Cinema Connection--Timeless 1950s are On Trend for Summer

One of the biggest trends for Summer 2012 is the influence of the 1950s.  Its style has been seen in endless editorials and features for all the magazines recently--W, Vogue, Allure, and Glamour just to name a few.  Another was Harper's Bazaar (shown here), which hired famed photographer Terry Richardson to capture model Miranda Kerr in "Flirty Fifties" inspired fashion.  Not surprisingly, the shoot was styled with two icons of the era in mind--Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe.

As fans of GlamAmor know, the 1950s never goes out of fashion.  It's timeless.  Marilyn and Grace both show this through their individual and iconic style.  Marilyn, as we've been discussing throughout the month, was overtly sexy and worked with designers like William Travilla and Jean Louis...men who emphasized every asset through body conscious cuts.  Very voluptous and va va voom dresses.  Grace, on the other hand, was much more subtle in her sex appeal and dressed by designers like Edith Head and Helen Rose...women known for their understated elegance. Very ladylike and refined dresses and separates.  Together these stars show the full spectrum of style in the 1950s and whether onscreen or off, their fashion choices continue to be an inspiration for us all.

So take a look and remind yourself just how inspiring the 1950s can be.

One of the iconic (and Oscar winning) illusion dresses by Orry-Kelly for 1959's Some Like It Hot

and the influence manifest in Oscar de la Renta (at top)

The little black tank dress by Donna Karan echoing the design of one

Marilyn wore for photographer and designer (My Fair Lady) Cecil Beaton in 1956

Elegant suiting by Louis Vuitton influenced by

Grace's engagement suit while visiting family with future husband Prince Albert of Monaco

Easy classic separates from Marc Jacobs hint at 

Grace's iconic style courtesy of Edith Head in 1954's Rear Window

Cinema Connection--Clara Bow Inspires Jazz Age Hair and Makeup for the Modern Age

As I've been discussing during my Month (or so) of Art Deco, the era that stretched from the flappers of the 1920s through the sophisticated 1930s has been all the rage in fashion.  And don't expect it to end any time soon...though the inspiration has largely come from current movies such as Academy Award winner The Artist, the release of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby in December means Deco will be in vogue throughout the year.

I've always been a fan of the 1930s for the sleek elegance of the decade.  Streamline Moderne was an architectural style of the 30s that was also found in fashion from the clothes to the hair.  In contrast, the 1920s were a much wilder time...an era of exuberance and excess that started in celebration to actually surviving World War I.  The time was about freedom and movement with people suddenly able to travel the globe in modern transportation like oceanliners and airplanes.  You'll see the excitement in travel reflected in Art Deco architecture such as Los Angeles' City Hall and Eastern Columbia Building.  Movement was of course apparent in fashion as well, largely in the pleating and fringe that decorated dresses and seemed to dance even when the ladies were not.  This is the look that's so popular now and starlets are striving to find their inner flapper as they take to the red carpet...not in vintage, as you might expect when you see them, but wearing different designers who are all interpreting today's Deco trend.

Of course part of any trend is the hair and makeup.  The 1920's wild ways were often reflected in hair that was cut short and tousled on top of women's heads, sometimes tamed ever so slightly with a headband, hat, or scarf.  Makeup was wild, too...usually smoky eyes paired with deep red lips. You can see both on Clara Bow, the very first It girl due to starring in that 1927 film and one of the stars who best represents the quintessential flapper.  Others include Marion Davies, Louise Brooks, and Joan Crawford for her breakout role in Our Dancing Daughters, which I'll be covering after its April screening at the TCM Classic Film Festival.  Modern makeup from the Jazz Age started on the Fall runways and has continued through to Spring with fuschia lips now appearing just as often as bright red.  Remember, there are no hard and fast rules here...and that, I am quite sure, is just as the flappers would like it. 

ABOVE and BELOW: 1926 photographs of Clara Bow by Eugene Robert Richee

MAC Cosmetics artist Fatima Thomas made a modern "vampy" flapper inspired by Clara Bow (above) 

with a silver eye, purple lashes, and fuschia lips at the Erickson Beamon Fall/Winter show

Today's starlets finding their inner flapper from the pages of Harper's Bazaar (above)

and the original 1920's flapper girl Clara Bow

Jean Harlow's Platinum Blonde Hair Still Making Waves this Spring

The 1920s and 1930s have been all the rage this season as we've seen in collections from Ralph Lauren and others I will continue to share on GlamAmor.  Trends in hair styles are no exception and almost always follow whatever fashion comes down the designer runways.  Bright blonde, fingerwaves, and pin curls are part of the fun this Spring, inspired by Old Hollywood icons like platinum bombshell Jean Harlow in 1933's Dinner at Eight.  Any hair stylist can achieve the look for you, but fortunately it's also easy enough to try at home.  To do it yourself, try following this vintage tutorial using my favorite styling products and hottest hair color that will help you bring out your inner Art Deco goddess.

Cinema Connection--Art Deco Film Icons Inspire RALPH LAUREN for Spring 2012

Not only is Art Deco style a theme at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival, but it is a huge trend right now in fashion for Spring 2012.  I will share many examples throughout the month, but knew that these Ralph Lauren designs from the pages of Vogue would need to be first.  After all, I just covered the style of 1935's Top Hat extensively on GlamAmor and anyone can see that these new dresses--made of bias-cut satin and topped with ostrich feathers--are pure Ginger Rogers.  And Ginger wasn't the only muse for Spring...

Ralph Lauren also included this white satin suit in his Spring 2012 collection, which draws inspiration from another 1930s icon--Marlene Dietrich.  Always known for being brave in fashion and wearing menswear before anyone ever approved of it, Marlene wore a black tuxedo in 1930's Morocco and a white tuxedo in 1932's Blonde Venus.  Offscreen, she famously sported a cream-colored suit (below) whose style designers and celebrity stylists still continue to copy.  Marlene paired hers first with a blue tie and beret, and then a bow tie and fedora; Ralph Lauren refrained from using a tie and chose a cloche to style his suit instead.  

Regardless, it is easy to see that these are two additional examples of how Old Hollywood continues to influence design and what we wear in fashion today.  Never underestimate the relevance of classic cinema.

Marlene Dietrich in tux and tails with Cary Grant in 1932's Blonde Venus

On Trend with Vintage--Yellow Brightens Our Spring 2012

Though we're still technically in the winter months, everyone already seems to be looking toward the Spring.  Some of this is due to the weather, of course, which has been unseasonably warm this year in many parts of the country.  But our enthusiasm for Spring has much more to do with its fashion...we long for something fresh for our wardrobes, so our collective eye looks toward the next season to see what trends can be distilled from the countless collections coming down the runways.  

One of the biggest trends by far for Spring 2012 is the color yellow.  As you can see, it appeared in every conceivable shape and shade...from mustard to sunflower to neon.  So appealing!  And though pops of color are to be expected with warm weather--just take a look at yellow in last year's color trend--there seems to be an ongoing desire for much more color in fashion regardless of the season.  Yellow is one that designers really seem to love and there were early hints of it as a trend in the Fall collections before it exploded in the Spring.  Designers just might be taking our lead--women are embracing more color in their wardrobes than ever before and I couldn't be more delighted.  

Everyone knows what a huge proponent of color I am and yellow is one I love to wear.  When I went to the Bradbury Building and Angels Flight a couple weeks ago as part of my month-long focus on film noir, I chose a vintage yellow silk shirtdress from the 1950s.  I love how bright it is while also being timeless...the shirtdress is a staple, something that continues to be in fashion because it is such a classic.  I paired mine with black accessories since it is still technically winter and I was exploring the shadowy locations of film noir. But yellow is a color that can be paired with many others and I look forward to trying other combinations as the weather gets even warmer.

In classic cinema, few wear yellow better than Ann-Margret.  Just check out some of her wardrobe from Viva Las Vegas and you'll see exactly what I mean.  What are your favorite yellow dresses from the movies?  And will you be wearing yellow this season?

ABOVE:  Mulberry, Matthew Williamson, and Monique Lhuillier (top),

and Rodarte, Cushnie et Ochs, and Holly Fulton

Thanks to Lovely by Lucy for the runway images

Brigitte Bardot-inspired Hair in Glamour

Just about every magazine has done an editorial spread inspired by Brigitte Bardot's hair styles over the past few months.  Here is one from July's Glamour magazine showing us their take on modern ways to borrow from Brigitte along with tips on how to achieve the looks this summer.

Happy Summer Solstice!

I could not think of a better way to celebrate today's Summer Solstice than with a reminder of Esther Williams' style.  Ever since I sang her praises in May on GlamAmor, I have only seen her style get hotter and hotter in the mainstream press.  There have been several fashion shows dedicated to retro bathing suits on television and department stores are now fully stocked with the look.

There has also been tremendous coverage of her style influence in the fashion magazines, starting with the swimsuits I highlighted from InStyle. Here is a mention of the synchronized swimming group, the Aqualillies, in the pages of July's Marie Claire.  Of course they are the embodiment of an homage to Esther, and performed for her at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival before the showing of Neptune's Daughter poolside at the Roosevelt Hotel.  The magazine loves the group's style as well as the overall fitness achieved from the sport.  If you live in Los Angeles, you can even take a class from and with the lovely Aqualillies themselves at the Annenberg Pool in Santa Monica.

Happy summer!

Cinema Connection--Chic Summer White

One of the reasons I chose to feature 1946's The Postman Always Rings Twice is because white is such a huge trend for summer and its classic cinema connection is so strong. Look at the number of pieces Irene designed for that movie that correlate with today's trends--the Little White Dress, the lace dress, the shirtdress, the blouse and pencil skirt, retro swimsuits, and even the turban. All are huge for Spring/Summer and Resort 2011.  

Postman shows how every single piece of your wardrobe could be white and you would look stunning. There's something almost magical about wearing white in that it makes every woman look more beautiful. You are lightened and brightened. It looks great in a range of design, from very minimal and tailored all the way to super frilly. As a color, white also seems to transcend the situation--city or beach? boardroom or play?--along with the season. If I had to choose one color for my closet, it would be white.

I also love that each piece of Lana's wardrobe is accented with the simplest of jewelry--petite gold hoops--so that nothing detracts or distracts from the form of the clothing. This happens to be my own style philosophy as well. Though I do change up white outfits with different accessories throughout the year, my absolute staples are sets of simple 2" hoops in both sterling silver and gold that I wear almost every day.

Despite the fact that the wardrobe from Postman has inspired trends today, these are all classic pieces that transcend time. They are just as relevant today as they were 65 years ago and they will remain so 65 years from now. They also work on women of every age and can be interpreted and accessorized differently depending on the individual. This is yet another example of why I am quite devoted to the timeless nature of classic style. 

ABOVE:  White blouse and pencil skirt in Harper's Bazaar

White lace dresses, seen everywhere from Self Magazine (above) to WhoWhatWear

and me going to the Jonathan Club in a vintage 1980s white lace dress

Retro bathing suits, where Lana's came even before Esther Williams,

with me in a white retro bathing suit while surfing in Cabo San Lucas

The Little White Dress, which has now become as essential as the LBD,

with me at the TCM Classic Film Festival in a vintage 1950s white woven cotton swing dress

The white shirtdress, such as this updated mini version on Zooey Deschanel

The turban, which appeared on several runways from Jason Wu (above) to Armani