Happy Birthday, Lauren!!

Lauren Bacall

September 16, 1924

Happy birthday, you amazing lady!! :')

Photos For (hopefully!!) Autographs!

EEP! I am sooooooooo excited!! Really, really, really!!!! I just bought 12 photos in a BOGOF offer on Movie Market, and I'm so hyped! I decided to treat myself, because I just got some money and, also, I've been wanting to buy some photos to send for autographs for a loooong time. So, I finally bought them! YAY! Anyone who isn't so insane as I am would probably say that I went a bit OTT, which is why I'm not saying how much I spent (also, I don't like talking about money...it makes me uncomfortable...). I will say how much I saved with the offer though. I saved, wait for it....wait for it...*drum roll*...nearly £25!! The postage was also incredibly cheap, and they have so many gorgeous photos, posters etc. etc. that I could have spent all day browsing! I advise you to get over there straight away! (:

(Only the 10x8" photos are BOGOF, but it is really good value in my opinion. Oh, and it's for a limited time only, so just go on and check it out and see if there's anything that catches your fancy! (;)

I'll show you the photos I bought, in the order that I hope to send them! I had to switch and swap some photos several times after reading that Maureen O'Hara only signs one photo (so, if you're intending writing to her, don't include more than one photo!), after finding out that no one has had a "success" with Zsa Zsa Gabor for a long time (she is in her 90s though...it's understandable that she wouldn't want to be hassled with fan mail), and after also discovering that no one seems to have received anything back from Deanna Durbin for a while. I probably will write to Deanna and Zsa Zsa sometime, but for the moment I've decided to get the letters off to the others. Eventually, I whittled down my overflowing 'basket', and chose my final photos. For the actresses I wanted to send more than one photo too, I wanted at least one photo with a good view of her face, because autographs on photos like that seem more personal! (Well, to me anyway...)

(First, the 12 10x8" photos)

Olivia de Havilland

Maureen O'Hara

(Movie Matters don't have many photos of Maureen *sob* but there was such a gorgeous photo of her, however it wasn't a particularly appropriate for an autograph, so, as I can only send her one, I decided on this - which is still stunning.)

Eleanor Parker

(I'm not sure why I chose the last one...it just really stood out to me, and I would love to have it autographed! Oh, and it's a still from the 1966 film The Oscar if you're wondering...)

Lauren Bacall

(Gah! There were so many fabulous photos of Lauren that I spent aaages picking them. The first one I adore...like, really adore. And the last photo is just stunning. Wasn't she just glorious?)

Debbie Reynolds

(As with Lauren, there were lots of lovely photos of Debbie to choose from. I'm not sure if I'll send the first one, but I really love it! She looks so happy, and it makes me feel happy! ♥ The second is one of my all time favourite photos of Debbie, so to have it autographed would be a.m.a.z.i.n.g.!)

Gina Lollabrigida

(I really adore this photo of Gina! There were several others I really wanted to get, but they were either really dark or too cluttered so, I went for this one!)

Celeste Holm

(I didn't really have much choice in the matter of a photo of Celeste as this was the only photo they had of her. It's not my favourite, but it's not the worst they could have had, so I'm happy!)

Joan Fontaine

(Joan, Joan, Joan. How happy I would be to get a 'Sister Set' of autographs! There were only two photos I liked of Joan on the website, and the other was a bit to 'facey', so I picked this!)

(Next, the 4 6x4" photos I just couldn't resist...)

Olivia de Havilland

(I just love this one...)

Lauren Bacall

(I wanted a photo of her that was a bit closer to her face, and I just fell in love with this ♥ )

Debbie Reynolds

(Ok, this one is just so adorable. The moment I saw it I wanted to buy it, but I'd already decided on the other two photos, so I was like "Musn't buy...musn't buy...". But Debbie made me. It's all her fault, honestly ('; )

Gina Lollabrigida

(This isn't my favourite photo of Gina, but as I said before, a lot of the other photos weren't appropriate for [hopefully] autographs. However, I do still love this photo. Let's face it, Gina always looks beautiful! )

I'm not sure which I will send, and which I won't. I might send some of them two, and others just the one. I don't know. But whatever I do, I will keep you all updated with the writing and sending of the letters to the above lovely ladies, and of course I will [excitedly] inform you if I receive any of the photos back signed!!

I hope you've enjoyed this post, and it's not been too hyper and overwhelmingly mad! I'm feeling a lot better than I have for a couple of weeks, so that's another reason I'm excited too! Although, we are cancelling out holiday in France that was set to be a week yesterday, but hopefully the gîte owners will be dears and let us push it back to the middle of August! I really hope they do as I've been looking forward to the holiday since we booked in January! In hindsight, it was silly of us to book then because of my ridiculous health, but we learnt the hard way! Ah well. If we do go, it will be lovely! All summer dresses, sun hats and sunglasses. And pastries. Lots of them.

Anyway, that's enough of a ramble from me! Congrats if you got to the end! (;

A presto!

The Top Style Icons From the 20s through 50s

I thought I'd do a short[er] post today (after yesterdays I don't have much left in me!) about the actresses who I feel were the most influential style icons of their time. I say 'their' time because sadly, the majority of people haven't a clue who the style icons of the 10s, 20s, 30s...even 40s were. I'll pick the top two from each decade from the 20s to the 50s. I would go up to the 60s (and even down the 10s) but I'd prefer to leave those to the people who have more knowledge of those decades - I'm a bit fuzzy on both of them, and though I'd like to include them, I don't want angry people, who know more about those decades than I do, flaming me!

The 20s

I had a long tussle with who should come first and who should come second for the 20s. I knew the two who I was definitely going to use, but I just couldn't decide which was the most influential. I'm sure all you vintage fashion/old film lovers have a pretty good idea of the two actresses I mean! In the end, I decided to go with *drum roll*...

Louise Brooks, of course.

It was a very hard decision - how to choose between that amazing jet black helmet bob and Clara Bow's tussled red hair? Or those dark, staring eyes and Clara's: deep and smouldering. It was hard, I can tell you! The thing that clinched it, however, was the fact that if I walked down the street today, on 6th June 2010 almost 90 years later, whose hairstyle would I see? Louise's. Everywhere you go you see replicas and rip-offs of Louise's bob. And her clothes - you see them everywhere. They were the type of clothes that people nowadays, who maybe don't want to go for a look that is too vintage/retro, could wear and not look too...different? (I'm not sure what word to use - it sounds like I don't like retro/vintage clothes, and I really do!) So, I think we can agree that Louise is the probably the most prominent style icon of the 20s because her looks is still being replicate 90 years on.

Clara Bow

As I said, it was a very close call between Clara and Louise and, if it comes down to it, I personally like Clara's style more. When I think of 20s fashion I think of Clara, but that's just personal preference really. However, there is no doubt that Clara was an incredible style icon. She was the ultimate flapper and if you dig that look (and you should - it's amazing!) style yourself on Clara.

P.S I would do anything for her hair...

The 30s

Once again, I couldn't decide who to use! As I'm limiting this to two icons for each decade, the 30s was especially difficult. Off the top of my head, there were 4 clear suspects. I decided not to debate with myself for too long, and just go with the first two that popped into my head - and then have another debate about which one should be the first. So, without further ado, I give you...

Joan Crawford

I'm still not convinced she was the front-runner for this decade, so feel free to comment if you think otherwise (and please comment on the other decades - I'd love to know who you think were the top style icons of the decades), but I just got tired of arguing with myself so I put her first as she was the first one I thought of. Even if Joan wasn't the front-runner, she was still very influential. I always remember reading a quote by Bette Davis saying something very nice *ahem* about Joan Crawford and her style icon status in the 30s. I'm not entirely sure why she was such a style icon, but she certainly was. I never can place her look in the 30s - she wasn't a flapper but she wasn't quite femme fatale yet, especially in the early/mid 30s. However, she always looked good and I do love her excessively dramatic make up.

Jean Harlow

It was close between Jean and Greta Garbo - but I think Jean had to go in here, just because she was so different to Joan and Greta. Also, she was an undeniable style icon. She just oozed style. Some of you might argue that she should have been first - probably so. BUT, I also think that, correct me if I'm wrong, a lot of people don't even know who Jean is, sadly. And it is sad. Very sad. Whereas Joan is remembered, for an obvious reason I suppose - she lived longer (Jean died aged 26). I prefer Jean to Joan, though.

The 40s

Rita Hayworth

I'm not a big fan of Rita at.all. I think it's maybe because I've never really taking much notice of her and so have never really been that interested in her, but there is no denying that she was quite a huge style icon. I've never really liked the length of her hair in the 40s - a purely personal opinion, and I don't dislike her for that! - it always seemed like such an...uncomfortable length. That sounds so silly. However, as I said, she was definitely a style icon - and her hair looked a whole lot better than a lot of people nowadays (including mine)!

Veronica Lake and Betty Grable

I got stuck. I just couldn't decide between them - so take your pick! Both of them were iconic - on the one side you have Veronica's wonderful peek-a-boo bangs and on the other, Betty's $1,000,000 legs!

The 50s

Without even thinking about it, there's only one person who was going to fill the number on slot for the 50s. The second place, however, was harder to fill.

Marilyn Monroe

In a nut shell: most of the decade belonged to Marilyn. She's not my favourite actress, no where near my favourite, and I would certainly survive without ever seeing any of her films again BUT she was undoubtedly one of the greatest style icons of all time - if not the greatest (however, I like to give that title to Audrey...). I've never met anyone who doesn't know who she was - she is going to be remembered forever. I've personally never seen what most other people see in her, but I have to acknowledge that she must certainly have something for those millions of fans she has. I think I've finally come to accept that I'll probably never see what others do, and I don't dislike her for it now - as I used to. I'm ok with her owning most of the 50s, as long as people don't forget the other stars.

Grace Kelly

Grace was...well, grace personified. Oh, how corny I sound! As with Marilyn, I'm not really a fan of Grace. I see Grace as sort of an American Deborah Kerr - and it just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's because they are too similar that I'm not very fond of Grace, but I don't dislike her. She was by all means a lovely person - and I would have liked to meet her. I'm just not a fan of her films! Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked, she was of course a huge style icon. I would love to have been able to raid her wardrobe. She wore such beautiful, elegant, classy clothes - fit for a princess, I suppose! In a way, she started a whole new style of dressing. I think the clothes that Grace wore were possibly the most beautiful styles that I've ever seen. I adore them.

I had a hard time choosing Grace - I wasn't sure whether to go with her of Lauren Bacall. I think Lauren deserved to be on, but as with some of the other ladies I've talked about, a lot of people don't know who she is - whereas a lot more people know who Grace Kelly was. It's such a shame that the stars are gradually being forgotten...

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this post - please comment saying who you think should have been included! (: Oh, and don't flame me for not being a fan of Marilyn!!

A presto!!

P.S If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned Audrey Hepburn, it's because I classify her as 60s style icon, and, as I said, apart from Audrey, I don't want to go there because I don't really know enough about the decade to make educated posts. However, I will say, with great conviction, that were I to make a post about 60s style icons, Audrey would be top of the list without any discussion!