The Lindy Charm School Vintage Styling Workshop – Review and tips for attending!

A wonderful Vintage Styling workshop that gets girls back to class!

Practising hairstyles during The Lindy Charm School for Girls Class

Practising hairstyles during The Lindy Charm School for Girls Class

For every girl who is inspired and influenced by the likes of Miley CyrusKesha and Kim Kardashian, it is reassuring to know that there are, dare I say, just as many young girls and women who instead, are inspired by the old world glamour and elegance of the likes of Audrey HepburnGrace Kelly and Veronica Lake.

The Lindy Charm School for Girls offers vintage styling workshops, covering make-up, hair, clothing and etiquette tips to help you achieve old-school glamour. These workshops provide simply fabulous, insightful and hands-on lessons in perfecting your vintage inspired looks and reviving the beauty, fashion and charm of women as they lived in decades gone by.

I attended a day of workshops in Melbourne, which included two classes, the Introductory Workshop and the Intermediate Vintage Hairstyling Workshop.  You could attend either just the first 3 hour class for $85 or just attend the 2 hour second class for $100 per person. Alternatively, you could stay for the whole day at a price of $150 for both classes, which was the option I went for. The workshop I attended was held in an exclusive room at the Shopping Town Hotel in Doncaster (opposite Westfield Shoppingtown). The room was set up with tables arranged in a big ‘U’ shape set up like a class room, where each place was set up with a ‘Workshop Manual’ booklet, a pen and a flower clip. The Workshop Manual was great, as not only did it allow you to jot down notes throughout the class, but it provided you with extra instructions and tips to take away with you and help you brush up on your vintage styling lesson at home.

Place-Setting

All set up and ready for the workshops!

In addition to what is provided, it is suggested to bring the following items to the workshops:

  • Your own make up, particularly mascara, eye liner, foundation, blush and lipstick
  • Hairbrush
  • Comb
  • Bobby pins
  • Stand Up Makeup Mirror
  • Hairspray
  • Curling tools (eg. hot rollers or curling irons – optional but recommended)
  • 2 Slide Combs (matching your hair color)

Additional items I would also recommend bringing:

  • Eye makeup remover wipes or pads – Definitely came in handy when practising the notorious winged liner.
  • Bring as much make up as you are comfortable to use. I like to have a variety of make-up to choose from and I found it beneficial to use my own products while learning Headmistress Chrissy’s techniques as I found it easier to go home and recreate the looks using the same products. However, if you don’t own or plan on owning too much make up, it is also perfectly fine to jsut bring what you have, in fact, it is encouraged by Headmistress Chrissy to keep makeup simple, revealing she only regularly uses a handful of make up products herself!
  • Make up brushes
  • Liquid Eyeliner (the best type for applying the winged liner look)
  • Brown eyeliner or eyebrow powder / pencil (for creating a lovely set of shapely brows!)
  • Pink blush
  • Red lipstick
  • Lipliner
  • A stand up make up mirror with lights – If you have one, it would have made a big difference in the room we used as the lighting in the room was terrible (however this was at Shoppingtown Hotel and workshop venues do change).

If you would like to purchase heat curlers /rollers, Headmistress Chrissy recommended these cheap but efficient Remington travel size rollers. Keep in mind this set only comes with 10 rollers, so you would need to buy at least two sets to curl a full head of medium to long length hair. I also saw someone using these Remington Silk + Ceramic Heated Clips and Rollers that worked a treat.

In my experience, I originally went out to buy hot rollers like the ones mentioned above but ended up buying a Muk Curling Stick. This was my personal preference. I liked the fact it comes with three interchangeable heads to allow you to create different sized curls and I find it easier and quicker to use this curl stick than the rollers. To use the Muk Curling Stick (or a curling wand) to create the same effect as rollers, you want to curl the sections of your hair as you would with rollers (as Headmistress Chrissy instructs) and then use pin curl clips to secure the curl in a loop, in place until the hair cools down and sets. Use the links provided in this article to view the products, but for the cheapest deal, I suggest you visit your nearest Hairhouse Warehouse, Price Attack or Priceline store. It is of course, personal preference as to which method or curling you prefer, and the lovely Chrissy and her helpers are skilled at assisting you to create wonderful curls which whatever curling tool you have available to bring along on the day.

If you do forget anything, there are some lovely items for sale including a fantastic ‘Essential Hair Care Kit’, a range of make up, a basic yet effective hair setting solution, also known as The Lindy Charm School “Rocket Fuel” in addition to various different clips and hair accessories specifically designed to create the vintage looks. I found their Hair Setting Spray to the be best I have used so far, because the simple and gentle yet effective ingredients add strong hold to your perfect vintage hairstyles, but it also easily brushes out, allowing you to re-style easily without leaving your hair in a sticky, crunchy mess. Other items on sale included dolly pegs, hairstyling sponges, pin curl clips, snoods, do-rags, panty hose, vintage sunglasses and adorable felt hats (also all available for purchase on The Lindy Charm School for Girls website).

The classes are run by Headmistress Chrissy, vintage styling extroadinaire (and who was Melbourne Darling’s Muse of the Month in November).  The Introductory workshop is a 3 hour course covering vintage make-up and hairstyles through the 1920’s-1960’s. It also briefly covers vintage fashion and the importance of undergarments with some fascinating insights into the history of some of the most popular beauty and fashion items, and how they were originally used.

The class started with Headmistress Chrissy introducing herself and her knowledgeable and friendly helpers Miss Sammy and Miss Kelly. To commence the class, all attendees were asked to stand and recite  The Lindy Charm School Oath. This included the pledge ‘Thou Shalt Endeavour To Always Wear Red Lipstick’ and my personal favourite, to promise ‘Never To Wear Socks with Heels!’ (That’s an F grade for you Alexa Chung!) the Introductory course went through the importance of good posture and undergarments  (where one cannot fully appreciate the magic of a corset until you have seen one demonstrated!). Chrissy followed on to explain the importance of tailoring and how to wear vintage clothing. The make-up tutorial was next, with the class voting on the type of decade inspired look they would like to learn. We went with a 1950’s look but  Chrissy also pointed out tips to change the look to suit different decades along the way.

The beauty of this class (pardon the pun) is that it was perfectly suited for both complete beginners as well as those who are a little more skilled in make-up application and hair. There was an abundance of knowledge shared, along with clever little beauty secrets and historical insights into vintage styling (you will never guess what product Marilyn Monroe used to attain her flawless and dewy skin!) Everyone in the class was free to follow the steps at their own pace while Headmistress Chrissy and her wonderful helpers were always more than welcome to assist those who asked for a little extra help with particular techniques.  We learnt everything from correct blush application to perfecting the perfect pout and mastering the winged eyeliner look. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive and complete make up application class, but what you will learn is how to apply modern day make up with the tips and tricks to help you recreate vintage inspired looks.

Following on from make up was hair, as we were talked through setting curls in our own hair. While Chrissy and her assistants were happy to lend a helping help, it was great that the workshop was so hands on, so everyone was encouraged to try the techniques themselves, which was the most beneficial for everyone to be able to recreate the techniques themselves at home. After our hair was set, we learnt how to style our hair with pin curls into cascading, soft, ‘Veronica Lake’ style curls.

Miss Sammy demonstrating how to create a1940's hairstyle

Miss Sammy demonstrating how to create a1940′s hairstyle

After an hour break, it was back for the second class, the Intermediate Vintage Hairstyling Workshop. Using the set of curls we had created to style into pincurls, this workshop was used to demonstrate how you could use the same set of curls to recreate a variety of different hairstyles throughout the decades from the 1920’s to 1960’s. The transformation between such different looks was amazing! We learnt how to create a variety of styles from a Bettie Page fake fringe, victory rolls, Bridgitte Bardot quiffs and a Betty Grable ‘peek-a-boo’ updo style. After the great introductory to curling hair and learning about different hairstyles in the Introductory workshop, the second workshop was a more practical and thorough opportunity for everyone to perfect their skills and recreate the different looks that most appealed to them. If you are looking at doing the first class, unless you are definitely not interested in creating vintage hairstyles, I would recommend doing both classes if you can!

Just as a classy and elegant woman of the mid century would possess, I really admired the wise words and lessons Headmistress Chrissy  instilled throughout the workshop on matters of beauty, fashion and grace. Chrissy encouraged the importance of being kind and how to give and receive compliments. She also stressed the underlying importance that when it came to make up,  not only should it be striking, but to always keep it simple, easy and quick (after all, busy women in the forties did not have the time or the money to spend simply on their looks!). It was refreshing to hear Headmistress Chrissy give beauty advice that was honest but also based on a much more minimalistic approach than we are used to hearing in modern times. Above all, through her advice and knowledge shared, Headmistress Chrissy and her assistants always stayed true to the times they described and spoke of being appreciative of the women in previous decades who managed to create these very same looks using such limited resources.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative day. It was fantastic seeing a class containing such a wide variety of individuals in terms of age (13 to 50+) and appearance, and how everyone in the room came together through their appreciation of vintage style! Many ladies attended the workshops alone, and everyone in the class was genuinely friendly and supportive of eachother. It was also such a pleasant surprise to see everyone’s end results and how perfectly suited and striking everyone in the room looked once they were transformed by the magic of vintage styling! The most popular accessory I saw all the ladies leaving the workshops with that day was not bouncy pin curls or perfect red pouts, but big smiles, straight backs and confidence!

The lovely Heather showing off her gorgeous vintage inspired look!

The lovely Heather showing off her gorgeous vintage inspired look!

*To all the lovely ladies that attended the same workshops as me on 9th November 2013, you can find all the photos I took from the day on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/melbournedarling

I highly recommend The Lindy Charm School for Girls as a truly fabulous treat for women of all ages. The workshops make for a fun filled and engaging experience, a perfect idea for a hen’s night, special birthday, or even as a treat for yourself!

If you or someone you know would like to book in for an upcoming event, the next Melbourne Vintage Styling Workshop will take place on Saturday, 15th March. (click the links for bookings and more information). In addition, the very first Mother and Daughter Charm School, running on Sunday, 16th March will highlight etiquette, poise and posture and allows for mothers to book a spot in to the workshop and bring their daughters for free! The Lindy Charm School has also announced their latest collaboration with Fossil Vintage to announce the launch of their very first ‘In Styling Night‘, a private shopping night and Vintage Styling event on Friday, 14th March, held exclusively inside the Fossil Vintage Warehouse. Shop til your pin curls drop with a grand selection of their quality wholesale vintage garments on sale as well as getting the opportunity to receive personal styling advice and beauty and hair demonstrations from Miss Chrissy and the girls of The Lindy Charm School.

See the flyers below for more details of the mentioned upcoming events or for a full listing of future workshops and events held around Australia, Head to The Lindy Charm School for Girls website to find out more information or sign up for an upcoming workshop being held in your area!

Melbourne Vintage Styling Workshop

Mother and Daughter Charm School

Fossil Vintage In Styling Night

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Muse of the Month November 2013: The Lindy Charm School Headmistress – Chrissy Keepence

Chrissy Keepence

Chrissy Keepence

Miss Chrissy is Melbourne Darling’s Muse of the Month not only because she is a refreshingly fine example of embodying grace and lady-like charm in today’s modern world, but because of her inspiring passion for empowering girls of all ages to enhance their own, natural outer & inner beauty through the best of vintage styling, etiquette and manners.

I was lucky enough to attend one of her engaging and fun filled vintage workshops by The Lindy Charm School of Girls (review coming soon) and Chrissy shared with me some personal reflections and thoughtful words of advice on vintage styling in the modern world:

Why do you think there is suddenly such a cherished appreciation for all things vintage?

Not only do the eras between the 1920’s to the 1960’s epitomise the glamour, style & the razzle dazzle we all crave in our lives, but these eras represent times of strength, stoicism, innovation, rebellion, fun and edgy designs in hair, makeup, clothing, ideals and lifestyle.

Instead of looking to be just ‘on trend’ many individuals now look to be individual, different and cutting edge and vintage styling ticks all those boxes as most vintage is individual. However, I do think the media recycles it into the mainstream every few years but this gains exposure for the next generation who may otherwise not always get on board. In this case, I think it is a good thing that every few years a Hollywood Starlet walks the red carpet in a Vintage Gown with Old World (as they call it) hair and makeup and just like that, Vintage styling is popular and in demand once again. Lastly, the increase in education and interest surrounding the concern to save our environment leads individuals to more likely take on the old-fashioned ‘make do and mend’ mentality. As a result, the re-use, re-cycle and up-cycle trends become more popular and mainstream.

I think I was born in the wrong era!’ I have heard this statement a lot and I also wonder whether this is something you hear often from ladies who take part in your classes? 

I do hear that a lot from ladies. I believe that some of us are just ‘old souls’ and this is why we gravitate to an old world. Most people who attend the classes feel they develop a sense of belonging when they are surrounded by vintage styled & vintage loving women who share the same enjoyment in defining, finding or just embracing their own individual vintage style and it’s lovely to watch their confidence blossom.

I had a young girl of just 13 years of age attend a workshop last week. She was not interested in iPhones, iPads or iPods as there was no ‘I’ in ‘us’ and it was the group aspect of ‘us’ that she was enjoying – so cool. She loved being surrounded by a group of women of all ages, excited to learn all the hair and makeup techniques from the 40’s and 50’s. All the women in the room embraced and relished in the brush up of manners, etiquette & good posture and their feedback was that they all admired it and they all wanted to see more of it in the today’s modern world.

Chrissy conducting a hair tutorial at one of her workshops

Chrissy conducting a hair tutorial at one of her workshops

To all the old souls and vintage inspired women out there living in the modern world of today, what is your most important piece of advice?

Make the effort each and every day to spend a few moments on yourself, with yourself and for yourself. Also, don’t be so body conscious. If you look and feel uncomfortable then find another style and don’t try too hard at something that doesn’t come easy to you. Find a look that suits you, your body, your hair, your skin and your lifestyle. Watch some old films and search fashion archives on the internet for some inspiration. You will be amazed with what you find! Even if you cannot find true vintage originals, I believe anyone can still find a vintage inspired look that suits you.

You can be subtle about it, by selecting one piece to be the feature of your outfit i.e. a gorgeous blouse from the 40s, a statement hat from the 20s, a swanky pair of gloves, even a jewel encrusted brooch. On the other hand if you are confident enough to go head to toe, I think it is most important to pay attention to the detail!

Lastly, carry with you in your day to day life a bit of the innocence and modesty that our foremothers possessed and always be charming. Don’t forget the importance of hair and makeup as well as The Lindy Charm School for Girls Oath, ‘Thou shall endeavour to always wear red lipstick.’

How did The Lindy Charm School for Girls come about?

I have been involved in the world of vintage styling and dancing for the past twenty years and The Lindy Charm School for Girls was a natural progression from teaching my own dance students how to re-create and style themselves based on the swing era, which was the music they were predominately dancing to. These home based “styling days” became so popular that I decided to take it on the road and share the knowledge around Australian, New Zealand and more recently in the US.

Most people seeking out a vintage lifestyle usually have a bit of an old soul to start with and have a penchant for the history of old. I grew up with the music and films of the 40’s and 50’s with my dad. My favourite memory growing up was Saturday afternoon movie time with him, always with a black and white Jerry & Dean or an Elvis flick on.

My eye for vintage fashion and style started then, but it was when I was introduced to the dance (“Lindy Hop”) that my passion for swing music grew, and then my further interest in the fashion and lifestyle of the 30’s and 40’s. I remember when I got my first 1940’s original crepe, A-line frock, embellished with beautiful beading. I was in heaven and I matched it with the right hat, accessories, hair and makeup. When I walked into my parents’ home, my dad teared up (and being a soldier, that NEVER happened), he said he thought his mother had walked home.

The name “The Lindy Charm School for Girls” comes from my love of the dance “Lindy Hop” The name also means I often get cute questions like ‘So, does Miss Lindy Ever attend these workshops and teach them herself?’ Since 2005, when I registered the business, I travel almost every week to a different place from my home in Queensland. My team has grown and I now have Mistresses of Style in every state in Australia. I am so lucky that my ‘assistants’ are also my closest friends and we all believe we have come together for a reason. Each special one has entered my life at different times for different reasons and there was once a saying I used to have painted on my bedroom wall from Shakespeare that was never truer, ‘your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years

What has been the most rewarding aspect of running The Lindy Charm School for Girls so far?

The feedback I receive in the letters, emails and calls saying how The Lindy Charm School has changed one’s life, saved one’s live or rebuilt a person’s confidence. It’s comments like these that are very humbling and make us also believe even more in what we are doing and The Lindy Charm School is something that I am so blessed to be at the helm of.

Where are your favourite places to visit in Melbourne?

You are indeed spoilt for choice in Melbourne and when I visit I find that the following never disappoint:

The Vintage Garage  is one of my most favourite places. Mainly because I get to hang out there often when we are doing our Pin Up/Vintage Makeover photoshoots with the amazing Brooke Orchard Photography and also because the gals Marissa and Lisa are so helpful and quirky and fun!  They also stock HEAPS of cool stuff like Bonnie Rose Vintage clothing and Fossil Vintage clothing. Both collectors have amazing vintage finds. The Circa Vintage Clothing is a store  that stocks vintage clothing that is always of the utmost quality.  Owner, Miss Nicole Jenkins is well known for being the pre-eminent authority on all things to do with vintage clothing and because of her knowledge, you don’t just buy the outfit but you learn the history behind it as well.

My favourite restaurant is Longrain on Little Bourke St. Because I had to wait until 10pm for a sitting to dine there and it was totally worth it and I have never tasted Thai food as amazing since! I have many favourite cocktail bars in Melbourne, but I have to say I’ve had the best times with our darling friends at The LuWow and Madame Brussels.

My favourite place to stay and indulge in afternoon tea is at the Hotel Windsor. My team and I presented an ‘Afternoon Tea with a Sip of Manners‘ to 150 patrons two days in a row a while back and the place left such an impression on me with its glorious surrounds.

Chrissy has done a fantastic job at guiding women of all ages to rediscover the old-school glamour and style of the early 20th century. You can meet the charming Chrissy at the Love Vintage Show in Melbourne next year or attend one of her workshops. Keep your eyes peeled for my review on the workshop Chrissy held in Melbourne recently so you can be ready to book yourself into the next Lindy Charm School for Girls Workshop in 2014 and experience the magic of vintage styling for yourself!

Men, don’t feel left out! Look out for the Suave School For Gents, an upcoming feature of The Lindy Charm School, featuring fashion, manners and grooming guidance and advice. This is currently an online feature, with hopes of it becoming a workshop in the future so stay tuned!

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