The Right Shade Of Lipstick According To Marilyn Monroe
Some women have impressive collections of art, shoes, handbags, or dresses. I was never a shoe girl or a handbag girl, I never dreamed of fancy dresses or designer coats. Makeup, on the other hand, was a different story.
I’m a firm believer that the right shade of lipstick can change your life.
I remember some of my earliest purchases as being makeup-related. I spent Saturdays scouring magazines like InStyle, Lucky, Glamour, and Vogue. I diligently earmarked pages and saved my pennies for the lipstick du jour. I planned trips to Nordstrom and Sephora and worshipped at the altar of Hollywood’s most glamourous: Nicole Kidman, Christina Hendricks, Kate Winslet, and Gwen Stefani. Women who took their style notes from Old Hollywood glamour and the icons of bygone eras.
Women who, with a swipe of crimson, a flick of eyeliner, and a touch of mascara, could command a room without sacrificing any of their femininity.
These are the women I looked to for fashion tips and still do to this day.
These modern day icons made glamour, in all of its artificial yet mysterious finesse, seem so much more accessible to a girl with champagne taste on a beer budget (me). I learned that you don’t have to spend a fortune on makeup because high quality inexpensive makeup truly does exist (thank you splurge vs. save columns!). Through them, I also learned that the right shade of lipstick can brighten your face and your day and that makeup is designed as a tool to compliment your own unique beauty, not mask or hide what you might consider flaws.
Without a doubt, I learned that embracing your imperfections can make you even more beautiful.
Just look at Marilyn Monroe. She was frequently photographed in bold pink and red shades of lipstick. Her style was both fearless and effortless. Most importantly, she embraced her unique imperfections and became one of the most-recognized icons of the 20th century.
