Mad Men Stylin'

The 60s craze continues this week with some retro hair and makeup inspired by the return of Mad Men. Instead of trying to choose one of the characters on the show, I went with the 60s feel that was based on the Bridgitte Bardot Makeover featured on The Hairpin. This look is about big hair, major lashes and oodles of eyeliner.  I stocked up on supplies that I didn't have at home: fresh lashes, lash adhesive, teasing comb, styling foam (a soft, squishy Bump-It), Beyond the Zone Volume Powder and strong hairspray. I was able to find everything at Sally's Beauty and Walgreens, no time machine needed. I've never done hair this big before, my hair doesn't want to be teased! If this big hair novice can do this, anyone can, really. Ready to see the transformation?

That's me, in my Before shot - my flat, unsuspecting hair and I were at the office where the lighting was better for the photo. To get in the makeover mood, I went home after work, mixed myself a drink and started listening to Digital Underground on Spotify. I know, wrong era, but I had to ease my way into it! I'd watched some big hair tutorials and followed the basic instructions - sectioned my hair, sprinkled in some volumizing powder and started teasing my hair. I teased my heart out, and had to act quickly because my hair didn't seem like it on board with this idea. I probably should have waited an extra day to let my hair get a little dirtier and be more cooperative.

It wasn't as big as I'd initially wanted, but it was as big as I could get on my own. I'd have to have help for a proper big 'do, as my hair was just too slippery to handle solo. But I was happy with my lil' bump,  it wasn't bad for my first effort. I'd also consumed two cocktails by this point, and the more I drank, the less picky I became.

This was when I started mumbling to myself that if I'd been around in the 60s, I  probably would have been a Beatnik. For the record, I was enjoying a whiskey and ginger ale.

My favorite part of this look is the eye make up, I adore lashes and eyeliner. I bought the absolute biggest, longest lashes I could find. If you're going to do something like this, have fun with it! Don't be afraid to play around, you can always take them off and try again, right? Some thick black eyeliner added more drama, and it also hid the seam you'll see with the fake lashes. I also used some brow powder to fill in my brows (I used Milani Brow Fix Kit, a killer suggestion from my beauty guru Marie).

Indulge me in a blog style movie montage, just push play and scroll through the rest of this post...

I had tons of fun doing this and staring at my luscious lashes in the mirror. Playing around with makeup is one of my favorite things to do, and I'd totally recommend getting together with a group of friends and stepping into a time machine party of your own. Why not plan one for the Mad Men season premier this weekend? Let's be honest, you guys all know I'm going to be doing this every Thursday when I'm home alone with Oliver. There's no shortage of beauty tutorials, and you can find one for your favorite era not just the 60s. So, go! Have fun!

Psst... follow me on Pinterest, it's a gold mine for inspirations and ideas!
Vanessa on Pinterest: wordnerdporvida