Good Grace

Please excuse the last few goofing-off posts; I really don't feel very well & am still debating Strasbourg & other journeys & revelations therein. A few people de-followed & I regret that you have been offended. (apparently). I know the layout of this blog is offending me at the moment, but there's absolutely nothing I can do about it right now. Meanwhile, I hope to remain in the good graces of others who stop in to say hello. I do like hearing from you. -- Susan

I rented The September Issue to watch the deleted scenes, the extras, & it was worth it. Last month WWD reported that Grace (I cannot call her Ms. Coddington, unless she insists) is working on a memoir. Because she is gracious, it will not be all about her -- though that would be fascinating. Here's a link to a Times Online article last year. Her darling book The Catwalk Cats (with Dider Malige, her beau) was published in 2007. The short video clip is worth clicking to see GC's necklace--wow.

(British Vogue, August 1962 by Carapetian via stylite (dot) com; GC, The September Issue, via Sunday Times, still hunting for the still photographer credit. RJ Cutler directed.)

A Planet Without Flowers

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.--Iris Murdoch, A Fairly Honourable Defeat

Not Murdoch's finest book, but she's so damned quotable. Very sorry to see secret-lover-for-thirty-years stories rising to the top in a quick Iris search. I thought cream rose to the top. Blech. (In March, I'm not linking to any.) Can no one keep their mouth shut anymore? Swine.

Photograph of Gemma Ward by Steven Meisel for Vogue 2006. It's via my crummy scanner (now deceased) but I see that it's in more than a few tumblrs, here. More photos from the Vogue 2006 editorial are in dustjacket attic.

Egrets

All types of egrets--I love them & associate them with Chincoteague/Assateague*. Here's a link to Birds of Assateague. That's where the little ponies hang out...you might remember Misty of Chincoteague. The link has some terrific videos of the scenery, birds, & sea. You just haven't lived, I think, unless you see the wild ponies running on the beach. My favorite place on the East Coast, perhaps in the States (outside of a few cities/towns). Unfortunately, it has been invaded by something worse & more obnoxious than kudzu. More on that another day...not in the mood to be sued.

*This barrier island, along with nearby islands and lagoons, is important for migrating birds. It's a World Biosphere Reserve of the United Nations because of its great ecological value.

[real bird photo via Birds of Assateague; girl-egret via bomehian punk tumblr; coincidentally also the tumblr for today's automatism post (right sidebar)]

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.]

Naomi

...in LIFE. I was hoping for posts in some of the style & fashion blogs I link to & otherwise read but except for My Inner French Girl (In Memory of Chic, Naomi Sims, 1948-2009), I haven't seen them. I'm really disappointed. So from one girl who grew up in Pittsburgh to another, rest in peace Naomi. Much too early.

Here is a link to Naomi Sims Retrospective which has been set up for remembrances & posts. Funeral services will be in New York tomorrow (6 August).

[photograph by Yale Joel, October 17, 1969, LIFE archives]

Party Dress

Go, and never darken my towels again. Groucho Marx

I can't help it (about silly Marx business, etc, it's a sickness.) Housekeeping, blog & home.

1) I want to move on from the somberness of the Taj Mahal post & take comments again; 2) this photograph reminds me of someone, ahem, being all dressed up for a fabulous time with real friends (not the air-kiss, embassy kind) & being told once again (by the same guy)...something has come up...somewhere-else-in-the-world-more-important-than-you-will-ever-be. For the 1,000th time This tulle-clad person usually never complained about dashed plans, but will admit to sliding down a wall onto a slightly dirty kitchen floor in a big floofy dress in disappointment.. For about an hour. Not in front of anyone, though. Ever. (OK, two cats.)

and 3) Most Important...

...Jessica aka myvintagevogue has (or will by July's end) closed her flickr account for good. They've given her no end of trouble & I don't know how she stood it as long as she did. Her tumblr blog is in the right sidebar.. I'll add her Blogger site & her website once I get the categories all straightened out. I've been replacing links as time permits from her flickr sets to her website and/or tumblr blog. MEANWHILE, please visit Jessica at the gorgeous myvintagevogue website.

And now, I have spent over an hour looking for the photograph attribution. Because I did not include it in the title when I downloaded it ages ago. Rats. Double rats. I'll find it tomorrow--while I'm waiting for the carpet cleaning fairies to spirit away the hideous-mess-masquerading-as-Persian-rug & return it minus the colonies of criminy-knows-what in the silk/wool. Then I'll become one of those women who make people take off their shoes. I'll just pretend that I'm back, elsewhere...where everyone does that anyway.

Hope your weekends were great.

[Norman Parkinson photograph of Jean Patchett via myvintagevogue]