Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Bond Girls: Five Decades of Style

The Bond girl has an irresistible allure. More than just a love interest, Bond girls can be allies, enemies, colleagues, honey traps and assassins. The first Bond girl was the legendary Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress in the 1962 film Dr. No.


Halfway through the film Honey emerges from the Caribbean waves in one of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history:


Dr. No was followed by From Russia With Love, arguably the most popular Bond movie. Daniela Bianchi played Russian intelligence officer Tatiana Romanova:


One of the most stylish Bond girls was Pussy Galore, played by a 39-year old Honor Blackman in Goldfinger (1964). She works for the eponymous villain - before Bond converts her, naturally - and runs a team of all-female aircraft pilots. In the novel by Ian Fleming, Pussy used to run an acrobatic troupe of women trapeze artists (!) in the United States. Business is slow, so she re-trains them as cat burglars. And introduces them to a delicious life of crime... 

 

Pussy makes mincemeat out of Bond in Goldfinger's private jet...



Pussy - being far too stylish to disrobe - left the nudity to Jill Masterson, played by Shirley Eaton.


Jill came to a grisly end after apparently suffocating from gold paint. How much is this make-up guy loving his job..?


The first brunette Bond girl appeared in Thunderball. Dominique 'Domino' Derval was the baddie's mistress and was played by French actress Claudine Auger. Her monochrome wardrobe reflected her character's name: 


I love her swimsuit. For a similar look, try British-made Moeva. I bought a one-piece from their new collection and it does make you feel like a Bond girl. Or maybe the heat and daiquiris had gone to my head... 

If I had to pick the wardrobe of one Bond girl, it would be Helga Brandt. Played by Karin Dor in 1967 movie You Only Live Twice, Brandt interrogates Bond in the cabin of her employer's ship:


The hair, the jewellery, the nails, the chiffon cape... this is the look. I've sold several dresses that are almost identical to Helga's cocktail ensemble. Bad girls know how to party.


Connery was replaced by newcomer George Lazenby in 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Diana Rigg brought her elfin beauty to the role of Contesssa Teresa di Vicenzo, the only Bond girl to actually marry 007. Teresa was one of Fleming's most complex female characters, and Bond was a broken man after her death. 



Jane Seymour played one of the most unusual Bond girls: Solitaire, in Live and Let Die (1973). Employed as a clairvoyant by Dr Kananga, the dictator of a small Caribbean island, Solitaire's named reflected her virginal state. Her boss believed her purity allowed her to predict the future - and when Bond seduces her, Kananga decides to make Solitaire a sacrificial offering in a chaotic voodoo ceremony. 


Solitaire's look is pure 1970s. Have a look in our online boutique for similar dresses from the same period. The girls at Pixiwoo have created a fantastic video tutorial on how to get her shimmering make-up:



In Moonraker, American actress Lois Chiles played Dr. Holly Goodhead, an improbably risqué name for a CIA agent and astronaut. Her outfits were amazing... 


Britt Ekland played Mary Goodnight in The Man With The Golden Gun. Dressed in little more than a bikini throughout the film, she chose to wear a stunning sequin gown for the London premiere:


It was this very same dress that Kate Moss wore to her 30th birthday party in 2004. Kate Moss is a huge fan of vintage fashion. Click here to read my blog on her incredible collection. 


The next Bond girl has impeccable fashion credentials. Carole Bouquet played Melina Havelock alongside Roger Moore in 1981 movie For Your Eyes Only.


One of the main faces of Chanel in the 1980s-1990s, Carole's rare beauty contrasted with Ekland's girlish charms. 


You may also recognise her from Sex and the City, where she played Aleksandr Petrovsky's ex-wife in the penultimate episode. Click here to watch her have an awkward lunch with Carrie. 

Perhaps the most dangerous Bond girl was May Day, played by Grace Jones in A View To A Kill. A welcome contrast to the dizzy blondes elsewhere in the film, May Day was a intimidating woman with an even more intimidating boyfriend: an evil psychopath played by Christopher Walken.  

This is what she wears to Royal Ascot. A wimpy fascinator simply won't do when you're a trained assassin... 


Gorgeous Carey Lowell played Bond girl Pam Bouvier in Licence To Kill. Her day job is flying light aircraft. By night she hangs out at casinos wearing sequin dresses, drinking champagne and gambling. Why didn't I hear about this option at my college careers library?


Add a cigar and red lipstick and you've got Xenia Onatopp, Bond's nemesis in 1995 film GoldenEye


A true femme fatale, Xenia is happiest when crushing men to death between her thighs. Her workwear look of hotpants and military webbing was around long before Lara Croft: Tomb Raider hit our screens.


Actor Daniel Craig took over the role of 007 in Casino Royale and everything changed. Bond became much grittier and the script weeded out any smooth one-liners. A suitably complicated role was created for the new Bond girl: Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green. 


Cinema is all about the grand entrance, and Eva played it perfectly... 


Like her compatriot Carole Bouquet, Eva is also a darling of the fashion world. Click here to see her as the 'face' of Dior Poison Midnight. 

British actress Gemma Arterton played MI6 agent Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace.  I love her retro hair and make-up in this film:


The very winsome Naomie Harris took on the role of Eve Moneypenny in the most recent film, Skyfall. Can M's secretary be a Bond girl? I don't see why not. Especially when she looks as ravishing as Naomie:


Looking like a Bond girl is easy - we have all the outfits at Juno Says Hello. For the month of May I'll be serving vodka martinis in the studio for private appointments - click here to get in touch and fix a date!

Thursday, 18 April 2013

Vintage Fashion Magazines: My FT Blog

I've been guest-blogging for the Financial Times How To Spend It sine the beginning of the year - a wonderful opportunity for me to write about one of my favourite things: vintage fashion! My latest blog is about collectable vintage fashion magazines and books, in particular the iconic style magazine of the 1970s, Nova


Described as 'The new kind of magazine for a new kind of woman', Nova was politically engaged and beautifully designed. 


You can read my latest blog by clicking on this link. The next missive will be about Art Deco costume jewellery. Stay tuned.

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Celebrities in vintage: Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes has one of the most alluring faces in Hollywood. Although she has her pick of designer clothes she is often spotted in vintage dresses, both on and off the red carpet. 


Eva wears vintage day dresses as well as formal evening gowns:

1950s rose print dress

1960s brocade shift

1980s polka dots

1960s sequin dress 

1970s maxi dress

1970s coral frock with lace trim

1950s Lancetti dress 

Her sultry looks are strongly reminiscent of another Latin beauty - Sophia Loren. Fashion editors have played up to this similarity in several magazine shoots... 

Vogue Italia

Vogue Italia

Marie Claire

Sophia Loren in the 1950s

The contemporary designs Eva wears are usually very retro-inspired:

Jonathan Saunders

Valentino

1970s-style gown by Stella McCartney

1950s-style prom dress by Monique Lhuillier

1940s-inspired tailoring in Dior

Her style is very Old Hollywood - even down to the accessories:


Eva's look really reminds of this photo of actress Valerie Hobson:


To read my blog on vintage turbans (and the incredible women who wore them) click here. Eva's beautifully proportioned face lends itself to retro hairstyles too:

1940s rolls in forthcoming movie The Spirit

1960s chignon (also a favourite with Carrie Bradshaw)

The actress recently partnered with New York & Company to create a fashion line, which will be called Eva by Eva Mendes. The line will be rolled out across 519 US stores later this year. 

One of my favourite Eva clips is from The Other Guys - not a great movie but it has its moments - including this scene where she wears a very cute 50s-style day dress:

 

If you like Eva's casual look we have a beautiful selection of vintage floral prints in stock. To view in our online boutique please click here. Next celebrity fan: Kristin Davis. Stay tuned.. 

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Vintage accessories: the corsage

The corsage is probably fashion's first ever accessory: a spray of flowers pinned to clothes has always been the fastest - and most inexpensive - ways to decorate an outfit. But always glamorous... 

Olivia de Havilland

 
Lisa Fonssagrives

Ingrid Bergman

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene with Douglas Fairbanks Jr, 1937

Vogue, 1946

Vogue, 1959

Carole Lombard

Marilyn Monroe

Sunny Harnett

Jacques Fath ball gown, 1953

Vogue, c.1940s

Jean Shrimpton

Manolo Blahnik and Anjelica Huston

Dress by Maggy Rouff, 1932

Model, c.1930s

Fashion editorial shot in Mexico for Vogue, 1968

Ann Sothern. Love the zebra set.

Suzy Parker

Rita Hayworth 

Jeanne Crain in furs with a festive corsage

Vogue, 1949

Vogue, 1951

Life Magazine, c.1930s

Dina Merrill. Great manicure.

Life Magazine, 1951

Grace Kelly with real orchids on her neck

Maureen O'Hara

Tallulah Bankhead. Butter wouldn't melt...

Hedy Lamarr

Rita Hayworth and her luscious red hair

French model Capucine, c.1950s

Debutante, c.1930s

Marlene Dietrich: timeless style 

Vogue 1951

Corsages continue appear on the runway every season. These blooms couldn't look less 'prom date'... 

Giambattista Valli

Marc Jacobs

Dita von Teese in Alexis Mabille

Agyness Dean

Heidi Klum in vintage James Galanos

Fashion Gone Rogue

One of the reasons for a renewed interest in corsages is Carrie Bradshaw. For the first two seasons she was rarely seen without a flower pinned to her dress or coat.  


For the final episode Carrie wore a Sonia Rykiel jumper with oversize fabric rosette, as a nod to her love of corsages. Unsurprisingly, it sold out everywhere. 


Since Juno Says Hello began in 2009, we've sold several corsage dresses. This was one of my personal favourites - part of a collection that I bought from the estate of one of the original financiers of Disneyland California. A 1960s jade silk crepe dress with a shocking pink rose corsage on the back:


We sold this dress last year - a beautiful 1950s black grosgrain silk wrap-style frock with blue velvet rose detail:


We have an original 1950s prom dress in stock at the moment: pale lemon net with cornflower blue corsages on the skirt and bodice. To view in our online boutique click here


Basia Zarzycka makes beautiful silk corsages using Victorian tools and flower presses. It's very difficult to leave her shop on Sloane Square empty handed! To view a selection of her corsages online click here. Please add other recommendations in the comments box. 

The next blog will be beauty-focused: manicures. From the half-moon tips of the 1940s femme fatale to the red talons of the 1980s, plus beauty editorial pages from vintage Vogues and a competition to win Tom Ford nail polish. 

Corsage with champagne