A Step Back

Beautylicious.

2010-11-27T18:55:00.005+01:00

One of my beauty must-have is a beautiful skin. Here are my favorite products and the basics to keep your skin healthy and good-looking :

[for boys & girls]

1) Gel Cleanser, Cleanance by Avène.

2) Clay Mask by Juvaflorine Laboratories.

3) Gentle Exfoliator by The Body Shop

4) It is important to moisturize your skin. I suggest that you use two different products, one to apply during the day Clean-Ac by Avène and an other one to apply during the night Bye-Bye Spot (Night Care) by Nivea Visage Young

5) For both men & women, to perfect your skin you can use a matifying foundation adapted to your skin tone. My favorite brand is Bare Minerals.

Cherish your skin !

- A.

Darling Lili.

2010-11-23T16:53:00.005+01:00

In Fabienne Berthaud's movie Pieds nus sur les limaces, Ludivine Sagnier plays Lili, Diane Kruger's sister. She is an outsider who, despite her mental fragility and crazyness sees life as it is without any illusions, on contrary to Clara (Kruger's character) who is rigid and blinded by her social conditioning. Lili teaches you how to live without any prerogative as she is living her life to the fullest in her own world, close to nature and [dead] animals. This movie goes beyond the limits of what we established as "normality" and shows us once more that it is impossible to categorize the human being. Also, to report the director's vision, after seeing this movie we automatically want to enjoy the present moment of pure, simple happiness and not wonder what tomorrow will be made of. Carpe Diem !

* * *

... Last night, I had the immense opportunity to meet the actress of the film, Ludivine Sagnier, who is also my favorite french actress. Here are the details of this incredible meeting ...

10 PM : the movie ends and the spectators seem to be pleased by the movie they just saw as they are all applauding. The lights slowly turn on and, discreetly, Ludivine Sagnier and Fabienne Berthaud appear in front of the big screen. My friend turns to me and says : "She is even more beautiful in real !" and I nod to show my agreement, completely absorbed by my idol. Both women are happy to be here (there's no need to mention that the spectators are just as pleased as they are, maybe even more !)

For at least 45 minutes, the director and her actress sympathetically answered different questions from the attending audience. At the beginning, people were quite shy to give their impressions but just as soon as one had started, others followed. Personally, I was quite nervous to raise my hand at first but I finally did raise it and asked Ludivine if it was difficult for her to seperate from her character after the shooting ? She smiled and told me (and the others) that it wasn't difficult at all and that she always had a bit of Lili within herself but that she also had a Clara within herself showing her the right track. She added that we probably all had those two different ways of thinking within ourselves. I was pleased with the answer and listened to the debate. After a while, it was time for them to go and Ludivine thanked the audience for participating in the Q&A and for being -I quote- "alive".

Most of the spectators left but some of them (including me) stayed to ask the actress if she could sign an autograph or if they could have a picture taken with her. She didn't seem bothered at all and chatted with her fans. When my turn finally arrived I asked her if I could have a picture taken with her, she smiled and we posed for a picture. I told her that I would use it to promote the movie on Facebook and she laughed telling me that the site of the movie was very well done and that I should check it out. I told her that I would. My friend also wanted a picture with her so I had the occasion to ask her if she was happy to play with Catherine Deneuve again in Christophe Honoré's upcoming movie, she smiled once more and said : "Oh, I'm thrilled ! You know, it's an old story !" (She was referring to the fact that they both played together in François Ozon's 8 Femmes)

Completely under the charm of this young and friendly person, my friend and I said goodbye while she was signing autographs, she immediately lifted her head and said : "Bonsoir et a bientôt !" For sure, I want to see her again. I will never forget this precious moment ...

A british movie pearl.

2010-11-06T15:16:00.003+01:00

Carey Mulligan looked retro chic at the 2010 BAFTA Los Angeles Brittania Awards, wearing a Preen dress and electric YSL shoes. The young actress won a BAFTA for her role in the [very beautiful] movie An Education which focused on the life of a teenager in the 1960's. Carey's original and often vintage inspired look on the red carpet earned her the the title of best dressed woman of 2010 by Harper's Bazaar.

Powder Room.

2010-11-06T15:00:00.006+01:00

The Louis Vuitton campaign for Fall/Winter 2010-2011 shot by Mario Testino, recreates the atmosphere of the powder rooms in the 1950's. The dresses look absolutely gorgeous. I love this vintage revival.

Don't be fooled by the rocks that she's got.

2010-10-24T15:24:00.002+02:00

This week's best dressed award goes to ... Jennifer Lopez. She looks perfect in this Georges Chakra dress.

Back to School.

2010-10-17T13:07:00.007+02:00

(Courtesy of Life Magazine)

Gentlemen, are you nostalgic of your student years ? Or are you currently

enjoying your freedom as a student ?

- In both case, I found the perfect look for YOU.

[Paul Smith Navy Check Jacket http://www.paulsmith.com]

[Shoes & Bag available at http://www.asos.com]

[Faux wayfarers - http://shop.cooliohigh.com]

Post Office.

2010-10-17T13:03:00.003+02:00

* Feel free to give me your suggestions for upcoming articles.

- Anthony

Red Carpet Retro.

2010-10-17T12:43:00.006+02:00

- Christina is looking Boobylicious at The Waikiki Opening Weekend in Hawaii. It's her first appearance in public since her split with her husband. She's wearing an amazing pink skin-tight dress. I love it !

* * *

- I also liked Emma Roberts in this draped dress by Catherine Malandrino. The lilac colour fits perfectly to her skin. Glamourous !

- Vintage.

2010-10-16T21:55:00.004+02:00

A lovely vintage boutique on the Internet by pop singer VV Brown.
http://www.vvvintage.com/

Get the Garbo look.

2010-10-16T21:17:00.013+02:00

Greta Garbo,

was one of Hollywood’s greatest movie stars in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Her Swedish beauty emanated from her structural face and deep, mysterious eyes. The woman who didn’t want to be alone but rather be left alone by the press and the public, kept maintaining the mystery around her persona by wandering in the streets of New-York behind her sunglasses. She is the essence of the modern woman and a legend to the eyes of moviegoers. Regarding her looks, they could be defined as exotic, original and elegant.

* * *

1) Both on-screen and off-screen, Greta used to wear all kinds of hats (berets, turbans, cloche hats, etc.)

[You can find these two hats on http://www.asos.com ; Hat (€23.82 ; $30.33) & Turban (€ 10.59 ; $13.48) ]

2) Long black dresses or men’s clothing were also part of her style.

[dresses can be found on www.zara.com ]

[ Burberry trench coat ]

3) She loved sober looks and never wore a lot of jewellery but she sometimes used pearls or a big ring to enhance her clothing.

Nana.

2009-08-09T20:22:00.003+02:00

"I believe that every human being, actually, the ones who are sincere, love to be loved"

Martine Carol

I came across this photograph of the french actress Martine Carol (1920-1967) showing up her legs in a beautiful black swimsuit. A little bit of freshness in those hot summer days ...

Look of the day.

2009-07-28T18:53:00.002+02:00

In history, fashion has always been something important. Today the thirties are still source of inspiration for a lot of fashion designers. To my mind, that period was full of class and elegance. Those two pictures came across me and I thought they could work for the first Look of the day. Both pictures are from 1934, the only thing I know about them is that the Coat worn by the woman in the second one is from House of Jaeger. As a little surprise, I posted a link to a song which inspired me as I saw the coat.

Evening Dress.

I've got my coat/love to keep me warm.
***

2009-07-28T18:15:00.001+02:00

A birthright for every woman

2009-07-28T18:13:00.004+02:00

Daily Beauty Rituals.

In the article that follows you are going to find a video with some tips to have a perfect and glamorous skin, to make you feel like an old Hollywood star. Constance Bennett, one of the most stylish actresses from the thirties and the forties, gives you the clue to be beautiful with her beauty rituals. Bennett who later founded a cosmetics and clothing company.

2009-07-27T15:23:00.003+02:00

The Cast.

Mad Men is a new serie I found interesting to mention here because it is about the lifestyle they had in the sixties, between struggles at work and at home. It's very well done ...

In the New York of the sixties, Don Draper is one of the big names in the publicity industry. Manipulative master, he counts in his circle enemies who are only waiting for on thing : his fall.

The set, the costumes and the actors make you go back in that one special era with the problems they had back then. Enjoy it !

Breathless.

2009-07-27T14:27:00.005+02:00

Money doesn`t buy happiness. But happiness isn`t everything.

- Jean Seberg -

"New York Herald Tribune" she was yelling in the streets of Paris next to Jean-Paul Belmondo in Breathless (A bout de souffle) by Jean-Luc Godard and dancing with Jacques while Juliette Gréco was singing in Bonjour Tristesse by Otto Preminger. She is Jean Seberg, one of the many faces of the french New Wave, something strange for that girl born in Marshalltown, Iowa on November 13, 1938. As she saw a movie starring Marlon Brando, she became interested in movies but never really wanted to be an actress. However, she made her film debut in 1957 in the title role of Saint Joan. Even if Jean played in successful movies, bad press and several personal issues nearly ruined her career. She also supported the Black Panther Party.Though she had done nothing illegal, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover considered her a threat to the American state. Her telephone was tapped and her private life was closely observed. She knew about it and felt chased. In August 1979, she was missing and found dead eleven days later in the back seat of her car, which was parked close to her Paris apartment in the 16th arrondissement. The police report stated that she had taken a massive overdose of barbiturates and alcohol (8g per litre). A suicide note ("Forgive me. I can no longer live with my nerves.") was found in her hand.

Come see the girl with the china heart.

2009-07-27T13:42:00.010+02:00

Every time your picture is taken, you lose a part of your soul.

- Anna May Wong -

Anna May Wong was born Wong Liu Tsong (meaning frosted yellow willows) on January, 3 1905 in Los Angeles. She later became the first Chinese American movie star and the first Asian American to become an international star. Movies were shot in her neighborhood that's why she got interested in the motion picture industry. At nine years of age, she begged filmmakers for parts, earning herself the nickname "C.C.C." or "Curious Chinese Child". At the age of 19, Anna May Wong was cast in a supporting role as a Mongol slave in the Douglas Fairbanks picture The Thief of Bagdad (1924). Playing a stereotypical "Dragon Lady" role, her brief appearances on-screen caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. During her career she remained that "Dragon Lady", playing stereotypical roles. But at that time, she was a fashion icon, a representation of exoticism in movies. You may remember her as Hui Fei opposite Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express. In 1961 she had been planning to return to film but she died at the age of 56. She may now be a forgotten star but she helped to "humanize" Asian-Americans to white audiences during a period of overt racism and discrimination.

"She didn't want to be famous. She wanted to be happy." - Clark Gable -

2009-03-16T19:42:00.007+01:00

When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

- Jean Harlow -

Her famous platinum blonde hair made her the first "Blonde Bombshell" from Hollywood. People saw Harlow as they saw her caracters in the different movies she made, she was scandalous for the time but that was only a screen image, in real life she was completely different : a perfect little housewife. Jean Harlow was born Harlean Carpenter on March 3, 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri. All her life she would remain "Harlean, the baby" for her mother. It was while sitting in the car waiting for her friend, an aspiring actress, that Jean Harlow got noticed for the first time by Fox executives. But it's her role in Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes who made her become famous. The Baby was one of the biggest stars at MGM but her career ended as suddenly as it began, she died on June 7, 1937. She will be forever young ...

Marlene Dietrich considered her as "the most beautiful woman in Hollywood".

2009-03-15T21:01:00.006+01:00

"Beauty does not come with creams and lotions. God can give us beauty, but whether that beauty remains or changes is determined by our thoughts and deeds."

-Dolores Del Rio-

Nowadays in Hollywood, some of the most beautiful women are latinas : Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz. Back in the 1920's and 1930's, having latino leading stars was something rare. Of course there were some exceptions like Valentino or Ramon Novarro. One of these exceptions was Dolores Del Rio, a dazzling exotic beauty born August 3, 1905 in Durango, Mexico. She was the cousin of Ramon Novarro. Her family lost all its assets during the Mexican Revolution but she wanted to restore her comfortable lifestyle which inspired her to follow a career as an actress. In one word, she was exoticism in the movies of that time. Unfortunately, she is now a forgotten star from the Golden Era of Hollywood.

I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.

2009-03-15T20:33:00.007+01:00

I could have loved you once

and even said it

But you went away,

When you came back it was too late

And love was a forgotten word.

Remember?

-Marilyn Monroe-

Those were the words of one of the brightest stars of them all, Marilyn Monroe, a woman who remained a little girl for all her life. She was born Norma Jean Baker on June 1st 1926, she never knew her father and her mother had mental problems and she couldn't raise her. Everybody knows her story, everybody has seen at least one of her picture but nobody understood her while she was alive. She needed help, but nobody was listening "Help Help Help I feel life coming closer when all I want to do is die", she wrote. Marilyn died in 1962 in her house in Los Angeles and probably couldn't imagine that after her death she would still be loved by millions. With her 30 movies and the most beautiful photographs ever seen, she left us a great part of herself.