Makeup Museum

Still basking in the glow of the 114th annual conference and seeing various Chicago museums. 😄Huge thanks to the amazing chairs and and fellow panelists and - truly an honor to present alongside of you! Full recap (and more photo bombing by Sailor Babo) is over at the blog. 🎨

I blinked, and summer was over. Once again the warmer months went by way too quickly! Here’s a look back at the Museum’s spring and summer 2025 acquisitions. Any favorites? 💖

Today is World Elephant Day so I’m celebrating with a compact by Pilcher, ca. 1943-1949 (top) and what I suspect is a (unmarked) knockoff. In the early 20th century “seeing pink elephants” was a euphemism for being extremely intoxicated. Pink elephants became a popular motif for barware and cocktail lounges. The design carried over to other types of goods, from costume jewelry to department store displays, and there was actually a song in 1932. Given the timeframe, I I think these and other pink elephants of the ‘40s and ‘50s may have been at least partially inspired by a scene in the 1941 Disney film Dumbo, in which the title character hallucinates dancing pink elephants after accidentally drinking a barrel of champagne. Which one do you like better, the all gold toned Pilcher version or the unmarked one with pink plastic elephants? Not gonna lie, I think the knockoff is a little tacky and therefore more fun. 😆💖🐘
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