Exotic Dressed Beauty - Gene Tierney.

Gene Tierney, a woman I gazed at awe in whilst watching her old movies as I grew up. Her grace, beauty, those eyes, her hair, those shoes, her makeup, those dresses, hats, jewels - she was grace personified. It wasn't so much her presence on screen as what she wore on screen that captivated me. Oh those clothes......(whistles loudly)....beautiful.

Laura 1944.

Funnily enough the films that I admire Gene Tierney in don't contain Tyrone Power. She has a most magical presence in the film The Ghost and Mrs Muir, 1947 which was the first film I ever saw her in. It is my favourite Gene Tierney film for her acting and the script. Not one for beautiful dresses or elaborate costumes, it is a film to nourish the soul. Tierney plays a young widow who moves into a lonely old house on a cliff, by the sea called Gull Cottage, which is haunted by a handsome young sea captain called Daniel, and with whom she falls in love. This is the house I desire to build, I love it so. I have watched and cried at this film easily over a thousand times. It touches my soul deeper than I can ever possibly explain.

Having watched her in the films where she starred alongside Tyrone Power, her appeal lessened and she seemed thin and insipid along side his charms, but that may of course be an immense personal preference on my part.........er hem...(coughs).
I didn't warm to her as an actress in any other film until I saw her in Laura, 1944. Where she played alongside Cliffton Webb, he of Mr Belvadere fame. It is a murder mystery as Tierney's character is the victim, and we the audience are asked to unravel the plot through her letters, friends and personal diaries, along with the policeman investigating her death - who soon becomes obsessed with the deceased character.

My favourite red Tierney dress.

Born in 1920, American actress Tierney died in 1991 aged 70 of emphysema. She suffered from mental health issues after the birth of her first born child and was treated with electric Shock therapy, something that she later claimed took large portions of her memory away. Married twice, her first husband whom she married in 1941 and divorced in 1952, was the noted fashion designer Oleg Cassini, who for several years designed exclusively for his movie star wife. He was assistant costume designer to the legendary Edith Head in the 1930's and later in the 1960's became the favourite designer for the classic American first lady Jackie Kennedy, JFK's wife.
Oleg and Tierney had two daughters together. During her first pregnancy in 1943 Tierney contracted Rubella (German measles) from a brief autograph signing of a fan meet and greet at a movie studio held event. Her daughter was born with severe disabilities due to the illness and had to be intitutionalized. All her daughter's medical bills and life long care were paid for by Tierney's good friend billionaire Howard Hughes.

I love this red dress that Tierney wears in this late 1940's photo shoot, no doubt designed and created by her loving husband Oleg Cassini. It is beautiful. Especially with the lilac sash. It's one I hope to recreate for myself one day very soon. I have a huge stash of old movie clips and photos and hoardes of dress sketches I wish to sew, but it's that old enemy time. Until then I shall just keep collecting and drooling......looking for similar at the Vintage Fairs.
This look on the right with the black and whole striped gloves and head band/turban/wrap are what I am on the lookout for at the moment. It is on my list - all except for the pink corsage flower as the finishing touch, for me I think it should be scarlet red. I love EVERYTHING about this photo apart from that pale pink flower. Her hair, lips, coat - just that flower lets it all down. It is a small bug bear, but there we have it.
I ask you, what woman couldn't fail to look timeless, elegant and absolutely stunning with a genius like Cassini exclusively designer for her?!


Tierney and her designer husband Oleg Cassini.



After their divorce Oleg went onto become engaged to Grace Kelly. He was obviously a man who had an eye for style and beauty, not just on the clothes rail but off as well. He even went on to design and produce a fashion doll named after Gene and his second daughter, Tina. Something that is quite sort after by collectors I am told, although I never had one as a child - I think the doll looks suspiciously like his ex-wife Gene, but then maybe it is more than likely to be modelled on their daughter. It's a shame she didn't end up rivaling Sindy or Barbie for their titles, along with Mary Quant's Daisy doll.

I love the delicate neckline of this outfit. Cupids and their hearts. It reminds me of the latest butterfly cardigans that you see around now in the Vintage and retro boutiques in Brighton. Something that would go well with high waisted slacks, a full circle skirt, pencil skirt or cropped jeans. It is cute not matter what the style of occasion you wish to dress it for, with almost a bedtime peignoir lure to it.

Yes, I am afraid it is her designer husband and his creations that fascinate me more about Gene Tierney, than Gene Tierney herself. Even though she had by some standards a tragic life and one of some hardship, I myself see her more as a stunning clothes horse for her husband's genius creations. Perhaps I am being too harsh on her, but really it is not so much Tierney I notice or watch in films, as her dresses that glide by my vigilant eyes.
Yes she is beautiful, yes she is a good actress, but her appeal is more for a male audience I think. All those fluttering eyelashes and demure smiles. No, my interest alone is her outstanding wardrobe - one that I envy with a clear passion. Would that Oleg Cassini design for me! x

Gowns galore to have a hissy fit over. One of the types of gowns Cassini is known for today is his Wedding gowns, of which he had a line out when he died in 2006. Beautiful, elegant and understated, almost echoing the ball and evening gowns of his ex wife Gene Tierney. What a muse she must have been for him, along with Grace Kelly and Jackie O.
If Tierney is wearing an outfit between 1941 and 1952 you can bet it will be have been designed by her clever husband. What better way to advertise your creations than on one of the most beautiful women in the world.

Callot Souers.

Callot dress 1915.

Having looked at the world of Poiret and the French Couture Houses, I think it only fair to include some of his contempories of the time in a few blogging posts this week. Poiret wasn't the only thing going down in "Gay Paree".

Callout Souers - The Callot Sisters - was a Paris fashion House opened in 1895, operated and run by the four Callot sisters. Marie Callot Gerber, Marthe Callot Bertrand, Regina Callot Tennyson-Chantrell and Josephine Callot Crimont. Only the eldest sister Marie was actually trained in dress making but all the sisters had been taught sewing and lacemaking by their mother, herself a lacemaker by profession.
They started their small business by working with antique laces and ribbons, sewing them to lingerie and to enhance blouses. This attention to fine detail was what their work was known for and it led on to expansion in the business, by 1914 their fashion house was on it's way upwards.
As with the whole of Europe at the time the Orientalists movement was cutting a swathe and for the Callot sisters this meant that their work took on an exotic feel by working with gold and silver lame to make their dresses. One of the first designers to do so and they embraced the whole metallic thread theme creating some of the most beautiful intricate dresses I have even laid eyes on. So delicate with tiny detailing, like shimmering mermaids on land. Remember these metal threads and ornamentation were designed to catch the subdued candle light at evening parties and the moons romantic rays. To flicker and dance with light as the lady in question gracefully glided by on the arm of a certain gentleman. It was fairytale magical imagery. Personally I think it is in evening gowns that this fashion house shone and sparkled. These gowns have to be seen to be believed at the amount of work and love that created them.

Short cape.

A Caollot day dress, with just a teeny
bit of gold thread sparkle.

In 1928 Marie Callot Gerber's son, Pierre, took over the business but in 1937, the House of Callot Soeurs closed and was absorbed into the House of Calvet (Marie-Louise Calvet); under the Callot label. When the Second World War erupted it made matters difficult in France and the Callot label finally closed in 1952, but look what a beautiful gift they gave to the world.

Are you a Robe, Gown or Peignoir Girl?

Now the weather has taken on a slight chill I have changed a vital piece of my wardrobe - my dressing gown - from silk to fleece.  This small act started me thinking about the humble dressing gown or robe as some call it. From whence did it originate?

The Medieval female  robe.

Well, according to the word root dictionary, the word robe comes from old English and literally means garment, but it's thought that it originated from the Frankish language (which is an extinct old West Germanic language) from the word 'rouba' . Scholars think this comes from the word 'to rob', meaning of gowns and clothing, because material was very expensive and time consuming to produce in the Middle Ages. Especially if it was of fine quality, it could be worth a lot. This word then has travelled down to our language of today to eventually mean a woman's dress or long wrap, hence the word dressing robe. The distinction of difference being that a robe had long sleeves, as opposed to being a cape or a cloak.

Pattern for 1920's Housecoat.

Over the years there have been many variants on the usage and words associated with robe. There's the dressing robe - which years ago meant a male garment or the dressing gown - a loose garment with a wrap belt worn when one is relaxing about the house usually in bedwear attire.

Then there's the humble bathrobe made of absorbent material to wear after a bath, and the housecoat - worn in the 1930's and becoming very popular in the 1940's. This was not worn for bed or relaxing, but generally about the house as the title suggests. Perhaps it's other commonly referred to name will give you a clue to it's usage, 'the duster' . Longer than an apron, but less coverage than a pinafore, the housecoat was worn to protect the lady of the house's beautiful dresses whilst she bustled about the house doing her daily chores. They were made from a variety of light fabrics and some were even quited for extra warmth. Woman it seems found them so comfy that they started wearing them in longer styles in the evenings for lounging around, making the fashion industry design more stylish numbers. This then is the pre-outfit to our modern dressing gown......but where did it originally originate from in history?

Nicolas Bylston in a green Banyan,
painted 1767.

An aged Sir Issacc Newton in a Banyan,
painted by James Thornhill 1709-12.

It seems that looking back over history the dressing gown or lounge robe, whatever you wish to call it has been with us since the early 17th Century in disguise with a rather peculiar name, the Banyan.

Vintage Male Banyan.

The Banyan originally only worn by men, of course, was a dressing robe - rather like an English Tudor styled nobles robe but with sleeves reaching to the knees and a heady mix from the Persian or Asian style clothes that had begun to influence society. The word Banyan means in Arabic and Portuguese - merchant.
With the Orientalist movement in Art it was only fitting that it moved over into fashion.The exotic oriental style had become the latest fascination for Europe and so the robe took on an exotic matching flavour becoming more flamboyant and resplendent in it's fabrics and colours. It was around this time that it started to become known in our English culture as a morning gown, or robe de chambre - nightgown, becoming a floor length gown and at last it took on the appearance that we feel familiar with today. The range of materials increased to include Indian and Chinese silks and bedtime chic was created in Europe.

Dressing robe for women.

But what of the women? When were we allowed to wear Banyans and nightgowns..........well of course we did but not as extravagant as our male peacocks, that didn't occur until the 18th Century I'm afraid with the introduction of the Japanese Kimono into Western thought.

1920's Kimono styled robe.

1930's Hollywood glamour in black.

Then of course in the 19th Century we had the delectably named Peignoir. What a delightful word, it just simply rolls of the tongue with ease and sophistication and a touch of naughtiness.......peignoir.



1930's robe.



With the Peignoir 'comfort' was the ultimate key word. A woman's comfort in those days was hardly ever thought of in clothing that was so very restrictive in every way shape and form, yet here was a delicate little number that allowed just that.....comfort so women could breathe away from the dreaded laced corset.

Usually made of lace and chiffon, it was light and airy to wear and felt cool against their skin. The word Peignoir comes from the French word 'peigner' to 'comb ones hair' from the Latin pectin/comb. Which is when woman brushed their hair the most - at night. Remember, one hundred stokes girls to make it shiny and lustrous.

Peignoirs were later sold as a whole set of gown, panties and stockings with which to wear to bed. I should think that that appeal alone was enough to men to make the Peignoir an instant hit as the number one saucy Christmas gift of the 19th Century! There is no other era that shows this better than the Hollywood glamour of the 1930's - 1940's with the movie stars and their black and white photography.
The male Banyan developed into the smoking jacket and then sadly both males and female attire seemed to mere into the androgenous terry toweling dressing gown that we see hung on shops rails today. I must say they're jolly comfortable not very glamorous or sexy - what's wrong with a little bit of sexy glamour?! Bring back the peignoir! Of course it's still around and the best places to find them apart from the high street lingerie shops are in the vintage boutiques. Perhaps a peignoir will be on your naughty Christmas list this year? I know it'll be on mine. ;)

The 18th Century IS back in Fashion !!!!!!

The Palace of Versailles.

How I wish I could be there! Versaille is one of those places on my list of where I want to visit once Mud Boy and I are on our way travelling after our 'home Ed' phase of life is over. 'Travelling' - It's the next phase.
At the moment there is a

1780 - 85 camisole & skirt.

F A N T A S T I C exhibition on at Versaille, in France, once the private Palace of Queen Marie Antoinette. One of the most misunderstood and misrepresented women of history, along with Anne Boleyn, Queen Charlotte and several other women I could list.

Mugler - I want !!!!!!

The exhibition is on from the 8th July to the 9th October and I have very, very little chance of being able to see it. My life here is simply too busy. This is what I have to keep reminding myself lately , we have moved into the next phase. I see life as phases and contained inside those are groups of years, when certain things are very important to you or very predominant. Like those years when you constantly have a buggy, babies, small children, exploration and discovery years - our family has moved on from the early home ed years and even the middle discovery years of home ed - we are now on the last legs of our home ed journey. The next few years of our lives, is only a short phase - It's the exam phase, because no sooner than Diggy and Budge pass through it - Pickle will step into it. That is, if she wants to take any exams or go a different route. As of yet we are unsure and so is she. She's only ten!

1730 court shoes.

Vivienne Westwood.

So this is where we shall be for roughly the next ten years. And not all of that may be exclusively home ed. Of course that doesn't mean we can't have treats, visits and a life! But we can't just swan off, like we used to when the girls were small. Now is the time to buckle down. We have schedules, goals and deadlines to meet. So for now, I shall content myself with looking at the exhibition from afar and console myself that in ten years time or less, they will have an even better exhibition on, of even more restored pieces when it is my turn to visit. Who knows maybe it will be next years family holiday destination!?

But, back to the exhibition. The gowns are exhibits of  works by the marvellous Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld pour Chanel, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Olivier Theyskens pour Rochas, Martin Margiela, Azzedine Alaïa, Alexander McQueen pour Givenchy, Yohji Yamamoto, Thierry Mugler… all of them fantasised about the 18th century.
All of them are influenced by this period of fashion. I am entranced by it. I dream about it so often I can feel myself walking in such gowns and lifting the hems to walk up steps.
Make no mistake I will get there one day ...... one day.