The Great Gatsby Inspired Makeup

The Great Gatsby was one of the most eagerly awaited films of the past few years and unsurprisingly it's been immensely popular with ticket sales going through the roof. One of the best literary classics of all time written by the genius American author F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Set in the roaring '20s during the prohibition, the plot circulates around fortune, idealism, social upheaval and the lengths people will go for love. The novel spells the story of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a young man of extreme wealth and status and his infatuation with the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby throws giant and luxurious parties, where 'men and women flock like moths' in an array of high fashion and glamour.

The 1920 is famous as the 'flapper' era- brimming with tassels, feathers, diamonds and head dresses. The makeup was bold, glamorous and seductive. Eyes were accentuated with dark smokey eye shadow to give a enthralling 'doe eyed' look that men just coundn't pass. Lipstick was bold, dark and classic - reds and plums that ooze a velvet texture.

The height of 1920 style - smokey eyes, dark lipsticks accompanying no-end of feathers and glitz

 

 

For smokey eyes look no further than Bobbi Brown's Eyeshadow Palletes. We love these dark, dusky grey colours complete with those professional brushes for high class application! Use the darker tones towards the outide of the eye to create that catlike effect, adding the lighter shimmer grey towards the inside towards your nose! Gently blend the colours over your eye with your index finger, just to create a beautifully smooth 'tie-die' effect, rather then a block finish.

Here you can see the effect of the darker shades, blending with the softer grey to open the eye and create that classic 1920 flapper look.

 You can't go wrong with a MAC lippy. They come in so many shades it can take hours to decide on 'the one'. For the 1920 look we vote in favour of 'Diva' a luxurious deep red tone, so typical of that era.

MAC Lipstick in 'Diva' screams glamour and should be a makeup staple! To soften the colour for day time wear, why not add a very slight base of concealer to the lip before application?

Map nail art = new fave.

As you well know, we do have a little obsession with maps, so it's unsurprising that we did get overly excited when we spotted these last week! 

Not only does this idea produce nails that look fab, but they’re super easy to create too!

1. Paint your nails with a white/cream varnish, We suggest MAC’s Faint of Heart Nail Lacquer. It’s virtually un-chippable and it makes for an un-streaked under coat.

2. Soak nails in alcohol for 5 minutes.

3. Press nails to map and hold – why not pick a location that you love? Use different maps to add a variation of colour and scale.

4. Paint with clear varnish immediately after it dries.

 Of course it doesn’t stop there with maps, you can be as inventive as you like! How about sticking to the Ellie Ellie collections and decorate your nails using dictionaries or vintage story books? You could even use some old scripts or inspirational quotes too! 

 We'd love to see some examples of your nail art, send 'em in to press@ellieellie.co.uk!

Ellie Ellie Wears - Red Is The Colour

As ever TK Maxx is a first port of call on the Red Nose Day fashion fix. Good old Stella McCartney has yet again brought a feel good collection of t-shirts to the high street to raise money for this incredible worldwide cause. Stella has an effortless way of designing easy to wear tongue-in-cheek fashion that the industry has fallen in love with, all the world over. 

The 2013 tees have been wholeheartedly manufactured in Africa. 100% of the cotton sourced from Fairtrade certified, organic cotton co-operatives in Mali, which is something that Ellie Ellie are in full favour of.  My personal fave features Marilyn Monroe- I’ve never seen  a women look hotter with a red nose and Harry Hill glasses, have you? The girl’s still got it.

We’ve paired the tee with a pair of Warehouse heavy black leggings, some Hollywood red platforms and Ellie Ellie’s very own Upcycled Building Brick Ring, for that finishing touch. 

Just a tad smitten with these shock red beasts from Topshop. LANIE Platform Wedges from Topshop are a concoction of the biggest shoe trends this season –bright and chunky. Working perfectly with the Marilyn tee to give that red a bit of pop, it’s almost criminal not to team them up. 

The Ellie Ellie ring, just adds to that childhood fun of the tee. Our rings are handmade from original LEGO pieces in our Brighton based HQ,really adding some strength to the ethical elements behind Stella’s Comic Relief collection.

If you’re really going all out, team with a warm red MAC lippy and an oversized tote t’boot. 

Whatever you’re doing this Friday, dig deep and donate and help us move forward around the UK and in Africa.

Stella McCartney Marilyn Tee – TK Maxx

Black Leggings – Warehouse

LANIE Platform Wedges – Topshop

Upcycled Lego Brick Ring- Ellie Ellie