The Paris Wife

I recently read the book The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It is the story of the courtship and married life of Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemingway. It is written as a novel. The characters and situations are real. To fill in the blanks the author used her imagination.

Hadley and Ernest

Hadley, Ernest and their son, Bumby.

The storyline and time frame is the same as Hemingway's memoir A Moveable Feast, Paris in the 1920's. A time when lives were filled with artists, writers, booze and a mixture of bohemians both wealthy and not.
It is interesting to read the story from Hadley's perspective. She was a strong and compelling woman. She was also content to stay in the background and let Ernest be the star. She claimed she didn't want to be a modern girl. She was comfortable being old fashioned. I think she felt safe there, being in the background and being old fashioned. It kept her out of the line of fire from whatever new scheme was brewing.
With his early writing success Ernest's ego began to explode. He had always been macho and at times a bully. Things progressed from there. He seemed to take it for granted that he could do whatever he wanted. If he thought it would make him a better writer it must be the right thing to do. Even old fashioned Hadley wouldn't put up with that forever.
I like Hadley. She stayed true to herself. She knew when it was over. It hurt but she got on with her life.

The story is fascinating because of where and when it is set. Paris in the 20's was a hot bed of creativity. The cast of characters included Gertrude Stein, Alice B Toklas, F Scott Fitzgerald and his Zelda. Quite a group.

Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas

Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald

Zelda, Scott and daughter Scottie

The Paris Wife, that alone conjures up all sorts of romantic notions. It would have been hard to resist that call to adventure.

Christian Be'rard

Christian Be'rard was born in Paris. His short exuberant life was from 1902-1949. He worked as an artist, set and costume designer, fashion and book illustrator and a portrait painter.  He was also witty, charming, kind and charismatic. He was sought after socially as well as creatively.

I first took notice of Christian because of his fluid, elegant architectural elements painted on walls.

His imaginative work brings a lively style to interiors.

Christian also worked in fashion. He illustrated for Vogue Magazine in the 1930's. He added his own layer of style to these creative works.

The fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli used his talents to illustrate her beach wear collection. Gorgeous drawings.

This is a silk scarf Be'rard designed. His talents go on and on.

This sketch was done as an illustration for Colette's story of Gigi. It is  absolutely charming and delightful.

This loose floral pattern was a carpet he designed in 1940. It would be perfect in current modern interiors.

This is a sketch done for a set design of a 1935 production of Margot.

Christian often worked with his friend and fellow creative Jean Cocteau.  These illustrations show set designs for Cocteau's screen version of La Belle et la Bete.  Dark, beautiful and imaginative.

Christian Be'rard at work creating.

His vice was his undoing. Christian's life was brought to an early end in part by his addiction to opium.

To me Christian Be'ard is a truly creative and talented artist. What I find fascinating is how he could work and create in so many areas.  A true Bohemian Creative.

You can read more about his work and life in the book

Christian Be'rard by Boris Kochno

The Oscars Through The Decades

It's time for the Oscars, which for me is the Holy Grail of awards and award shows. I like to start early on Oscar day. I watch the earliest version of the red carpet arrivals. I probably see the janitorial staff show up, but it's the Oscars' janitorial staff. I also stay late watching the after the show interviews.  So I thought I would do a little Oscar through the decades. I started with the 30's and went through the 70's. I couldn't bring myself to deal with 80's fashion. The low glamour of the 70's was difficult enough. Here we go...

 The lovely Norma Shearer with her Oscar for The Divorcee.  I like the way she looks directly and confidently into the camera.

 Vivien Leigh with her Gone With The Wind statue. Stunning

 In 1940 winners were Ginger Rogers and James Stewart. It must feel great to win.

 Winners from 1947 included Daryl Zanuck, Loretta Young, Edmund Gwenn, Celeste Holm and Ronald Coleman.  If you haven't seen Ronald Coleman movies I highly suggest watching a few, or more. He is amazing. My favorite is Random Harvest.

 Now for the 50's, so many great photos from this decade and the fashion presented a perfect Oscar style. And, of course, Audrey Hepburn is lovely.

 Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor, their marriage didn't last but they looked good.

 Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were a talented and gorgeous couple who also had a long and happy marriage.

 This is such a great photo of Frank Sinatra. I like it because it is so unposed. Other winners are Mercedes McCambridge and the charming Donna Reed.

 The 60's started off with this talented, stylish group, Peter Ustinov, Shirley Jones, Elizabeth Taylor and Burt Lancaster.

 If good looks were all it took to be happy, Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood would never have a problem.

 Julie Christie...perfect

 Another great group from the 60's Gregory Peck. Sophia Loren, Joan Crawford and ? If you know who that is let me know.

 And now the dressed down 70's. Winners Gene Hackman and Jane Fonda.

 The happy, stylish winners from Cuckoo's Nest.  Jack and his sunglassess, so cool.

 Liza Minnelli in another dressed down look. Great make up and hair.

By the late 70's people were getting dressed up again. 
You know what I'll be doing Sunday night. Are you a fan of the Oscars?

Valentine

Valentine's Day is all about the love. Whatever kind you have or want, it's the love that counts. So here are a few photos that make me smile and feel the love on Valentine's Day.

It's all you need.
Happy Valentine's Day

Helena Bonham Carter's Fashion Sense

The more I see Helena Bonham Carter's sense of fashion the more I like it. She's a bit over the top, marching to a different fashion drummer and I applaud her. She has a firm grasp on being herself.

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"Sometimes I get it right and I sometimes I get it wrong,” Bonham Carter, 44, tells PEOPLE. “But fashion is all about having fun. I think fashion has been hijacked by the fashion industry creating rules on what one should wear and I feel like breaking the mold and seeing that the world won’t crumble."

 Dressed in Marc Jacobs at the SAG Awards. I love it.

 Again from PEOPLE,"For me, fashion is all about fantasy and putting unlikely things together. That's what I love. I genuinely love dressing up."  HBC

 Fashion is always about attitude.

 At the premier for Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince Helena donned this amazing purple dress. Her hair is great. Wonderful fashion for the actor creating the character Bellatrix Lestrange.

Vanity Fair March 2011   
Pretty much says it all.