How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World

[vintage68]

Thought I would post this as a counter-balance to my post about the Lost Art of Manliness.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I haven't read this one, but noticed it during a recent trip to a bookstore.

Lessee if this draws as much reaction. *grabs popcorn*

 

[Heather]

Thanks for posting this! I've already put it on my christmas list.

 

[lolly_loisides]

My first thought was Audrey or Katherine?

 

[Heather]

My first thought was Audrey or Katherine?

hehe yea. My husbands first comment was "I assume they mean Paris Hilton.." He can't stand her. Good thing!

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

I'll help us catch up

In the interests of catching up to the companion thread on manliness, I am posting here the complete text of one of the reviews from amazon.com

Yes, It's long. But it certainly was helpful for me in understanding what this book seems to be all about and to whom it is most aimed:

----------------

4.0 out of 5 stars Girls, Take Charge of Your Lives!, August 20, 2009
By Linda G. Hewitt - See all my reviews
This is one of those naturally great titles for a self-help book. How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class, and Grace. It sucks one in even before the book arrives, evoking more-graceful times epitomized by one of the classiest famous women ever, even while hinting at contemporary depravities to be revealed.

It also makes one think of best-selling books from the past aimed at correcting women's evolving flaws as hostesses, employees, girl friends, love interests, and fashionistas - books by writers as diverse as Helen Gurley Brown, Genevieve Dariaux, and even John Molloy (my personal favorite). With those earlier books in mind, I'll admit I was somewhat disappointed when I began to read Jordan Christy's just-published work on the art of living. It isn't sensational, like Brown's book (which was surely the trigger-point for much of what Christy finds problematical in today's world). It breaks little ground not touched on by Dariaux in a different time. It lacks the authoritative punch that allowed Molloy's work to re-shape how serious women dressed (and thus conducted themselves) in the corporate world.

Having said what it isn't, however, it's important to point out what Christy's book is: a truthful and not offensively judgmental look at how adherence to current trends can penalize girls and young women in ways their lack of experience keeps them from recognizing. The author makes certain assumptions about what girls want most: worthwhile friends, beauty, the man of their dreams, the big wedding, the interesting job, and, particularly, self-confidence. She assumes further that these long-term goals are more important to many girls than the short-term satisfactions of being the center of attention, getting "friended" the most, and bouncing into bed with any attractive guy for the night.

With these two sets of assumptions as a starting point, Christy breaks her breezily written book into eight easily digestible chunks having to do with modesty, language, work ethic, friend selection, boy interaction, dressing, makeup, and diet. There are practical tips in each section, all of them capable of being implemented by girls of any social or economic class, within any budgetary restrictions. The advice is simple and sound, not rocket science but full of common sense. A girl following Christy's suggestions will almost certainly find herself not only more like the late, lamented Audrey H., but also better equipped to pursue and achieve her goals.

As she provides this guidance, Christy reiterates that it is necessary that girls think these things through for themselves, for there is no longer any widely established context within which a girl can situate her personal development, no benchmarks against which a girl can measure herself. (The disappearance of that context, in itself, would make an interesting topic for social history. Perhaps Christy might take that on next.)

By the time Christy finishes making her points, the reader has become aware that what began as an apparently fluffy read has made a very serious point. Girls have to take charge of their lives at a young age or suffer consequences the effect of which will last a lifetime. In taking charge, they must make choices and exercise options with more in mind than the immediate present and its momentary gratifications.

The book is an easy, fast read. Christy's writing style and language are accessible and appropriate for the two markets that would benefit most from the book: (1) girls between the ages of about twelve and twenty-five (the younger, the better); and (2) mothers of girls of any age pre-college.

This would, especially, be a great Christmas gift for any twelve-year-old girl - old enough to understand exactly what Christy's talking about, yet young enough not to have been permanently victimized by nonproductive habits.

--------------------

Personally, I think such material should be considered if you have a daughter or niece or granddaughter in this age/experience bracket.

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

Both Hepburns

From the Product Description on amazon:

In a society driven by celebutante news and myspace profiles, women of class, style and charm are hard to come by. The Audrey and Katharines of the world continue to lose their lustre as thongs, rehab and outrageous behaviour burn up the daily headlines. But, despite appearances, guys still want a girl they can take home to their mother, employers still like to see a tailored suit and peers still respect classy conduct. So is it possible to maintain old fashioned virtues in a modern world without looking like a starchy Amish grandma? Christy shows women how in this guide to glamorous style, professional success and true love...the classy way. Full of fun assignments, notable names and real-life examples, Christy offers a new look at seemingly 'old fashioned' advice. She covers diet, speech, work ethic, friends, relationships, manners, makeup and fashionable yet modest clothing, showing modern ladies how they can be beautiful, intelligent and fun while retaining values and morals

 

[imported_miss_molly]

Do you think if this was part of the reading list in schools there would be fewer chavs hanging around getting drunk on street corners? lol

 

[Giben]

Do you think if this was part of the reading list in schools there would be fewer chavs hanging around getting drunk on street corners? lol

Hah!
Looks interesting, shame it doesnt apply to me.
I wish the did one called "How to be a Bogart in a Beckham world"

 

[HadleyH]

Hah!

I wish the did one called "How to be a Bogart in a Beckham world"

:arated:


Me too! that book is way overdue :eusa_clap

 

[swinggal]

I talk to women about feminine style, class and grace all the time. My dad always told me to 'always have class Michelle, no matter what you are doing," I try to do that.

Funny thing is, all these young women today who go out wearing nothing are really doing it because they think it makes the appear 'sexier' and more desirable to men. All my male friends pretty much say the same thing, "They'd be good for a fling or a one-nighter, but I'd never want a relationship with one!!!'

 

[cherry lips]

Funny thing is, all these young women today who go out wearing nothing are really doing it because they think it makes the appear 'sexier' and more desirable to men. All my male friends pretty much say the same thing, "They'd be good for a fling or a one-nighter, but I'd never want a relationship with one!!!'

The fellows who say that better watch their tongues: When Antoine said that about Juliette in "...And God Created Woman" (not to her face of course), he missed out on a one-nighter with Brigitte Bardot (gasp!) and she married his brother!

It's not a classy thing to say about a woman.

 

[23SkidooWithYou]

Chapter One: Wear Panties
Chapter Two: Don't Let Anyone Photograph You In Your Panties
Chapter Three: Advanced Techniques, How To Leave Absolutely No Doubt In Anyone's Mind That You Are Wearing Panties Even When You Aren't

About 15 years ago, a gal pal and I used to make the local bar/club scene regularly. She used to indulge blue remarks and banter, whereas I didn't. I would cheerfully wiggle out of those conversations so my vibe was pretty clear. My pal thought she was keeping the guy's attention by bringing herself down to his level. Then she'd lament, "Why do they only ever hit on me for a one-nighter but not you?" Simply because I don't play that game.

For whatever reasons, I'm not sure young girls know it's okay to refuse to participate in certain behavior. Prime example...a couple of years ago at Thanksgiving, my young cousin's boyfriend was being very sulky, refusing to join our family in the house and sitting in his car where he needed to "talk" to Keri. She was actually running out with bowls of food, trying to eat and indulge him. Her parents loathed him (we all did, lol) so they didn't want to say anything and start WW3. I finally got ahold of her and said, "Keri...he's being really RUDE. Do you know our Pop once came to pick up Gram for a date, honked the horn for her to come down instead of coming in, and Gram was so insulted she sent her sister to say she's not the type to be honked at and she refused to see him that night????". Keri's eyes got like saucers and she said, "Really?". Yeah! Really!

I think it's great if somebody put into writing advice that will help today's young woman stand firm in herself and not be brought down by the frey. However, I think it's sort of sad that we need a book. Maybe our generation needs to have a few more heart-to-hearts than we do.

 

[cecil]

It's not a classy thing to say about a woman.

Amen. If a man had the bad manners say that I was OK for a fling but not a relationship, or even the other way round, he'd get neither.

Has anyone read the book? I was excited by it until I got to the word "modest" in the review, probably because I've seen the word used in place of "prudish" too many times.

I'd recommend this book to anyone. It's called "How to Hepburn: Lessons on Living from Kate the Great". Unlike the review for the first book I would not recommend it to young girls or teens. It's not breaking intellectual ground or anything but it's a good, inspiring read! It's more sortof womanly life advice than deportment advice for young ladies.


From Publishers Weekly
Katharine Hepburn, who would have turned 100 in May this year, was known for doing things her own way. Her choices were famously unconventional—rejecting family life in favor of her career, living as Spencer Tracy's mistress for decades, wearing slacks instead of skirts. Convinced there are lessons here for modern women, journalist and novelist Karbo decided to try to figure out how Hepburn made it all work. For instance, while Hepburn rejected marriage, perhaps she got everything she really wanted (love and companionship) without the baggage she didn't want (fights over doing the laundry or cooking dinner). Karbo acknowledges "you don't always have to know what you're getting into in order to succeed"; Hepburn knew that to "go forward blindly" often works just as well. Also, Hepburn found denial worked just fine, allowing her to ignore early criticism that she couldn't act or that she had a terrible voice. Karbo presents all this heterodox advice with great humor, but there's a point she's making to sister Gen-Xers: Hepburn broke all the rules women were supposed to follow and still had a fabulous life. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

[Paisley]

All my male friends pretty much say the same thing, "They'd be good for a fling or a one-nighter, but I'd never want a relationship with one!!!'

That's the conventional wisdom, but in real life, I've never known an...ahem...indiscreet woman to have any trouble finding a husband. (Yes, I mean her own.)

 

[Paisley]

From Publishers Weekly
Katharine Hepburn...[lived] as Spencer Tracy's mistress for decades,

Audrey Hepburn had an affair with a married man as well--a co-star whose name I can't recall at the moment. It didn't go on for decades, though. I've been wondering if the book mentions that.

 

[cecil]

Audrey Hepburn had an affair with a married man as well--a co-star whose name I can't recall at the moment. It didn't go on for decades, though. I've been wondering if the book mentions that.

I know she had one while she was married with Albert Finney but I'm not sure whether or not he was single.

Gene Tierney had something with Spencer Tracy going on while he was married AND in an on/off relationship with Katharine!

Still, I don't think it was fair of the reviewer to call that an "affair", nor to say that she escaped married life (it's also not very nice of them to think that marriage is all dishes and dinner, but that's another story). She wasn't married, but she did look after Spence. She lived with him and cared for him while he was dying. His wife wasn't there when he died, Katharine was.

 

[cherry lips]

That's the conventional wisdom, but in real life, I've never known an...ahem...indiscreet woman to have any trouble finding a husband. (Yes, I mean her own.)

True. Brigitte Bardot was married four times.

 

[analiebe]

my dear friends' scottish father said it all most succinctly really when she and i were but teenagers "keep your minds open, hennys, and your legs closed"

 

[Miss Golightly]

Audrey Hepburn had an affair with a married man as well--a co-star whose name I can't recall at the moment. It didn't go on for decades, though. I've been wondering if the book mentions that.

She also had an affair with William Holden (who was married) during the filming of Sabrina.

 

[Paisley]

William Holden--that's who I was trying to think of.