How to Be a Glamorous 1940s Femme Fatale

Have you always wanted to be the type of woman who is sultry, mysteriously sexy, vampy, and just ultra glam? Women like Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor epitomize this type of beauty. Every woman has the potential to appear this way if she wishes; you just need a little guidance and some research, all efforts that are well worth it if you're looking to achieve a sultry, sophisticated, old Hollywood glamour. Here are some suggestions to help with your femme fatale makeover from cheap women dresses.

Look for screen inspiration before you start becoming a femme fatale. Screen beauties are an ideal starting point to find the style and appearance that you'll be wanting to copy. To start off your inspiration, check out the following movie starlets.

Prepare your hair. A 1940s femme fatale has either the side parted,wavy, long-length curls (think Rita Hayworth or Veronica Lake), or the shorter pin curls (think Elizabeth Taylor or Ava Gardner). No highlights, and no purple, green, or pink. A femme fatale's hair color is always a solid color in black, deep dark brown, auburn, brown, or platinum blonde.

Prepare your makeup. Femme fatale makeup is always glamorous and vampy.Perfect, usually matted, powdered (not caked on) skin, with red or maroon lipstick.

Match your nail polish with your lips.

Faux eyelashes are divine if you want drama or if your eyelashes are short.

You should also consider shaping your eyebrows.

Top it of with black mascara. For the "cat's eye" effect, use black liquid liner. Before you put the cat's eyes, put an understated eyeshadow color that is slightly lighter than your skin tone. Then, rest your elbows on a flat surface and carefully line, not too thick, and be steady. It takes practice at first, but the results are worth it! When you have reached near the end, do a little curve, a small sweep for the full effect.

Leave the under-eyes free of anything. Shades of white eyeshadows are an exception. No colorful,tropical or trendy eyeshadow leather jackets sale.

Find the right shoes. Femmes fatales don't ever wear casual flat shoes or runners. A femme fatale is always dress to the nines. Her shoes are always high: marabou mules, stilettos and platforms (not the 70s ones or the stripper ones), and look for some embellishments like feathers (marabou or ostrich), texture, animal print or rhinestones.

Get the right denier for stockings. When it comes to hosiery, a femme fatale is always in fine, black mesh fishnets and/or back seamed stockings. Avoid leggings, pantyhose, or opaque tights.

Prepare your wardrobe. Understand and study the beautiful women of the 1940s, as well as some of the women from the 1950s and earlier eras such as the 1920s and 1930s who are known for being femmes fatales. Note how they used to dress: it's all about the old Hollywood glamor and sexiness with a dark side. The femme fatale wardrobe often has an evening edge, even during the daytime. Femme fatales rarely wear denim. Here are some examples of femme fatale wardrobe:To cover up: fur coats (a must), fur wraps, fur stoles, fur shrugs, feather shrugs and feather wraps. The fur should be either mink, sable, fox, chinchilla or ermine. Use faux fur if you object. Vintage fur coats are easily found in thrift stores and auctions at a very reasonable cost.

A femme fatale usually wears elegant, long opera gloves. They can be satin, silk, lace and/or velvet. Shorter gloves gloves are also acceptable in the daytime.