Get The Look: Jennifer Lawrence in 'Serena' (A 1920's Glamour Goddess)

Hollywood starlet Jennifer Lawrence is definitely having a pretty fabulous few years, scooping endless awards and featuring in some of the world's most successful franchises before she's even hit her 25th birthday. Today sees the release of another epic movie on DVD, where she reunites with her Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle partner-in-crime Bradley Cooper. 'Serena' sees the Oscar winning actress in yet another powerful lead role, with this beautiful and intense drama set in the North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s. This is a classic period for beauty and makeup, that's instantly recogniseable and far easier to create than you may imagine. In celebration of the film's release, I'm going to show you how to channel your own inner 1920's glamour goddess while bringing it right up-to-date for 2015.

First of all, let's have a little history lesson... Did you know that the heavily made-up look of the 1920's was a reaction to the demure, feminine girl of the pre-war years? Women also wore makeup as the emphasis grew on sexual beauty, particularly in a period where the male-to-female ratio was skewed after tragic losses in the war. As women began to enter the professional world they were also encouraged to wear makeup so as to look their best while competing with men for employment; who knew lipstick was a way of illustrating girl power! Lipstick became increasingly popular in the 1920’s after the invention of the metal lipstick container, making it available in a stick format for the first time. This is why we associate a powerful red lip with the elegant and sophisticated age of the 1920's - and why Jennifer looks so stunning in 'Serena'. If you want to sport your own 'Serena inspired' look this weekend and don't know where to start, then here are a few easy steps to get you on the right track...

STEP ONE: HAIR PREP
You can't channel the 1920's without a touch of movement in your hair. Although a literal translation of Serena's hair may look out of place down the pub on a Saturday night, adding some sexy movement and elegant curls will look awesome. Separate your hair into relatively small sections (approx 2-3cms) and using a curling tong or wand with a medium sized barrel, wrap hair around in the direction away from your face. Once you've held it in place for about a minute, take the hair and create a small 'loop' which you can pin directly to your scalp; the aim is to create lots of these little pinned loops, which will provide your movement. Once you've covered your entire head, spritz with a little finishing spray (or a lightweight hairspray) to keep the shape in place without causing it to become rock solid - you still want a lot of movement.

STEP TWO: YOUR BASE
The 1920's were all about a flawless base and an English Rose complexion. To get the look without feeling like a doll on display, prime with a product such as Maybelline's Baby Skin and use a foundation brush to apply a delicate layer of a smoothing and complexion perfecting base such as Nars new All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation - I find it really covers imperfections in tone and creates a base that looks fab, without feeling heavy. The 1920's women loved a touch of powder, so finish the look by delicately dusting translucent powder over the skin to keep makeup in place while creating that airbrushed finish. Add a touch of pinky blush to the apples of cheeks to get that 'just walked in from my timber plantation' look.

STEP THREE: POWER BROWS
With such a uniform base, you need some powerful brows to stop you looking like you've not seen sun for a year. Using a creamy crayon or pencil such as Benefit's Instant Brow pencil, draw yourself a strong brow line using small lines from the inside to outside corner - try to recreate the look of individual hairs for a natural finish that doesn't look overdone; this will help bring the look together seamlessly and really scream 'I'm a woman that knows what she wants.'

STEP FOUR: LINE THE EYES
Khol was also big news in the 1920's and women were obsessed with lining their eye with something dark. It not only helps eyes to pop, but works with a bold lip perfectly and epitomises the 1920's look. To avoid looking too wide-eyed while bringing the look right up to date, swap the traditional khol pencil for an eyeliner pen and create sultry 'cat flicks'. By starting in the middle of your lid and drawing a line outwards, you'll create the base of your look without getting in a flap; draw a little triangle at the edge of your lashline to create the flick and colour it in when you're done. (You can follow my five steps to getting the perfect liner here!)

STEP FIVE: RED LIPS
No 1920's look is complete without a rocking red lip that makes your pout scream perfection. To ensure your colour lasts as long as possible, start by lining the lips with a long-wearing (and colour matched) liner to prevent bleeding and ensure lips look perfect. Fill in the remainder with either a precise bullet or a lipstick brush, blotting and repeating twice to ensure the colour is really packed on. For additional longevity, dust over with translucent powder; this will also remove some of the shine and provide a super sexy and modern take on the red lip. (To ensure your lipstick lasts as long as possible, have a look at my top tips here.)

STEP SIX: LET YOUR HAIR DOWN
Now your makeup look is complete it's time to let down your pin curls. Remove all the grips one by one, gradually letting loose the elegant curls held within; run your fingers through your hair when they're all loose to create an elegant but not-quite-perfect look. Although they would brush out curls in the 1920's, I personally find a slightly messier look is far more sexy and bang up-to-date for 2015. If you want to pin up your hair to create the bob of Serena, tuck the ends of hair underneath and secure at the nape of your neck with a bobby pin or two. Pull out some of the shorter sections for an undone look that's not quite as coiffed as the true vintage style.

There you have it - your very own 1920's 'Serena' inspired look that you can showcase this coming weekend. Don't forget that the DVD is now available to buy, so you can see the Lawrence-Cooper combo at their finest. Will you be trying these six steps to a 1920's glamour goddess yourself?

NOW DO IT THE LBQ WAY!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of StudioCanal. However, all opinions are my own.


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