Met Gala Flashback 1979

A Met Gala flashback from 1980 via Town and Country magazine...

"One glance at the committee names on the invitation to The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 'Fashions of the Hapsburg Era' opening in last December made it clear that one would not be hobnobbing with little match girls or the ladies who fix the flowers.  The committee chaired by Mrs. William F. Buckley Jr., was a constellation of the brightest stars in New York's social firmament and included Mrs. Winston Guest, Nancy, Lady Keith, Mrs. Aristotle Onassis, Mrs. Giovanni Agnelli, Mrs. Walter Annenberg, Miss Doris Duke, Mrs. Charles Englehard, Princess Lee Radziwill...  These well heeled heavenly bodies, glittering like Fourth of July sparkers in their haute couture gowns, radiate magnetic currents and powerful g forces.

Mary Sykes Cahan, the Metropolitan Mueum's senior public affairs associate in charge of the dinner that accompanies the exhibition which benefits the Costume Institute.  This dinner has long been a fundraiser for the CI, but became bigger in the 1970s with the appointment of Diana Vreeland as special consultant.  

Mrs Cahan said, 'Everything, from the invitation down to the placment of the last fork, goes through us.  No tapers, only unscented, votive candles are used.  Wax blows.  People deserve a suberb evening when hundresd of dollars have been spent.'

There's a waitng list for the six hndred invitations to the $300-per-person dinner.  Fifteen hundred tickets, priced at $75 for the post-dinner drinking, dancing viewing of the exhibit and the ultimate in people watching is the hottest ticket in town."

Town and Country, September 1980

Photos by Ron Galella from the Costume Institute Met Gala opening for Fashions of the Hapsburg Era, 1979

love, kisses and Party of the Year memories, Juliana

RARE vintage is on Skorpios with Jackie and Lee

Athina Onassis recently sold Skorpios, the island where Jackie Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis - she is known to have only visited the island once for her mother's ten year memorial.  I 'discovered' Skorios years ago in a book and life on Skorios seemed like the epitome of summer style to me.  RARE vintage is on the beach with Jackie Kennedy on Skorpios...

Ron Galella, the original paparazzo, published the book Jacqueline in 1974 and he writes all about  the challenges of photographing one of the most famous and glamorous women in the world.  Jacqueline Kennedy may or may not have liked Ron Galella tracking her every move but some of the most iconic and wonderful photographs of her are by him and I think his photographs have partially made her the style icon that she is today...

I became really obsessed when I read in Galella's book that "at 11AM I saw two sailors appear and they hosed down the patio and everything.  Getting ready for the Queen, I thought."  Now I wish I had two sailors to hose down our patio but alas I do it myself and it has become a morning ritual at our house on Centre Island - there is something very refreshing about it - and I always think of Jackie on Skorpios.  

Galella continues, "And then a woman in a bikini came down to the shore and started doing exercises.  But it wasn't Queen Jackie.  It was the Princess Lee Radziwill.  Lee looked very good doing her yoga. Then Jackie came down wearing pink Levis."

Have you ever even seen pink Levis?!  But don't they sound fab!

Princess Lee Radziwill doing some morning exercises:

Jackie in cropped pink Levis and her ubiquitous head scarf:

I love the simplicity of the picnic table and the rustic furniture:

Ron Galella did not have an easy time photographing Jackie on Skorpios - she was elusive and there was the presence of the Secret Service, Onassis' staff and the Greek police.  Finally he had a sighting.  "And then I saw her!  She was in the water with her bathing cap on and her sunglasses.  I could hear Ari calling to her: "Don't come her-ahh.  The water is duurrrty."

Galella wanted more photos of Jackie and had a hunch that she would be leaving Skorpios and heading to Capri.  "Crossing the bay of Naples I got sight of the Christina headed towards Capri.  That afternoon after they docked I followed Jackie up to the shopping area of Capri.  Jackie went into a jewelry store but I didn't see her buy anything.  Then she bought four pairs of sandals and then some tomato seeds for the garden on Skorpios.  Then I saw her buy some magazines, including a copy of Gente that had a picture of Ari and Maria Callas kissing on the cover.  I think she was annoyed that I took a picture of that."

Sounds like an idyllic summer doesn't it?  Sun, a swim, a little shopping and gossip magazines...

All photos and quoted text from Jacqueline by Ron Galella

RARE vintage Weekend Style Inspiration: Snow Style!

It was not quite the blizzard they said we were going to have but there was still enough snow for my daughter and dog to have fun in Central Park.  You can see why he is named Dash

typically, I had nothing to wear : ) all of my snow clothes were in Long Island.

So I was thinking what does one wear in the snow?

Maybe a great hat like Audrey Hepburn:

and one of my favorites.  So glamorous

or snow style a la Liz and Sir Richard Burton

and speaking of Richard and Elizabeth, a cocktail might be nice...

and then a little snooze in the sun.  Clothes optional.  Fur blanket a must.  St Moritz style:

I love Brigitte Bardot and Gunter Sachs snow style:

and Jacqueline Kennedy 

and playing with John and Caroline

and after all that play, how about a St Bernard drawn sleigh?

Vote! And What to Wear to an Inauguration Past

Vote!  You can do it!  Your vote counts!  

When all of the campaigning ends, when a President is elected, it all comes down to what is really important: What to wear for the inauguration : )  A look back as we look forward...

Jacqueline Kennedy and President John Kennedy.  1961.

Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama.  2009

Lady Bird Johnson.  1965

Nancy and President Ronald Reagan.  1981

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton (is it just me, or does Hilary look like Kate Winslet in this photo??) and President Bill Clinton.  1993

Pat Nixon.  1969.  (Sorry the photo is small but very fun)

and not inaugural but dresses of First ladies in the wonderful collection on the First Ladies at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC...

Mary Lincoln's silk dress (with a modified bodice). 1886.

Dolley Madison's Pride and Prejudice - oops I mean, Dolley Madison's gown embroidered with dragon flies, butterflies and flocks of flowers.  Circa 1810s.  (But isn't it so Elizabeth Bennet??!)

Florence Hardings silk tulle beaded gown.  Circa 1920s.

Eleanor Roosevelt's pink crepe and beaded gown.  1945.

Grace Coolridges Boardwalk Empire flapper dress.  Circa 1920s.  Hello Nucky!

Mamie Eisenhower's 1957 silk taffeta dress

and what will the first woman President of the United States wear to her inauguration?  Stay tuned!  Keep tuned in and vote!  Your vote counts! 

Happy Glamorous Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!  Celebrating a few glamorous Mamma's!

Elizabeth Taylor.  Photograph by Toni Frissel

Audrey Hepburn and son Sean

Anita Pallenberg

Patti Hansen

Emmanuelle Alt

Gloria Guinness and daughter Dolores in Balenciaga

Jacqueline Kennedy

It's the End of the World as We Know It: Vivienne Westwood's Pirate Collection

The great split personalities in film and television are: Joanne Woodward in The Three Faces of Eve, Sally Field in Sybil and Toni Colette in The United States of Tara.  I am not sure if psychiatrists have delved into the mind of the fashionista suffering from split personalities but I am proud to admit to suffering from a severe case of 'fashionista split personality-itis'.   And just so you know the symptoms are:

a. Your Style Icons are: CZ Guest, Brigitte Bardot, Jerry Hall, Millicent Rogers, Bianca Jagger, Daisy Fellowes, Marisa Berenson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Debbie Harry.

b. In your closet or you covet: 1950s Christian Dior, 1970s Yves Saint Laurent, Tina Chow's Fortunys, 1960s Balenciaga, early Helmut Lang, Stephen Sprouse, Romeo Gigli, early Gianni Versace, Alaia, 1970s Loris Azzaro, Valentino Couture, 1930s Schiaparelli, Early Prada (and the amazing Spring 2012 collection), Duchess of Windsor's Mainbochers and Vivienne Westwood.

c. Your fashion film icons are: Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief, Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind, Madonna in Who's That Girl, Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour, Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde, Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, Renee Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair and the documentary of Little and Big Edie in Albert and David Maysels' Grey Gardens.

So, are you suffering from 'fashionista split personality-itis?  Well if you are, you will surely love this Vivienne Westwood for World's End 1981 Pirate collection top as much as I do.  

Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McClaren rocked the world with their romantic and historically inspired Pirate Collection.  

Vivienne has said that she wanted "that rakish look of clothes that didn't fit".

It was the end of the world as we know it and I am feeling fine after discovering this brilliant 1981 Pirate's Collection top for RARE vintage.

1981 Vivienne Westwood World's End pirate Collection Top.  Size 4.

The next meeting of the self indulgent self help group 'Fashionista Split Personality-itis' will be held at RARE vintage next Wednesday evening.  Please rsvp at info@rarevintage.com.  Say it loud and say it proud!

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

Chanel Part Two: Getting Hauter!

Romy Schneider, Tina Chow and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  Many of RARE vintage's fashion icon Goddesses have worn Chanel haute couture.

Romy Schneider wearing Chanel and being directed by Visconti.  Photograph by the Life photographer, John Phillips.

Tina Chow in Karl Lagerfeld's first haute couture collection for the House of Chanel.  This is my DREAM dress to own so if anyone has one they would like to part with, please give us a call at RARE vintage!

Jacqueline Kennedy's Chanel haute couture suit from the Met's Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years.

Why have so many fashionable and independently minded woman chosen Chanel?  Maybe it is because in her designs there was boyishness and irresistible femininity.  She worked with jersey, chiffon, silk ribbons and lace.  There was also elegance and sweetness mixed with practicality.

Karl Lagerfeld, let's face it, does pretty much everything brilliantly.  He keeps the House of Chanel relevant by making the old new.  He has a sense of humor in his designs whether it is a more recent DJ inspired plastic, metal and jeweled necklace or a 1980s  leather motorcycle jacket where the pockets evoke the classic quilted bag.

But he also does some of the most heart poundingly beautiful dresses.  And if those dresses are ready-to-wear, they can be incredibly beautiful, but if they are haute couture, well, then you know you have died and gone to heaven because those are the pieces that make people cry from sheer beauty at the end of a fashion show.   This really happens -  grown men and women sob. Well, dry your eyes and take a look at our very beautiful , very fine, very this is what it means to be haute couture, midnight blue lace and organza Chanel dress.

You know the 'Forever' stamps that the post office has?  Well, this is a forever dress for a collector, for a mother to buy for her daughter, for a woman to wear on her wedding day (something blue), for a special event or because you never dreamed that you could or would buy Chanel haute couture and now here is your chance!

Early 1980s midnight blue lace and organza gown.  Size 4/6.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273