We all know that the Studio System of 30s, 40s and 50s Hollywood remade and remoulded their actors and actresses, but what did they look like before they were styled by the star factory? Here are some of my favourite Classic Hollywood actresses before they were famous. Who do you think had the biggest transformation?(…)
Pin up girls have been around for a lot longer than you think. Since as early as the 1890s girls have been drawn, painted and photographed and presented to the world as the ideal of beauty and sexuality. Like fashions in beauty and body shape, the pin up has changed enormously over the last century.(…)
Until recently ‘ghost singing’ in movies was the best kept secret in Hollywood. It might have been that the actor or actress simply couldn’t sing in tune, or that their voice just didn’t have the strength or range required, but one thing is for sure: dubbing was a widespread phenomenon. Actresses like Cyd Charisse, Joan(…)
You will probably know by now that Rita Hayworth was always my favourite classic movie star – she just seemed so impossibly glamorous. So how could I leave her out of my vintage paper doll series? Which outfit do you think suits her best? Personally, I love that sea green voile gown!
Stars were having nips, tucks and predominantly nose-jobs from as early as the 1930s. It’s not well-documented as the stars who had succesful surgery rarely owned up to it, and those who had less successful surgery (like Mary Pickford who was rumoured to have damaged facial muscles after an early facelift) just faded from public(…)
Looking for some hair-style inspiration? I’ve collected some of the most iconic hairstyles here from the 1920s to the 1970s, which one do you fancy trying? I’m taking style inspiration from Faye Dunaway from Bonnie and Clyde today… 1. Veronica Lake: The Peekaboo Fringe 1940s movie star Veronica Lake was famous for her long finger(…)
Some time ago the AFI (that’s the American Film Institute) released a list of the top 50 greatest screen legends from the Classic Hollywood era: 25 male and 25 female stars. I’m not sure exactly what their criteria were for reaching the top spot, but they classified a screen legend as an actor or actress:(…)
Quite a lot if we believe the Hollywood Studios of the 30s and 40s! There were only a handful of Classic Hollywood stars who kept their own names, including Jane Russell, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn and Grace Kelly. The majority of actors and actresses had their identities completely re-written. How many of these 20(…)
The height of Hollywood stars is something which has always fascinated me. I’m not sure why, but actresses always seem taller than they actually are (perhaps because they’re projected onto an enormous screen!). I had no idea that I was the same height as Marilyn Monroe, or that Veronica Lake was a diminutive 4’11”. Veronica(…)
Best known for her performance in Gilda, Rita Hayworth was one of the 1940s most famous (and one of my all time favourite) movie stars. I certainly didn’t know all of these facts, so I’d love to know how many are new to you too! Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino in Brooklyn, New(…)
Would you recognize this woman as Rita Hayworth? Before she hit megastardom Hayworth underwent a huge transformation on instruction from her studio under the direction of stylist stylist Helen Hunt. It was thought that her latin looks would ‘limit’ the roles she would be cast for and she underwent a major makeover to change herself from(…)
During World War 2 all of the big Hollywood stars posed for pin up photos to raise the morale of the troops. The official US Army magazine was called YANK (is it just me that finds that funny?) Lots of the big silver screen starlets of the time are here: Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Rita(…)
A publicity photo of the wondeful movie actress Rita Hayworth, 1940 Source and copyright: This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice.
I love this clip of Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire tap dancing to The Shorty George from the movie You Were Never Lovelier by Columbia Picture (1942). Isn’t she incredible?
Clockwise from top left: One Shoulder Sequin Sheath Maxi in the Style of Vanessa Williams Kenneth Jay Lane Waterfall Earrings Kenneth Jay Lane Dimensional Flower Ring Moscow by Morning Heel Original photo of 1940s movie actress Rita Hayworth source and copyright: This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the(…)
Rita Hayworth dancing with Fred Astaire from the movie ”You Were Never Lovelier’ Source and copyright: This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice