Rockabilly Essentials: Hair & Make Up

With my upcoming rockabilly tea party (The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party) I'm putting together a mini series of entries of everything rockabilly: Clothes, Accessories, Hair & Make Up, and Music.

No rockabilly look is complete without a slick of red lipstick and an edgy hair cut. This entry will show you the basics of hair and make up. It might look scary, but, as with anything, practice makes perfect and soon enough you'll be looking like the perfect pin up!

Hair

There are three very simple hair styles that you can perfect and individualise to your own tastes, whether that's all out or just a subtle touch.

1) The Bettie Bangs 

So named after the Queen of Pin Ups Bettie Page, this is a short fringe cut into a 'U' shape. These, surprisingly, suit most face shapes, and if you don't like it, it grows out in a couple of weeks! If you are going to get it cut in, remember to take a photo of the lady herself so the hair dresser knows exactly what they're doing.

2) Victory Rolls

These look really scary to do, and they will be a little tricky to create at first, but once you get it, you will be on a roll (please, pardon the pun!). You can just do one at the front, two at the side of your head, or as many as you want. Curl the rest of your hair, or roll it up in a bandana for the best result!

Here's my little tutorial on how I do mine...

3) Waves & Curls

Whether you do these with curling irons, heated rollers, foam rollers or pin curls, the result will always be rockabilly. By brushing out the curls in a certain way you can get a variety of looks from page boys to poodles! Just remember to use plenty of hair spray!

Katy Perry sporting a victory roll come Bettie bang fringe

Make Up

The make up is really very simple. Matte foundation, black winged eyeliner, red lipstick. Of course you can complicate things with eyeshadows and what not, but if its simple you're after just stick with that. Mac probably do the best lipsticks, but 'drugstore' brand ones are just as good. Remember to shop around to find the best red lipstick for you; if you have a yellow skin tone orange based reds work well, and if you have a pink skin tone, stick with the blue based reds. The eye liner will take a little practice, and a steady hand, but just be patient and you'll get the hang of it!

For both hair and make up the best Youtube channels are:

LisaFreemontStreet (my personal favourite)

Cherry Dollface (she's a model, she knows what she's doing)

ClassicRetroGlamour (Great for updos and 'second day' hair)

I hope you enjoy that little walk through rockabilly hair and make up! Stay tuned for the fourth and final part: The Music!

Rockabilly Essentials: Accessories

With my upcoming rockabilly tea party (The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party) I'm putting together a mini series of entries of everything rockabilly: Clothes, Accessories, Hair & Make Up, and Music.

So we got the clothes sorted in the last instalment, and now it's time for the accessories. Personally, I wear very few accessories, but I do always wear one. I'm a little bit famous for my bandannas, always in either red or blue - but mainly blue - as I frequently have one tied around my head. At work, I wear a few bangles, as I feel they add a little vintage tiki to any outfit, and sometimes a necklace, usually in a tattoo design. Although having my ears pierced I very rarely wear earrings; I'm not entirely sure why I don't decorate my aural lobes, but they're just something I never really think about. I make my own hair flowers (it's really very simple!) but there are numerous shops online to cater for these. There aren't really any restrictions for handbags, from wicker, to lucite, to leather satchels to vintage clutches.

Me vainly posing my bandanna wearing

Most online shops sell a mixture of the above so here is my selection of the very best:

Dolly Cool:

I own this! It's awesome! Swallows are a big theme in rockabilly jewellary

This comes ready folded so just tie and go! Like clothing, leopard print is popular with accessories

Bows & Crossbones

I group various colours and shapes altogether for variety

It's wicker, it's cherry-fied, it's tiki, it's everything in one bag.

Razorblade Mermaid:

Great little set (I own the earrings!)

Mexicana style skulls are also popular

Etsy is also great for finding little producers who make their own accessories for you to buy. Just searching 'hair flowers', or prefixing any accessory type with 'rockabilly' with through up numerous results to browse through.

Black anchor hair flower

Hawaiian flowers are a my favourites

What have we learned from this accessory lesson? Well, wear as much or as little as you like, and you can stick to one theme or mix and match!

Stay tuned for my next instalment: Hair & Make Up

Rockabilly Essentials: The Clothes

With my upcoming rockabilly tea party (The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party) I'm putting together a mini series of entries of everything rockabilly: Clothes, Accessories, Hair & Make Up, and Music.

Gladrags are ridiculously important to a rockabilly lass; they are what set us apart from the rest of the crowd. Whether it's a casual day look or a sumptuous night life outfit, it's all about embodying the ladies' curves, emphasising those chests, waists and hips - as Wanda Woodward said in Cry Baby "our bazooms are our weapons!"! So here is my guide to the garments every rockabilly kitten needs in her wardrobe:

Jeans. Everyone needs at least two pairs of jeans in their wardrobe, and the best ones by far are by Freddies of Pinewood. I first discovered this company at Goodwood Revival about three or four years ago, and I've never bought another brand of retro reproduction jeans since. The jeans are measured at the waist so they fit really nice and snug, and have a 33" inside leg so are a great length for turn-ups (unless you're me who requires a 36"). My personal favourites are the Classic Indigo and the Dungaree Dolls, but there are also shorts, 3/4 jeans and ones set to patterns from the 1940s and 1950s (Check out the Norma Jeans, inspired by Marilyn Monroe herself!). Freddies also do a selection of tops that fit perfectly with their jeans, and have just brought out their first range of dresses, modelled by the beautiful Stephanie Jay.

Me in my Freddies Dungarees

Isn't she lovely?

Staying with tops, Rocket Originals have what I think is my favourite top of all time! It's taken from an original 1940s pattern, and it's diamond decoration fits perfectly with rockabilly style. It's definitely going on my Christmas list!

It's also available in black

When it comes to dresses, it's all about the wiggle dress. I have several in my wardrobe in various styles, patterns and fabrics. Teamed with some killer heels (or flats, like me!), a fancy hair do, and red lippy you are ready to dance the night away!

Vivien of Holloway 

Collectif Clothing

Under all those clothes you're going to need some decent undies. Rockabilly style is based heavily on the 1950s when 'bazooms' were pointed. What Katie Did have a great range of bullet bras perfect for this, as well as some of the best shapewear in the business, and stockings to swear by.

Finally, moving onto shoes. There are many options for shoes: biker boots, pumps, brogues, creepers (sadly claimed by hipsters this season), wedges, stilettos - basically anything that takes your fancy but still has that retro, rockabilly edge. Probably the most famous shop for shoes is Miss L Fire, and boy oh boy do they have some delights! I could spend thousands with them!

Rocket Originals also have some great shoes that are much more 'pure' (ie: they resemble 1950s shoes rather than modern rockabilly style)

These are perfect for jiving!

Every rockabilly needs a decent pair of boots. Yes, they look good, but mainly their really warm when you're trekking around shows in the depths of winter! Mine have got a big hole in the sole so this year I think I'll be splashing out and getting this pair from Clarks:

I hope you enjoyed my walk through rockabilly clothing! Stay tuned for my next instalment: Accessories!

Roll Up! Roll Up! Get Your Tickets!

My Facebook has been bombarded with me asking people to buy tickets for The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party. It's seventeen days to the event, and since tickets went on sale a week ago we have already sold a quarter of our tickets! And now, I spread my word to you! Even if you don't buy a ticket yourself, please spread the message - after all the proceeds are all going towards Macmillan Cancer Support!

Tickets are £7 each and are available here. It would be amazing to see lots of you there, so anyone in the north west, what are you waiting for? We shall be feeding you, watering you and providing you with the best rockabilly entertainment in Merseyside!

The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party

I've been holding back on releasing this news since it was first thought up by myself and Sarah (Ruby La Rouge) a few months back whilst taking afternoon tea. We had noticed that Liverpool didn't have nearly enough rockabilly events, so we decided that it was about time we fixed this. So, we combined two loves of ours, tea and rockabilly-ness, and created The Mad Hepcat's Tea Party. Our first event will be held on the 29th September at Aloha in Liverpool, with all the proceeds going towards MacMillan Cancer Support.

So, my faithful readers, please be prepared to be bombarded with news and what not of the event, but in the mean time please follow us on Twitter (@madhepteaparty) and 'like' us over at facebook!