Vintage Maybelline Marcel Wave,

My grandmother, Evelyn, and her two sisters, Verona and Bunny, spent their whole lives decked-out from head to toe and learned the art of finger waving a Marcel Wave, in 1927.

Having the right tools, a lot of gel and strong fingers were the secret to having the perfect, Marcel Wave.

My great aunt Verona and Bunny were experts at finger waving each other's hair, into ideal Marcel Waves. 

Bunny, the youngest of the sisters, was a spitfire, with a personality that jumped right off the page, and

 was always head of the curve, when it came to

the latest fashion craze

Here are the three girls in 1929, all Maybellined up, with Marcel waves, and chic little hats, going to lunch at

 The Italian Village, a new restaurant that just opened

 in Chicago, in 1927.

Keeping up a fashionable appearance took a great deal of time and energy, not to mention expense, but for City Girls, it was second nature.  I grew up with my grandmother, Evelyn, (Nana,) teaching me to pin curl my hair when I was 6 years old.  I remember her scolding me when I complained, about how hard it was.  She'd say "It hurts to be beautiful darling."  I suppose she was right.  It was worth it to be beautiful, as I look back now. 

Here's Verona and Bunny walking State Street in Chicago, shopping for more, more, more fabulous shoes, hats, coats, dresses and of course Maybelline, as they head into the 1930's.

Golden Globes 2012: 'Midnight in Paris' Wins Best Screenplay

The 1920's come alive in the most charming way in Midnight in Paris!! 

One night, Gil gets drunk and wanders the streets of Paris. At midnight, an antique car pulls up, and the passengers—dressed in 1920s clothing—urge Gil to join them. They go to a bar, where Gil comes to realize that he has been transported to the 1920s, an era he idolizes. He encounters Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who take him to meet Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway agrees to show Gil's novel to Gertrude Stein, and Gil goes to fetch his manuscript from his hotel. However, as soon as he leaves the bar, he finds he has returned to 2010.

Veteran actor-turned-director Woody Allen successfully took home the Best Screenplay award for his work in "Midnight in Paris".

Midnight in Paris and The Artist get my vote for the most original and charming movies on the big screen.  Mildred Pierce and Boardwalk Empire  for vintage, TV dramas.