The Monterey Moms Went Full Disco On Big Little Lies Last Night
On Big Little Lies, the "Monterey Five" — Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz), and Renata (Laura Dern) — aren't just famous for being linked to a suspicious death, but also for throwing really great costume parties. The first season gave us the most elaborate '50s-themed trivia-night fundraiser we've ever been witness to, and thanks to Renata's bankruptcy scandal and her daughter's fear that the world is ending, we got the disco party we never knew we needed in season 2, episode 4 last night.
Of course, this is Monterey we're talking about, so the party was riddled with drama (Nathan and Ed! Celeste and Madeline! Elizabeth and Bonnie!), but it was also packed with on-theme style that's sure to fuel us for the next five Halloweens straight. The disco party — and the looks each character showed up in — would have been the highlight of the episode... if not for the slap heard 'round the world.
To get the inside scoop on the party looks that (almost) stole the episode, we talked to the makeup artists behind them. Ahead, check out the '70s beauty Monterey had to offer.
Madeline Mackenzie
Madeline's outfit may look like it's straight out of Legally Blonde (the pink color palette and sparkly sequins are certainly Elle Woods-approved), but the makeup was just as bold and sassy as Madeline Martha Mackenzie herself. "We wanted Madeline to wear a pastel eye with touches of glitter to match her outfit," explains Witherspoon's makeup artist Molly Stern, who adds that it was all about finding the perfect balance of humor, camp, and beauty. If you're looking for similar inspiration, look no further than exactly where Stern got hers: Pinterest.
Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Clasen/HBO.Celeste Wright
Celeste's braided headband and hot-pink gloss did what they came to do: steal every scene they were in — even if Celeste certainly wasn't the life of this party. She spent most of it talking about the Lie with Bonnie, and pissing off her BFF Madeline in the process.
Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Clasen/HBO.Bonnie Carlson
For the first three episodes, Bonnie is struggling with post-traumatic stress, but by the time she makes it to Renata's house for Amabella's party, we get a glimpse of the old Bonnie: fun, carefree, and a natural-born dancer. Even better, she arrives in a bobbed wig, bangs, and a red lipstick we're itching to steal. Miho Suzuki, Kravitz's makeup artist , tells us that she had worked on a glittery editorial for Vogue Spain and Vogue Mexico that featured a similar funky makeup theme a few weeks prior. By the time the BLL scene came up, she says, it was "easy to dive in... and get inspired."
Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Clasen/HBO.Jane Chapman
When it comes to Jane and Ziggy Chapman, we think Jane would agree that her son's clever costume — David Bowie, duh — was a winner. Still, Jane's lilac eyeshadow and flower-power decals were too good to ignore. Clearly her date couldn't...
Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Clasen/HBO.Renata Klein
Despite the fact that she's currently undergoing a lot of stress (see: her recent Botox receipt), Renata manages to always look put together — and that includes her all-gold look for this party. "I wanted to make sure she was perfection," makeup artist Simone Siegl explains. "I chose gold glitter eyes to go with her dress and some good full lashes to complete [the look]." She also lined Dern's lips in a dark-brown lip pencil, topped it off with a frosted lip gloss, and pulled her blush a bit higher on her cheekbones to make it retro.
Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Clasen/HBO.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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