seems to have. Each room is decorated with the specific purpose for that room in mind - the table is the centerpiece of the dining room, perfectly made beds in the bedrooms. etc. The homes are not gaping open-plan caves or stark minimalist dwellings - the rooms look cozy, warm, and lived in.

The worth of labor saving devices: Even women in the 1930s used "modern" devices to make their housekeeping more organized and efficient. The goal wasn't to expend all your energy in a cleaning marathon, but to strategically conserve your energy while still maintaining a clean home. Find what appliances, cleaning products, and organizational systems work best for you. Treat your home like a  boutique bed & breakfast that runs on schedule for meals, laundry, and cleaning routines. Getting the housework done smoothly means more time for family, socializing, and hobbies.

Clothes, how to buy and make them: The quintessential housewife always looks put together. Yes, this is an exaggeration, but it's a reminder that just because you work from home doesn't mean you have to neglect style. Get dressed every morning, look at photos for inspiration, and cultivate a sense of dress appropriate for your lifestyle. Regularly prune your closet and add new items as you go. If you sew, you can thrift, upcycle, and mend clothing to stretch your wardrobe and add your own personal touch. 

That she must face death to bring children into the world: Well... that escalated quickly.

To be a companion and sweetheart to her husband: It's the "little things" are the big things here. Treat your partner with respect, be supportive, spend quality time together, and make your marriage a priority. Have fun and make the effort to plan special dates, surprises, and traditions.

To make social contacts: Housewives often had a strong sense of community with other wives in the neighborhood and were encouraged to participate in social events such as community groups, charities, and bridge clubs. With the use of modern technology, you can also cultivate a community of likeminded friends from all over the world - a blessing for the more introverted housewife.

To widen her own horizons and find time for culture: Contrary to popular belief,  housewives were not just mindless domestic drones. Not only were women experts at running a home, but they were also encouraged to seek out the arts and bring culture into their life. Once the daily tasks were finished, finding time to read with the family, listen to music, or pursue an interesting hobby was encouraged. Being able to make interesting conversation, not just exchange local gossip, was very becoming for a lady.  

— TYG

The finishing touches

I've always had a fondness for books. As a child, I loved going to the little corner library in our town and picking out new books to take home. The scholastic fair was the best day of the year in primary school. As a teenager, I often hid away in the library at school between classes and during lunch, preferring the quiet solitude of the shelves over the boisterous school grounds. I would perch myself like a cat on the mezzanine level and read quietly, occasionally surveying the goings-on below.

My love of reading most likely stemmed from my mother, who always had a book in hand. One day, while searching for something new to read, I started rifling through my mum's bookshelf and stumbled upon a book that instantly caught my eye - a weighty, hardcover volume with a minky colored dust jacket. The title read "Finishing Touches: A Guide to Being Poised, Polished, and Beautifully Prepared for Life." Instantly I was smitten. I studied the pages day after day, hoping to absorb some of the information. Despite being too young to fully understand all of the lessons, I was fascinated by this book and carried it around with me like my own personal manual, a guide to a seemingly lost way of being. The contents brought me back to all those old films I had seen, ones where young shopgirls are sent off to study etiquette and elocution, and return home confident, poised and glamorous. I always imagined attending such a school would be wonderful.

Today this beloved book is part of my own vintage living library, covering many topics from beauty rituals to how to wax and polish furniture. My books are a constant source of inspiration for me, dear old friends that are always there, waiting for me to stop by for another visit. Whenever life starts to feel a little dull, I refer back to my shelves of inspiration. They help propel me forward and motivate me to dream about the life I want to live and the person I want to be.

— TYG

Yesteryear beginnings

Hello. I created this blog to celebrate the simple, elegant, & classic aspects of life, inspired by the bygone eras. A way of living that will never go "out of style" despite our changing world. 

To me, the yesteryear girl is someone who finds beauty in the old and forgotten, is mindful of small quotidian pleasures, and embraces tradition by tapping in to her creativity and femininity. Cultivating this way of life is one of my true passions.

Growing up with older than average parents, classic movies, retro television, and flea market excursions were staples of my childhood. Since then, I have been fascinated by vintage and felt drawn to old things and historical places. As an only child, I poured over vintage books and sat transfixed by old black and white movies, creating fanciful reveries of myself as an elegant lady of another time and place.

My favorite decades are the 1940s and 50s, everything from beauty to fashion to interiors. Creatively, writing, cooking, and sewing are my favorite pastimes.

I have always wanted my own little place to write about all the things I love. This blog will focus on vintage lifestyle & fashion, classic films, glamour and femininity, etiquette, homemaking, interiors, and thrifting my way to my dream vintage life.

— TYG