tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post1034656360183670597..comments2024-03-28T03:40:29.423-04:00Comments on Passage des Perles: Grown-up glamourDuchessehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-22213982356225668232011-01-04T15:22:13.249-05:002011-01-04T15:22:13.249-05:00I want to be her!
That said, I bare my throat mor...I want to be her!<br /><br />That said, I bare my throat more often than I did even last winter and I find I need eyeliner and lipstick unless I just want to fade into the woodwork, which is most definitely not the goal! Still I would wear more makeup in the city than I do here.<br /><br />I have been dressing more the past two months than in the years before, including heels, makeup, and jewelry. Especially jewelry. Why? Just because I want to.Mardelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04850551308931710502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-19763858099444431712010-12-14T22:09:47.742-05:002010-12-14T22:09:47.742-05:00Agreed. Knots are best, nice fat silk ones especia...Agreed. Knots are best, nice fat silk ones especially. Wish I could do them well--or that I could fight my inherited do-it-all-yourself impulse long enough to let someone else do them for me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-25866784743333487092010-12-14T16:18:56.514-05:002010-12-14T16:18:56.514-05:00Anonymous: You have both the eye and the skill. Wo...Anonymous: You have both the eye and the skill. Would love to see your restyled pieces.<br /><br />I have a deep, unwavering bias, for knots, even when told tiny beads look "just like". Should have seen me at my pearl stringing class (another one, different shop), tiny gnarled string and bleeding fingers. For this reason I am a regular patron of jewelers and stringers :)Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-25341300131519040242010-12-14T14:26:15.566-05:002010-12-14T14:26:15.566-05:00"Play" is the operative word, isn't ..."Play" is the operative word, isn't it? I read your beading post and thought at the time that the workshop sounded way too serious and difficult. I found my own chunky turquoise necklace in a thrift shop. It was short, heavy and stiff, but cheap, and I love turquoise, so I brought it home, took it apart, and restrung the turquoise cushion-shaped beads, interspersing them with some smaller old darkened silver beads. Now it's one of my favorites. I'm always finding inexpensive necklaces in my thrift shop rambles, and they are rarely the right length. Taking them apart and recombining to my taste is fun. If I don't like the result, I just take them apart again. Hand knotting between beads is beautiful, but I don't have the skill or patience for it. Tiny, unobtrusive seed beads can take the place of knots, giving the same suppleness and finished look without the headaches. If the strand is long enough, you can simply knot the filament well and weave the ends back through several beads. Otherwise I buy simple, attractive silver closings (the ones on vintage costume jewelry are often rusty or otherwise unusable.) Have fun with those pearls, Duchesse! I'd love to hear how they work out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-12009679700107653072010-12-14T11:22:30.188-05:002010-12-14T11:22:30.188-05:00Anonymous: Your example tempts me to play with som...Anonymous: Your example tempts me to play with some unworn pearls. (After my disastrous necklace-making foray at the bead store, feel a lot more confident with monofilament, and prefer the look to heavy links.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-14787273018408940892010-12-13T21:29:11.821-05:002010-12-13T21:29:11.821-05:00Duchesse,
What a lot of work to get a reasonable ...Duchesse,<br /><br />What a lot of work to get a reasonable length of skirt--I sympathize! I spent many years cutting 4-6 inches off the hems of everything I bought. Now most of the dresses out there look like shirts. My dress, too, came from Ann Taylor's sale rack. No Louboutins, alas, though the dress could stand up to them. <br /><br />I did string the beads myself, when stuck at home with a miserable cold--just dumped them all on a tray along with some vintage crystal seed beads, and plopped them on a length of fishing line, nursery school style. The string got longer and longer--I ended up wearing it looped 4 times around my neck--and I think the randomness of the big and little beads gave it a more modern, airy look.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-64608807570030065462010-12-13T10:44:33.770-05:002010-12-13T10:44:33.770-05:00Anonymous: Did you do the restringing yourself?Anonymous: Did you do the restringing yourself?Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-39665302406167230442010-12-13T10:43:41.150-05:002010-12-13T10:43:41.150-05:00Anonymous; This sounds so marvelous! Just love wha...Anonymous; This sounds so marvelous! Just love what you did with your crystal!<br /><br />Read article this week in NYT about a socialite's b'day party; she looked everywhere for a dress- and has a biiiig budget-finally found one at Ann Taylor, marked down to $50- which she wore with silver Loubotins.)<br /><br />Only way I can get dress long enough is to go to several designers, find current model and have it cut longer.<br /><br />The right undergarments are key. For me it's a supportive but pretty bra.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-21767572452230258902010-12-13T09:37:11.289-05:002010-12-13T09:37:11.289-05:00I had to find something to wear to a party recentl...I had to find something to wear to a party recently, and kept coming back to this picture (one that my Sartorialist-fan 22-year-old daughter also loves, interestingly) and your "Smokin'" views of Mirren and Deneuve for inspiration. Tired of the "safe" black-pants-plus-top routine, I wanted a dress--one that was discreetly sexy, but not too dressy, bare or girlish. It was shocking how unstructured, over-embellished and SHORT most of the dresses were--even on my 5'2" frame. (However are you able to cover your long legs, Duchesse?) At the last minute I found The Dress at Ann Taylor: an aubergine wool jersey with long tight sleeves and just a bit of ruching to one side of the waist. But the real secret turned out to be shapewear underneath--what a revelation! The slimming camisole and pants I found were completely comfortable, and they made it possible to wear such a narrow knit dress (in a size smaller than I'd originally tried!) with confidence. With it I wore tights, high-heeled (15-year-old) cordovan boots, and a long, looped strand of 1950s aurora borealis crystal beads removed from several necklaces and restrung randomly on fishing line. I felt great, and while the crystals gave the dress some holiday sparkle, it's clearly going to be what Deja Pseu calls a "workhorse" that can be dressed up or down with different jewelry and footwear. So thanks for the images, Duchesse! And to those who haven't tried the new shapewear: it could change your life--or at least your wardrobe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-8907171814790977622010-12-11T10:52:52.096-05:002010-12-11T10:52:52.096-05:00Googled Ms. Dellal for more pictures. The large g...Googled Ms. Dellal for more pictures. The large gold brooch shows up in several other shots. Must be a favorite. Her daughter looks to be following a similar path. Wonder about her exact age. Would never have thought she was Brazilian from this picture.Margueritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00235496900839925466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-85220142974057772942010-12-10T13:15:06.195-05:002010-12-10T13:15:06.195-05:00Louise: It is! Her hair is darker now. And yes, sh...Louise: It is! Her hair is darker now. And yes, she certainly has the means. Not sure wealth nurtures self esteem but it certainly nurtures a jewelry collection :).Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-49723398796169442282010-12-10T11:54:44.649-05:002010-12-10T11:54:44.649-05:00Your analysis of the photo, and how it can inspire...Your analysis of the photo, and how it can inspire, is superb. <br /> <br />She is indeed very striking - and a former model, Andrea Dellal - according to pictures on blogs L'Age Moyen and RduJour. No wonder she is so confident. No doubt the experience of modelling - and her wealth - have nurtured her self-esteem.<br /> - LouiseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-80583727657832185422010-12-09T18:49:20.407-05:002010-12-09T18:49:20.407-05:00L'age moyen: The Sartorialist includes infrequ...L'age moyen: The Sartorialist includes infrequent appearances by older men and women, but like most fashion photographers, his head is turned by the beautiful young things. However, the older people he shows have real style, unlike those featured in the blog Advanced Style, who stand out, but usually for the wrong reasons.<br /><br />When he does show us someone older, it is wonderful, in many different registers.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-83628344798464639452010-12-09T17:50:56.164-05:002010-12-09T17:50:56.164-05:00It's just such a pleasure to find someone over...It's just such a pleasure to find someone over 35 on this site! I just can't believe that in Milan, Paris, New York or Madrid that there aren't hundreds of mature, stylish women worthy of a view through The Sartorialist's lense. Some of his photos recently have been downright confounding to me - yet this one is pure style. Can one hope for more? Sadly, I think it's unlikely.L'age moyenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03297717031402619963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-31587113626645528482010-12-08T20:21:19.280-05:002010-12-08T20:21:19.280-05:00All of you have such good comments here. I need a...All of you have such good comments here. I need a scent!!!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12756033682201519150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-29659721491563381712010-12-08T18:50:31.551-05:002010-12-08T18:50:31.551-05:00Rubi: Wonderful to have 'your scent'; I...Rubi: Wonderful to have 'your scent'; I've found most scents created only for one person not entirely unique.<br /><br />I like the big, old-school opulent scents for evening and something lighter, usually by L'Artisan Parfumeur or Eau d'Italie by day.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-45650950614082406142010-12-08T18:00:18.482-05:002010-12-08T18:00:18.482-05:00She's a glamour-puss, that's for sure! Whi...She's a glamour-puss, that's for sure! While I don't think I could carry this whole look off, I like the way you've parsed it.<br /><br />Perfume is crucial to being fully dressed, as far as I'm concerned. I like wearing scents that I don't smell on the multitude, and have had oodles of complements on my "winter signature," L'Occitane's Cedar. It's quite androgenous, warm and alluring without cloying.<br /><br />Someday when I'm rich and famous, I'm going to have Christopher Brosius of "CB I Hate Perfume" design me a scent. I can't think of a greater luxury!Rubiatontahttp://rubiatonta.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-17291878660162838812010-12-08T17:23:21.320-05:002010-12-08T17:23:21.320-05:00Susan: Santa Fe vs NYC is the country vs city con...Susan: Santa Fe vs NYC is the country vs city contrast I had in mind- and also a good example of how the quality of light differs.<br /><br />Pseu: Trophy WIfeBots, LOL! I love seeing people who are not cookie cuttered,<br /><br />Artful: Oh, are you one of the under 50 readers sneaking into the Passage? You are most welcome here.<br /><br />Fuji: I remember Germaine Greer writing years ago that beautiful fabrics were what one gets to wear past 50, "like Italian women", she said.<br /><br />hostess: When I'm in Paris I notice bigger (and more) jewelry worn than in most North American cities, and try not to stare... sunglasses keep me from being too obvious.<br /><br />LPC and materfamilias: Ths Sisterhood of Visible Necks rises!Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-84768030059033031102010-12-08T15:48:50.821-05:002010-12-08T15:48:50.821-05:00Isn't this a wonderful shot?
More inspiration...Isn't this a wonderful shot? <br />More inspiration for those of us who refuse to be invisible. . . we might not achieve her level of glamour, but we can try. I agree with Nancy K -- you can clearly tell this woman likes herself -- I love that little smile.<br />(And I'm not hiding my neck away either.)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-83616680855326093202010-12-08T14:32:16.058-05:002010-12-08T14:32:16.058-05:00I may never wear bold jewelry in my day to day lif...I may never wear bold jewelry in my day to day life, but I'll be damned if I am going to hide my neck either.LPChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18209861350905135093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-15743943469138121122010-12-08T13:07:56.467-05:002010-12-08T13:07:56.467-05:00I love this look...she exudes a confidence that co...I love this look...she exudes a confidence that comes through this image.<br />I am somewhat surprised by the amount of jewelry that she is wearing...but it works.<br />I aspire to look better as I age...it is more difficult than it was when I was younger...having said that I am not giving up...still working at it!hostess of the humble bungalowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06453827257671312902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-86501526441655115962010-12-08T11:37:05.976-05:002010-12-08T11:37:05.976-05:00Whew, she looks fabulous.
Elegant and sophisticat...Whew, she looks fabulous. <br />Elegant and sophisticated, nothing wrong with striving for those. :)Fujinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-27449270918227136012010-12-08T10:12:02.827-05:002010-12-08T10:12:02.827-05:00Wow - she gives me something to aspire to! I lack...Wow - she gives me something to aspire to! I lacked the confidence for the strong makeup, bold brooch and glamour when I was younger - maybe by 50...<br /><br />I agree about perfume. My tastes are probably narrow and classical, but Shalimar and Mitsouko parfum both do give me a lift and make me feel stronger and more elegant. No fruity florals for this gal (though in winter, by the holidays, Cinnabar/Opium does just as well - I feel like a human clove/orange potpourri ball).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10207346299129996890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-51259262790367687272010-12-08T10:06:09.376-05:002010-12-08T10:06:09.376-05:00I loved this look too, and the fact that she wasn&...I loved this look too, and the fact that she wasn't afraid to wear multiple items of statement jewelry. (I've decided that I need some serious cuffs in my repertoire.) This is such a refreshing change from the uniformly blown out TrophyWifeBots in their designer jeans and Rachel Zoe-inspired ensembles that one sees around here. I love that she's not trying to dress or look like she's 20-something.<br /><br />Now that I've gone darker again with my hair color, I'm finding I'm able to wear more intense lip color. Yippee!Susan Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005855250089328310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2872918251244874644.post-25071032143810638532010-12-08T09:59:47.526-05:002010-12-08T09:59:47.526-05:00Duchesse, City vs Country is a consideration. Al...Duchesse, City vs Country is a consideration. Also, think about a place like Santa Fe, NM vs. New York City.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12756033682201519150noreply@blogger.com