You may feel that you never have to see another picture of Lauren Bacall in your life, but I for one never get tired of looking at her. Most actresses of her generation were dressed by costume designers and film studios in a glamorous yet cliché “movie star” kind of way, and her on set and promotional photographs convey that. But I am most interested in her more candid, personal photos, especially the ones with her children...
As Oprah would say, and I do love her (still), I recently had a “full circle moment.”
When I was working for Patrick Demarchelier in my late teens and early 20’s, I was never not completely in awe of the people we photographed. There were the obvious ones – like Madonna, Janet Jackson, Warren Beatty and every single supermodel under the sun, but even the lesser known ones – whether it be a 90-year-old sculptor, a newly crowned basketball star, or an aboriginal child – captured my interest...
Gaia Repossi’s classic minimalist style is a personal favorite of mine. It might be the fact that she owns all the Celine pieces I covet, or that she knows how to wear it in a way that is down to earth, yet just fashion-forward enough. There is also her timeless and natural feline-like beauty and the contrasting tomboy-like way she puts herself together. And then there is the jewelry she designs for her family’s jewelry company Repossi, which has become the fashion world’s favorite. I would buy every piece of her Berbere collection if I could. Keep on eye on her – she’s going to be around for a while.
There are lots of amazing pictures of Marisa Berenson wearing a turban – you know the ones of her in the matching purple bikini, eyeshadow and turban, or the similar green version with the clear plastic bikini straps? Or maybe you know the Warhol photos of her with the hibiscus stuck into her turban? They are truly over-the-top fashion fabulous. But my favorite turban shot of her is this one. I probably like it because, well, I’m not saying I would ever wear a turban myself, but if I did…..this..
With all the vintage photography out there on the internet, it’s rare for me these days to discover a new style icon. So it’s a real thrill when I do. The other day I stumbled across a picture of a very chic girl that I included in my paisley post. I hadn’t heard of her before, so I did some more research, with exciting results. Her name was Henrietta Joan Tiarks and when she married, she received two grand titles – Marchioness of Tavistock and Duchess of Bedford...
Maybe it’s the bohemian in me coming out now that I live in the countryside, but I have never been more into paisley. It started with an antique Indian paisley tapestry that my mother handed down to me this past summer. I found the perfect spot for it covering an upholstered ottoman in my living room, and it now pulls together all the other colors in the room and adds the perfect touch of ethnic romance to the otherwise traditional English countryside look...
Couldn’t you see this girl from 1940 posing outside of a fashion show for all the bloggers? Her look is so ahead of its time. I wonder if it seemed that way then?
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There is that constant current of melancholy in most photographs of Joan Didion that sometimes makes me question why I am such of fan of them. At best she looks subdued, while in the most extreme she looks tortured and hopelessly sad. In her older years it’s as if that sadness within her came to express itself physically in the lines on her face and the thinness of her body. Yet because she has so honestly shared her sorrows with us, I feel protective and empathetic towards her.
And then there is her style, which is restrained and unselfconscious, but so elegant nonetheless. It looks easy to dress that simply, but it actually takes a lot of discipline to so precisely narrow down what works for you and even more discipline to stick with it. To me she represents the very best of intelligent, courageous and chic American women.
Usually on Fridays I post something about life here on the farm in England, but the next post I want to write on that subject requires a bit more time, and I am just back from London. SO – I will do that post on Monday, and today I will leave you with three photos of Charlotte Rampling that demonstrate that she is quite possibly the most beautiful woman that ever lived. ..
