Michelle’s Etsy picks of the week…vintage compacts

Vintage compacts…don’t you just love them!! Each one distinctly different from the other – the style revealing a little something about the previous owner. Historically the compact had a slightly shady past. They were originally only used by ‘less desirable’ women such as ladies of the night and actresses. As time moved on, the wearing of make-up became more acceptable and compacts finally came out of the shadows to become a mainstream fashion accessory and were finally used in public without disgrace.

I have a tidy little collection of my own vintage compacts and am always on the lookout for more Art Deco lovelies. They really did come in all shapes and sizes and were made from a variety of materials. My favourite is my ‘Volupte’ case which has a puff, lipstick and place for cigarettes/coins, all carried in a little grosgrain purse (similar example below). Here are some fabulous compacts that are available on Etsy.

To see an another cool collection of compacts for sale, check out Sheryl’s Art Deco Emporium.

* All items are linked back to their original Etsy source.

SALE 10% OFF Vintage 40s Elgin American Make-Up Compact Case - Golden Etched with Carry Pouch   SALE 10% OFF Vintage 40s Elgin American Make-Up Compact Case - Golden Etched with Carry Pouch   Vintage Tortoise Shell Rhinestone Mirror Compacts   Vintage Tortoise Shell Rhinestone Mirror Compacts

Compact Mirror Fan Shaped Vintage   Compact Mirror Fan Shaped Vintage   Victorian Silver Dance Coin Compact Purse, 1900 - 1920   Victorian Silver Dance Coin Compact Purse, 1900 - 1920

Vintage  Pocket Watch POWDER COMPACT by Ritz 1960s   Vintage  Pocket Watch POWDER COMPACT by Ritz 1960s   Art Deco Richard Hudnut cloisonne vanity compact 1928   1940's Stratton GEORGES LEPAPE DECO Vanity Powder Compact Vintage 40's Rare 20's Geisha Girl Print Novelty Scene Make Up Compact England

Holiday SALE Vintage Eastern Star Masonic Compact  by Clarice Jane for Elgin   Holiday SALE Vintage Eastern Star Masonic Compact  by Clarice Jane for Elgin   Compact - Bourjois - green and cream enamel on chrome   Compact - Bourjois - green and cream enamel on chrome

RARE 1927 COMPACT Lucretia Vanderbilt  Butterffly Enamel signed Mirror Rouge   RARE 1927 COMPACT Lucretia Vanderbilt  Butterffly Enamel signed Mirror Rouge   Art Deco Elgin American Compact, Silver & Red Enamel, GREAT CONDITION   Art Deco Elgin American Compact, Silver & Red Enamel, GREAT CONDITION

Helena Rubenstein Art Deco Compact   Helena Rubenstein Art Deco Compact   Volupte Hand Compact 1940's Classic "Golden Gesture"   Volupte Hand Compact 1940's Classic "Golden Gesture"

ART DECO 1940s Gilt Compact  by Elgin American   ART DECO 1940s Gilt Compact  by Elgin American   Art Deco Flapper Makeup Travel Case. Enamel Compacts. Vintage 1920s.

Vintage unique 1930s-1940s snakeskin compact carryall and cigarette case  Vintage unique 1930s-1940s snakeskin compact carryall and cigarette caseVintage Purse Box Britemode Compact Velvet BlackVintage Purse Box Britemode Compact Velvet Black

Vintage Guilloche Compact with Flapper Girl   Vintage Guilloche Compact with Flapper Girl   Finger Chain Compact - Art Deco Sailboat - Black and Silver   Finger Chain Compact - Art Deco Sailboat - Black and Silver

Makeup for Lindy Hopping

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Being a vintage gal is a pretty demanding kind of thing. Curling and styling your hair, the anything-but-natural makeup, hunting out rare vintage styles and sometimes wearing clothes that are 80 years old, not to mention the ordeals of garters, stockings, high heels, corsets, jewelery, hats – there’s a lot involved!

Now imagine, that on top of all that, you weren’t only going to style your hair, do your makeup, and wear uber-feminine vintage style clothing, but you were going to do all that whilst swing dancing… for four hours straight… sweating and spinning and twisting and getting tossed around, sometimes upside down, by your partners – it’s a whole different affair!

When it comes to makeup, it can be really hard to find anything that stays, but here are two products I use. I guess, even if you’re not a Lindy Hopper, then at least you know these products have passed the ultimate durability test!

41wvcsd2hsl_ss500_ liquidlastliner

Firstly, my dance partner Juan would kill me if I got lipstick on his shirt, and I’m not a fan of re-applying lipstick every ten minutes (or lipstick on my teeth, for that matter), so I use Cover Girl Outlast All Day Lipcolor, in “Ever Red-dy” (#507). It seriously doesn’t come off – you need a special remover to get it off at the end of the night. I like this one because the color is a real fire-engine red, and it doesn’t flake off like some other so-called “everlast” brands. I’ve stopped trying to find it in stores (it’s usually the first color to go), so now I just buy it online on Amazon:

Cover Girl Outlast All Day Lipcolor on Amazon.com

I kiss my boyfriend, eat a meal, drink and dance all night long, and it stays on. I just pray they don’t discontinue it!!

Secondly, we have MAC Liquidlast Liner – yep, waterproof black liquid liner. Again, this stuff SERIOUSLY stays, you’ll need a special remover to get it off, although I find my moisturizer on a cottonbud works too. I think anything oil-based would get it off. But sweat doesn’t budge it, and you don’t have to worry about rubbing your eyes either. You can get it anywhere they sell MAC, I got mine at Sephora.

Beautiful Besame Cosmetics

I’ve played with Besame Cosmetics, and I can say it’s a lovely brand of makeup, with a spot-on accurate palette of vintage colors. But mainly, it’s the gorgeous vintage-recreation packaging that I love. If I ever stop travelling and find myself with my own dressing table, this is what would be on it. In the photo above is Gabriela Hernandez, the founder of the company.




More: BesameCosmetics.com