OTMA - smoking, make up and clothes

[Olga_Anne]

http://members.tripod.com/~Pharaoh30/index-2.html
its at the bottom of the page holly, i think she has a cigerette there
selina                     xxxxxxxxxxx

I read in a book that she is waiting for her tea.

[ferngully]

i got that pic on my site, looks like she's got a cigarette somewhere
selina                        xxxxxxxxx

[Sainte-Claire1875]

As already stated, it was considered fashionable in those times, and they hardly knew of the health risks involved. There also weren't as many chemicals put into the cigarettes then as now, so though it wasn't healthy, it wasn't as unhealthy as it is today....

Alexandra started smoking in her later years, all the daughters smoked, Nicholas smoked--mostly everyone did back then. I even read somewhere that Nicholas' sister, Xenia, smoked 'one after another' in her old age--I don't know when she started smoking.... But I'm sure most of them, the ladies especially, would not have smoked had they known of the dangers then.

[Romanov_fan]

Yes, I am sure they woudn't have smoked either. But being in ignorance they did. Everyone else did, it was a form of relaxation, so there was no reason for them not to smoke.I did not realize it was not as unhealthy back then although I was aware that they were not aware that it was unhealthy at all. I suppose it would have continued into adulthood and later life for them, and it may have become quite a health risk with time. In their youth,  the way they were smoking it most likely did not endanger their health too much. It would have if they continued, of course.  

[Romanov_fan]

They did not wear much make up, but maybe for official photos they had a bit. I doubt Alexandra wanted her daughters wearing too much make up, because make up back then had very different conotations than it does today-as did smoking. You have to remember Otma lived in a different time.

[clockworkgirl21]

I think the last time I wore make up was to my friend's grandpa's funeral, which was in July of 2004. Yet my skin is horrible. My dad calls me "pizza face."   Maybe OTMA rubbed something into their skin that would help keep acne away? Did they have things like that back then?

[Mie]

I think that in their freetime they did not use make up. And when they were children they did not use it. But in ball and formal meeting they did, I think. 'Cose I have information about that people used make up in that time..  people have used make up since before Chirstus too.. and while Renessanssi time women (and men) use LOT of make up so I do not think that GD would not use make up..  But I believe that they did not use  plenty of make up when they made up..

[Tania]

Don't think they wore makeup, but perhaps I may be wrong. In those days, makeup contained lead, so if your skin was problematic it did not help the skin to breathe properly, and overall was injurious to the system.

Tatiana

[granduchessmariska]

Yes, I do not think they wore make up at all, just as many have said, it wasn't exactly something women HAD to do. Plus, in their place, it probably wouldn't look good to do it.
Knowing, or seeing how Alexandra seems, I don't think she would let them either.
In a way, it is a nice thought. Maybe other women can take the example. I hate how makeup makes everything so...unnatural. (Unless of course you're going to a formal. Then that's different)

[Sainte-Claire1875]

Alexandra and OTMA all smoked, Grand Duchess Xenia smoked, the Empress Dowager smoked--it was considered fashionable to smoke--even for women, though many women did look down on it--mostly older women. And they didn't know of the health risks that are involved--they though it was good for you to smoke. But at the same time, though they were still very unhealthy, they weren't as unhealthy as they are today because there were fewer chemicals put into the cigarettes back then than there are today.

[Romanov_fan]

Yes, I have never heard of them wearing makeup, because standards of beauty were different back then, and it wasn't really done, except for maybe official photos.But they would have looked lovely with it. I don't wear makeup, it just seems so much of a hassle, and I have always loved Victorian Beauties who didn't.  

[Margarita Markovna]

Yes, I have never heard of them wearing makeup, because standards of beauty were different back then, and it wasn't really done, except for maybe official photos.But they would have looked lovely with it. I don't wear makeup, it just seems so much of a hassle, and I have always loved Victorian Beauties who didn't.  

Maybe they would have worn powder for official photos. But nothing more.

[Romanov_fan]

Yes, the last poster is right.. and what a lovely picture of Marie!

[Tsarfan]

The imperial family did wear make-up for official photos and appearances.  (What I'm about to relate has been discussed on other threads, but I don't remember where.)

Generally, the wearing of make-up in that era was viewed as something that only actresses and women of low repute did.  However, the emergence of photography dictated that make-up be worn to neutralize the unwanted artifacts of portrait photography.

Max Factor, who was wigmaker for the imperial theater, was enlisted to assist Alexandra and her daughters with their make-up, as few women in that era had any personal expertise.

(There is an interesting epilogue to the Max Factor involvement.  As a member of the tsar's household, he could not marry without permission.  When that was denied to him because he was Jewish, he emigrated to America where he became a pioneer in the development and application of make-up for the movie industry.  As movies brought make-up more into the mainstream, Max Factor was able to commercialize many of his innovations and thereby found the cosmetic company that bears his name.)

[Azarias]

Most interesting epilogue!

I guess his being Jewish was something lucky for Hollywood and American women.