From the moment I began writing these Inspired by
Literature posts I knew that Lewis Carroll would need to be featured at
some point or another. Carroll singlehandedly created the story that
perhaps most shaped my imagination as a child. Never mind the Disney
version, I’m speaking about the true magic of the original book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The imagery, the characters and setting are all so fantastic that I always
felt a sense of literary escapism as a child while reading Carroll’s
most recognized work. What’s brought me back and interested me
once more, and what inspired study and research during my time as a
student is just how adult and political many of those characters are.
Though
not in chronological order whatsoever I’ve chosen to open with one
particularly identifiable product and one extremely identifiable scene
from the book: Guerlain’s Cruel Gardenia and "painting the roses
red." I'm sure comparisons could be drawn between the need to make a white rose something that it is not and the constant search for a "dupe" of Cruel Gardenia.
Guerlain’s Cruel Gardenia in a scene from Robert Ingpen's illustrated edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice is such a naïve character at the beginning of Carroll’s tale that I
can’t help but think of her in terms of soft champagne shades and
barely there pinks. Recreating the look and feel of the blonde haired,
blue eyed Alice is as easy as applying soft, subtle shades like MAC’s All that Glitters and Chanel’s Boy to create the bright eyed, youthful appearance.
(Clockwise from top right): Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Boy, MAC Lip Gloss The Lap of Luxury, Korres Jasmine Lip Butter, MAC Shadows in Soba, Moleskin, Hey, All that Glitters, Claire de Lune
Perhaps the most wonderful thing about this story, and what has
attracted so many readers for generations, is the rich description and
imagery. Though Wonderland could evoke any number of colors and
textures, I took a cue from this wonderfully bright book and chose a
selection of bold pink lipsticks fit for any flower garden Alice may
have seen on her adventure.
(From top to bottom): NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil Mexican Rose, Lancôme Rouge in Love Midnight Rose, MAC Girl About Town, YSL Glossy Stain Fuchsia Doré
And who
can forget the Queen of Hearts, the eponymous character whose name alone
evokes the image and feeling of bold, fearless blue based red? Deep
shades such as Lipstick Queen’s Medieval, MAC’s Ruby Woo and NARS 413BLKR all emulate the feeling and attitude of the Queen herself. And Illamasqua’s Blush in Panic?
Everything about this blush from the name to the color reminds me of
the terror the Queen inflicts upon her poor subjects.
(From left to right): The Lipstick Queen Medieval, MAC Ruby Woo, NARS Larger Than Life gloss 413BLKR, Illamasqua Blush Panic
No matter who or where you are I’d imagine you have
some sort of connection or childhood association with this story. I’d
love to hear your favorite excerpt, character or memory pertaining to
this tale. Do you associate any cosmetic products you own with Lewis
Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
