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When I think of Lauren Bacall now, I think likeable, independent, warm, intelligent, generous. I didn’t always think of her that way. As an Old Hollywood fan, I used to think of her as just the cool beauty who dazzled Humphrey Bogart in their first film together in 1944, To Have and Have Not. This led to their partnership and marriage until his death 12 years later.
Now that I’ve read her words and have seen multiple interviews with her, I know that her early screen persona didn’t reflect her true nature much at all. She comes across as confident in her later years yes, however she wasn’t the tough temptress of her early portrayals. In fact when filming her scenes she used to tremble so much that she kept her head down to control the shaking. 
Her upward gaze became known as “The Look” in 1945’s popular media.
If I made a list of women I could consider role models, she would be on it for sure: 
So composed and dignified, down-to-earth and witty. But how did she get that way?
Just 20 years old when she married Bogart in 1945, she hardly came from Hollywood royalty. On the contrary, she grew up in a poor neighborhood in the Bronx. Born Betty Joan Perske in New York in 1924, she was the only child of Jewish immigrants. 
Self-conscious of her Jewish heritage, in Hollywood she came to hide it because of comments from those who would utter things like “but don’t worry darling, with those green eyes and blonde hair, you don’t look Jewish at all!”
At the age of five her parents divorced; Betty never saw her father again after that. Although her beginnings were humble, she came from lofty roots in Israel, her father having been related to Shimon Peres, the 8th Prime Minister and 9th president of Israel.
“I just knew I wanted to be on stage,” she has said in interviews, “but I don’t know where that desire arose because nobody in my family was in the theatre.” 
It’s not difficult to see how it might’ve arisen: with her worship of Bette Davis. Her family had no money to attend stage productions, but she could afford the 20 cents for the cinema and that’s where she spent countless hours, imagining her own name in lights.
At the age of 17 and with the help of wealthy family friends, she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. With her long lean figure, full lips and high cheekbones, she was a shoo-in for modeling jobs. She made the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1943 and piqued the curiosity of Nancy Keith, wife of Hollywood Director and Producer Howard Hawks.
Hawks tested her for the lead role opposite Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not, and immediately took a personal interest in her. When she and Bogart fell in love on the set, Hawks was not happy, but once he saw how devoted they were to each other, he backed off.
The chemistry between Bogie and Bacall sizzled, and she was a sensation. 
Her husky voice and statuesque figure communicated a palpable sensuality without the usual trappings of push-up bras and tight skirts. They went on to star together in three more films, and had two children together. Although Humphrey Bogart was a huge part of her life, she lived 57 additional years after his death.
She didn’t let the reality of growing older discourage her from living her life fully. In fact, when Dick Cavett asked her in an interview in 1979 “do you feel like the best part of your life is over?”, she said emphatically and with a chuckle “no! If I thought at age 19 I was going to peak and it would be downhill from there I would’ve shot myself then and there.” She lightheartedly added “you haven’t seen nothing yet! There are great things to come from this gal!”
She proved this declaration by continuing to work on stage and screen into her 80s, winning the Tony award for best actress for Woman of the Year in 1981. She’d achieved her goal of performing on stage, and on Broadway no less. She had also won the Tony award for Applause in 1970, and was nominated for an Academy award for The Mirror Has Two Faces in 1996.
For the purposes of this post I’m going to focus on her external beauty as well, but what I really admire is her courage to follow her dreams, even when she felt alone in the world.
She aged publicly without any visible plastic surgery and without shame and I love that. Sure I enjoy caring for my skin and body but a natural approach to aging is how a woman’s true beauty can shine.
I have yet to see all of her films, but from her early films I highly recommend Key Largo, 1948. It is a compelling story and a chance to see her in her “young colt” days, as she’s called by Edward G Robinson in a scene from the movie.
In 1971 John Wayne requested her as his co-star in his final film The Shootist.
I hope you are entertained by the rest of this post, which is meant to playfully speculate on skin care she would be using today, and to try to re-create her fashion.
Enjoy!
BEAUTY
Lauren Bacall was known for her gravelly, alluring voice, as well as her stunning good looks. She highlighted her natural beauty by utilizing simple techniques, and often insisted on getting ready without any help. Here are some methods from her beauty routine to emphasize your own features and allow you to embody some of her strong, glamorous essence on your next night out!
Mascara – To emphasize her hooded, sultry stare, Bacall applied bold black mascara on her top lashes only. This not only highlighted the eyes, but added a shadowy mystery to her gaze. In order to avoid weighing the eyes down, she never used any sort of eyeliner. Rather, she allowed her enchanting green eyes to pop, contrasting with her bold black mascara. To achieve this look, I recommend using COVERGIRL Flourish Blast Mascara. It’s fantastic for adding length and thickness to lashes.
Red Lips – Bold red lips were a must when it came to Lauren Bacall’s beauty regime! Her signature red shade added a pop of color while also emphasizing her full pout. Unlike other red-lipped looks of this era, Bacall opted for a more glossy red formula as opposed to more matte options. In recreating this look, it is essential to find a vibrant red with a dewy finish. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with HAUS LABORATORIES By Lady Gaga: SPARKLE LIPSTICK in Red. With its cruelty-free formula, it applies perfectly creamy while staying put and adding the boost of Hollywood glamour you’re looking for.
Bold Brows – Lauren Bacall was a feminist icon of her time, placing a great deal of importance on being in control of her own image. One way she asserted this dominance was in her refusal to tweeze her brows, resulting in a full, natural aesthetic far ahead of its time. To channel this look, the key is to add fullness to the brows. I highly recommend NYX Fill & Fluff Pomade Pencil. It applies evenly, and features a brush to fluff the brows and comb color through, making them look equally striking and natural.
Soft Waves – Finally, Lauren Bacall was known for wearing her hair side-parted and in loose, soft waves. It highlighted her femininity in an effortless, laissez-faire way– the epitome of no-fuss glamour. To attain this hairstyle, hot rollers are essential, and this roller set from Con-Air does the job beautifully.
FASHION
Lauren Bacall’s fashion was the perfect blend of feminine and androgynous. With flirty colors and patterns, along with structured, sharp pieces, her clothing choices were a way of expressing the many facets of her dynamic personality. Here are some items Inspired By of her most iconic looks, along with similar pieces to integrate into your own style story.
This outfit is the perfect balance of demure and sexy with its playful printed turtleneck, slinky skirt and peep-toe heels. You can easily recreate this look by adding a few simple items to your closet!
This look is sophisticated, fun, and completely summer-chic. The crisp white sun jacket adds structure to this ensemble, beautifully contrasting with the shorter hem of the shorts. By adding a pair of classic cat-eye sunnies and a dainty gold and silver watch, the entire outfit is expertly pulled together and polished. Recreate it with these classic pieces below!
This may be one of my all-time favorite Lauren Bacall outfits. I love the power of the structured blazer, the elegance of the beret, and the edge of a simple black sweater underneath. While finding an exact replica of this houndstooth suit posed a bit of a challenge, you can achieve the essence of this look by combining these similar pieces. Extra points for adding loose waves and a red lip.
This look is timeless and stunning. I love the elegant purple hue paired with the gold statement necklace. The entire combination oozes luxury and confidence. To imitate this look, combine different purple hues in soft, body-skimming silhouettes. To top it off, add a glimmer of gold! I couldn’t choose between the two fabulous gold necklaces below, so I simply had to include both.
FOOD
A lover of travel, Paris always held a special place in Lauren Bacall’s heart. It was a locale that acted as the home for many of her fondest memories, including the first time she enjoyed a comforting bowl of watercress soup. She went on to share this recipe in a cookbook from the 1960’s, and I like to think she took her love of that memory and made this soup for family and friends throughout her life.
Original Recipe – http://stargayzing.com/eating-with-the-stars-lauren-bacalls-watercress-soup-potage-cressoniere/
Vegan Recipe –
https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes/soup/watercress-soup
For more on Lauren Bacall, see my posts Skin Healthy Pink Lady Fizz Cocktail, and Gift Guide: 8 Best Books for the Classic Film Lover
Have you seen any of Lauren Bacall’s films? Are you a fan? Share your comments below!
2 thoughts on “Lauren Bacall: Beyond Bogie — Plus: Her fashion and Beauty Picks”
Wonderful post! I love the links that help recreate the various looks!
Thank you Joe.