Code Name Hélène

Elizabeth Arden Victory Red lipstick is a symbol of Nancy’s femininity and strength. Lawhon notes that Nancy’s use of lipstick in the novel is based on documented facts. She says that Nancy “was a devoted fan of Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, and I am certain—though I cannot prove it—that she wore Victory Red, the shade commissioned by the U.S. military for female service members” (444-45). In the novel, Nancy describes it as “the color of war and confidence and freedom” (8). She thinks of it as her armor, which is why, before going into any difficult situation, Nancy applies lipstick to boost her confidence.

Nancy’s use of lipstick is also a demonstration of how she maintains her humanity amid war. Even though Nancy is in a masculine environment, sleeping in a bus and rarely bathing as bombs fall around her, wearing lipstick is a way that she can maintain her glamour and beauty. The name of the color itself, Victory Red, is also a symbol of the hope Nancy feels that their effort will eventually triumph over the German invasion and win the war.