Chicago chic

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger might get top billing, but it is another star - the glamour - that steals the show in the new movie Chicago, which opens nationwide on Friday. The long-awaited film version of the West End and Broadway hit is set in the roaring 20s - a low point for Chicago chorus girl Roxie Hart (Zellweger), who shoots her unfaithful lover, but a high point for style.

The two female leads get to wear the sexiest silky black and platinum sheath and flapper dresses, dressed up to the nines with sequins and pearls. Their sleek bobs are either finger-waved or shiny as glass, their eyes are smoky, their lips are scarlet and their eyelashes are longer than the average Hollywood career. In other words, they look flippin', flappin' fantastic.

Even Richard Gere, as attorney and king of the old razzle dazzle Billy Flynn, looks the business in his sharp suits, which are just about sharp enough to give his murderess client Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and her razor sharp tongue a run for their money.

You would have to have been living in a cardboard box on a desert island in the middle of nowhere not to have heard of Chicago, but did you know that this fact-based story was originally a silent movie filmed in 1927? The film starred Phyllis Haver as Roxie Hart. She was a Max Factor starlet at the time and Mr Max - yes, there was such a person - created the first false eyelashes for her to wear in the pivotal role.

When it came to the 21st century remake, perhaps it is not surprising that Hollywood turned to Jordan Samuel, Max Factor's newest make-up artist, to create the spectacular looks for the new all-singing, all-dancing version of this visual extravaganza.

The only person he didn't get his hands on was Catherine Zeta-Jones, whose exclusive contract with Elizabeth Arden meant she couldn't get a touch up from anyone else (in the nicest possible way of course).

Style pundits are already predicting that the film will spark a major renaissance in 1920s uber-glamour, dominated by fishnet stockings, beads, fringing and more little black dresses than you can shake a sequinned stick at.

But will it also rekindle our interest in smoky, sultry make-up: heavy on the lashes and the lips?

Jordan Samuel thinks it will - and has a few tips for those of us sassy enough to give the Chicago look a try.

"Blonde Roxie is all sooty lashes and crimson lips," he said. "This look wouldn't be authentic without a porcelain 1920s' complexion."

Try Facefinity Compact to create a long-lasting, powder-perfect finish and, to define the eyes, draw a line of Earth Spirits Eyeshadow in Angel Eyes along the upper lashes and blend really well.

"Lashes are key to Roxie's look," Jordan continued. "It's very easy for black mascara to look too strong and heavy on blondes, so try More Lashes to give you great separation and length - even in black."

Complete the look with well-defined lips. Hyperfull volumising lipstick in Voluptuous is perfect as it plumps up your lips nicely and gives you a full, shapely pout.

"The Chicago look is pure glamour," said Jordan. "Keep to a colour palette of red, white, grey and black, add loads of lashes and you can't go wrong."

Unless of course you shoot your errant lover and end up in the clink doing high kicks with Michael Douglas's missus. But that would just be silly.

Updated: 10:30 Tuesday, January 14, 2003