100 Unforgettable Dresses

Stuart Mesires and Hal Rubenstein

I just finished reading Hal Rubenstein's book, 100 Unforgettable Dresses. Rubenstein is a fashion writer and a founding editor of InStyle magazine. His book was published this past October but he was in Chicago a few weeks ago for a book signing event in conjunction with the Chicago History Museum's Costume Council.

The book and his talk were like a trip down memory lane. Where were you when you first saw this dress....

Elizabeth Hurley wearing Gianni Versace, 1994

or this one...

J Lo wearing Donatella Versace, 2000

Other dresses from the book are imprinted in our brains as iconic even if we weren't around to see them when they first made an appearance such as...

Diane Von Furstenberg 1978 in her own wrap dress

or this..

Marilyn Monroe wearing the "Happy Birthday" dress by Jean Louis in 1962 

Rubenstein said that the criteria for including a dress in the book was not if the dress was beautiful. He explained that the book was not called "100 Beautiful Dresses" and that he didn't even like all of the dresses in the book. Instead he decided to include dresses that changed our perception of beauty. The book is a great read and doesn't just include pretty pictures, it also contains amazing stories of some of the century's most significant fashion moments.

What's your most unforgettable dress?

Mad for Mad Men

I was beyond thrilled on Sunday night to see the season five premiere episode of Mad Men! It did not disappoint. The drama was great and the outfits were ah-mazing!

"Zou Bisou Bisou". Megan's mod dress, hair, accessories, and shoes were perfect.

I loved Peggy's dress with the black and white trim.

Pete's madras jacket and skinny tie were very hip, as was the pink psychedelic print on Trudy's dress - love the cuff treatment.

My favorite outfit of the evening was Megan's coral knit dress with the matching jacket - very reminiscent of a Marc Jacob's outfit and the color is very on trend for Spring 2012. Can't wait to see what's in store for next week!

Happy First Day of Spring!

I love this Slim Aarons photo of a Spring Garden Party in Miami from 1970.

Think Pink!

British Vogue

With all of the pink that's being shown for Spring, I just can't stop thinking of the song, 'Think Pink' from the 1957 musical movie, Funny Face.  The movie starred Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, and Kay Thompson.  While I'm generally not a huge fan of musicals, I love this one - mostly because of the luscious costumes that were designed by the legendary costume designers, Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy. The two received an Academy Award nomination for "Best Costume Design" for their work in the movie.

Kay Thompson (who is best known as being the author of the Eloise books) is the one who sings, 'Think Pink' in the movie. She plays Audrey Hepburn's bossy boss, Fashion Editor, Maggie Prescott.

Kay Thompson in Funny Face

Here are the lyrics to 'Think Pink':

Think pink! think pink! when you shop for summer clothes

Think pink! think pink! if you want that quel-que chose
Red is dead, blue is through,
Green's obscene, brown's taboo
And there is not the slightest excuse
for plum or puce or chartreuse
Think pink! forget that Dior says black and rust
Think pink! who cares if the new look has no bust
Now I wouldn't presume to tell a woman
what a woman oughtta think
But tell her if she's gotta think: think pink!

Pink for bags! pink for shoes!
Razzle, dazzle and spread the news!
And pink's for the lady with joie de vive!
Pinks for all the family
Try pink shampoo
Pink toothpaste too
Play in pink, all day in pink,
Pretty gayin pink
Drive in pink, come alive in pink
Have a dive in pink
Go out dancing but just remember one thing:
You can get a little wink
If you got a little pink
In your swing

 

Think pink! think pink, it's the latest word, you know

Think pink! think pink and you're Michelangelo

 

 Everything on the great horizon

Everything that you can think

- and that includes the kitchen sink

THINK PINK!

Happy Birthday Givenchy

Hubert de Givenchy at work.  Image: museudelperfum.com

Happy Birthday Hubert de Givenchy! 

Givenchy was born this day in 1927. He is a fashion designer who has dressed some of the most iconic stars of the 20th century including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Wallis Simpson and of course his muse, Audrey Hepburn. 

Givenchy had a long friendship with Hepburn which began on the movie set of "Sabrina" in 1953 and continued until her death in 1993. Givenchy created Hepburn's wardrobes for almost all of the movies she made after Sabrina. He also designed clothing for Hepburn's personal wardrobe and was responsible for creating her signture look.

Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy in the 1970's.

Happy Valentine's Day/YSL Hearts

Some of my favorite Valentines cards are actually New Year's cards created by Yves Saint Laurent and sent to members of his close circle of friends. He created the cards for 30 years and always incorporated the word "love" in them.

His earliest cards were pen and ink drawings.

His later cards were often collages

Polly Mellen, a former fashion editor at Vogue Magazine for 28 years, was a close friend of Saint Laurent, and displays her treasured cards en masse ... in her powder room! 

Vogue, April 2009

Love and hearts were seen not only in Saint Laurent's cards but were also a leitmotif in his designs. 

Hearts could be seen in Saint Laurent's clothing designs ...........

Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1987 collection. Wool suit with red satin heart lapel.

1980s suit jacket

.....and in his jewelry designs.

1985 Yves Saint Laurent earrings.

Yves Saint Laurent 1980s earrings.

Bride at the end of Yves Saint Laurent's 1983 couture runway show wearing his signature heart shaped pendant necklace.

Happy Valentine's Day! Be sure to wear your heart on your sleeve! oxoxoxo

Happy Birthday Fleur!

Fleur Cowles in 2003 at her apartment in London, wearing vintage Balenciaga.

Happy Birthday Fleur Cowles! 

Cowles would have been 104 today. She was born on January 20, 1908 in New Jersey and died June 5, 2009 in London. Cowles was a true original. She was described in a 2010 Town & Country article as being "petite, perfectly coiffed, and flamboyantly chic". She was never seen without her signature amber-tinted, oversized horn rimmed glasses and was know for dressing in bold prints and huge, antique statement jewelry.

But Cowles was best known for founding Flair magazine in 1950 in New York. Even though the magazine only lasted a year, it was a landmark publication that left an indelible mark on publishing history and is still considered by many to be one of the most innovative magazines in the history of publishing.

First issue of Flair Magazine.

Flair introduced a new form of magazine. It covered fashion, travel, art, decor, and literature - something that had never been done before.

Seven page feature in Flair by Salvador Dali that includes multiple die-cut images of his surreal imagery.

Flair's contributors included artists such as Salvador Dali, Rene Gruau, Lucien Freud, Edgar Degas, Jean Cocteau, and Saul Steinberg. It featured articles written by acclaimed writers such as W.H. Auden and Tennessee Williams. Flair also included contributions by such famous personalities as Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Saul Steinberg pull-out for Flair Magazine.

Flair was a pioneer in it's day not only for it's content but also for it's innovative design such as see through die-cut covers and pop-up pictures. This was to be the magazine's downfall. While it sold well on the newsstand, it was too expensive to produce.

Fleur Cowles in the 1950s.

In 1955 Cowles moved to London with her fourth husband, British timber tycoon Tom Montague Meyer. She became a doyenne of English Society. She was known for her dinner parties and counted among her friends everyone from Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, and Salvador Dali to the Queen Mother and Winston Churchill.

Painting by Fleur Cowles from the 1960s.

Cowles went on to become a painter, author, and philanthropist among other things.

In 1975 Limoges Denby created a china pattern using Cowles paintings. The pattern was called 'Jardin de Fleurs' and featured her beautifully rendered flowers and insects. 

Cowles was truly an inspiring woman!