Authentic vintage glamour with this rhinestone bracelet by Betsey Johnson. This pretty bracelet, part of Betsey’s Iconic Mesh Bows Collection, is now on sale — half price! Sale found via Shop It To Me.
Betsey Johnson Rhinestone & Chain Bracelet with Mesh Bows
I just discovered that one of my favorite films, Elmer Gantry (1960), will be on TCM today, Tuesday, January 31, 6:00 AM (ET). I’m going to be up to watch it because I haven’t yet purchased the DVD.
Starring Jean Simmons and Burt Lancaster (who won an Oscar for his role as Elmer Gantry), this is a powerful film about faith and fanaticism, foibles and fairness — but above all, it’s character-driven story about human character. It’s the best combination of issues to chew on and characters to consider, long after the film is over.
I love those sorts of stories.
Shirley Jones Seducing Burt Lancaster
In terms of fashion, the spotlight is on Shirley Jones (who also won an Oscar for her role of Lulu Bains) in classic lingerie, most notably visible in the scene in which Lulu attempts to seduce and shame Elmer. (Click the link to watch!)
What may have begun as the vengeful opportunistic act of a lover scorned (deflowered and left to prostitution) is quickly shown to be more complicated, exposing more than unfinished business but unrequited feelings between the two.
It’s brilliant stuff, really. Not what many may expect from the Shirley Jones they remember from The Partridge Family or know from musicals (although I cry every time I see Carousel).
But if you watch Elmer Gantry, this is precisely the sort of thing you learn to refrain from. For Jones’ performance as Lulu (as layered as anyone else’s in the movie), should teach you to look beneath the surface, what you think you know. The perceptions of “who and what Shirley Jones is” that the viewer brings to this classic film is, in this case, a layer of experience that only adds to this film.
In 1953, Marilyn Monroe was getting married — on screen — a lot. First in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and then in How To Marry a Millionaire. While the films played around with the ideas of gold digging women trying to marry men for money, both films centered on the notion that the best laid schemes of mice and men women are often run asunder by true love.
In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn delivers the punch about men and women to a disapproving father who doesn’t want his son trapped by a gold digger. As Lorelei Lee, Marilyn says, “Don’t you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn’t marry a girl just because she’s pretty, but my goodness, doesn’t it help?”
Jane Russell & Marilyn Monroe At The Alter
But in How To Marry a Millionaire, it’s Lauren Bacall’s character who is taught about love.
As Schatze Page, Bacall and Cameron Mitchell (playing the role of Tom Brookman) share an attraction. But it’s an attraction Schatze doesn’t want. She knows from prior marital experience that marrying a “gas pump jockey” for love isn’t a good investment. By the end of the film, Schatze just can’t go through with her wedding to the older wealthy man — she loves Tom!
Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable & Marilyn Monroe At The Alter
But the trick is on her, as Tom is uber wealthy — wealthier than the older man she left at the alter. This Schatze and her friends discover when they are eating at a diner and Tom pays the bill.
I’m guessing most of you know these films; they are not only classic, but wildly popular and shown on TV quite often. The main reason I write about these films is that a friend of mine is getting married and we’ve been talking wedding preparations. (Rather non-stop, actually; such is the way it goes with an engaged friend lol) During a recent discussion about wedding invitations, the subject of vintage wedding invites came up. When I showed her these invites with the classic cans tied to a car motif…
Vintage Styled Wedding Invites
I swear, she looked just like the cast of How To Marry A Millionaire making their discovery at the dinner!
Shock At The Dinner
In a good way, I assure you! Such instant shock and delight!
(…Though we aren’t sure if they will pass with the Mother of The Groom yet. *sigh* Weddings are a lot of work! Neither of these films covered those issues. *wink*)
PS Weren’t sheer floral lace wedding dresses popular in 1953!
Bacall's Sheer Lace Wedding Dress
Love turbans? They are great to pull out and wear this holiday season — not only glamorous, but who needs to worry about “hat hair” in cold weather when your turban stays on at the party? Right now, there’s a sale on Norma Kamali turbans: Buy one at $65, or get two for $115.
Of course, I’m partial to the gold lamé? How about you?
Designer Norma Kamali Turbans
One of the things about no longer being a paid columnist and being an independent fashion blogger is that you no longer have the discipline of writing on a schedule. That, folks, explains the irregular frequency of blogging. Feast and then famine — and today’s a feast. *wink*
Apparently I also lack discipline in other areas — like shoes. Finding vintage shoes may be difficult, but finding just the right pair of shoes to go with my vintage pieces is too much fun! Especially when I find shoe sales online!
One Day Shoe Sale At Macy's!
So I’m twirling away a day off, shopping for shoes online… Hey, I’m saving money! Not only with the sale, but by making sure I can — and will — wear all the outfits in my closet! *wink*
Giani Bernini Shoes, Marcela Comfort Flats, In Red
You’d think, as many times as I’ve watched it, I’d have learned something from The Red Shoes (1948):
Boris Lermontov: “The Ballet of The Red Shoes” is from a fairy tale by Hans Andersen. It is the story of a young girl who is devoured with an ambition to attend a dance in a pair of Red Shoes. She gets the shoes and goes to the dance. For a time, all goes well and she is very happy. At the end of the evening she is tired and wants to go home, but the Red Shoes are not tired. In fact, the Red Shoes are never tired. They dance her out into the street, they dance her over the mountains and valleys, through fields and forests, through night and day. Time rushes by, love rushes by, life rushes by, but the Red Shoes go on.
Julian Craster: What happens in the end?
Boris Lermontov: Oh, in the end, she dies.
The Large Cross Hinge Bangle Bracelet by Betsey Johnson is a classic big black bangle bracelet with a big Maltese Cross — and it’s on sale for just $35.99. (Sale found via my Sale Mail Alert from Shop It To Me.)
Betsey Johnson Black Bangle Bracelet Wih Maltese Cross
Check out the Bobbed-Hair Bimbos! Too charming!
Visit Hollywood homes at Christmas time, 1946.
Since vintage fashion lovers are familiar with auctions, check out this auction story from 1877.
Foundation garments, especially bras, are the foundation of any wardrobe, so check out A Slip Of A Girl‘s contest where she’s giving away five signed copies of bra fit expert Ali Cudby‘s book. You know Barbara Stanwyck was a believer in finding a proper bra fit!
Barbara Stanwyck: Discreet But Visible Bra Beneath Sheer Blouse
This post is inspired in part by those annoying commercials for brown “chocolate” diamonds (yuck!) and the passing of Liz Taylor. Too many people, in my real world, still only remember Liz from her White Diamonds perfume commercials. Yes, that means they recall the old Liz, the “fat” Liz, but they also are thinking of her in terms of the large more gaudy jewelry too.
White Diamonds Ad
When Liz launched White Diamonds, it was the end of 80s — and big hair still ruled. At least for the ruling class, the rich and mighty as shown on the small screen in shows like Dynasty. Big jewelry was required to balance out that hair and to show the opulence. But that is not the imagery I have in my mind of Liz…
Elegant Elizabeth Taylor
No, I recall the more elegant Elizabeth Taylor. One who’s jewelry was more refined, simple, and was in proportion not only to her hair, her wardrobe, her figure, but her person. She was the exquisite stone to be set off — not covered-up — by what she wore. It’s what we’d call a more classical look.
The Simple Elegance Of Liz Taylor
The great news about this is that with such demure proportions, nearly any fashionista, going for vintage glamour or not, can afford to have diamonds like Elizabeth Taylor.
Liz Taylor Wearing Chandelier Drop Earrings
White Gold Chandelier Drop Diamond Earrings
And you just know that with all of Liz’s glamour, she’s wearing sweet little diamond drop earrings or diamond studs — even if we can’t see them!
Elizabeth Taylor Glamorous In Red Dress & White Fur (Are Diamond Earrings Hiding There?)
Elizabeth Taylor: Natural Elegance
Image credits: While gold Chandelier drop diamond earrings like Elizabeth Taylor wore from Seven Seven Diamonds.
A simple — but heavily image laden — review of Twentieth Century (1934); Carole Lombard at her comedic and lingerie-wearing best. First in a bra and step-ins aka tap pants, then in the classic 1930s glamour gown.
Carole Lombard In Bra & Tap Pants
Carole Lombard 1930s Glamour
Hair and makeup artist Lexi DeRock has a book helping you get the looks: Decades of Style: A Step-by-Step Hair & Makeup Guide – 60s & 70s. Plus, now through Thanksgiving, she’s giving away one copy a day! She’s also giving 50% off and free shipping to the first 50 people who ask for it!
Decades of Style
