La Dolce Vita 1960s: Gandini

The Italian Woman of the 1960s.  Think Claudia Cardinale (when she was unbelievably feline, sexy and chic),  Sophia Loren (one of the few lucky women to have breasts AND a behind AND a waist- have you ever seen Sophia in It Started in Naples?  Mamma Mia!), Virna Lisi (she plays the Italian woman whom Jack Lemmon, who stars as the Ultimate Bachelor in How to Murder Your Wife, marries in a drunken stupor, trouble ensues and then his butler quits - you have to see the movie) and  of course Monica Vitti who was all cool blonde lushness.  

Sofia Loren photographed on the set of Boccacio '70 by my husband's grandfather, the Life photographer, John Phillips.

Think Campari and Soda, Limoncello at midnight in a piazza on a port, Lapo Elkann in his grandfather, Gianni Agnelli's vintage suits (oops sorry! How did Lapo get in there?!!)...  anyway, you get the picture...

So, what to do if you don't have Sophia's curves but want to channel those curves? If you want to feel very glamorous Italian film star with Marcello M. about to ring your bell (How one's mind does wander!) You choose a cocktail dress from a great Italian couturier, Gandini in a beautiful apricot chiné print with a voluminous bubble back (no fantasizing needed!  The dress is here to have and to hold and for one lucky woman, to wear).  

The dress itself is draped around the body so there is volume and awareness of the body,

When you mambo italiano
Shake-a Baby shake-a cause I love a when you take a me
Mama say "stop-a or I'm gonna go to Papa"
And a hey ja drool you don't a have to go to school
Just make-a wid da beat bambino
It's a like a vino
Kid you good a lookin' but you don't a-know what's cookin' till you
Hey mambo, Mambo Italiano
Hey mambo, Mambo Italiano
Ho, ho, ho, you mixed up Siciliano
it's a so delish a ev'rybody come copisha
How to mambo italianoooooo!

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