In Praise of Red Lippy
Oil on card by Celia Turner. My beloved grandma always wore red lipstick, she would not leave the house without a full face of make-up crowned by her lush red lips. It must be in my genes because for as long as I've been wearing lipstick (which is a long time) it's been red. Now it's Alarm by Rimmel to walk the dog around the park and Gabrielle by Chanel for special occasions. Chanel lipsticks are an extra special treat as they come in lovely little boxes tucked into lovely little Chanel bags. A beautiful present to yourself. Although this doesn't apply to me, red lips have been seen for centuries as a stamp of immorality. In more God- fearing medieval times, it was believed that creating a plump sexualised mouth would take you on a one-way ticket to the devil's doorway. Several hundred years later, Parliament passed a law condemning lipstick, considering it a sign of witchcraft. Good job I wasn't alive in those times, yet another reason to pop me on the ...