Looking Back: I thought it was good enough grounds for divorce!
What would you save from a house fire? It seems that lipsticks do come on that list, admittedly after people, pets, photographs, jewellery or legal documents. Seven out of every 10 women admit to loving their lipsticks even though some of them have applied it surreptitiously after leaving the house.
Lipsticks started to become popular in 16th century England although for some time it was only worn by upper class women and actors.
In 1770 a law was proposed to Parliament that a marriage could be annulled if the bride had been seen wearing lipstick before the wedding day.
But women were aware of the appeal that pink or red lips had for the opposite sex and would bite their lips until they bled to make them swollen and more colourful.
1920s flappers wore lipstick to signify their independence, with the ‘Cupids Bow’ made popular by the star of the silent screen Clara Bow.
A survey in 1937 found that over 50% of teenage girls fought with their parents over the use of lipstick whilst women’s magazines in the 50s and 60s like Woman’s Own told us that men much preferred the natural look and warned that the use of too much lipstick could ruin a girls chances of a good career or finding Mr Right at a time when men were finding the lips of Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe bold, red and utterly glamorous! It never did her career or love life any harm with Technicolour films at the time showing how good lipstick could look.
During the 1960s black and white lipsticks were made popular by the Goth movement although it was a short-lived fashion.
The song ‘Lipstick on your collar’ was popular in 1959 sung by Connie Francis about a cheating partner, while the singing twins ‘Jedward’ represented Ireland in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Lipstick’ which was possibly best forgotten.
One time celebrity Mandy Smith famous for her relationship with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, subsequently married footballer Pat Van Den Hauwe. One morning he left her in bed to go to training and wrote ‘I Love You’ on her dressing table mirror. Unfortunately with her best lipstick! They divorced not long after!
Good enough grounds I would say!!