The Great Gatsby: Ralph Lauren, Spring 2012

The Great Gatsby is my favorite book of all time; I really can't think of a piece that I've ever loved reading more. The novel captures so much glamour and excessive indulgence in such an interesting, historical time in our country. I was in an advanced lit class back in high school when I read it for the first time, where my teacher had us watch the Mia Farrow and Robert Redford movie. I even fell in love with the film, despite its glowy, overly dramatic 70's cinematic style. Ralph Lauren actually designed the costumes for that film in his early days of his career, and is again paying tribute to the Roaring Twenties and The Great Gatsby with his Spring 2012 collection. Pair its pearl-adorned, heavily-beaded, pastel-colored satin glory with the nostalgia I have for Gatsby, and you've got my adoration for a collection filled with the epitome of classic, timeless femininity.

"He smiled understandingly- much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Ch. 3

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Style Icon: Audrey Hepburn

There are many women who have inspired me style-wise, several of whom I've featured. Women with fabulous hair, monstrous Hermes collections, killer shoes... they've absolutely influenced my own personal style. Audrey Hepburn's love of black attire and flowy dresses are definitely staples of my own style, as well as strong brows and dramatic lips. However, I think Audrey stands out amongst all of these style icons, as she possessed an inner grace and happiness that radiated in everything that she did. Audrey is absolutely an example of having it all; enjoying all things girly, finding joy in each and every moment, and having a purpose to do something greater than oneself. Audrey's work with UNICEF and her compassion for children is what set her apart from every other pretty face. She left a legacy of kindness and humility, something that should define and inspire beauty.

 

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides."

-Audrey Hepburn

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” -AH

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My Old-Hollywood Inspiration

Glamour in its Purest Form