Art Deco - Part 2

CONTINUED... Please see my Art Deco - Part 1 below this post before reading Part 2

Art Deco touched everything.

Jewelry, which utilized white and yellow gold and platinum for its metals, diamonds and bold colorful jewels like sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. It was all about the style and placement rather than just simple solitares.

Architecture, exemplified by the Chrysler Building and the Eiffel Tower. Notice the  sunburst patterns on the Chrysler building, or the Babylon feeling of the door, or the chevrons on the last building.

Interiors and Furniture, which used lots of mirrors, dark, glossy woods, and electrical lighting to convey a modern yet rich feel.

Even little touches, felt the effects of the streamlined Art Deco.

Advertisements, which showed the fascination for new technology and the art style of the time.

Theatre and Film Costumes emphasized the new style rather than historical accuracy. Below we see the sketch and final costume of a production of Cleopatra. While the costume might be dead wrong the sexuality is all right.

Art, too, took a sharp left turn embracing Cubism, Modernism, and Neo-Classical.

 

            Erte was the artistic hand behind the new highly stylized, ultra-cool Art Deco. His fashion illustrations were on the cover of fashion standards Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazar.

            While female artist, Tamara de Lempicka, presented her brightly colored and angular artworks.

In the end…

             People say fashion is just a repeat of itself but actually modern day fashion is a repeat of everything starting from the turn of the century, starting with Art Deco and the flapper girl. While Art Deco lost favor in the strictness of economy during World War II, it felt a renaissance in the 1960’s and again 1980’s. Notably, Miami constructed lots of houses using Pop Art Deco in the 1980’s.

            We feel Art Deco in Pop Art, in the streamlined curves of many modern cars, in the use of silver to express the future, and the streamlining of new technology. We see it in modern day cakes,

interiors,

               

                clothing,

            and finally make-up.

            Does this look familiar?

           

               The bob, smoky, seductive eyes, big lashes, and dark lip all originated as part of the Art Deco generation.

So let’s give thanks to our Art Deco flapper girls who gave us the boldness and glamour of big eye make-up and daring statements!

MegaGeeks Inc First Give-Away – Final Blog - Art Deco Inspiration (Part 1)

An Art Deco Woman – Classic 1930’s

            When I first got to Arika’s give-away post I searched for the eye shadow name I most wanted to see in the give-away…and didn’t see it. I fell in love with this color at first sight. It has everything I like, strong, metallic, deep, and full of possibilities.

That color is…

Gothic Lolita Collection - Plush Romantic: Slate blue with pearl shimmer and blue sparkle.

Here is it next to other colors

I love dark silvers like this. It reminds me of old treasure, modern cars, sweeping lines and angular pieces, futuristic daring women, and (oxymoron aside) classic modern without tack or cheapness.

It reminds me of Art Deco.

Art Deco is an artistic style that started in the 1920’s and had the biggest impact on how we view modernism. In this post I will endeavor to explain Art Deco, provide various examples of its style and finally, why it is so culturally significant in today’s world.

This is my homage to Plush Romantic.

Art Deco Brief History

            Art Deco started in Paris in the 1920’s and was at its height in the 1930’s. It was wedged tightly between World War I and World War II. Art Deco was considered a breath of fresh air and ushered in a new idea of “modern” and “future” and, most of all “elegant-glamour.” The style influenced everything from fashion to architecture to art and reflected the revolutionary ideas of its time.

Women’s Movement and Fashion

            Art Deco completely shucked the old trappings of Art Nouveau with its pastels and organic curls and embraced bold, geometric lines and symmetry. This new style emphasized bright colors and stark blacks, whites, and silvers.

Art Nouveau 

Art Deco

This was indeed fashion following politics as the western world was shucking the prudishness of the Victorian age and entering a world of women’s rights. Women came out of the house, won the right to vote, got driver’s licenses, cut their hair short, smoked, and drank.

Out of the ashes of the strict Victorian woman arose the witty party woman who was the equal of any man. They became “flappers.” No longer was she wasp-waisted and tied down with long skirts. Now, she reveled in a flatter silhouette that was freer and suited to a more active lifestyle (and the Charleston). 

Art Deco saw “A new spirit of freedom and liberation was taking over and out went the traditional, meek woman and in swaggered the ballsy, short-haired, sexually-confident flapper!”  - Art Deco Style.com (click link for more info)

Men’s Fashion changed too; became sleeker, more confident and strong.

With the sexual revolution underway (for both sexes) traveling had become far more available and popular. So with the rise of modern came the subverting of old historical styles from Greco-Roman, Egypt, and beyond. Art Deco modernized historical geometric shapes such as chevrons, ziggurats, fountains, and sunbursts.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The Marie-Antoinette Macaroon Collection – Part 3

    My last post, regarding the Marie-Antoinette Macaroon Collection, discusses the eye shadows I would have loved seen included in the give-away.

Random- Pure Eyes Frost: Cielo'

Thinkin’ bout MegaGeeks Give-Away…or booze

Arika’s Take: A lovely sky blue with an amazing green/gold duochrome from the Pure Eyes Frost Collection. A truly surprising shade and just one of the many reasons why Aromaleigh will be missed.

Teal’s Take: Missed indeed. This is one of those complex yet delicate colors that captivate the imagination. I truly love the balance of color and sparkle. The creator who made this has creativity and a distinct eye for color. I adore this shade.

Personal rating: 5 winks out of 5 – Showing that complex can still be delicate

Costume: This was actually a costume from a cut scene, which goes well with the “cut” color. I have no idea what’s going on in this scene but you must admit the color is spot on. Marie-Antoinette also has a whimsical look (or is that boredom) which suits the color well.

Oops! Jelleye

Arika’s Take: A buff pink with pink interference and gold/red sparkle.

Teal’s Take: I’m so torn on this color. It photographs peach not pink. There is something very pretty and easy-going about the color but I’m concerned that it’s just dark enough and pink enough to make me look like I’ve got pink-eye.

Personal rating: 3 winks out of 5 – So pretty yet so pink-eye

Costume: This scene actually shows the start of Marie-Antoinette’s depression and disillusionment with Versailles. It’s an absolutely beautiful costume and, while still innocent, has something more mature about it than her previous pink frocks. It has a more sophisticated air to it. Marie-Antoinette is growing up just a little.

Random - Eye Lustre: Daphne

Arika’s Take: An incredible pale frosty yellow/gold with gold shimmer from the Eye Lustre Collection.

Teal’s Take: I love this color. It speaks of sunshine, happy days, and cloudless skies. It is soft and buttery and has a beautiful sparkle to it that lifts the color even higher. I really love this color and would like to add a yellow to my collection, as I’ve never seen yellow eye shadow do it so right.

Personal Rating: 5 winks out of 5 – It’s beautiful, delicate, and reminds one of spring.

Costume:             It’s springtime at Versailles and Marie-Antoinette is discussing the planting of new trees to add to the beauty of the castle grounds. Unfortunately she’s already spent her budget, plus the charitable donation money she was to give to women’s shelters. That’s fine; she’ll buy small trees and ask her husband to cover the charity money. Marie-Antoinette always looks stunning while spending money and the greenery of the castle grounds sets of her lovely butter dress to perfection. The quintessential springtime dress.

            Thus ends the Marie-Antoinette Macaroon Collection. I hope you enjoyed your jaunt through Versailles. If you have time, try a macaroon for yourself, but be warned they are sometimes too pretty to eat!

            My next and final post regarding the MegaGeeks Inc Give-Away will be devoted to one shade that I fell in love with. Stay tuned!

Remember all you need is the perfect eye-shadow…

…and perhaps a well-placed fan.