Glamour Do? Or Don't?
I love the glamour and polished style of 'Old Hollywood'. It reminds me that people made more of an effort to shine, and dressed up more. Were more gracious and polite. Good manners mattered. Your home was where you entertained and people dressed in fabulous cocktail attire. I have fond memories of my parents dancing to the high-fi and drinking Manhattans all slicked up. It wasn't unusual for my mom to wear false eyelashes on regular nights out.
As a little girl, there was a woman on our suburban L.A. block who dressed up (in something like this beautiful dress above from Beklina) every evening before her husband would arrive home from work. My mother and all her neighborhood housewife friends would make fun of her and point out how ridiculous and subservient she looked. While secretly, I think they were a bit envious. She always looked so pretty and would literally stand in the driveway as her husband pulled up. She had it timed. It was the sixties, so it wasn't so strange. Call me anti-feminist, but I thought it was cool. It felt like they were in love. They looked happy. And who's to say she didn't dress up for herself, because it made her feel good.
Imagine dressing up like this fabulous woman for just a typical day out and about on around town?! As much as we love our homes, I had an inkling we might be just as interested in our personal fashion style. So I just thought I'd see what you think about glamour and grace. I think it's like living large. I mean, why not?
Do you remember how Samantha always had the cliche martini waiting for Darren in Bewitched? Don't you think she had an ulterior motive there? He was always so cranky. I think she just needed to lighten his mood. I'm not saying we should go back to those times of waiting hand on foot on anyone, not at all. My point is only the fun part of it all. Maybe just embrace our fancy side once in a while. Just for fun. And really, just for us. I'd mix up an evening cocktail for somebody like George Clooney who quite evokes that old Hollywood glamour, any old night of the week!
My friends mock me and seem to find it funny that I haven't been swooped up for all my love of domestication. Ironically enough, I am the single girl among many married friends, but I am the one who probably would have dressed up and had a pretty good dinner on the table. And I have may have worked hard or blogged all day, too. Not all the time, but because it's fun and I like it, I'd dress up as much as possible. It's just fun to be fancy.
*Black dress image (second from top) from Beklina.
