This week, the world lost a Broadway legend. Chita Rivera passed away in New York at the age of 91. An actress, dancer, and singer, she has been nominated for a Tony Award 10 times (winning two of them) and received a Kennedy Center Honor Award in 2002 for her lifetime achievement in theater in 2018. It won a special Tony Award.Anita’s west side story, This Afro-Puerto Rican actress was an inspiration to those within the Latinx community and beyond.
Rivera also shined on and off screen, sporting an attention-grabbing hairstyle and makeup. What’s more, she takes inspiration from the striking stage makeup she’s worn for most of her life and continues to maintain her own signature look, even as other trends come and go. I stuck to this style. Her style and looks not only kept eyes glued to her during her shows, but were also what defined her character. In fact, her unique appearance became the basis for all subsequent performances. west side storythe groundbreaking 1961 film and its long-awaited remake in 2021.
Co-starring with Chita Rivera (right), Paula Kelly (left), and Shirley MacLaine (center) sweet charity.
(Image credit: Alamy)
Of course, Rivera was talented and had an incredible charm that made her contemporaries and audiences alike adore her. However, she was incredibly savvy when it came to her beauty, and she knew how to tweak her look to remain the star of the show long after her curtain call was over. Below, we take a closer look at Rivera’s signature beauty looks, from her perky hair to her amazing makeup.
pinned curls
Chita Rivera and Ken LeRoy co-star in stage production west side story.
(Image source: Getty Images)
Rivera was of Puerto Rican descent on his father’s side, and of African, Irish, and Scottish descent on his mother’s side. As a result, she had gorgeous curls, which she kept short and pinned to her head during appearances. west side story. This look was all the rage in the mid-’20s, worn by actresses from Marilyn Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor, and returned in the 1980s with a slightly different, fuller figure. This chic, voluminous look became a staple of Anita’s look. west side story, Major actresses from Rita Moreno to Ariana DeBose have imitated the look of their own portrayals of the iconic characters.
This style is perfect for short hair like Rivera’s, but to copy it, simply curl your wet hair with traditional curlers and pin it to your scalp. Let it cure for a few hours (or overnight!) and apply hairspray before removing the curlers. You can also create a mock pixie cut by wearing the style loose or using bobby pins to pull the ends of your hair closer to your scalp.
bright red lipstick
Chita Rivera on the red carpet with John Kander on opening night of the musical The life of Chita Rivera the Dancer.
(Image credit: Alamy)
Red lipstick always screams glamor, and that’s certainly what Rivera has channeled throughout her illustrious career. Of course, while Rivera was appearing in Broadway shows, she often had to wear bright red lipstick. sweet charity, But she clearly loved the look, as she wore it off stage as well. Her favorite shades of red include traditional fire engine scarlet and summery red infused with orange hues.
bold pink blush
(Image credit: Alamy)
Rivera now favors an overall rosy look, pairing her signature red lip with bright pink cheeks that give her a youthful glow no matter her age. The bold colors of the performer’s daily makeup palette reflect her days on stage, where all her makeup had to be so striking that it could be seen throughout the theater. While current trends call for blush to be placed high on the cheekbones, Rivera stuck to the classic habit of dabbing pigment on the apples of her cheeks, giving her a timeless girly blush. To easily achieve this look, simply smile in the mirror and apply blush to the soft, rounded apples of your cheeks, which bulge out as you laugh.
kohl line eyes
(Image credit: Alamy)
Eyeliner trends do come and go. For the past 10 years, most people have been using liquid eyeliner to draw a thick black line only on the upper eyelid. But Rivera stuck to her preferred method, applying a thick line of kohl to both the upper lid and lower corner of the eye, complemented with light blue, silver, or white eyeshadow. This method certainly makes the actress’ eyes stand out, and she most often accentuates her look with a few coats of black mascara that curls her eyelashes all the way to the top, making her look awake and alert. did.
pixie cut
Chita Rivera attends the Evening Standard Drama Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1962.
(Image source: Getty Images)
When you’re dancing and performing like Rivera, you don’t have the time (or patience) for hair to get in the way. Although Rivera has dabbled in other haircuts, such as bob and lob, she is best known for her chic pixie cut, which extends just below her ears and has a wavy, semi-straight look (seen above). ) or with natural tight curls. Her curls Her hairstyle always looked voluminous, no matter which style she chose. This is helped by her signature choppy layers.
hairy layers
Chita Rivera poses with the Beatles, along with Mike Winters and Bernie Winters.
(Image credit: Alamy)
Whether she wore a boy cut, pixie, or lob, Rivera always opted for layers to add an extra touch to her dark, shiny hair. amazing. She’s sometimes used some of her bangs as bangs, like when she met the Beatles in the playful photo above, or left her hair loose and spiky like Joan Jett.