movie inspiration: April in Paris

I'm not really into Doris Day movies - I watch them, but I don't like them. I cheated on April in Paris (1952) and watched it in fast forward for cosutmes and set only. The saving grace of Doris Day movies is that they do tend to have big budgets and good costumes in full color. They also tend to be about showbiz and thus have elaborate stage costumes which are my absolute favorite.

Case in point -
[click for fullscreen eyecandy]



Technicolor french poodles. Oh yeah.







This set w the giant ruffles is my favorite I think

even Doris' grey ensemble is pretty great - perma-pleat cape and bikini top over a full length circle skirt.



I was actually going to make this post entirely about this shot, but there are a few other tasty morsels I have to at least mention.

her wedding dress - hellooo Vuitton



then there's this draped satin & flower dress she wears to a masquerade party - kind of Viktor & Rolf in a way - so sculpted .. refined yet totally insane.






Somehow Doris' bathrobe pretty much upstages everything else though



Super-full lavender tafetta. How many suitcases do you have to pack for vacation when this is just your robe?






I just liked this shot.
and I think this year's insane birthday cake will be a recreation of this one



anyone know where I can find an Eiffel Tower birthday candle?

movie inspiration: Modern Girls

For this installment of movie inspiration it's Modern Girls (1986) - Virginia Madsen, Daphne Zuniga and friends go clubbing in Hollywood. Not much on plot, but some of the best 80s styling and my all-time favorite interiors. It doesn't hurt that I had half of this stuff...



like that pink radio.

One day I am going to paint a Lichtenstein-esque mural over my bed. It has to be.




If anyone ever finds one of these cat clocks you'll hook me up, right?





soooooo 80s




sooo much pink




I love her collection of Archies and Barbie magazines. I had stacks of that junk.




OK best livingroom, best pastel fabric-feather boa, and yeah, I had a plastic rock purse.



apparently in the 80s you could get your head tattooed in the club




that boa again. Golly I have always wanted that thing. I need to figure out how to make it.





pastel cigarettes




of course this has a fuzzy leopard interior




everyone in the clubs is wearing vintage. Virginia Madsen wears this perfect 20s via the 80s beaded flapper-style dress throughout. Also, she has my all-time favorite hair - it's actually her hair in Candyman has always been my favorite, but that's for another post. If I could get a perm to do that I would so be there.

and one last shot of that livingroom



Flamingo curtains, randomly scattered neon noodles and a life-size hot pink metal palm tree. It doesn't get any better. And that little pink round-back chair to the left.. it has bowling balls for feet on its 3 legs. Best ever. God the 80s looked good.

the first old movie I ever loved

I must have watched Where the Boys Are (1960) a dozen times before I was 12. I was completely in love with the girls, the boys, the clothes, the cars, Ft. Lauderdale in the 60s - all of it. This was the world I wanted to grow up into (no matter how far from reality I knew it was.) If that's what spring break in Lauderdale was really like I'd go every year. Heck I'd move there. Into this motel -




Yvette Mimeaux is heartbreakingly beautiful, and she wears gingham in almost every scene.




Love the little white daisies w rhinestone centers. Doing this soon.




helloooo George Hamilton



There are lots of good bathing suits, but sadly no sunglasses of any sort on anyone. And 1960 was such a great year for shades.. it's my only complaint with this movie.





Connie Francis has the most lovely voice. And that's Frank Gorshin (the Riddler) as a hipster douchebag.



So many good cars



Lots of scenes of the girls getting dressed up - it's a carnival of pretty dresses and crinolines and frothy pastel underthings









Connie Francis' belt w this green dress is clear plastic with little white plastic flowers.




Man I had such a crush on Jim Hutton's character, TV Thompson. I guess I still do. He'd be the one in the helmet here. I mean George Hamilton's pretty, but I do tend to prefer goofy.



Also, TV is a really good nickname.

and there's a Marilyn-esque bombshell, for good measure



She's one of those underwater mermaid ladies that swims in a glass tank in a fancy restaurant - like Weeki Wachee but with dinner. I love that that used to be a job.





I haven't seen the one they made in the 80s - it's not on DVD yet - but I have a feeling it's going to disappoint me bigtime. I'm sure I won't be hard in love with all of the ashtrays and pool umbrellas and beach hats and lamps and every other tiny detail..






Apologies for the old school screen caps (read: pointing camera at computer screen) but it is apparently not possible to take screen caps of DVDs on a Mac! (Yes I tried the templates trick to no avail. ) This is the first super annoying Mac issue I've come up against. Super duper annoying.