The victory issue

Red is a symbol of fierceness, power, strength, and beauty. Some would make the argument that it always has been. From origins in ancient Mesopotamia, to Cleopatra’s iconic looks, all the way to China’s emphasis on luck and fertility. 

The color red is a force women throughout history have utilized, and it hasn’t stopped!

So we have this shade of lipstick “Victory Red”, which was born in the early 1940’s during WW2. 

I walked through the hangers of the flight museum peering into the old helicopters and planes. Something caught my eye. From floor to ceiling were women from different eras in military history. This was a high ceiling, 30 feet or more. Symbolism? Maybe.

I’m reading what these women were able to accomplish. Stealth missions in the middle of the night, pilots, cooks, nurses. Women lost in between the lines of our history books. 

Something stood out, the brightly colored shade of red lipstick amongst the black and white photographs splashed before me. So that’s what I walked away with. It wasn’t until years later that I would dive into what that meant for women all over the U.S.

The famous color we call “Victory Red” came from the inspiration Elizabeth Arden took from the military. The cosmetics icon had much success within the walls of her stores and so when the time came for an issue of “moral boosting” makeup in the female soldiers’ kits, this suffragette was the woman to call. 

The inspiration in question? The crimson coloring of the chords lacing the uniformed hats of course. But why red? Why did it matter to the military so much for every woman in their bases, and camps to have this?

The story goes that Hitler disapproved of the color on women, in makeup in general. That he made it very unpopular for German women to attain such a concept. As it turns out this was partially true, but mainly based in propoganda. As it turns out Hitlers' number one lady Ava Braun did indeed wear lipstick, amongst other cosmetic products.

Regardless, the popular shade became increasingly in demand within North America. As the war raged on, giving life to a drastic time in history. 

Hope was sparked by seeing women dawn shades like Tussy's "Fighting Red" and "Emblem Red" by Du Barry. Both shades inspired by Arden's work.

Red is still used as an act of defiance in the face of adversity. As an act of anti-fascism, and power. Red stands for beauty and strength. It stands for Victory. 

Most importantly, red can teach us about a past not so far away. It can teach us to stand up for what's right, especially now.

It’s hard to get into the usually scheduled programming when there’s nothing usual about this time. Except that war seems perpetual. Although, the same can be said for the courage we show in times of fear. 

Keep going, keep powering through, and if you’re so inclined, next time you go to work or a protest or downtown to be with the ones you love, why not try on Victory.

See you next time in the Sweet Pea Beauty Blog!