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DID I WEAR THAT? The Mod Look, Twiggy Eyes & White Lipstick


In the sixties American fashion became heavily influenced by the "British Invasion". With the arrival of the Beatles in the United States in the early sixties, and other English Pop/Rock bands quickly following behind them, American teenagers wanted to emulate the cool British Mod look from across the Pond - especially teenybopper American girls. At thirteen years old I was a big Beatlemaniac and wanted badly to look "mod".

I was also being bombarded by fashion ads dominated by Twiggy, an ultra thin waif with big black eyes and pale lips, wearing the latest Mary Quants and Andre Courreges! Added to this mod mix was the beginnings of the hippy influence ala "Pre Surgery Cher" of Sonny and Cher fame. I'm convinced Cher's eyeliner was modeled after the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti!


So, in 1964 and 1965, looking Mod for me included the make-up fads of heavy black eyes and white lipstick. This was a look that, if taken too far, could result in a pretty deadly look! Add a pair of ugly black glasses to the mix and the final fashion faux pax was truly hideous! But I thought I looked cool. Go figure.

I don't know why white lipstick was so hot in the early sixties but, trust me, every girl who had an ounce of desire to be hip had a tube of it in her purse. I'm talking pure white here - not light pink - white! I must have spent a fortune on eyeliner and mascara as well, my eyes could have rivaled any Egyptian Queen's exotic kohl darkened eyes!

Fashion looks come and go. Hip Huggers, platforms, tie die and even paisley have wound their way back into a fashion line up over the years. Straight hair and bangs go in and out of fashion. Every once in a while you'll see the black eye look return. But I've yet to see pure white lipstick crop up again as the latest "new look". Thank God - maybe we can learn from history after all!

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