sighsandwhispers

Eye Candy: Body Language

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

What follows is very NSFW...

Photos of Roger Huckstex by Joe Tiffenbach from Playgirl, December 1973.

Dolls, dolls, dolls...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Estee Lauder ad with photo by Skrebneski and clothes by Richard Assatly from Cosmopolitan, March 1978.

Super creepy!

La Grand Chapiteau

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Photos by Roland Bianchini for L'Officiel 622, 1976.

Beauty Babe: The Golden Present

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Photos by Barry
Lategan for Vogue UK, October 15, 1976.

How amazing is the YSL black velvet caftan, fully lined in gold lurex, in the final image? Sensational!

Touch of Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Photos by Barry Lategan for Vogue UK, October 15, 1976.

The Story of O

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Second and third photos by Frank Lafitte and forth and fifth by James Moore. From Viva, April 1976.

An Interior for a Playboy

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Can I please move in? This might be my favourite interior ever.

The room is an anonymous early post-war building and has a ground surface of 120 sq. m. The previous arrangement, subdivided into various rooms, has been converted to an open-plan layout incorporating day and night areas.

In fact, the large bed and circular bath are separated from other areas by only a sliding screen. In the actual day area, the different floor levels mark out the various functional spaces which form a sequence: fireplace, dining room, conversation and music area. These areas are integrated in a single environment.

This large areas has an overall uniformity in two ways - in form: the circular shape of the seating arrangement coordinates with the screen and the bath; in colour and materials: the carpeting in the same colour as the fabric seat-coverings, roughcast walls like the screen, and tops in steel and glass. The pillar which remained after the dividing walls were taken down, has become a source of light with a methacrylate covering which conceals the neon strip inside.

The furnishing and decoration of this interior is unusual throughout, both practical and sophisticated in its elegant colour scheme, and certainly conducive to good living.

In keeping with the atmosphere is the choice of the 'Joe' armchair (the boxing glove with five fingers) and the subtly humorous exhibit of a work of art, in the form of a lorry radiator grille.

Apartment designed by Mario Scheichenbauer. Scanned from One Room Interiors by Franco Magnani, 1979.

Sylvie

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Sylvie Vartan by Rodolphe Haussaire from L'Officiel 620, 1975.

Every Woman Needs...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Daily Mail ad scanned from Nova, June 1973.

Sonia Rykiel, 1985

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Sonia Rykiel ads with photos by Dominique Issermann from Vogue UK, March 1985.

Eye Candy: Discover the Perfume of the Night

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Lorenzaccio ad scanned from French Playboy, June 1979.

Soir de Fete

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Editorial by Rodolphe Haussaire from L'Officiel 627, 1976.

Kitten Hips

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Mouldettes ad scanned from Harper's Bazaar, March 1944.

Beauty Babe: Haute Tension

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Dior ad by Serge Lutens from L'Officiel 622, 1976.

Class of '55

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Photos by Peter Strongwater from Viva, August 1978.

Don't be Confused

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Editorial by Clive Arrowsmith for Vogue UK, February 1971.

At Home: Designs for Living, 1973

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Photos by Anthony Verebes for Playgirl, December 1973.

Escape the Cold...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Vanessa swimwear ads scanned from L'Officiel 623, 1976.

Mad Hatter

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Stephen Sprouse velvet bustier dress and Marina Killery straw pastry hat. Photo by Paolo Roversi for Vogue UK, November 1985.

How to Maintain Your Sanity, Sense of Humor and Sex Life During Football Season

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Photo by Gene Gurley for Playgirl, November 1979.

Eye Candy: 10 Sexiest Men of 1979

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Scanned from Playgirl, November 1979.

Quite surprising, isn't it?

The Two Worlds of Mme. Tamy Tazi

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Photos by Henry Clarke for Vogue USA, April 15, 1965.

One of my main dreams/goals for 2012 is to go to Morocco at some point- I sincerely hope it works out!

Déjà vu

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Dream Clothes from a Not Too Distant Past.

Cherry red sunburst pleated satin skirt and black crepe halter top by Jamie McDonald, N.Y.C.

The curious sensations of dreams: mind images of the unconscious, fantasy films screened on sleep vision, strange waves of light and sound toying with the brain. But I was there: standing, statuesque, wearing the dress my mother wore in her last movie, before the car accident that killed her. Holding the edges of the dress, as though to curtsy, posing for someone (who?), i stood perfectly still for an indeterminate, infinite time in that luminous, shadowy room, the parlor of my parent;s first home in the hills outside L.A.

Silver lurex fifties fitted jacket and matching sunburst pleated skirt, The Crystal Palace, L.A.

Then, suddenly, I was outdoors, grounded at the edge of our swimming pool, staring at the limpid turquoise water, wearing a different dress, the one mother wore in Midnight Passion, the film she made with father in '51, just before he left for Mykonos with Luna's mother.

Purple silk fifties designer gown ($100), one of a kind from Early Halloween, N.Y.C..

Suddenly, Luna appeared from nowhere. She seemed to want to tell me something, something important, vital, I think, about that car. She couldn't speak. She moved in slowly calculated, almost choreographed gestures, her gaze unerringly fixed on something far away. Someone was watching us. I knew it - it was that sense one has of being seen through a viewfinder. I heard the vague buzzing sound of a movie camera in the distance.

Silk sequinned hand-painted fifties circular skirt ($75) worn over red fifties stretch-crepe bathing suit ($35) from The Ruby Slippers, N.Y.C. Smoky blue print-silk fifties Hawaiian sarong dress with matching bolero ($65) from The Ruby Slippers, N.Y.C.

Luna picked me up and carried me into the trees surrounding the pool. I searched her face for some identifiable expression. There was nothing in her eyes. Gradually, my will, too, was being consumed by that bizarre invisible force (an observer? a camera?) recording my every heartbeat. I felt fear tingling in my spine as I passively, yieldingly, allowed myself to be taken with a murmur of resistance.

Red Chinese-silk print slashed-to-the-waist dress ($55), red-and-black-design silk-crepe dress ($110). Acid-yellow crepe Peter Pan-collar blouse ($35), The Crystal Palace, L.A.

We came to a small clearing in the trees and Luna laid me down on the grass. Joelle, her sister, was suddenly there, giggling as though this arcane prank had humor and was being played for someone's cruel amusement. Somberly, looking down at me, Luna repeated, "It was not an accident. Your father came back to kill her. He was in the car that night." Confused childhood memories flooded my dreaming mind as Luna spoke: my mother;s long-distance calls to a Greek island; angry, crying, she talked of lawyers, begged for more money, charged desertion and abandonment. Was it possible?

Black-green-pink Hawaiian halter sarong dress ($65) from The Ruby Slippers, N.Y.C.

all at once, I found myself alone, sitting on that car, my mother's Mercedes, covered like a corpse. I was wearing the dress my mother wore, her favorite, that night she drove to Malibu to meet someone (she wouldn't tell me who). She said before she left that everything was going to be all right again. It was the last time I saw her alive.

Baby pink crinkled-silk dress (matching underslip not shown) with matching pink belt ($45) from The Crystal Palace, L.A. Black "Bare-Wear" bra ($12.50) and "French Fantasy" bikini panties ($8.50 for three) from Frederick's of Hollywood, L.A. Black patent stiletto shoes ($115) from Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards, N.Y.C.

A blur, and then I was in my apartment, the one I live in now; half-awake, half-dreaming, i wasn't sure. Alone, wearing more of Mother's clothes, first a dress and then her famous lame suit, I heard rustlings at the door. It began to open as I approached. I rushed to hold it shut and caught a glimpse of Father, looking much younger than he looked last Christmas when I saw him, looking more the way he looked in Midnight Passions when I saw it on late TV one sleepless night last week. I struggled to keep him out, this strange, too young man I thought might kill me, too. Then, all at once, the pushing from the other side abruptly stopped. I slammed the door shut and looked through the peephole. The male figure was walking away, and, as he moved farther from my door, he seemed to lose substance; his form became transparent, then disappeared entirely, I noticed then that the whirring, movie-camera sound behind my head had stopped.

Gold lame jeweled-bodice fifties jump suit ($75), large round pearl earrings ($8) from The Crystal Palace, L.A. Gold stiletto sandals ($115) from Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards, N.Y.C.

Photos by Helmut Newton and story by Susan Duff for Viva, August 1978.

Since I'm shooting a story on my vintage collection today, I thought I would put up this rather amazing editorial of vintage 50s clothes from 1978. Even though it was photographed by the iconic Helmut Newton, I have never seen it mentioned before and came across it quite by accident. I always love seeing how vintage and antique clothes have been styled over the years, and this elegy to a lost Hollywood is pretty perfect in my opinion.

Beauty Babe: Hair for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

A little late for the actual holidays, but inspiring any time of year...

Photos by Weldon Burnham for Playgirl, December 1973.

Torrente, 1976

noreply@blogger.com (Laura McLaws Helms) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Torrente ads from L'Officiel 622, 1976.

I have to admit the location from these ads reminds me of the orgy scene in The Stud (which is severely overdo for a post of its own), especially the swimming pool in the second spread. Since that cavernous pool room has always been one of my favourites ever, I could quite happily move right into these ads- clothes included.

The pool in The Stud (1987).