DIY 1955 Party Make-up

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to get this Far Eastern influenced holiday party look from December of 1955. Use one or more of these steps to change your appearance, or if you're quite adventurous, go for some serious glamour by following all of them. To see the look in more detail, click on the picture for a larger view. I must make note that many of these ideas are quite extreme and not at all practical by today's standards. Still, it is fun to get a glimpse into high fashion make-up artistry from the past.

1. Pluck away your entire eyebrow from the highest point of the arch out to the outer corner.
2. Cover the entire face and neck with a pale shade of foundation. There should be no pink tint.
3. Cover the eyelids up to the brows with pure white foundation or cream eye shadow. Blend carefully to accentuate the uptilt of the brows.
4. Pencil in the eyebrows with a very dark eyebrow pencil. Note the line of the penciled brow is higher and wider than the natural brow.
5. Outline the upper and lower lashes with dark eyeliner starting at a point near the bridge of the nose and extending both strokes out and away at the outer corners of the eyes.
6. Fill in the tiny triangle at the outer corners of the eyes with the white cream eye shadow.
7. Powder over the foundation with a pale ivory or beige. There should be no pink tint. No rouge or blush is used.
8. Outline the lips. The upper lip is drawn smaller and very thin. The lower lip is fuller. Fill in with bold red lipstick.

Wear your hair combed back straight and tight to the head. Add a black wig, if desired.