Glamorous Hollywood

~~"Want to be an actor? Call Mr. Factor!" ~Original lyrics from the song Hooray for Hollywood~~

~This photo from the Hollywood Museum website *The lobby~

Hello! As usual, I have been missing you all! I am so excited about sharing this post with you. A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to go to the Hollywood Museum with my Best Friend. I specifically wanted to go for a Jean Harlow exhibit that is on display there celebrating what would be her 100th birthday, little did I know what gold lies inside those doors. The museum is located in the historic Max Factor Building and I was awestruck from the moment I set foot in there! 

The Max factor building is a gem that sits right off of Hollywood Blvd.  just steps away from amazing places like the Roosevelt, El Capitan, and those famous footprints in the forecourt of Sid Grauman's Chinese theatre. Stepping through the heavily marbled entryway and into this historic building was like stepping back in time to the 1930's and that glorious Golden Age of Hollywood.

~The "Brownettes" Soft Peach colored room. Judy Garland is featured here~

The lobby is basically unchanged from those golden days. It is a polished Art Deco jewel, a rose colored oasis of endless lavish marble, crystal chandeliers, soft hues, and tropical palms. The Max Factor studio contains four special celebrity make-up rooms, each designed to bring out the best in women of a particular hair color: The first is marked "For Blondes Only" (and is done in shades of blue); another for redheads (in mint green), for brunettes (rose pink), and the brownettes (pale peach). These special rooms have been painstakingly preserved, and are complete with the original make-up chairs, lighting, furnishings, and  multi-angled mirrors. They are also outfitted with display cases full of notable clients personal make-up and personal belongings. Some of the legendary clients featured are Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Rudolph Valentino, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Lucille Ball, Claudette Colbert, Norma Shearer, and Bette Davis. I was inches away from Joan Crawford's false eyelashes (used!) Marilyn Monroe's bustier, and Elizabeth Taylor's belongings. 

Sitting in the makeup chair

It is said that Jean Harlow's hair was first dyed platinum in these rooms and that the color was created specifically for her, as is the story with Marilyn's hair, Joan Crawford, and Claudette Colbert. 

One of Judy Garlands pairs of Ruby Red Slippers  from the Wizard of Oz

I cannot even begin to scratch the surface of what this incredible museum contains and the history behind Mr. Factor and his empire. There are endless incredible pieces of Hollywood history here. The Marilyn Monroe collection alone is worth it. I am going to do a separate post just on her memorabilia at the museum tomorrow. They have a Mae West collection, Elvis items, Lucy and Desi, Shirley Temple, Clara Bow, Carey Grants Rolls Royce....Really it is endless! So, instead of boring you with more photos and my rambling I will leave you photo from the Jean Harlow exhibit I originally went to see. Until tomorrow! XOXO!

~~~All photos taken by me and property of Paris Atelier unless otherwise noted~~~

Ziegfeld Follies

"Fred Astaire: Here's to the beautiful ladies, Here's to those wonderful girls, Adele's and Molly's, Lucille's and Polly's. You'll find them all at the Ziegfeld Follies."

 Cyd Charisse in the 1945 Hollywood musical ~ Ziegfeld Follies

Bonjour chéris! I just finished watching that amazing movie Ziegfeld Follies. I am still trying to catch my breath! The costumes, the dance routines, the stars...Oh my!

Dolores Costello ~ Ziegfeld Girl

 The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions, inspired by the Folies Bergéres of Paris, on Broadway in from 1907 through 1931.

Ziegfeld Girl

The Follies were extremely lavish revues that included many of the days most popular performers. The Follies may have been most known for the beautiful girls that graced the stage.

 Lilyan Tashman ~ Ziegfeld Girl

These girls were known for always being decked out in the most elaborate and beautiful costumes. The costumes were often made by designers such as Erté, Lady Duff Gordon, and Ben Ali Haggi. The next morning the talk of New York would always be the ensembles.

The glorious Louise Brooks ~ She was a featured dancer for the Follies in 1925

I love that the movie includes some actual numbers from the original Follies shows on Broadway and showcases so many of Hollywood's brightest stars of the time. It is such an over the top spectacle that it just makes you feel like dancing!

Stay tuned for an incredible giveaway in the next few weeks and a post about my first trip to an auction & the goodies I brought home. I can't wait!

                                    

Colette

If I can't have too many truffles, I'll do without truffles.
Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

Bonjour mes amis, what a chaotic and busy time it has been. I love to grab a great book and a cup of tea to unwid a bit in the evenings when the baby is asleep and the husband has gone to bed. Lately, I have found myself immersed in novels by that racy and saucy author Colette (Best known for writing Gigi).

I just finished reading a number of the Claudine books,  I'm starting Chéri when I finish this post, and I can't wait to get my hands on La Naissance du Jour. I find myself getting lost in this Belle Epoque world she writes about so vividly and so wonderfully! It makes me even more excited to know that she wrote about personal experiences and the people around her so these amazing, larger than life characters could have at one point been living, breathing, people.

Her life was very racy and very interesting. Her marriages and lovers were often scandalous and salacious. A woman before her time and a wonderful writer.   

You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.
Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

Halloween...Old Hollywood Style

Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow at Truman Capote's famous Black and White Masked Ball

Image via Berkley Library

Hello Friends!!! With Halloween (it is one of my very favorite holidays) swiftly approaching I thought it would be fitting to do a post on some of the glamorous stars of Hollywood dressed up in costume.

I adore this image of Cary Grant, Mary Pickford, Countess de Frasso, and Trullio Carminati at the Vendome Cafe in Hollywood for a costume party

Image via Corbis Images

I would imagine that after dressing in costume all day long for a movie the last thing I would want to do is dress up for a party, well not these fabulous stars! Here are some great images of some of Hollywood's brightest stars in disguise, enjoy!

Clark Gable, Carol Lombard, and WR Hearst

Image via Friends of 415

It seems as though Marion Davies (lover to WR Hearst, that is another post altogether!) threw some of Hollywood's most lavish and exquisite parties! Oh to be a fly on the wall at one of those extravaganzas! Only the most elite and powerful in Hollywood and the publishing business were allowed access to these amazing (often costume) events.

Gloria Swanson, Marion Davies, Constance Bennett, and Jean Harlow at a party at the Marion Davies Beach House in the early 1930's

Image via Robin Chapman News

They say that Marion threw over 100 of these lavish parties over the course of her famous relationship with the newspaper magnate.

Janet Gaynor decked out at a costume fete
Image via Give me the Good Old Days




One of my faves, Lucille Ball at a costume gala
Source unknown

The adorable Claudette Colbert dressed as Scarlett O'Hara!

Image via Classic Movie Favorites



Could you just imagine getting a gorgeous invitation to a fabulous Hollywood costume party and then prancing over to your favorite wardrobe department to request an outfit! Heaven!

My all time favorite "Tramp" Charlie Chaplin dressed as Napoleon for a WR Hearst party
Via Wikipedia



I am so in the mood for Halloween now! I can't wait to don my 40's glamour girl costume (seriously that's my costume this year) and paint the town Red, after I take my little Prince Trick-or-Treating that is. I have my vintage jewelry, vintage shoes, a satin evening gown, vintage opera gloves, and instructions for a fabulous hair do ready to go!

Joan Crawford all gussied up for a party

Source Unknown

For those of you celebrating Halloween this year Be safe and Be Glamorous!

Thank you so much for the always too sweet comments, and support, you are the best!!!!

XOXO

Judith~

The Dressing Room

Alleycatscratch.com Publicity stills for the King Kong Movie

Hello Friends!

I've been catching up on all of your blog posts and I am overwhelmed with the creativity and beauty you bring into my life!

Joan Crawford preparing for a scene

I have been so inspired and I am now obsessing over glamorous dressing rooms and the fabulous backstage life in theatre, Opera, Ballet, and movies.

I stumbled upon a picture of Marilyn Monroe getting ready in her dressing room, and I fell into the rabbit hole searching for more backstage images. So here are some of my favorites to share with you...Enjoy!

Penelope Cruz in part of an incredible photo shoot by Annie Leibovitz. I will do a post on the entire Film Noir shoot tomorrow...stay tuned!

The beautiful Betty Grable and her famous legs Backstage in her dressing room photographed by LIFE magazine.

A ballerina in her dressing room by William K Daby. Just breath taking!

Artisticcostumes.com

Backstage at the Phantom

New Glamour! the dressing room of Kylie Minogue on her world tour. Fabulous!!!

TheWinger.com

A gorgeous ballerina backstage on the final night of the Nutcracker Ballet.

That's all for today! I want to set my powder room up to look like a glamorous Old Hollywood dressing room now! I can't wait for tomorrow's film Noir post. Have a fantastic day and a great week!!!