And the Winner Is …

Fashion
March 8, 2010

I don’t know about all of you, but I felt like last night’s Oscars were a bit disappointing. Not only were Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin only mediocre (how did that happen?), but I felt like there were a lot of movie stars not in attendance. The audience felt kinda thin to me, whaddya think? I am so proud of Kathryn Bigelow for her win for best director, you go girl(!), it is time that a woman pull rank in that boys club. And the director of The Hurt Locker totally deserved it.

In my opinion, the real winner last night was David Rockwell, the architect who designed the Oscar set both this year and last year. The curtain was made up of over 100,000 Swarovski crystals, which glittered with true hollywood glamour.

The set had an almost hollywood regency-esque vibe with the geometric gold paneling and sexy curtain. Unfortunately, I could not find a picture of the lampshade wall that came down periodically throughout the performance, if anyone has one please send it along! The lampshade wall is getting blasted all over the internet this am as a big mistake, but I rather liked it. All in all I think that the stage was sexier and more over the top than the majority of the stars this year who were wearing rather simple and subdued looks.

Except Zoe Saldana. This young actress wowed in her Givenchy Haute Couture dress which sparkled and billowed as she walked the red carpet. The color and the crystals and the ruffles evoked true old hollywood style, and her dress was one of the few that stood up to David Rockwell’s set. This is what the oscars are all about … a dress like this.

And honestly, who would expect less from the fashion house who was Audrey Hepburn’s exclusive designer, and who designed this iconic dress for the star’s role in Sabrina? After last night, I believe that Zoe Saldana’s dress will be joining the ranks of the one above as one of THE great dresses. Anyone notice the similarities?

Mean Reds

Film
February 9, 2010

Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you’re getting fat and maybe it’s been raining too long, you’re just sad that’s all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you’re afraid and you don’t know what you’re afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

Paul Varjak: Sure.

Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that’d make me feel like Tiffany’s, then – then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name!

I apologize to all my friends for my lack of a post this morning. I have been having quite the case of the mean reds, and feeling quite uninspired. But then that mood translated straight into a post! In my “mean red” mood, I got to thinking about Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Holly Golightly’s cure for the mean reds. Unfortunately, since I live in Philadelphia, Tiffany is not an option, so my cure for the mean reds getting lost in books, magazines, and films!

While pondering the cause of my own mean reds, I began to think of Holly Golightly, and her apartment. I’m sure young girls today dream about moving into New York when they get out of college, however, its quite possible that they are envisioning Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment when they think of how they will live. For me, I grew up watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s and thinking how fabulous it would be to have an apartment just like Holly’s–wonderful Italianate brownstone walk-up with high ceilings, big windows, and very little furniture. (look at those striped awnings!)

Despite her lack of a true decorating scheme, Holly’s apartment was my dream. If you go back and watch the film, you will realize that her love seat, is in fact not a love seat at all, but half a bathtub!–look at the hardware! She had about two pieces of furniture, her phone lived in a suitcase, and she slept in a twin bed–but I loved it. Her decorating scheme was a cocktail table covered in magazines, which is a decorating tip that everyone should utilize.

In this photo, from the end of the film, she is set to marry Jose, and has added more furniture to her apartment. But I still can’t get past the good bones of the space–the open but sequestered kitchen, the bookshelves dividing the space, and the latticework column adjacent to the hallway.

Here, to Paul’s left, is a closeup of the latticework that I was mentioning before. Her kitchen was tiny, but it wasn’t a galley, and it had a window! How perfect is that orange dress?

Ever since the first time that I saw Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I have always thought of fire escapes as romantic and inherently New York. When I got my first apartment, I definitely spent some time hanging on my fire escape!

Like Holly, I also made friends in my building from rendezvous on the fire escape.

I always thought that the party at Holly’s apartment seemed like the absolute best time. When I moved into my tiny 5th floor walkup in NYC, I couldn’t wait to have a huge group of people over for the same experience. What is it about having people crammed into a small space that creates such a great time? Again, check out that lattice work … I’m a little obsessed.

Holly’s apartment was never about the furniture or the lighting or what hors d’oeuvres she served, it was about people having a good time. I honestly think that we should all be a little more like Holly sometimes. Stop worrying about whether you have the right cocktail napkins or a chic bar set up and just have fun. The more fun the hostess is having, the more fun your guests will have!

And now to leave you with a quote from the venerable Audrey Hepburn herself,

“Not to live for the day, that would be materialistic–but to treasure the day. I realize that most of us live on the skin–on the surface–without appreciating just how wonderful it is simply to be alive at all.”

The Philadelphia Story

Film
December 3, 2009

For those of you who have never seen The Philadelphia Story, I say go straight to your Netflix queue, get on iTunes, or head to the video store–and watch it! It is a fabulous screwball comedy from 1940 featuring Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. Set in wealthy, WASPy Main Line Philadelphia in the pre-war years, it’s the story of a comedic love triangle between Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn), Macaulay Connor (Jimmy Stewart), and C.K. Dexter Haven (Carey Grant). If for nothing else, one must watch the movie for its gorgeous fashion and its well designed sets. In my naivete, I believed Philadelphia would mirror the film’s aesthetic–all Main Line and manicured lawns. Although Philadelphia has proved to be a quite the opposite, it has not stopped me from continuing to adore this movie!

Look at Hepburn’s fabulous ensemble in this photo from the film–layers of form-fitting gingham and a tunic style top–will someone remind me why we no longer dress like this? That chair behind her however, is absolutely awful with its heavy dark carved wood and needlepoint upholstery.

As Hepburn lights Stewart’s cigarette, I can’t help but look beyond the pair to the over-the-top fireplace with marble mantle and Greek key embellishments. In my mind, one can never go wrong with a Greek key pattern.

Anyone for a swim? That is Hepburn’s version of a beach cover-up! I absolutely love it, and the louvered doors in the Lord family pool house.

I love the architectural details on the stable, especially the fanlight above the doors. And how come we don’t drive cars like this anymore?

How suave is Carey Grant’s collarless jacket? Quite the dandy, and yet the epitome of masculinity. If you look behind Grant’s head, you can see that the windows have venetian blinds on the exterior!–how innovative for a covered terrace. Most annoying when sitting inside and wanting to regulate the light, but I assume that the Lord family aren’t raising and lowering their own blinds. Finally, I love the sneak peak of the Lord’s Chippendale dining chairs set up for Tracy’s wedding reception! The Philadelphia Story is a great gift for any aesthete in your life!