Bettie Page

When you ask about pin up models of the 1950s, one name stands out. Bettie Page. Her dark hair, those bangs, that cheeky smile and those amazing curves... Bettie Page has long been an idol of mine. Her innocence, the way she was comfortable in her own skin, her attitudes and the way she lived her life is a breath of fresh air.

"I was just myself. I didn't know any other way to be, or any other way to live."

Born in 1923, Bettie begun modelling across the country after leaving home in her early 20s. In 1950, photographer Jerry Tibbs took Bettie's first pin up photos and her life changed. (He also suggested for her to cut her hair in bangs!)

"I never kept up with the fashions. I believed in wearing what I thought looked good on me."

Bettie appeared in the 1955 issue of playboy as a centerfold, but it was her fetish and bondage photos with Irving and Paula Klaw that stand out as one of her most successful endevours. Interestingly enough, Bettie never saw the photographs as provocative, or 'wrong'. She imaginaed herself playing a character, one who was the total opposit of who she actually was.

"Sex is a part of love. You shouldn't go around doing it unless you are in love…."

The photos are fairly tame to look at from todays standards, but at the time they were scandalous and created an underground stir for those who were interested in the fetish genre.

"I was not trying to be shocking, or to be a pioneer. I wasn't trying to change society, or to be ahead of my time."

Bettie dissapeared from the public eye after legal disputes surrounding her work with the Klaws and a public uproar about pornography and today enjoys a queit life with her family. She still remains a modern icon, inspiring artists, editorals, designers and film makers alike.

"She had a saucy innocence that is both contemporary and provocative, and also nostalgic." - Hugh M. Hefner

Lingerie

I am a huge, HUGE fan of all things burlesque, lingerie, pin up girls la di dah. Bettie Page is one of my idols (and look out for a big post on her in the next few days!)

I cannot think of anything sexier than a pair of silk sheer, cuban heeled back seamed stockings paired with a fantastic garter. Honestly. I own a few pairs, and am trying to collect vintage pairs but I never seem to have enough money to buy what I want...

And speaking of lingerie, I have a passion for expensive, well made sets. Full sets. Matching bra, underwear and garters. G-strings, french knickers, boylegs, briefs.... My lingerie drawer is exploding. Especially once you add in all the hoisery, stockings, tights, thigh high socks/tights, leggings arrrgggh! I need a lingerie room, let me tell you!

Agent Provocateur

Pleasure State

Chantel Thomass

Fifi Cachnil

What are some of your favourite lingerie labels?

Appreciation Bubble:

Digital cameras. Can anyone even remember having to wait to get film developed? The anticipation, the 'wasting' of the last few photos to hurry up to get them developed? The dissapointment when you realise what you thought would be an amazing picture turning out to be truely hideous? God, the horror!!! Of course, nothing beats polariod film, but then again, it was instant satisfaction too, non?

My So Called Life

In the early to mid 90s I was entrenched in primary school, eagerly waiting to reach “double digits” on birthdays. I was also idolizing everything my older, teenage sister did, said, wore, liked.

Which meant grunge. Flannel shirts, doc martens, faded denim jeans with tears at the knee. Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, The Violent Femmes. River Pheonix and Winona Ryder.

When Marc Jacobs did a ‘grunge inspired’ collection a few seasons ago, the fashion world went crazy for it. Which is ironic; considering the fashions of grunge stemmed from a rebellion against overly expensive clothes and the rejection of the power dressing of the 1980’s by being messy, scruffy, aloof and dressing for comfort instead of appearance.

The cult TV series, My So Called Life, not only symbolizes the era for me, the writing is truely divine; it captures so many teenage thoughts that passed through my brain. Santa gave me the box set this Christmas and I’ve recently been obsessively watching the whole thing. Again. For like the 5th time since December.

The series only lasted one season, for some reason, (with a 14 year old Claire Danes and an adorably hot young Jared Leto) but it contains so many brilliant lines, so many fantastic scenes, and so many amazing grunge-y fashions.

“This life has been a test. If this had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do.”

Flannel shirt, loose tee, black leggings and doc martens. In red. Fantastical!

“You know how sometimes the last sentence you said, like, echoes in your brain? And it just keeps sounding stupider? And you have to say something else just to make it stop?”

“My parents keep asking how school was. It’s like saying ‘How was that drive by shooting?’ You don’t care how it WAS, you’re lucky to get out alive.”


Ahhhh. The floral dress with shoe string straps in a muted colour layered over a basic colored tee. Love it.

Rayanne: You wanna have sex with him.
Angela: Who?
Rayanne: Who. Jordan. Catalano. Come on, Im not gonna tell anyone, just admit it.
Angela: I just like how he’s always leaning. Against stuff. He leans great. Well, either sex or a conversation. Ideally both.

Appreciation Bubble:

trees. how they change with the seasons. Its actually really beautiful, if you stop and think about it.

Things I Love Thursday

Over The Knee Boots
Being totally honest, Ive wanted a pair since Julia Roberts strutted her stuff in Pretty Woman. It wasn’t until I saw a Stella McCartney stretch pair a few years ago that I knew I HAD to get some. Unfortunately, all I ever find is WAAAAYY out of my price range or a very sophisticated pvc platform type made my strippers. Hmm



The Hills
Such a guilty pleasure. I used to live in LA, so I love pretending that I could be there. *ahem* I hate pretty much all the characters, but there is something about the show that I can't stop watching! Being the unemployed student as I am, I dont have pay TV but thankfully the fantastic people at MTV have made it available to watch online. Weeee!



Trilby Hats
I finally bought a black one. And Im in love. Cant wait till the weather cools down, since its kinda sweaty underneath it at the moment.


Max Brenner
Aparently this restaurant/café chain is currently only in Sydney, Melbourne, NYC and Israel; but its simply divine. An entire store with chocolate made drinks, deserts and weird but ultimately delicious chocolate pizzas!

The Jesus and Mary Chain
I’ve never really ‘stopped’ loving the band, but I’ve rediscovered them ever since I bought tickets to V Festival where they are playing. This Saturday! Yay!

"Just Like Honey" - The Jesus and Mary Chain

What are some of the things you're loving this week?

art

Ive just bought this fantastic Alice In Wonderland inspired print from one of my new favourite Artists Kelly Smith.

Hobart based illustrator, she usually draws whimsical girls and uses mixed medias to complete the works. She's been featured in a fair few Australian mags and I wish her all the success in the world, her art is truely beautiful!

Some of my other favourite images from her:

Keep It Under Your Hat

Doe Eyes

You Are My Honey, Bunny

Check out her blog here!

Tell me, who are some of your favourite artists? Established or up-and coming?

Appreciation Bubble:

Friends. There was a time in my life when I had no one I could rely on, no one to talk to except a handful of self obsessed, toxic girlfriends. Now, I have a wide range of friends for different reasons- the girls to go out partying with, the girls to have d&m's with and the rare few who i look at as my sisters. I dont think family has to mean blood relatives at all, there are those who feel more like family than some cousin ive met once who lives on the other side of the world from me. I love them all.

Icons Of Style- Lou Doillon

Lou Doillon is easily a pedigree of France. for those of us who don't watch french cinema, we wouldn't be aware of Lou Dillon the actress; of which she is highly acomplished. but we may be atune to her legacy; daughter of Jane Birkin and french director Jacques Doillon, she also just so happens to be the half sister to Charlotte Gainsberg.

Renowned for her unusal beauty, she has sucessfully modelled for the likes of Givenchy, Jovovich-Hawkand Pirelli. A standard in the front rows of Paris Fashion Week, Lou's individual style begun at an early age and now, at the age of 25, is distinct, unique and in my opinion, utterly fabulous.

Lou has a penchant to pair etherial, floaty dresses with dark opaques and fantastic head peices- be it hats, flowers or headbands. Her opaques often peek out from her heels, proving that the whole 'no stockings with open toe shoes' rule is really, bullshit.



Her hair is worn loose below her shoulders, textured and natural with a come-hither fringe. Never heavily made up or covered in orangey fake tan, her skin glows with her natural french beauty.

fresh face, printed tee, jeans tucked into over the knee black socks and boots, sparkly red jacket? oui oui!

xxx

wishlist

mary kate stepped out at paris fashion week earlier this month wearing THIS jacket:

ive died and gone to heaven.

i can hear it whispering my name. cropped black leather. oversized gold studded detail. sleeves covering the knuckles.

i have no clue how i would ever get a hold of a Givency Fall 2007 jacket, or if i did how I would afford it, but still.

Mary Kate Olsen

Carine Roitfeld

i would team it with pale pink ballet flats, white tights, black legwarmers and a black tutu or heavily ruffled mini. drool.

Appreciation Bubble:

dogs. having coffee in a darlinghurst cafe this afternoon, my dog sat faithfully by my side. the majority of people who walked past looked at her and her cuteness brought a smile to their face. i smile at cute puppies too. awwww