Based on the novel by Walter Tevis, Netflix's new limited series The Queen's Gambit is the story of chess genius Beth Harmon (Aniya Taylor-Joy (open in new tab)), her addiction to drugs, success, and the game she loves. Fascinating, deep, and dark, it is a master class in historical storytelling, and beauty is at the top of its syllabus. Danielle Parker, the show's hair and makeup designer, tells us how she brought the iconic beauty trends of the 50s and 60s to life on set.

The cropped bangs that Young Bess (played by Ira Johnston) wears may look dingy on a child, but they are accurate for this era. 'These bangs are not meant to flatter. They were practical in the orphanage: 'Come here and I'll cut your hair for you. "I found some old photos of little kids with this cut, and the look was either severe or completely charming. I wanted the young girls in the show to have a mix of harshness and loveliness"

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One of the fellow orphans, Jolene (played by Moses Ingram), had a more unique look. According to Parker, Ingram's natural hair was styled for young Jolene's scenes, and a wig was used for Jolene's adult years.

"Trying to get historical references on black hair is very, very difficult in Europe, so when I came to New York I went deep into this big library and said, 'This is what I'm looking for. ' They were really nice and found all this wonderful literature on black culture and beauty in the 50s and 60s for Jolene's look"

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Parker used lip color to signify Beth's changing age and to indicate shifting relationships and behaviors. He said, "The lips, along with the eyelashes, can soften what the character is doing and how she is behaving. Every color was planned specifically for each scene and each age," Parker says. Toward the end of the film, Beth's shades resemble her shades as an ode to her second mother. It all helps to tell the story and translate the character without (the audience's) knowledge"

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Beth's mental state is consistently reflected in her appearance, and in this case, her eyeliner is an indicator of the inner chaos that the pill brings. Parker explains that during Beth's most boisterous spree, she attempted to adopt the pop singer's aesthetic, but failed spectacularly.

"Beth gets incredibly drunk while dancing to Shocking Blue's 'I'm Your Venus' and pulls on a bit of outrageous eyeliner to look like (lead singer) Mariska Velez. The next day, she decides to do this makeup again, and she does it incredibly badly," Parker laughs. For a makeup artist, it's really hard to do makeup that looks bad. It goes against the grain. Coincidentally, floating liners (opens in new tab) made a major comeback this year.

Among the historical inspirations Parker used to construct Beth's persona, Wood was a guiding light, especially with regard to the character's hairstyle. Wigs were used on set and styled overnight with rollers to maintain the waves that were popular in the 1960s.

"There's nothing typical about Beth, but we're talking here about real classic makeup from the 1950s and '60s, like eyeliner, lipstick, and hair," he says. (The team's nickname for this wig is "Fucking Drop Dead Gorgeous," Parker says.) This look is more mature, more assured, and the most feminine in the series. It emphasizes her overwhelming presence in a room full of men. It is an exercise in defiance, and more than ever, this feminine energy is respected rather than underestimated. She is feared by her opponents, admired by her fans, and respected by her peers.

"Her hair was beautifully satin and her makeup was very, very sexy and red. Everything was done simply to look 'drop dead gorgeous'"