Femme fatale literally means "fatal woman" in French. According to the movie "Mildred's Novel" it can also mean "the kind of woman men want … but shouldn't have!" Have you ever seen women who are seductive, attractive, intelligent but a little mysterious and almost evil? Poison Ivy, Jessica Rabbit or Cat Woman, for example? Charm, mystery, class and a dark glamor are typical characteristics of the femme fatale. And you can become one too!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Appearance
Step 1. Dress like a femme fatale
If you want to be a true femme fatale, then you should wear dark, sexy and retro clothes. Choose clothes that are well cut and draw subtle attention to you in a refined way. Go for darker colors like black, brown or emerald green. Elegant clothes are also important; if you don't like yourself in a black cocktail dress, try another model. Pair your look with high heels, but make sure you know how to walk on them. Here are some clothes to try:
- Silk cocktail dresses
- A dark red dress
- Leather pants
- High-waisted dark wash jeans
- Fishnet tights
- A faux fur coat
Step 2. Wear a perfume that is distinctive
Not those girlish fruity sprays, but something sexy and seductive. Try something like sandalwood or lavender - men will remember you wherever you go. It is not necessary to exaggerate; a little bit of perfume on your neck will make you even more attractive.
If you don't like the scent, you can opt for some scented lotion instead
Step 3. Wear a seductive hairstyle
There are several hairstyles that can help you achieve the femme fatale look you are looking for. Bring your hair to one side, with a wave similar to Veronica Lake's. Having them very short is also a good alternative. Stick to intense, real hair colors, such as platinum blonde, dark brown, black or auburn and you'll be ready to seduce any man who crosses your path.
- Don't try to uncover the whole face. Dropping curls or waves on one side of your face can help keep some of your features shrouded in mystery.
- A longer bob cut at the front can give you a stern and mysterious look.
Step 4. Put on red lipstick
To be a true femme fatale, you need to know how to wear red lipstick. Just apply the lipstick that best suits your skin tone, perhaps with a stroke of lip liner to emphasize the design, and check every now and then to see if you need to reapply it. This is an essential part of the femme fatale look - you should work hard, even if you don't want to apply too many other makeup products.
Reapply lipstick only in the bathroom; don't let people see you if you don't want part of your mystery to vanish
Step 5. Put on the rest of the makeup
To get the makeup of a femme fatale, wear a pale foundation, put on some blush to give yourself some color, and work on getting that smoky eyes look. It will be enough to put dark eyeshadow, such as brown or gray, on the eyelids, use an eyeliner to trace the upper part of the eyelids and a black or dark mascara on the upper lashes to emphasize those long lashes. If you want to give your eyes an added cat-like effect, it can make you look even more seductive.
- Avoid wearing glittery makeup if you want to be a femme fatale. It might make you look too young and playful for that mysterious look you are looking for.
- You can also play with the false lashes for an added touch.
Step 6. Add the femme fatale accessories
The right accessories can be of great help if you want to be a femme fatale. Without exaggerating, you should find one or two details that make your appearance unique, seductive and mysterious. Here are some accessories with which to try to complete your femme fatale look:
- 1940s sunglasses
- A hat with a veil
- Black gloves
- Borsalini
- Fur collars
- Vintage outfit for applying lipstick
- Classic diamond or pearl earrings
Part 2 of 3: Personality
Step 1. Be mysterious
Don't let everyone know what you are feeling or what is going on. It is the mystery that reveals the charm of the femme fatale. If you need to get away from your aunt's birthday party, you need to say that you have an urgent event to attend so that people wonder what it is all about. If you get a text message from your mom, don't tell others who you are talking to; the more details you keep to yourself, the more you leave room for imagination.
- Make people work hard to learn about you (whether you have siblings or not or what you are studying). If you reveal too many details of your life, you will not be mysterious.
- Even if it's a bad day for you, don't put all your complaints out there. Learn to have inner strength and strong will, without letting people see you as a whine. Keep things mysterious instead of detailing every little thing that went wrong for you today.
Step 2. Be smart
Being educated is something that sets you apart from the flock. Having a nice brain increases your sex appeal. Never be afraid to show your brains or to date men who like an interesting, intelligent woman who isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. Be proud of how hard you work, how much you read, and how well you do in school. Your intelligence will be another trait that will attract men in droves.
- Don't be afraid to challenge people. Affirm your ideas and support them strongly. You are smart enough to do it.
- Don't think that acting like an inept girl takes you very far. Instead, make it a goal to show everyone that you know your business.
Step 3. Be sexy but not vulgar
Femme fatales are known for how sexy and seductive they are, but that doesn't mean they have to be vulgar. In the words of the great Bette Davis, "I often think that a slightly exposed shoulder emerging from a long satin nightgown is more sensual than two naked bodies in bed." You can show off your legs a little, wear low-cut tops, or show off your gorgeous backside, but make sure you leave something to the imagination as well.
- A femme fatale doesn't need to wear extra low-cut clothes, because her personality and the way she behaves will do that job for her. It will be the sexy, mysterious and seductive behavior that will attract men.
- Leaving something to the imagination is part of the mystery that will make men so attracted to you.
- If you wear a lower-cut top, combine it with a classic skirt and vice versa.
Step 4. Always put yourself first
In the words of Katherine Hepburn, "If you always do what interests you, at least one person will be happy." If you want to be a true femme fatale, you can't let anyone else determine your self-esteem or happiness. Work by doing the things you love and pursuing what makes you happy. Don't give in to friends in need, bossy men, or rude bosses. Make it clear that you come first and that everyone else comes later.
- Remind yourself that your self-esteem is what will attract men to you. Don't think the trick is to adore them.
- While it's good to take care of others, never stop taking care of yourself because you think another is more important than you.
Step 5. Be charming
A femme fatale is more than a pretty face. He has an infinitely charming personality. If you want to be a femme fatale, then you have to work hard. He has to read the papers, keep you up to date on politics and pop and culture, master another language, or just do whatever he can to make you an interesting person to talk to. Men will not like you just for your mystery and charm and they will be drawn to how charming you are.
- This doesn't mean you have to talk too much or tell everything you know. It means you can be edgy and witty and stand out in conversation as someone who knows their stuff.
- Being charming is not just having knowledge; it's also about knowing how to keep a person's interest and how to find something exciting to talk about. Every person is different and you need to be aware of what interests them before you start talking.
Step 6. Try to have a sense of humor
You don't have to be dark and serious all the time if you want to be a femme fatale. You can learn to laugh at yourself and have a bright mind and the ability to make clever jokes to keep a conversation going. Some of the greatest femme fatales are known for their funny and incisive comments, such as Ingrid Bergman's words: "Happiness is good health and a bad memory". Strive to look at the world through a smart lens and don't believe you have to be stone to be a femme fatale.
- In fact, your sense of humor should be one of the things that makes you charming as a femme fatale. Try to take advantage of it as much as possible.
- If a man says something funny to you, don't just laugh by saying, "Funny!". Instead, focus on an equally humorous comment.
Step 7. Be independent
To be a true femme fatale, you have to depend on you and you alone. Don't spend your time pining for men you don't really care about or waiting for your friends to call you back to go have fun. You have to be happy and have fun alone if you want to be a femme fatale. Work to have your personal interests - whether it be singing or belly dancing - and make sure you dedicate time to your personal growth and self-improvement. A true femme fatale doesn't need anyone else to be happy.
- You can have romantic relationships with people, but you always have to make time for yourself. Even if you're dating the man of your dreams, you don't have to get too addicted to him.
- You need to have your own goals and dreams, but don't let anyone get in your way. Don't let a man change your mind about your career or abilities.
Part 3 of 3: Attitude
Step 1. Speak in a seductive voice
Make your voice low and attractive, but not creepy. Strive to speak in a softer, lower, more seductive way. Don't mumble and make sure you articulate your words without them sounding too formal. Avoid saying "um" or "uh" and speak with conviction. A femme fatale does not like to repeat herself. Make sure you know what you are talking about and let those words come out in the sexiest way possible.
Listen to Scarlett Johansson or Joan Crawford for an example of this type of voice
Step 2. Wander around mysterious places
You don't have to go anywhere that doesn't make you feel safe, but you should still spend time in more interesting, less predictable places. This is the best way to meet more interesting people, after all. Try a dark and creative coffee shop, a clandestine night club or bar, or even a quirky antique shop. Do not make it obvious when you enter or leave a new place and commit to having a provocative gait when entering or exiting the rooms.
- Choose places with less lighting to help keep your image dark and mysterious. It's hard to be a femme fatale under fluorescent lights.
- Don't be trivial. Find a place you like, but it doesn't have to be just any place or you can get a little too predictable.
Step 3. Watch old movies for inspiration
Femme fatales made a name for themselves in the 1940s - watching some movies with these seductive ladies can help you get an idea of how to look and act. Mildred Pierce is a great start. Classic 1940s noir films can help you draw inspiration, such as films like 'Double Indemnity' (1944), 'Naked City' (1948) and 'Kiss of Death' (1947). Watch as much as you can and learn.
You can also follow some more modern femme fatales, like Fiona Apple in the music video "Criminale" or Curve in "Chinese Burn". But don't let these images define you - each femme fatale puts their own interpretation on her image
Step 4. Choose a drink that characterizes you
Femme fatales are known to have a drink they order whenever they're out. It doesn't matter what it is, but it should be consistent and impress others with your resolve. It can be a glass of Merlot, a particular aperitif, an iced whiskey or even just a glass of iced tea with a sprig of mint inside. You have to order it firmly without wasting time consulting the drinks list.
- Avoid overly girly or fruity drinks like a Cosmo, Sex on the Beach, or Piña Colada if you want to be taken seriously.
- You may also want to avoid drinks known to get people drunk fast, like Margaritas.
Step 5. Show yourself a lady
To be a true femme fatale, you should be a true lady. Treat yourself and the people around you with respect, use dignified manners, and make sure you appear confident. A real lady doesn't show herself too drunk in public, she doesn't rant and doesn't reveal too much personal information to someone she just met. Act with dignity and composure and the rest will follow.
- To be a real lady, you need to be fair within reason. You don't have to be all buttoned up and demure, but you also don't have to push people, leave trash everywhere, or make prying noises without apologizing.
- Stand up straight with good posture. Ladies don't tend to have a sagging posture or sit undignified. Having good posture shows that you have confidence and balance.
Step 6. Don't open up too fast
Femme fatales are known for their veil of mystery. You can open up to a man little by little, but you should have him work to get to know you. Don't tell him every little thing you need to know about your childhood, your five favorite foods, or every little detail of your school experience. Instead, he gradually reveals information about you, so that a man wants to have the privilege of getting to know you.
- Take your time. When the opportunity presents itself, you can talk about how you grew up in Florence or your love for archery. But don't tell it all at once or the element of mystery will vanish.
- Make sure he talks to you about himself too. You certainly don't want to be the only one to confide in.
Step 7. Don't let a man determine your worth
A femme fatale doesn't sit at home crying because her man doesn't call her back. She does not feel sorry for herself if a careless man makes a haughty comment about her. She doesn't allow anyone to tell her who she is. You can enjoy dating men, playing with them, seducing them or even falling in love with them, but don't let them determine your self-esteem. The true femme fatale knows that no one can rob her of the power she possesses.
- True femme fatales have a healthy dose of confidence. Make a commitment to love who you are and to accept the things you cannot change about yourself. If you are unsure who you are, then it will be easier for a man to bring you down.
- If a guy hurts your feelings, take some time to let your emotions out, tell a friend about it, and then get away from it. Don't deny what you feel and don't let it stop you from fully recovering. When you have looked your emotions in the face, you can get rid of any feelings of pain and inadequacy.
Advice
- Be authentic. It's okay to take some advice, but don't get carried away.
- Maintain a certain charm. To be "mysterious" it is enough to be discreet and calm. Mysterious people are very interesting and can get acquainted with famous and appropriate quotes; speak in a sensual way, with a touch of superiority; they are never direct or immature; you have a brain and you need to know how to use it while remaining a person of class. Never be unpleasant by trespassing. Those who are mysterious do not engage in the false behavior that aims only to show themselves off. Maintain an elegant and poised bearing and remember: every move, from taking off a glove to lighting a cigarette can seduce a man. Never worry about social morality: a femme fatale is amoral, like a cat.
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Remember famous phrases such as:
- "I'd rather be hated for myself than loved for someone I'm not," Kurt Cobain.
- "In life, nothing is to be feared but rather understood."
- "When life goes wrong, it's your karma. When you find a remedy, it's your mission."
- "If it's wrong, then I don't want to be right."
- "Whoever is in hell wants ice water."
- "I may not like you every day, but I will always love you."
- "Well, maybe you can save your lessons for a convention."
- Person 1: "Be careful making these malicious comments." Person 2: "Why?" Person 1: "Just be careful." Person 2: "Because you have nothing smart to argue with."
- "Be same. The others have already been taken."
- "Carpe Diem. A Latin phrase to say 'seize the moment' (ie live as if there was no tomorrow and you will have no regrets)."
- "Never mention that you are taking a computer class."
Warnings
- Do not be Cruel! Femme fatales usually end up killing or destroying the man they love or his life. Be a femme fatale without being literally fatal.
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So, as the next femme fatale, be wise about taking advice. If you really want to become that, you need to have a brain of your own and clear ideas about what a femme fatale is. If you need a guide, watch movies from the 1920s; women at the time knew how to be voluptuous and ALL women. Neither was a frustrated housewife hiding behind their husbands.
Don't be an "easy" girl. A femme is always a classy woman
- If you want to look deeper, find quotes from Darwin or Aristotle. Some of the ones mentioned above are not actual quotes, just idioms.
- If there is another woman around, try to pay attention to her enough not to create friction, but not too much attention to leave aside the needs of the man you are trying to seduce. If you focus too much on another woman in front of the man you want to charm, she may start to find her interesting as well and you will lose what you have achieved.
- The above quotes are classic and extremely commercial (Hollywood). They will work depending on the type of person you are trying to attract (superficial and traditional).
