Dita Von Teese shares her beauty tricks with the masses in her new book, “Your Beauty Mark.” One of the guide’s standouts is the stunning photo of the burlesque star’s 65-year-old mother, Bonnie Lindsey, who taught her daughter how to perfect the ’30s-style half-moon manicure. We talked to Von Teese, 43, about how they keep chic in the family.
How has your mother influenced your style?
She loves old movies, and we spent weekends watching them. The Technicolor musicals of the 1940s were like cartoons for me.
Is there anything your mother would want you to do differently in terms of your style?
No — my grandmother scolded me once for not wearing stockings, but that’s about it.
When did your mother teach you the half-moon manicure, in which the curve of the cuticle is left bare?
Around 1992, when I began flirting with retro-style glamour, I collected a bunch of images with this manicure. Carmen Miranda and Marlene Dietrich favored moons. I brought them to my mother, and we figured out the best way to achieve the effect. People not in the know used to think my nails had grown out.
How would you compare your mom’s style with yours?
My mother prefers streamlined classics, from her understated silhouettes to her bobbed ’do. We share in our casual dress, wearing capri pants with ballet flats and cardigan sweaters.
Do you ever borrow clothes from each other?
For galas, she’s worn a few of my dresses. She also borrows a handbag or pair of shoes. I’ve had my eye on the Chanel handbag I bought her — I don’t have one!