Wordless Wednesday - Paradise Found

I dream of this everyday ........

My Red Carpet - 5 Most Iconic Movie Looks of All Time

It's that time of year...when cinema's best is announced. The awards are bestowed. And for some of the winners, they become household names.

No, I'm not talking about the movies. I'm talking about the fashion! All hail the red carpet and Joan Rivers! (Guilty pleasure confession: I love watching Fashion Police!) Who cares how well you acted in the movie, it's all about how you look and "Who Are You Wearing?".
Thinking about tonight's grand entrance of the glamorous movie stars at the Academy Awards got me waxing nostalgic on how the movies costumes influenced the general public.

For instance, did you run out and buy a sweatshirt only to rip it all up and wear it ala "Flashdance"? Were you styling a tight white t-shirt like Stanley (i.e. Marlon Brando) in "Streetcar Named Desire"? Or did you simply add an accessory or two to your everyday outfit like the Wayfarer sunglasses Tom Cruise wore in "Risky Business"?

Looking back I can see there were a few movies that greatly influenced how I dressed then and how I dress today. Here are my top 5 iconic movie looks of all time.

          5.   Karen Lynn Gorney "Stephanie" - Saturday Night Fever
          4.   Melanie Griffin "Tess McGill" - Working Girl
          3.   Julia Roberts "Vivian Ward " - Pretty Woman
          2.   Diane Keaton "Annie Hall" - Annie Hall
          1.   Audrey Hepburn "Holly Golightly" - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Photo Credit - twn1340 (Flickr)

 

Of course there were other fashionable movie characters that I adored (but could never pull off their looks): all the women in "Devil Wears Prada", Kate Hudson's character Penny Lane in "Almost Famous" and Elle Woods (i.e. Reese Witherspoon) in "Legally Blonde" come to mind.

Your turn. What movies or movie characters influenced your fashion choices?

My Day - Spending Time with Mom

Usually I blog about a topic and try to incorporate a story and/or info into it. Today is different. No big topic. No profound info to impart on all of you. Just wanted to share.

My mom turned 81 last month. When it comes to gifts for my mom, I keep my ears peeled for clues as to what she may be wanting. Something she desires but hadn't gotten for herself or something she had wanted to do but hadn't. This past year she's mentioned problems with her hair a few times. Don't know why she hasn't made regular visits to a hair salon a part of her normal routine. Sometimes I think she may believe that because of her age it's not important or high on her list of priorities. Maybe living on such a small fixed income has kept her from spending money on herself for things she thinks are frivolous. I don't know.

But I decided it was high time she got her hair to a salon and get it whipped into shape. Her hair has turned a soft white and has grown past her shoulders. She doesn't seem comfortable with the color or the length. I can relate. I think all us women can. We know what styles work on us and when we aren't able to maintain the look, it can make us feel way off our game.

I gave her a card last month with a homemade gift certificate that bestowed a color and cut to the birthday girl. She laughed when she saw it and thanked me. I told her to let me know when and where she wanted to go. Since I'm not working I have plenty of time on my hands.

Well, a month has passed and not a word from her about the gift. So I told her we weren't waiting any longer; I'd make the appointment and decide where and when we were going. She had no choice but to go along for the ride which came for her this morning when I went to pick her up. And there she sat, coat on, purse in hand. Anxiously waiting for me. She showed me a picture she cut out of a magazine. The style she wants.

So we headed to the salon. We went to a place neither of us had been before (I did some checking and found good reviews). I could tell she was a bit nervous so I helped her voice what she wanted to the stylist. She showed my mom a hair color swatch and asked her if it matched the color she had in mind. When I saw my mom nod emphatically, I felt my confidence in the stylist rise and knew this appointment was going to work! As the afternoon wore on, I could feel my mom relaxing and the smile I caught here and there reassured me she was very happy with how the visit was proceeding. As we all made small talk, I took pictures. My mom chatted easily with the young stylist who I think was having as much fun as we were.

When the cutting started, I could feel my mom tense again. And I could relate. Young or old. Haven't we all been in that moment? When we hand over the power in the scissors to a hairdresser who we hope will duplicate the style we've found in a picture?

But as the stylist continued her cutting and snipping, my mom's hair was slowly drying. A beautiful warm honey color was emerging. And I knew the young girl had nailed the first part. And I knew my mom would love the color. So now I waited with bated breath for the style to be complete.

And there it was. Finis! And...beautiful! I watched the smile spread across my mom's face. It was what she had envisioned. And I could relate. I know that feeling. The feeling you get when the stylist says "Ok, all done" and you open your eyes, gaze in the mirror...and a new look stares back at you. Is it what you wanted? Is it the right look for you? Did you make the right choices, in color? in cut? Did the stylist get it right? And when your face stares back at you and smiles, it's such a sense of relief!

I could feel my mother's spirit lift. She eyed herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair. She primped and fluffed it a bit. She struck a pose for my camera. As we said goodbye to our stylist (who I think is about to become my mother's new go-to hairdresser), and headed out to my car, I could tell she walked a bit taller. She couldn't wait to get home and show off her new look to my dad. To have him look at her with a new appreciation. And I could relate. Can't you? Haven't you left the hair salon and was excited to show off your new self to hubby, boyfriend or girlfriends? It's a proud moment for sure. When you KNOW you look good and as a result FEEL good.

That was my day. With my mother. Sharing a simple common activity but one that as women we are on common ground. It makes my happy to know that today I made my mom feel beautiful. And made some great memories.

 

 

 

My Backyard - Marble House, Newport, RI

Ah, another day in Newport....another Mansion tour. And what a glorious one it was, too!

In a previous post, I told you about my adventures at the Breakers. I promised myself (and you, my dear reader) that I would return to Newport to visit another grand old manse. That opportunity presented itself last December. (Ok, so I'm a little slow in writing this post about it....been a bit busy....but i'm trying to catch up...honest!)

continuing on....Hubby actually brought it up. "Let's go see one of the Mansions this week," he said. "They should all be decorated for the holidays. It'll be a good time to go."

Ok....hmmm....let me think bout this...twist my arm...ummm...weeelll...Of course I'd go, and with hubby along, too? Heck yeah!

So on a cloudy, cold day we headed to Newport and chose to visit Marble House on Bellevue Avenue. We parked across the street and, after buying a ticket for hubby, we strode up to the massive entrance to the mansion. While grand, we immediately recognized that this place is nowhere near as large as the Breakers. But maybe that's okay. It actually felt a bit homier to me, more comfortable. (If you can call a large, stone mansion built in 1882 homey and comfortable.)

First Lady of Style - Michelle Obama

A lot of you know I have a love affair with fashion. I think it began when I was a little girl and my mom used to make my clothes. That talented woman could whip up the cutest dress and matching purse for me out of a bag of scrap cloth. Many times she didn't use patterns. She taught me how to make clothes for my dolls. And from that I learned to design. To put the ideas in my mind into an outfit for Barbie. Let me tell you, my dolls were the best dressed in the neighborhood and the envy of my female classmates.

Photo Credit - Tshein (Flickr)

A younger me entertained the idea to perhaps work in the fashion arena. Maybe a fashion reporter, maybe the actual designer. I even started my college education in a retail major but soon realized my dream was going to be just that, a pipedream. I switched up and went for something practical, business administration with a minor in law. Yah. Booooring, right?  Anyhoo, over the years I've kept my ear to the fashion world. I consumed beauty mags, oohed and ahhed over all the beautiful creations that came out of New York fashion week, and plopped myself in front of the tv every time there was anything on about the fashion world (documentaries, reality shows, etc.).

Once in a while a style icon strikes a chord with me and I get this urge to emulate her in my wardrobe. (And secretly harbor a desire to design for her!)  

My Backyard - Waterfire; Providence, RI

Friday night. Date night with hubby. Nice to be out, just enjoying ourselves and not worrying or agonizing over our unemployment situation. The road of romance led to Providence. The downtown Providence Place Mall to be exact. We arrived thankfully before the evening onslaught of holiday shoppers.

First stop: Macy's. Always reliable store to purchase gifts for the family party yankee swap this weekend. Hubby and I found 2 perfect gifts in our price point and moved on. Next up: Bed Bath and Beyond. We've gone back and forth about trading in our old dependable Tassimo for the popular Keurig coffee maker. (I've been inconsolable ever since Starbucks jumped ship and joined forces with the K-cup.) We hemmed and hawed and finally gave in. Luckily, I had some of those pretty blue 20% off coupons and handed them to the cashier to save some $. Our Christmas gift to each other this year was now in hand.

My Backyard: Women's Expo; Rhodes on the Pawtuxet

I love spending time with my sisters. I have 5 of them so there's always an opportunity for gal-time. And since we love all things fashion, beauty, shopping and girly, we're always looking for events that bring it all together and we're there! Last month, 2 of my sisters went with me to the "What Women Want" Expo held on a Sunday afternoon at the Rhodes On the Pawtuxet in Cranston. It was presented by Alex and Ani and hosted by lady dj's from local music stations 92PRO-FM, Lite Rock 105, and HOT 106. A portion of the proceeds went to Women & Infants Breast Health Center.

Off to See the Wizard of Hair - Michael Galvin Salon

Just got back from the Michael Galvin Salon, one of my fav places. No matter how I'm feeling when I walk in there, I always feel better (not to mention look better!) when I walk out. I love feeling pampered. My stylist, Linda, makes sure of that.

Its been more than 15 years since I ran to Linda to fix a bad haircut I had gotten from another salon. She worked her magic and I was hooked. She's my style wizard. Through the short cuts, the long layers, the high and low lights, the various shades of red. She's made my hair look spectacular.

Most importantly she's helped me to hold back father time. I feel like she's kept me looking younger than my 51 years. Not sure if other people think I do but I sure feel like it. And that's what matters. How I feel inside. How my hairstyle makes me feel.

Not sure why hair is so important to woman. I don't think men think their hair is such a big deal. So what makes us feel this way? Why does my self esteem and self confidence rise when my hair looks its best?

Who knows? Not sure what the psychology is behind it. All I know is I need my monthly hair salon fix. Even being unemployed hasn't kept me away. If anything, its been the one bit of norm that I still have, that I cling to. I'm so glad that the salon and Linda are still there for me, especially now.

How about you? Are you attached to your hairdresser? Would love to get your feedback!