Cat eyes being the single most attempted DIY of the season is really no reason for me to try them, especially since my reference point for the look isn't Liz Taylor's Cleopatra as seems to be the case with the international fashion crowd, but 60s Hindi movie actresses (now, that was a decade whose movies were fun. Costumes ditto). Anything even vaguely reminiscent of that in contemporary India, particularly if you attempt it yourself, means one runs the risk of looking like a potential candidate for Sonagachhi (the red light district in Calcutta) instead of a cross between Siouxsie Sioux and Shirley Manson.But given that the inside of the house seems to be safe enough, I pinched some black eyeliner and got to work. The (extremely ham-handed: the eyeliner brush is not my friend!) results are below.
That smudge above my eyelid isn't dirt...it's eyeliner. And no, the brush didn't deposit it there. I don't know if it's my eyes that are structured weirdly or if this happens to everyone, but I'd closed my eye to apply the stuff, and it turns out that opening it once I'm done means some of the stuff gets onto other places where they shouldn't be. 
And if you think these looked a mess, the cleaning-up process was worse...bloody liner gets literally EVERYWHERE when you're wielding the brush, and attempting to wash it off gives the words "persistent" and "panda eyes" a new meaning.PS: to anyone who wants to know who the lady in the pic I used for reference is, it's Mumtaz, who was an actress in the 60s. I haven't seen too many of her films, but I believe the picture was taken from one called Khilona.
17 comments:
love the inspiration photo, and your eyeliner looks really good! Don't let people think you're Amy Winehouse (haha!)
Nothing like a demonstration!
There's an interesting article on Indian fashion since independence. It was in Outlook's 60 years of independence special. Worth hunting for. And speaking of Bollywood in the 60's they refer to those tight salwar kameezes as the "Sadhana cut".
Have you opened your eyes extra wide for the last shot?
OH! I attempted the winged eyeliner to resemble the whole 60's sexpot femme fatale, and it literally took my a half an hour just to perfect one eye. Which I promptly ruined by blinking.
Heather: Oddly enough, Amy Winehouse was just what I looked like at the end of the experiment (minus the crackheadedness and beehive).
Yohan: I think I might've seen that..and wasn't the Sadhna cut a hairstyle?
disktop: Might have, I'm useless with cameras and posing..
Teresa: I've come to the conclusion that it's only for girls with lots of time on their hands. Or someone else to draw the lines.
Ooops. Yeah you're right. But she was referred to in decribing those tight kameezes.
I like the issue so much I brought it with me to the US!
Honestly? Truthfully? I think it looks really great, especially with your bangs.
My, what beautiful eyes you have! One little smudge isn't bad. Try MAC Fluidline...it's gel and easier to control than liquid, IMHO.
I like it. But, you have pretty eyes with or without. I love eyeliner, it's pretty much the only make-up I wear most of the time, Lancome Artliner Pen is quite handy.
Meg/The Ap./Really lazy
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone, but I do think I'll stick to (flatteringly) smudgy kohl pencil- at least if I rub my eye, I won't end up with a totally blackened face and fingers.
Plus, clumsiness on my part meant that I ended up with some liquid liner inside my eye, which was a bit painful (it's visible in the third pic).
Ooh, tres successful!
I have neither the patience, nor the steady hand..
Anon again, would you be so kind as to scan the Desi in NY feature in VI Nov issue and post pour moi, SVP? I tried looking for VI in London, even emailed VI about it but no reply... apparently my money:s no good. Anon
Desis in NY feature - pardon.
i guess applying eyeliner it harder than it looks, I dont lik the liquid kind; it gets all over ^_^
Anon: do you have an email address I can send the lot to you at? I'll make scans, but I don't like to put them up if I have nothing to add by way of comment.
blushing apples: I suppose someone who's done it for a long time can manage..but it is messy.
Thanks Blue Floppy Hat - I was able to get the scans from another source. But charitable fashion Indians rock - something else would have told me to eff off... XX Anon
You are gorgeous, girl!
Post a Comment