Playing Beauty Parlor

I'm fooling around with this virtual makeover thingymabob. Ads pop up - you're warned. I know what looks good on me & so don't really need to do this but it's fun. The only problem is the photo available on my laptop has Julie the Cat in it. She looks great with red bangs (fringe for UK, Australia, etc)

Mad Men is now available on Netflix Instant for those who have it. (Drop in at Basket of Kisses, a Mad Men blog for all sorts of analysis, etc.) I got half-way through the pilot but it slowed down too much. And a guy near me kept looking over at a Don-&-Midge love scene. Euwwwwwwwww. Gave him the stink-eye to no avail. Must work on threatening looks.

(photograph via Pinterest. It sure looks like Christina Hendricks but cannot find the source. If anyone knows, please let me know.)

Beauty Secrets

I laughed when I saw this amusing Nickolas Muray photograph from the George Eastman House collection. My newly-in-touch friends from Strasbourg asked several things the past two months but often the first (& most asked): do you still roll your hair in socks? Answer: sometimes. So I guess it wasn't so secret...apparently I paraded around with argyles & stripy socks in my ridiculously long hair. (It really works.)

I'll be back sometime this week. Feeling not-so-well. I received some wonderful toys (video-cam, digital binoculars-wow) yesterday; but right now I'm going to draw a full bath & dip into a L'Occitane goody box--almond oil. Yum.

Juliet & Giulia

Yesterday, I worried that I would have to walk on the beach in my long white nightgown (if the gigantic gauze bandage idea doesn't work out). Today, I have many errands & writing "The Care & Feeding of Julie" for my friend Susan, who valiantly volunteered to stay here while I'm away. I won't be away long. It's that Julie (aka Giulia, Giulietta) has always been with me wherever I go. Susan asked me, "What can I do so that you will go away & not worry?" She has so many things to do & places she has to be in the next days/months. But she still wanted to help the drama queen sitting across the conference table. Gulp.

Earlier that day, the subject of a Romeo & Juliet film came up--not sure how. Susan reached into the air, snapping her fingers, oh I love the one, I haven't seen it in so long, by by by & I said, "Oh, Franco Zeffirelli's. He's an opera director, too." (I'm trying to ignore that he joined the Forza Italia party--ugh. Let's hope he sees the error of his ways.) Olivia Hussey inspired me to grow my hair (very long) & as often happens, drama turned to comedy.

A few years later, I returned from France with headaches. Many doctor visits, tests. Diagnosis: this girl's hair is too long & heavy. She's rather small, how does she hold her head up? (Well, that was unnecessary, Il Signore Dottore. Harumph.) Remedy: Off with her hair. I wanted to shriek, but all the boys love my hair. No, I would never have said it. I was stoic.

Today, quite by coincidence, one of my best blog friends, the inimitable Tina Tarnoff has posted "My Favorite Juliet" Some of you know about the Sylvie Guillem ballerina papercut Tina sent as a surprise last holiday time. Also, her husband Terry Tarnoff has a fascinating account of his years as an expatriate, here. Terry is at work on a new novel, set in 1948; Tina is helping with research & is coming up with fabulous images. And entertaining the rest of us, too. What a pair (but not tragic, thank goodness)!

Mille grazie & baci to Susan for looking after my Giulietta.

PS: That lovely, beautiful boy who played Romeo, Leonard Whiting, is so often ignored. That's not nice; here's a fansite for both of them that passes the no-pop up/spam test (according to McAfee).

[photograph via an unidentified tumblr/we heart it]

Face the World

No, not now. (I have 5 days of unread WPosts & NYTimes...that is unheard of.) I'm down for the count; along with Julie. (Yes, again, I"m sorrier & more disappointed than I can say without a whine-fest.) Back to bed with books, newspapers, & of course My Cinnamon Bun. Because later, being one person, marketing must be done. If it comes to it, then delivery order. And if possible, holding a pad & pen in hand...or reporter's micro-recorder. That would be a small but essential victory.

Have a whatever kind of day you wish for, mes amies. Go for it. Then come tell me all about it. (Don't forget about The Plum Plum, it's so worth it. That's what I'm using for short bits/planning lately. It helps. Beauty always does--the real kind, not the artificial/fake.)

Tuesday a.m. update: I hope to be back here tonight or tomorrow morning. Trying to update Giulia G. blog as there's an important event this weekend in DC/Silver Spring. Shall try to drag self to meeting up the street this evening. Here's the link to The Human Rights Festival (up the street...this weekend. Why, it seemed only yesterday that this was a twinkle in a local Amnesty member's eye...). Please pass the word if you are in or near or know people in the area. There's also a Facebook Fan page, here. Thanks, so much!

[photograph by motley photos via we heart it]

Twiggy

Life was easier when my mother was in charge of my hair (don't tell her, I won't admit it). She was an unabashed admirer of this look. Some mouths dropped as I walked into school after a salon visit. That Halloween, I sported Twiggy fake eyelashes, tights, & a Twiggy long shirt (or short dress); I think it was from England. I wish my mother would look at the computer; she'd love this Twiggy site. It was a lot of fun & it did suit me, that style. I returned to it in the 80s when all that hair was being permed...ugh. Not for me. There was a French Elle (there was no other Elle at the time) with a great short cut on the cover--that was it. People nearly passed out when they saw me on a Monday.

I became increasingly self-conscious as the day wore on. People kept walking into my academic department & gasped. Really gasping. I was growing annoyed & touchy with these doltish Americans (yes, I am one). Even "free spirits" said, "Oh but your beautiful hair...." Finally, a professor known for his contentiousness & barbed remarks walked in. I thought, I will scream [expletive deleted] if he says one damn thing. He considered me for just a moment & tilted his head, & said, "Wow. Jean Seberg. Breathless. Wow. Good for you." Turned on his heel & left. No one said another word.

[images via Just Covers/tumblr & the black & white via here.]

Hair Help

Get the idea that I'm under pressure & it's all the worse because I can barely see? A hat always helps (see Lucy) & I have lots, but one must take it off at some point. These Italian beauties' hairdos would be a solution but with avoirdupois (temporary!), I'd look a frump. Also, one can take vintage just too far. Now that so many are buying (literally) into the 1960s Mad Men look, I have to put away my long-ago purchases For now.

My hair grows as fast as that Tressy doll from ancient times. (A cousin had one & I promptly gave it a haircut; apparently I was not technically adept even then; no rewinding the hair for me. Just cut it off -- it looked very Audrey H. Well, I thought so anyway.) Are you obsessed with hair & salons & so on, Susan? Why yes, why do you ask? Because you seem to be off to have something done to your hair quite often; yet, you look the same. That's consistency & avoiding fads, cappellistas. My mother taught me to be loyal to hairdressers who did a great job, not necessarily the most expensive or 'fashionable.' (Although hers was this totally cool guy.) This advice, unlike most of her advice (sorry, Mom), has served me well.

So off to Camille-the-Genius...creeping across town, once again knowing that I will run into people I know who are uncharitable gossips. When I leave, not a soul I know will cross my path. Except possibly other human rights advocates, one of whom told me recently at an evening meeting sort of thing...that he thought I was frivolous about hair & clothes. I was wearing brown trousers, a brown jersey top, brown boots, & my father's Levi jacket (from his youth on a farm). Oh, & some sort of tiny earrings that were certainly not diamonds, & a long skinny scarf from I have no idea where...& dark pink cotton crocheted gloves (sort of 80s) that I bought in France for about 5 FF (so really old). Apparently a Grazie magazine tumbling out of my bag tipped him off to my insensitivity to the multitudes. Meanie.

[photographs from LIFE archives by Yale Joel & Loomis Dean; my now-traditional bangs-in-crisis photograph via Italia Vogue scan, here)

Hair in the Air

Carol's Paris Hair post made me think of all the haircuts I've had. I usually don't go on about what I look like, my clothes, my apartment, etc. (really, who cares?) But I felt compelled to construct & send this quickie collage to Carol in reply to an email from her, in a reply to a comment. (Got that?) Carol cut her hair before she left for Paris; now she's espying long hair everywhere. *

Tina Tarnoff Thought Patterns post Hair, Wonderful Hair is fun. She's researching the subject for her husband's latest book. Fabulous vintage images of decidedly non-short hair. Go visit Carol & Tina & their respective etsy shops (connected to their blogs). They're both so very talented.

*This happened to me in London once. I had an unusual-for-me 'oh no what have I done to my hair? moment--but just a moment.. A very dashing man walking by, stopped, looked me in the eyes & said: "How marvellously Jean Seberg of you, darling." I treasure this, as it will never happen again. Sniff.

[Photograph credits forthcoming very soon. I didn't think that I'd post this but as it might seem, I'm running late & thought the haircuts might inspire someone on the fence to go for it. It does grow back, you know. Just don't get one of those helmet hair deals. Please.]