Tag: vintage

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Audrey Hepburn

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I first discovered Audrey Hepburn late one night, while watching American Movie Classics (AMC). The channel was airing “My Fair Lady” and I was immediately hooked when I heard the singing and recognized the fairy tale-esque plot. Linguistics Professor Henry Higgins has bet his friend, Colonel Pickering, that a common flower seller can be coached to the point of passing off as a princess.

Enter flower girl Eliza Dolittle (played by Audrey Hepburn). She charms from the first moment she appears on the screen.

And from that day to this one, I’ve been one of Audrey’s biggest fans.

I loved her even more when I realized that her beauty and skilled acting were nothing in comparison to her wisdom, kindness, and humanitarian spirit. Here are some of my favorite Audrey Hepburn quotes and photos. Enjoy! And, if you have a great Audrey Hepburn memory you’d like to share, feel free to post it in the comments below!

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(photos courtesy of Reductress, Pinterest, Machcdn, CultureStreet and QuoteAddicts)

beauty · culture

Vintage Video: Why Not Be Beautiful?

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I’ll admit: I was expecting to be frustrated with this vintage beauty video. After all, it was created in 1969, and I anticipated a bit of a misogynistic flavor with it. I thought that the entire video would be pushing beauty as a way to “get the guy” and “live happily ever after”.

 

But I was WRONG! I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. This video is filled with so many gems: where should I start?

First of all, kudos for the diversity. There are some modern-day television shows that could benefit from this example. And kindly bypass the terms “Negro” and “Oriental”: at the time this was made, those terms weren’t offensive.

Secondly, there are a lot of quote-worthy phrases thrown in here. Here are some of my favorites from the first 3 minutes of the video:

“Every girl can become beautiful, in the true meaning of the word.”

“Beauty indeed is more than skin deep. The most important part of beauty comes from within: the inner beauty. A healthy mind, being interested in life and the arts … Caring for others and being involved in the issues of the community and your country … Being creative … Being active … The more you’re interested in the world around you, the more interesting you become.”

Fitness as a way of bonding with other women was promoted, and I’m such a fan of that stance. I’d rather take a brisk walk  outdoors with a friend than sweat it out solo.

I’m amazed at how many of the beauty tips are still relevant. The color concepts for increasing and decreasing the appearance of distance between the eyes still works (it’s a trick that I do constantly).

Lastly, I love how there were so many positive comments throughout. I didn’t see any discouraging of a woman’s unique beauty, just encouragement to enhance what’s already there. The video ended on a lovely note (I’m quoting it below):

“Above all remember the beauty that shines through you from within your inner beauty is your most beautiful, most precious possession. Beauty is more than a pretty face, it’s a way of life.”

I hope you all enjoy the video! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

relaxation

Holiday Weekend Diversions

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Well, as Labor Day approaches, I thought I’d be ready to go out and have some fun, exploring Washington DC and catching up with friends.

Unfortunately, that won’t happen. I caught a cold and I feel like I’ve been hit by a moving vehicle.

 

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(image courtesy of DIYSolarPanelsV)

So I’ll lay low instead, and rest. I’m actually overdue for a few low-key days: my work demands have increased and I won’t be able to get away and unwind until after the new fiscal year begins.

I therefore decree this Labor Day weekend my “Staycation”. I have several lazy-day activities planned, though, if I’m feeling better by Sunday, I may take a stroll in a nearby park (nature is restorative, after all). But until I’m feeling better, I’ll choose to rest up and lay low.

For starters, I’m going to finish reading “Outliers” so that I can post my review sometime in the next week or so. I’m also planning on doing something that I RARELY do: I’m going to watch some movies.

Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely love movies. But after sitting at a desk, and sitting on a commuter van, the last thing I want to do is to sit for 2+ hours and watch a movie. But since I’m going to be in bed anyway, I figured a couple of movies could be fun.

I still won’t watch a long movie, though. I’m going to check out some vintage movies at the Internet Archives website. This site features movies with outdated copyrights that are now part of the public domain. I love seeing the styling and elegance of vintage actresses.

The movies I plan to watch are Gang Smashers, Sepia Cinderella, and Hell’s Angels, because Nina Mae McKinney, Sheila Guyse, and Jean Harlow are EVERYTHING.

Oh yeah, I’ll probably also look at some YT videos and start writing up reviews for the items I ordered and tried out recently.

Hmm. . . As I look at it, my weekend doesn’t look very “restful” at all LOL! My “busy” habit is admittedly hard to break. But I’ll pace myself and not overdo it. After all, I need to feel better.

I hope you all are having a fun, fantastic holiday weekend! Make sure that you go out and do something extra fun!

luxury

Christie’s to Auction Audrey Hepburn Memorabilia

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Vintage cinema fans, time to rejoice! Christie’s (the prestigious auction house) will be auctioning off clothing and personal items owned by Audrey Hepburn. The bids are estimated to start as low as $130 for some items, while other items are expected to fetch over $100,000.

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(image courtesy of Movie Gazette Online)

 

The auction will occur both live and online. The live auction will occur on September 27, 2017, at 8 King Street, St. James’s, in London. The online auction will start on September 19 and end on October 3, 2017.

If you want to see the collection before the auction, you can visit the exhibition while it tours. The tours are as follows (information courtesy of the Christie’s website):

Tour dates

Hong Kong
Viewing Dates: 1 – 8 September
The LANDMARK Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Los Angeles
Viewing dates: 11 – 14 September
Christie’s LA, 336 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The auction catalog can also be purchased for $25: Audrey Hepburn Collection Auction Catalog.

I enjoyed reading Christie’s touching biography of Audrey. You can check it out here.

I plan on checking out the online auction and seeing if I can find something that I simply must have. Do any of you plan to attend the touring exhibition, or the live auction? Or are you planning on purchasing an item via the online auction? Please let me know in the comments!

music

Current Fave: Alice Francis

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I first came across Alice Francis during my neoswing phase several years ago. I was intrigued by her delicate voice and adorable vintage style. Her music videos were really cute, too!

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Unfortunately, when I found Alice, I was at the tail end of my fascination with neoswing, so I didn’t spend a lot of time researching her musical catalog. However, I thought I’d share this video of Alice: it’s one of my favorites. “St. James Ballroom” has it all: vocals, instruments, costumes, dancing and exuberance. Listening to her again rekindled my passion for neoswing. I may have to find out where she’s performing so I can see her live!

 

luxury

Vintage Car Fever

Mstldelano2 Comments

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved classic cars. While I know precious little about cars, I do know an attractive vehicle when I see it.

I first saw the 1965 Sunbeam Tiger while watching reruns of the television show “Get Smart”. Between the slick 1960s fashions, easy-to-process humor (everyone in the family could enjoy the show), and the “high tech” gadgets (the Cone of Silence, the shoe phone, and many, many more), it’s no wonder it was one of my favorite TV shows of all time.

But what I really loved most of all were the gorgeous cars driven by Maxwell Smart (the lead character on “Get Smart”). Here’s a Sunbeam Tiger similar to what Maxwell drove in the opening credits of the show:

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Do you have a favorite vintage car? Can you remember where you first saw the car, or what makes it so special to you?

(image courtesy of sportscarshop.com)