Evelyn Nesbit

 

Evelyn Nesbit (December 25, 1884 – January 17, 1967) was an American artists' model and chorus girl, noted for her entanglement in the murder of her ex-lover, architect Stanford White, by her first husband, Harry Kendall Thaw.  A stunning beauty.

 

First heard of her when I saw the movie "Ragtime" when I was a kid. Not a a very accurate portrait of her in the movie. And Elizabeth McGovern did not look like the original at all...

The Lovely Miss Nesbit

The also lovely Miss McGovern in "Ragtime"

Not very similar, huh?

Anyway, saw Evelyn on the internet, read about her and found that her beauty was timeless. Some 1900's beauties look cute now, but dated. Evelyn doesn't. She would be an "it" girl right here right now if she was alive.

She was the original "It" girl, of course. The first supermodel, if you will. At only 16 years old, she was the most photographed woman of her time; the epitome of female beauty in 1900.

Read this book some years ago:

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! Loved to know her history, how she was not a Salome, a femme fatale, but a naive and innocent girl dragged into a Greek tragedy...

Author Paula Uruburu's research is meticulous and the portrait of New York society at the turn of the century is stark and real.

Well, then I HAD to have one of her famous postcards... Turned to my dear "friend": EBAY!

Thought they would be super expensive, but no!

I do have a collection of three of them (these are internet stock photos of them - just have to have the patience to photograph and post mine... But these are the postcards I have:

Amazing, no? Love them. I was very surprised that I could find these for such good prices. Thought they would be rare and pricey... What a great surprise!

Of course I also had to see the movie "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing" - a 1950's Hollywood rendering of the "Crime of the Century".

Well, the movie was not as good as I thought... And besides, I've never liked Joan Collins that much...

The good thing (or not) is that Evely was still alive then and gave some guidance. But it really did not help. The 50's were puritan in a manner that the real story could never really be shown... just implied.

Well, got so interested in this story that bought this book about Stanford White's family:

Written by Ms. Lessard (White's great-granddaughter) has written a brilliant family history, showing how White's death affected the family through 4 generations. I will read this asap = as soon as I finish "Five Sisters" - the Langhornes...

My Photoshop time travels

I love the past... The clothes, the art, hmmm... sometimes I wish I was born in another era...well, just sometimes... women have come a looong way...

Now, with the beauty of Photoshop (by the way, I am just a novice on that!), I can at least see how I would have looked in those days...

Usually I do this mostly for Christmas cards and other greeting cards, but I want to see if I can do some more.

Lulu as a flapper! Just have to try putting my face in one of Louise Brooks pictures... Stay tuned!

This one is a riot, isn't it? My hubby and I. Can you image that my father-in-law asked if John lost a lot of weight? LOL!

My hubby and I one again. A 40's/50's vibe...

More to come...

Things I have and love : Hermes Twilly

Love Hermes, who doesn't? Sometimes we can only indulge in a little bit of luxury. After all, how many gals can afford an Hermes bag - of any kind!?

My dear hubby gave me this some years ago...

You can basically tie this silky beauty anywhere, in your hair, in your wrist, etc, but I do prefer to use it around my neck... Wore mine in Paris - tres chic!

Mushroom color nails? Yes, please

Well, I've been hearing about this gray nail polish nail trend for quite a while...

Decided to buy this Essie Chinchilly yesterday...

I LOVE gray anything! Just did not associate it with nails. Let's see...

Will try it and keep you posted...

Wow, just wow...of the day ;-)

Bono, singing "With or without you" 

No words

Some of my favorite paintings ever...

I've always loved anything Napoleon since a very young age...
And "The coronation of Napoleon" painting by Jacques-Louis David from 1807 is definitively one of my faves.

Studied that in school, saw many beautiful prints in books, but seeing this in person topped it all. In my opinion, this is one of the best things the Louvre has...

The sheer size and detail of this painting is to die for...

Blurry, but still awesome...

Another masterpiece by David: Madame Recamier... Look at that dress, that furniture...

And now, the Madame and moi!!!

Wow, just wow - of the day!

Sting - one of my very first crushes!

With his voice, he didn't need to be so gorgeous...

But...

More Dolce & Gabbana favorites...

I could go on and on... but here are more faves from these amazing Italians...

Fall winter 2009

Like, for realz, I wish I could dress like this all the time! Mixing the 19th century with today: bananas good!

And then this year's Fall collection... some drooling in there as well. Look at the tailoring, the lace, oh my...

Ciao bellas!!! Still playing the Lotto, Power Ball and Mega Millions just in case!!!

Wow, just wow ...

Che bello e Marcello... Marcello Mastroianni...

Ciao bello!!!

John Singer Sargent

Since I am a big fan of the Gilded Age era... And you cannot talk about it without my fave John Singer Sargent...

John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American painter, and a leading portrait painter of his era.

What fascinates me, are his subjects, the clothing... Everything.... A true master...

Madame X - I totally would wear this dress NOW!

What I wouldn't give to be painted by him....

My beautiful Art Nouveau dragonfly necklace...

Etsy.com is such a wonderful place! I am so addicted to it I cannot stop visiting it.

Bought this wondeful necklace there a couple of years ago:

A gorgeous double-faced beauty. Look at the other side...

Amazing isn't it?

Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonfly
Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky.
~Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Silent Noon

 Totally captured my love for Art Nouveau and this gorgeous animal... Uma bela libelula - how we say a beautiful dragonfly in my native Portuguese...
Dreamy.

I ♥♥♥♥ Dolce & Gabbana...

For soooo many reasons...
First they are Italians (LOL, just joking). No, what I really love is their taste, their tailoring and their nod to the past.
My favorite collection EVER was the "Napoleon & Josephine" inspired collection for Fall 2006.

Wish I could dress like that every day!

Take a peek:

Swooning... I LOVE the Napoleonic times and that Empire way of dressing... Finally someone translated that to the present... (OK, this was in 2006, but still!).

and the ADS, OMG!

Sixties vibes...

This past weekend was a 60's revival in my home.
Finally managed to watch " A Single Man" with my fave Colin Firth (love him)!
A visual feast on a beautiful and fashionable time: the early 60's.

Absolutely loved everything: the acting was superb, the clothing, amazing , the story totally heartbreaking. Tom Ford, you are awesome - I guess you know that, no? ;-)

This visual and emotional feast was on Saturday.

Sunday afternoon: I know, I know: I've seen "Hatari!" a million times, but watched it AGAIN!
Love that movie. Love the "African Safari Chic" with the skinny and gorgeous Elsa Martinelli!

Then... on Sunday nite - another dose of 60's beauty: Mad Men!
Favorite, favorite!!!

A totally groovy 60's weekend!!!

What I am reading now - and LOVING it

I am simply LOVING this book:

 

I was always hooked on strong women bios, and this one is really fantastic...

Here's a brief summary:

With the same narrative panache and gift for good gossip that made White Mischief such fun, James Fox turns his attention here to the Langhorne sisters, Southern beauties who wielded a powerful influence in politics and culture during the tumultuous years from the turn of the 20th century through the Second World War. Lizzie (1867-1914) married a Virginian and stayed home, but her siblings conquered Yankee America and England. Irene (1873-1956) married Charles Dana Gibson and served as the model for that all-American icon, the Gibson girl. Baby sister Nora (1889-1955), dreamy and artistic, had a turbulent life scattered with lovers including, perhaps, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nancy (1879-1964) entered English society through second husband Waldorf Astor and focused her formidable energies on politics as the first female member of Parliament and hostess to the notorious "Cliveden set." Sensitive, introspective Phyllis (1880-1937), the author's grandmother, survived a bad first marriage and an affair with a British officer to happily wed the brilliant English economist Bob Brand. Fox makes excellent use of thousands of the sisters' letters to reveal five dynamic personalities in their own words. His shrewd commentary provides context for a riveting tale of family ties, social commitments, and the complex interplay between them that shaped the Langhorne women's lives. --Wendy Smith

Fascinating history of 5 strong women, overcoming the constraints of the times, even getting divorces and remarrying ! Quelle horreur!

Very refreshing, in contrast to my previous read: Governess, by Ruth Brandon (will do a post soon about that wonderful book).

One thing I did not know is that one of the sisters, Irene married the famous Charles Dana Gibson - the creator of the great Gibson Girl. I've loved those beautiful illustrations since i was a kid... 

Charles Dana Gibson

The famous Gibson Girl

Wow, just wow

Gary Cooper, what else can I say?