Book Club: It's All About the Dress

(Photo: Kathy Yl Chan)

That shit storm of a Liz Taylor Lifetime movie with the once actress Lindsay Lohan touches down this Thanksgiving weekend, but if you really wanna know all about La Liz and Richard Burton, well "Furious Love" is really the go-to. But as Liz's longtime wardrobe go-to and wife of her personal make up artist, Ron Berkeley, Vicky Tiel had insider, entourage level scoop. And she dishes in her memoirs, "It's All About the Dress". But this isn't backstabbing tell-all, this is the kinda secret sharing you get from a bestie. 

However, that said, tales come out about other celebs like Faye Dunaway, Marlon Brando, Woody Allen, Martha Stewart, and more. 

And boy does she have something to say about designers like Yves Saint Laurent,Mary Quant, DVF and Louis Feraud, the former three she claims all stole from her! According to "Dress", Vicky invented the mini skirt, the wrap dress and designers posing nude in ads, amongst many other boasts. 

Yes, Ms. Tiel is one of those Janice Dickinson types trying to undercut others who claim they were the first. 

This is the perfect side dish this week for a full plate of trash TV and turkeys. 

Coco Rocha Proves That Having Style Gets You the Job Every Time

Coco Rocha charmed the pants right off Dennis Basso in her vintage Givenchy pantsuit at the MET Ball a few weeks ago

(Coco in vintage Givenchy at MET Ball 2012)

He booked her right away for his Fall 2012 campaign based on her innate style

“What I loved about her was while practically everyone else was wearing borrowed dresses she was wearing an outfit she had bought..." 

Granted, one formerly owned by a little unknown movie actress named Elizabeth Taylor and all. No big whoop.

Laurence Harvey Pics...

Because sometimes you just need a little dapper in the afternoon, don'tcha?

Look Who's a Fan of Our Book Club!

I loved and read this romance between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton back in July. Glad to see Lindsay took my recommendation. Now if only, she'd heed some of my other words of advice...

Book: http://itcantallbedior.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-club-furious-love.html

Broad: http://itcantallbedior.blogspot.com/2011/01/unsolicited-advice-for-lindsays-2011.html

Work Blog: Butterfield 8 Inspiration

Even before her death this year, I've been one Elizabeth Taylor lovin' gay and with a big vintage event coming up next Friday at Roundabout Soho, I wrote up this style inspiration from one of E. Taylor's Oscar winning performances, "Butterfield 8"

(Vivienne Westwood lipstick logo shirt, size 4, Roundabout Price $149)

(Dolce & Gabbana fuchsia silk bustier dress, size 6, Roundabout Price $469)

Click the above photos or the below link to go to the original article I wrote on Roundabout's blog:


http://roundaboutresale.tumblr.com/post/11101425704/roundabouts-movie-library-butterfield-8

The Best of London Fashion Week

So London Fashion Week closes and editors head to Italy. Let's take a look at my pics of the best from a week of wacky

(Peter Jensen's color blocking)

(Paul Smith's ox blood skirt)

(This yellow blouse from Roksanda Ilincic was the most dramatic but chic)

(You know I had to throw in an Elizabeth Taylor piece. Thanks to Topshop Unique for slapping that B's mug on an over-sized sweatshirt. NEED!)

(Speaking of sweatshirts, this wild print from Mary Katrantzou is also on my Spring 2012 wish list. Imagine with dark denim and white Adidas. My outfit for the first day of Spring)

(Giles Deacon's ice goddess cocktail dress will literally light up the room)

(Danielle Scutt gets how I dress)

(Alistair Carr's first collection for venerated Pringle of Scotland used a lot of great 70's graphic prints. Bring on the "Logan's Run" remake!)

And finally LFW can't be summed up without including some sharp coats from Burberry Prorsum. Who needs a coat in Spring/Summer, I'll never know, but if you're the type chilly in 75 degree heat, might I suggest

See you in Milan!

Are You in the Market for a New Caftan?

Cuz Elizabeth Taylor's wardrobe is going to the auction house come December and ain't nobody work a caftan like La Liz!

So if a difficult to please lady of a certain age (and weight) is on your Christmas list, get yourself to Chrisitie's!

V Magazine Pays Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor

The Cut has an exclusive preview of V Magazine's Elizabeth Taylor tribute styled by former French Vogue-r Carine Roitfeld starring a Barbie doll and a male model with a famous musician uncle

Spin, Liz, spin!

Book Club: Furious Love

Ooh we haven't checked into our book club in a wee moment, have we? Well we chase the name dropping tome of Oleg Cassini with this little highly recommended treasure (both Mr. G and Miss L.N. have been pushing this biography's addition to the club for months)

A history of one of Hollywood's most sensational love affairs, Furious shows the trajectory of blossoming, forbidden romance to lavish marrieds on a yacht to the inevitable crash and burn. Along the way Tennessee Williams, Noël Coward, Eddie Fisher, Mia Farrow, Montgomery Clift, Robert Mitchum, Warren Beatty, Rex Harrison and a bevy of "Bluebeard" beauties get caught in the web that was Liz and Dick

(No one would blame you, Noël, for being a coward against that fearful headpiece! Yikes!)

It is, in fact, one of "Bluebeard"s b****s that is the catalyst for the (first) divorce when Burton beds Nathalie Delon, then wife of famous French actor, Alain Delon

(Satin sheets are very romantic, especially when accompanied by a green tunic. Grrr...)

I have about two chapters left; just the ideal amount for my 3 hour bus trip to Maryland today! Yay, homeward bound! 

Liz's Legacy

A Hollywood icon has passed. Elizabeth Taylor, famous violet eyed actress, wife, jewelry collector and AIDS activist died today at age 79. I've professed my love of La Liz many times before, so I will just focus on her legacy here.

A child actress that successfully translated to adult sensation, Liz had a strong career of scenery chomping dramas (Oscar winners "Butterfield 8" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?") to the most expensive movie of her time which she had major diva control over ("Cleopatra") to my favorite performance as sexually frustrated beard, Maggie, just ichin' for a scrap in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". Her legacy in acting for me has been introducing me to my love affair of the great raven haired beauty.

Her friendship with playwright Tennessee Williams and other prominent homosexuals cemented her commitment to our community and her AmFar activism is unrivaled. This I believe to be her true legacy. She was at the forefront of activism and never missed a chance to remind her public that people are still dying everyday of AIDS. Even in her failing health days she soldiered on and fought the fight against World AIDS. She is a hero in her fight and a role model of using your great advantages and public voice for others who can't shout as loud as you.

Sure her tangled up personal life of marriage swaps, bloated diamonds and an even more bloated Liz kept people snapping up tabloid gossip of Liz, but she'll always be remembered as an actress with great style and an even greater heart.

Wearers O' the Green

It's Saint Patrick's Day and the combination of Irish heritage and showman in me loves any excuse to celebrate while wearing a silly outfit. However, there's a lot of naysayers out there that ballyhoo the color green and it's fashion savoir faire.


Well, naysayers, take a look at this list of clever clovers and tell me it isn't keen being green.




1. Angelina Jolie

Workin' it at this year's Golden Globes like an Adrian clad leading lady. Her face just reads "Bow down to your Queen" and she's earned your serfdom in this emerald Versace Fab-o-Gown. 

2. Heather Duke

This envious little sycophant wore her true colors on her sleeve. Sure when she went popular, she copped Heather Chandler's signature red, but inside she was still one mean green mother. 

3. Hannibal Barca

The Carthaginian general is most remembered for taking elephants over the Alps, but his military brilliance is studied to this day. One of his favorite strategies was using the terrain to cover his troops in the greenery. Wearin' of the green doesn't just mean the shamrock glasses and "kiss me I'm Irish" t-shirts of the great drunken masses. 

4. Green Berets

Speaking of verdant victories, the Green Berets have my vote for sexy soldier. I hope this record covers Gang of Four's "I Love a Man in Uniform"!





5. Liz Taylor

La Liz. She was a fan of Brits with green and Mr Burton (yes, I know he was Welsh) showered her with jewels. The emerald earrings and matching necklace from Bulgari amongst the most famous. Verde, verde nice.




6. The Riddler

Frank Gorshin, my dear, your manic laugh still knocks around in my head and I love your commitment to the character. Now I have a riddle for you: How were you able to leap about in Moschino before Moschino? Jealousy.




7. The Green Power Ranger

The Anti-Cousin Oliver, the addition of the Green Power Ranger grew that ish into a
non-stop monster of a hit with legs like a Fosse chorus girl.

All About Liz

Tuesday nite I went to the theatre with Miss LG. "Finding Elizabeth Taylor" was a light and fun one woman show examining how a girl sharing La Liz's name also shares her struggles with body image and gender based expectations 

(me with Miss LG flank the star, Elizabeth Claire Taylor looking radiant in her white diamonds)

The show was really smart overlaying excerpts from "Elizabeth Takes Off" (Elizabeth Taylor's diet and self image book from 1987), phone interview's with Elizabeth Claire Taylor's dad and re-enactments of pivotal moments of E. Claire Taylor's career as a plus size model and her path of self-acceptance

And the nite was also a great excuse to see friends old and new

(the truly dashing Mr GY chats up Miss Taylor with a portrait of her glamour puss namesake)

(what a brilliant present of congratulations)

(And can the grandness of this Gaultier brooch even register? Doin' it!)

(my violet socks. In honor of Her Lizness, we all wore violet accents)

The pinnacle of amazingness happened outside in the pouring rain. Right as Mr GY opens his umbrella we hear a loud clang on the street

On the ground we eye a rather ornate fork

"Oh this is from my silver. It's a 19th Century fork given to me by a decedent of a founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. How'd that get in my umbrella?"

Love it!

Link to the exquisite Miss Taylor http://www.findingelizabethtaylor.com/

Spring 2011 asks "Who's Your Taylor?"

(Barbara Tfank)

For Spring 2011 designers were fixated on that great dame of dramatics, Elizabeth Taylor.

Style influences  ranged from her studio dictated ingenue New Look cocktail dresses designed by Edith Head to Taylor's own personal obsession for drapey caftans (and Richard Burton) in the 70's

(Douglas Hannant)

(Ladylike

Taylor)

(L'Wren Scott)









                        

                          (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)                       

(Dolce and Gabbana)

(A refreshed Liz)

(Oscar de la Renta)

(One of many white stoles)

(Issa)

(Cleopatra)

(Nanette Lepore)

(On the Set of Giant)

(Andrew Gn)

(Turbans were a Liz staple)

(Alexandre Herchcovitch)

(Boho with Burton)

(Carolina Herrera)

(The Sandpiper)

(Chris Benz)

(Luxuriously lax with Burton)