Happy Throwback Thursday everyone! This week, we honor another legendary beauty: Bridgette Bardot. Who hasn't heard of this blonde bombshell? Ms. Bardot is known for her work as a French dancer, model and actress. Bridgette became an international icon in the 1950s and '60s, particularly from the film And God Created Women. The film was noted for its daring nudity and sensuality, which helped to launch Bardot to international stardom. This sultry blonde goddess' beauty couldn't be denied.
Bridgette graced fashion magazine covers, including Elle, as early as the age of 15. She can also be credited with helping to popularize the phrase "sex kitten." America's fascination with her looks and on screen persona even triggered a windfall of dubbed over French films. Though she retired from movies at the age of 40, Bardot was a seductress minx who left a permanent mark on Hollywood and the ideas of beauty and makeup.
Bardot's signature look consisted of winged eyeliner, pale pink lips, lip liner drawn closely to the outside edge, and go big or go home, teased out blonde hair. Her hair makeup is often referred to as a "come hither" look for the sultry bedroom eyes and tousled hair. Bardot's hair and makeup has become iconic and duplicated many times over.
In 2010, fashion house Dolce and Gabana and legendary makeup artist, Pat McGrath, collaborated to achieve the Bardot look for the model runway. Though this look honors the 50's and 60's, Bridgette's makeup can still be worn today. Popular blog, The Style Umbrella agrees. "Part of what is so amazing about her look is how relevant it still is - the winged eyeliner, the big luscious bed-head curls - its retro, but still right on trend today." Here's how you can get the Bardot bombshell yourself and make retro new all over again.
The key to the Bridgette Bardot makeup look is the smudgy, winged cat eye. Using liquid eyeliner, begin lining the top lash line, continuing the eyeliner slightly past the edge of the eye, flickering outwards towards the tip of your eyebrow. Thicken the line with additional applications. Line bottom lashes with a pencil and apply a few times, for a smudged out look. Keep eyeshadow neutral, and don't be stingy with the mascara! Coat, coat, coat! Add a light touch of blush to cheeks. For lips, create a super sexy pout.
Apply a nude lip liner that compliments your skin tone and line lips closely to the outside edge to make lips look as full as possible. Go for a nude or pale pink lipstick with a matte finish. For hair, volume is key. Create big cascading curls with hot rollers or large velcro rollers, teasing the curls with a back comb or brush. Apply hairspray for long-lasting hold. Pin up section of the hair in classic Bardot style, or leave it all down with a side part and hair that covers one eye in sultry Jessica Rabbit fashion. And voila, a Bardot is born.
The Bridgette Bardot look is a classic and will truly never go out of style, but only continue to be reinvented. Check out the fun Bridgette Bardot makeup tutorial we found below, followed by a 2010 behind the scenes of fashion week video, where makeup artist Pat McGrath explains how to get the Bardot look and make it modern and cool.
