WE ROAR Issue 02 - Flipbook - Page 60
Victory Red, Fighting Red and
Regimental Red lipstick shades
arrived in World War 2 when all the
men went off to fight, and the
women left behind began to take on
traditionally male roles in factories
and the land army. The red lipstick
became a symbol of bravery and
resilience. Even Winston Churchill
knew the power of lipstick for
keeping moral high, and it was one of
the items exempt from rationing.
But my favourite part of the lipstick
journey in the war was that it p*ssed
Hitler off. He ruled that anyone
visiting Germany at the time should
avoid heavy makeup, red lipstick, and
absolutely no red nail varnish. So
much
so
the
Americans
commissioned Elizabeth Arden to
create a regulation nail colour and
matching
red
lipstick
named
Montezuma Red. Allied countries
turned it into a sign of patriotism and
an anti-fascism statement.
There is a story of a concentration
camp that was saved in 1945, which
contained hundreds of women who
had spent so long being known only
by a number. Hundreds of tubes of
red lipstick were shipped in for the
women, as well as food and other
supplies. Lieutenant Colonel
60
Mervyn Willett Gonin wrote in his
diary,
