I’ve read The Great Gatsby numerous times throughout high school and university and it still remains one of my favourite novels.  The tragic story is filled with 1920’s glitz and glamour and was recently launched back in the spotlight with the Baz Luhrmann adaption that came out earlier this year.  As a result, I’m sure a lot of people will be dressing up as Daisy Buchanan this Halloween.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece also holds a special place in my heart as it was my late boyfriend’s favourite novel.  I saw this year’s adaption of the film with him, although he hated going to the theatre, and he also gave me Gatsby’s Girl, a novel by Caroline Preston about the girl that the character of Daisy was based on, for my birthday.

I wish he were still here to see this look, he would have loved it.  This one’s for you, Joel.

1. Starting with the eyes, lay down a primer, then with a black eyeliner (I used Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Black), thickly line your upper lash line, winging it out.  With a flat-shader brush, smoke out the liner.

2. Using a matte brown eyeshadow (like Buck from the Urban Decay palette), apply this along your lower lash line.

3. With the black eyeliner, line your waterline and tightline.

4. Curl your lashes and apply mascara.  Also, pop on some wispy false lashes.

5. Fill in your eyebrows.  I have thick brows so I tried to fill them in more straight rather than accentuate the curve like I always do.  The women of the ’20s had quite thin brows, so you can either use spirit gum to cover yours, or if you have think brows already, even better.

6. Apply your foundation and a concealer under your eyes.  I used IT Cosmetics IT-O2 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen Foundation in Light and YSL Touche Eclat.

7. With a matte beige colour, apply this along your brow bone to highlight.

8. Using a matte bronzer, contour your cheekbones.  Then, I used a red cheek stain (Benefit Benetint) as my blush for that natural flushed look (plus I didn’t want anything shimmery).

9. For the lips you can either do red or plum, I chose plum.  I mixed the purple and black from the Make Up For Ever Flash Color Case together to create this shade. First line the lips using a lip brush, making sure to accentuate your cupid’s bow, and then fill in the rest.

And that’s it.  For the hair, curl it, or if you have really short hair you can straighten it.  I pinned mine up underneath to make it a bob and then I popped on a sparkly headband (a must for this look – mine is from Claire’s).  As for a costume, pearls and jewels are an obvious, so is a flashy dress.

Have fun and make sure you follow your green light ;).

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

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