Who is Your Beauty Muse?

[jazzzbaby]

Because vintage beauty is all about the past I know I have drawn
great inspiration from many beauties over the years. I was thinking
about the ones who inspired me in the very beginning, and how over
time it has shifted & changed.

I think Marilyn Monroe was big for me in my teens, then Edie Sedgwick (60s) in my early twenties, later twenties was Louise Brooks, then Bettie Page...and now I have a more current muse in Dita Von Teese (her book has helped me so much in just seeing clearly how makeup & hair needs to be styled)
With her style of beauty comes Ava Gardner & Elizabeth Taylor.

Who have you drawn inspiration from to create your vintage beauty?

 

[Viola]

Lauren Bacall and Veronica Lake would be the big ones, I think.

Viola

 

[mysterygal]

At first it was Audrey Hepburn (though I still absolutely love her), but seeing Rita Hayworth, I was blown away at how beautiful this lady was....she has the great combination of sexy and down to earth.....I've been having a great time studying up on how she did her make-up and her sense of style.

 

[CanadaDoll]

Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and oddly enough Liz Taylor.

They were/are all soo beautiful.

 

[Miss Dottie]

now I have a more current muse in Dita Von Teese (her book has helped me so much in just seeing clearly how makeup & hair needs to be styled)
With her style of beauty comes Ava Gardner & Elizabeth Taylor.
QUOTE]

Forgive the fftopic: but what book is this that you speak of Jazzbaby re: Dita Von Teese?

 

[jazzzbaby]

now I have a more current muse in Dita Von Teese (her book has helped me so much in just seeing clearly how makeup & hair needs to be styled)
With her style of beauty comes Ava Gardner & Elizabeth Taylor.
QUOTE]

Forgive the fftopic: but what book is this that you speak of Jazzbaby re: Dita Von Teese?

Hi Miss Dottie ~ The book is called "Burlesque & the Art of the Teese"
It should be on amazon for a preview...I really love the photos in it.
One half of the book is the history of burlesque with some great pics, and the other half (when turned over) is more fetish style ... not my cup of tea, however... an interesting read nonetheless.

 

[BettyValentine]

I like bold women who push the rules, break them, and have very distinct styles. I like Schiaparelli, Josephine Baker, Gala Dali, Katherine Hepburn, and Lucy.

My own style always winds up more glam than avant garde. (It feels like hte safest option to me, unfortunately.) I look mostly like Lucy, Veronica Lake, Madeline Vionnet, etc. Which isn't bad, but I really need a skirt of bananas and the confidence to wear it!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

This is a tough question, for me it really depends on the day.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have adored Audrey Hepburn. She has elegance and grace, and really knew how to put it all together. I remember sitting with my late Grampa Itsy, watching "Breakfast at Tiffanies" for the very first time, I must have been 6 or 7, and asking him all about her. From then on, I wanted to be just like her.
As I got more and more into classic film, I really started to love Ava Gardner, Katherine Hepburn, Lauren Becall, and Grace Kelly. Depending on the day I take style queues from all of these women. I wish today's movie stars, which can only be called that because they star in movies, could act like the starlettes of yester-year. They had so much style, grace and elegance. IMO, today's stars are trashy. They wear things for shock value. The thought of wearing something to be elegant and beautiful while still covering the majority of ones body is long gone.
So, I take my style ideas from these lovely ladies of years gone by. It'd be great if there was a revival of the elegance and class of that era.

 

[jazzzbaby]

Oh! I must add...you dear ladies have inspired me in a big way this year also.
So I humbly thank you for pushing my idea of being more glamourous ~ into a bit more of a reality than it might have been! I find each of you very glamourous & unique!

You too are muses ~ xoxo

 

[pigeon toe]

My first vintage beauty muse was definitely Bettie Page. Her images were what opened me up to vintage in the first place. The I just started saving images on my computer of various vintage ladies, Theda Bara, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe (of course), including lots of amateur models or regular women.

Now I would say that Dita Von Teese is definitely my muse, just because she is a modern woman living with vintage style 24/7. She also just oozes this sexuality that is inherent in vintage glamour. I know a lot of ladies try to separate that sexuality from what they wear (like stockings), but I savor it!

 

[pigeon toe]

Oh! I must add...you dear ladies have inspired me in a big way this year also.
So I humbly thank you for pushing my idea of being more glamourous ~ into a bit more of a reality than it might have been! I find each of you very glamourous & unique!

You too are muses ~ xoxo

I definitely second that!

 

[AirborneSally]

Oh, my Muse is Vera Ellen! She is amazing, not in to many movies but I just love her. She was in White Christmas with Bing, Rosemarry, and Danny Kaye. Anyone else know who she is?

 

[Naama]

I would say my muses are Greta Garbo, Louise Brooks, Bette Davis and Alla Nazimova. I mainly try to re-create the look of Greta Garbo and Bette Davis, though my new "nickname" is Eva Braun........................ (only because of my look!!!!)

Naama

 

[RetroModelSari]

I would say my muses are Greta Garbo, Louise Brooks, Bette Davis and Alla Nazimova. I mainly try to re-create the look of Greta Garbo and Bette Davis, though my new "nickname" is Eva Braun........................ (only because of my look!!!!)

Naama

Don´t worry about such a nickname... I think it is sort of thoughtless if someone calls you like that!

 

[lindylady]

Oh, my Muse is Vera Ellen! She is amazing, not in to many movies but I just love her. She was in White Christmas with Bing, Rosemarry, and Danny Kaye. Anyone else know who she is?

Vera Ellen was a talented actress and a wonderful dancer. Did you see her in Anchors Aweigh, with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra? She was Miss Turnstile, I believe. Her name in the film was Ivy.

 

[Grantgirl]

Oh my gosh, Miss Turnstyles- what a hoot, was that "On the town?", I think I watched that the other day. I could be wrong though. Three girls and three guys out in NY?

Ginger Rogers- especially in Top Hat
Janet Leigh- Loved her look in Holiday Affiar
Lauren Bacall- To Have and Have Not

 

[JazzBaby]

Great thread! Grace Kelly definitely - so classy and elegant, and her clothes and hairstyle in Rear Window are the best! Gotta love Marilyn of course, and Debbie Reynolds. Tend to be more inspired by the blondes, being a blonde myself. Saying that, Joan Collins was very beautiful in her day.


And Betty Boop of course!!!

 

[katiemakeup]

My muses not only reflect their outward beauty but different aspects to them: temperment, personality, style, power etc...all which reflect outward beauty. I love a good femme fatale and someone who could give it right back. No ingenues lol I usually am drawn to dark haired muses, only because I was born with black hair, brown eyes so I identified with them.

As far as classic/famous women, I love Joan Crawford (1930's) & Ava Gardner, Louise Brooks' personality. You could not get any more sparkling than Ginger Rogers or Betty Grable who were both so luminous! Of course like a few of you, Dita. I think with her it's more of a whole package rather than her parts. I also take inspiration from other regular women! The beauty part is really a hodgepodge of different years suited for my look & personality. I usually tend to lean towards the severe... black, crimson, striking etc.

 

[AirborneSally]

Vera Ellen was a talented actress and a wonderful dancer. Did you see her in Anchors Aweigh, with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra? She was Miss Turnstile, I believe. Her name in the film was Ivy.

Oh yeah, I have seen all her stuff. I just adore her!

 

[JazzBaby]

Hi Miss Dottie ~ The book is called "Burlesque & the Art of the Teese"
It should be on amazon for a preview...I really love the photos in it.
One half of the book is the history of burlesque with some great pics, and the other half (when turned over) is more fetish style ... not my cup of tea, however... an interesting read nonetheless.

I have this book too and I love it - not so much the fetish side (although some of the hats in this section are nice!) but the burlesque side has the most gorgeous pics. Loads of corsets, and feathers and such. I especially like the bit where she says she advocates glamour all the time. Unfortunatly it's rather difficult for the non burlesque queen to adhere to this all the time...