Best Dressed

Joan Crawford wore this fabulous dress in "The Women", which is by far my favorite movie ever. This dress was designed by Adrian who was the chief designer for MGM. When his contract was up he opened up shop in Beverly Hills while doing freelance for movie studios. If you are watching a movie with fancy dresses in the 20's through 40's, he is most likely the designer. 

This dress is one of his best. I love the material and the side cut outs. I would attempt to try and copy it, but I don't think  the local Joanne's Fabrics has the materials. But I can still look at these pictures and dream.

Quote of the Day

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

-Judy Garland

Moon Over Miami

No, not Moon Over My Hammy. This isn't Denny's. This is a wonderfully fun film with tons of kitschy song and dance. Ok, that was a cheesy line. But I love this film so much I watch it over and over. Here is why: The outfits are fabulous, and there are many of them. Don Ameche is one of the leads and I love him, partially because he lived next door to my grandparents when he retired. I used to stare out the window hoping to get a glance of him...but I never did. Recluse. There are a few awesome arial shots of Miami in the early 40's and lastly, the songs are cute and get stuck in your head (in a good way).

It all starts out with three poor but pretty broads who work at a drive-in in Texas and decide to take their inheritance, take a vacation to Miami, and pretend one of them is rich to snag a man. Similar to "How To Marry A Millionaire", but not close enough to be annoying.

Betty Grable is the one that is chosen to be "rich" while her sister plays her secretary and her aunt plays the maid, because every rich lady travels with a secretary and a maid. So Betty gets the attention of two guys who are childhood friends and presumably loaded. (Ameche and Robert Cummings) and they get dressed up and go out to lavish parties while Betty for some odd reason plays hard to get.

Since they won't get off her back, and she can't take on both, Betty has her "secretary" sister come along as a decoy. Well her sister (played by Carol Landis, who in real life kills herself 7 years later) starts a crush on one of the boys (who ends up being in debt) and they all end up in a love square until the end when, naturally after meeting a week before, they take their pick and get married. 

What happens to the aunt "maid" you ask? Well she ends up falling for the bell boy, because in 1941 only the help can marry the help. And they all live happy ever after....

The End

My Hollywood Crush

Yesterday my dad gave me an article featuring my Hollywood crush, and if you know me, you can figure that this crush is no longer alive. Morbid maybe, but for a long time I have had my eye on Mr. Howard Hughes. He was dashing and eccentric, he built airplanes, dated everyone, and was able to make a name in Hollywood directing only a few hit movies. 

On my way up to Portland to visit my brother over new years, I found myself at the very museum where Howard's Spruce Goose is resting. Boy, was I excited! I had never had a chance to see The Hercules when it was housed in Long Beach, but there I was, standing next to it, walking around inside it. I must say, this airplane is huge in person. It's hard to believe the whole thing is made out of wood and that it got into the air (for a short time anyway).

Ok, so maybe he only drank milk and burned his wardrobe occasionally, poor crazy Howard, I don't think you get enough credit.

You are my Hollywood crush.

Quote of the Day

"If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased."

-Katharine Hepburn

Fred Astaire+Stanley Donen=Love

Had enough of watching tsunami TV so I decided to "On-Demand it" and found "Royal Wedding". I had never seen if before but it's safe to say I would wear every single outfit in this movie. Except the men's outfits...I don't do that. Jane Powell is the gal in the film, and the best part is this amazing scene where Fred dances on the walls and the ceiling. Pretty advanced for 1951. 

Super cute movie, but since Stanley Donen is the director, it should be obvious!

Woman Of The Year

Last night I was at my pal Becky's house and we started watching "Woman Of The Year". 

There is a really cute scene in this film when Katharine Hepburn, who is a "working woman" attempts to cook her husband (Spencer Tracy) breakfast after a fight. She has no idea what to do and ends up putting yeast in pancakes. But she is wearing a cute black and white jumper, so all is good. Another scene when Spencer Tracy takes Katharine Hepburn to her first baseball game and tries to explain the rules to her, all while wearing a fabulously large hat and annoying the men behind her, because only men go to baseball games...

The best part about old movies are the often silly story lines. There is a scene where Katharine Hepburn decides to adopt a kid. After Spencer Tracy comes home and doesn't fancy the idea, she just takes the kid back. Oh well!