100 years of German beauty: 1920s bobs, Nazi-era plaits, 1980s feathered hair in the West and punk in the East... video reveals politically-divided nation's changing styles 

  • New video from Cut.com shows how beauty has evolved and changed
  • Germany's style was influenced by two world wars and being divided
  • From 1910 to today, the East German trends are most surprising 

By Phoebe Jackson-edwards For Mailonline

Published: 06:03 EST, 29 July 2015 | Updated: 10:45 EST, 29 July 2015

A new video reveals how standards of beauty in Germany have changed and evolved over the past 100 years as the nation went through two wars, divided and then united again.

In the film model Brooke Williams was made up like women from the 1910s all the way to the modern day, embracing trends including 1980s punk and a homage to iconic Rheinberg-born model Claudia Schiffer, who was hugely popular in the 1990s.

It's the latest in the video series from Seattle-based Cut.com which has already featured the changing face of beauty in America, Mexico, Italy, Korea and Iran. 

This decade was low-key and women usually had undone hair with just a touch of darker lipstick

This decade was low-key and women usually had undone hair with just a touch of darker lipstick

The minute-and-a-half clip opens with blonde-haired Brooke shown with a bare face and undone hair, ready to start her style journey.

A team of stylists and make-up artists then work their magic crimping and pinning her hair to create the modest semi up-do look popular in 1910.

A neutral smoky eye and brown-toned lipstick are applied and her hair is scooped up in a faux-bob.  

Then a white veil is draped over her hair since most women would only wear make-up for their wedding day.

To transform in a flapper girl, the style of the 1920s, Brooke is seen with a bob, with a Marcel wave. 

And to indicate the artistic flowering and licentious behaviour of the Weimar Republic, she is given Brooke rouge lipstick, dark arched brows and a brown shade on her eyelids.

In the prohibition-era it was all about glamour with pin-curl waves in a short bob and a red lip 

In the prohibition-era it was all about glamour with pin-curl waves in a short bob and a red lip 

In the 1930s , women kept their look natural and put hair up out of the way while working hard

In the 1930s , women kept their look natural and put hair up out of the way while working hard

The wartime era during WWII meant women were creative with their makeup to keep their spirits up

The wartime era during WWII meant women were creative with their makeup to keep their spirits up

The 1930s looks on the Youtube clip also reflects the politics of the time and the model's hair is pulled into two low plaits as it was the dawn of the Nazi era and women's appearance was usually kept natural. Her make-up is accentuated with a light pink lip.

The 1940s look has a strong military flavour and the model is styled with her hair in an up-do, bold red lipstick powder sculpts the cheekbones along with a natural blush.

Her look is topped off with a green military-style hat to complete the Second World War-era look.

Then in the post-War years as the nation was divided between and east and west, the beauty ideals between the two sides of Germany are seen changing. 

Women in 1950s West Germany looked like American teenagers with fringes, curled hair and lipstick
In the 1950s in East Germany women dressed modestly, with scarves on their hair

A short fringe with curly locks was the fashion in 1950s in the west (left) but more chic in the east (right)

Sixties style was more sultry in West Germany
Headbands, frosted lipstick and earrings became the rage in East Germany in the Sixties

In the 1960s women wore smoky eye make-up and wore sleek up-dos in the west (left) but in the east women opted for multiple accessories, teaming headbands with earrings

In the 1961 the Berlin wall was built, creating a physical divide across the entire country.

During this time the difference in styles of women on either side became even more pronounced.

In West Germany, women looked American with fringes, loose curled hair and red lipstick, while in the East hair was covered in a more modest, Grace Kelly-style scarf.

As the Sixties got underway, West German women were embracing chic bouffant up-dos with bold but simple lipstick and eyeshadow. 

But in the East, the trend was moving towards mixing hairbands and earrings with frosted pink lips and winged eyeliner. 

The Seventies saw a rise of women wearing long loose hair in the West, while in the East an overtly hippy-ish look was on the rise, demonstrated by Brooke wearing a headband of braided hair and going bare-faced.

In the West, the beauty ideal was similar to that in Britain of America, focusing on long wavy hair
East German women adopted hippy styles in the 1970s

In the 1970s, women in the west had a more androgynous look (left) and a more hippy vibe in the east (right)

West German women embraced the OTT ethos of Eighties Europe and America
East German teens rebelled by adopting punk fashions in the Eighties

The 1980s excess on both sides but more bright in the west (left) and punk style in the west (right)

The 1980s were known for their decadence and over-the-top style and Germany was no exception.

The most shocking look of the selection is the punk style for the east.

A heavy black eyeliner across her whole eye and winging out in a Cleopatra-style is applied with a fake nose ring, white powder and a purple lip.

But for the East it's a cheerier affair with a golden-bronzed face and a bright pink lipstick. The shaggy fringe and headband plus a gold chain all add to the excess celebrated in the western world.

In the 1990s, a smoky eye and fun hairstyle triumphed plus a love of lipliner for all

In the 1990s, a smoky eye and fun hairstyle triumphed plus a love of lipliner for all

Then in 1989 the two nations became one again when the Berlin Wall was pulled down.  

Brooke's laid-back bun, brown smoky eye and lipstick with a dark liner were typical of that time and evokes one of Germany's most famous models, Claudia Schiffer.

For the 2000s it's full-on glamour with a very golden colour, side-fringe and voluminous loose hair which progresses into a looser, less made-up look in the 2010s.

Without the heavy fringe and thick black Britney Spears-style eye-liner, Brooke looks like a fresh-faced low-maintenance European woman. 

Visit Cut.com's Facebook and Twitter pages.

A glamorous look inspired by model Claudia Schiffer for this era and heavy makeup 

A glamorous look inspired by model Claudia Schiffer for this era and heavy makeup 

Now make-up would be lighter and more natural with a touch of bronzed skin and tousled hair

Now make-up would be lighter and more natural with a touch of bronzed skin and tousled hair

 

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