Norma Jean Before Marilyn

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I usually do a Marilyn Monroe post on our shared birthday, June 1st, but I decided to wait a couple days and look back on Marilyn before she was MARILYN.

I have this wonderful book by Andre de Dienes, Marilyn – Mon Amour – The private album of Andre de Dienes, her preferred photographer.  In 1945, Andre had searched agencies for a model to pose for his photographs.  With a great amount of luck, 19 year old Norma Jean Baker introduced herself to him.  They soon set off to travel through the western states as Andre captured her in a variety of settings.  Of course Andre fell madly in love with his protege.  Norma Jean refused his marriage proposal but they remained close friends, and Andre became her favorite photographer.  Here are a few of her very first photographs:

 

Marilyn Monroe 1945 Photo: Andre de DienesGoodness.  A barefoot brunette in braids out in a field.  Norma Jean is looking very fresh and rather Boho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed “Love, Norma Jeane”, she is striking a somewhat Pinup pose while wearing a frilly pinafore apron.Marilyn Monroe 1945 Photo: Andre de Dienes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn Monroe 1945 Photo: Andre de DienesNorma Jean goes western, with boots and a wagon wheel.  I think she looks like a teenaged Shirley Temple here – dimples, curly ringlets and all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Striking a pose with a car.  Hair up and jaunty striped top.Marilyn Monroe 1945 Photo: Andre de Dienes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was on her way to becoming the magical and fabulous Marilyn Monroe that we all know and love.  What an eventual transformation!

 

 

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” –Marilyn Monroe

~Marilyn

 

The Abominable 1973 Fuzzy Coat!

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1973 Fuzzy CoatI love 70s clothing for the most part.   I spent the 70s in high school, college, traveling abroad, and first jobs, and loved the folksy, boho, disco vibe of the clothes.  But then there are some clothing items that stop me dead in my tracks and I shout “what the hell were they thinking?!”.

This, er, monstrosity of a crocheted coat known as ‘Fuzzy Coat’ appeared in the January 1973 issue of Family Circle.  There are no words.  Well, there are, but they are not complementary!  Made from razzle-dazzle multicolor acrylic fibers (washable!) in those ghastly 70s color combinations of harvest gold, yellow, avocado, pink, and orange.  Incredibly shaggy and bright, you were certain not to be missed wearing this.  It was recommended wearing for biking, shopping, morning coffee break, dog walking, after-ski…and even as a “glamorous” evening wrap.  Which is perfectly fine if you want to go out looking like you’re wearing a 70s shag carpet which has numerous nasty spills.1973 Fuzzy Coat -Family Circle

I think it’s the dreadful color combination that is getting to me rather than the coat itself.  I can almost see it in a pretty pink or jet black.  But that’s stretching it! 😀

~Marilyn

Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo & Juliet Film Ad 1968

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Romeo & Juliet Film ad 1968I’ve had several posts about the film, Romeo & Juliet, and about the stars, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting.  But I realize that I haven’t posted about the actual ad for the movie, so here it is!Romeo & Juliet film theaters 1968

This ad is from the October 1968 issue of Glamour magazine.  A time when films were actually advertised heavily beforehand, and highly anticipated.  To add to the cachet, it was noted that Romeo & Juliet will have “Exclusive Engagements” in these cities: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.  But not to be disappointed if you didn’t live in any of these cities, because you were supposed to watch for Romeo & Juliet in your area.

It’s cool that they have all the actors, director, producers, and screenplay writers listed.  The only one I seem to recognize is Michael York.  Wow, I had forgotten that he was in that movie!

I think it’s time for me to watch it again because I haven’t seen it since 1968, in a Seattle movie theater (Seattle was not on the “Exclusive” list).  I was an impressionable young 13-year old who fell into the romantic trap that was Romeo & Juliet.  But I remember it had a huge impression on me.  The sheer teenage perfection of Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting was probably a tremendous trigger of anxiety to young teenage girls.  Acne, braces, freckles, frizzy hair, and gawkiness had no place on the set of this film.  But it was gorgeous and beautiful and perfect, and I loved it.

~Marilyn

Emilio Pucci For Formfit Rogers Lingerie 1969

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Emilio Pucci-Formfit Rogers ad 1969Italian designer, Emilio Pucci, noted for his fabulous psychedelic prints, did a lingerie line for Formfit Rogers in the 60s.  This ad from the September 1969 issue of Seventeen magazine is the only one that I’ve found advertising the EPFR line.  In the blue and pink palettes of the Taormina print, The Panty Girdle ($15), The Last Word Bra ($8), The Soft Bra ($8), and The Petticoat ($9) are shown.  The Padded Bra ($9) and Panty Brief ($10) are not shown.  Anyway, all of them are extremely groovy!

As any vintage clothing collector will tell you, any Pucci item is of great interest and value.  EPFR items are equally desirable, as they were still Emilio Pucci originals.  I have seen some of them fetch very high prices on the resale market.

I always keep my eyes open for finding that elusive Emilio Pucci-Formfit Rogers item.  Haven’t found one yet, but I will keep looking.  In the meantime I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with looking at this elusive ad!

~Marilyn

More 60s Fluffy Angora Sweaters!

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I keep finding more angora sweaters in my perusing of the late ’60s Seventeen magazines!  I guess I never realized at the time, how fashionable  angora was then.  Anyway, I thought I’d share several more pics that I thought were so pretty.

Vintage 60s Pink Angora Sweater DressPretty in Pink Angora!  This is Tina McDonough, an award-winning ballerina from Seattle in a really cute fluffy pink angora mini dress.  So sweet and feminine. (Seventeen magazine, January 1969.)

Vintage 60s White Angora Sweater -Lucy AngleModel Lucy Angle in a fluffy white angora sweater.  (Seventeen magazine, December 1968.)

Vintage 1970 Angora SweatersTeen models in green and lavender angora sweaters.  (Seventeen magazine, August, 1970.)

~Marilyn

 

Perfumes I Wore In The 80s

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Flipping though a 1987 issue of Vogue magazine brought back all sorts of memories of my life in the 80s.  It seems so many lifetimes away, but most of the 1980s for me was spent in corporate banking; working downtown and sporting shoulder-padded power suits.  Egad.  Considering that I am more of a Bohemian at heart, it was probably an aberration.  I have since returned happily to my more laid-back style, thank God!

The perfume ads really caught my eye.  Perfume was HUGE in the 80s – the more powerful, the better.  Of course I got caught up in the scent craziness of the decade, everyone did.  The workplace reeked of heavy perfume, but we all wore it so there wasn’t much complaining.  You weren’t dressed for work unless you sprayed yourself with a good dousing of perfume.  You felt naked without it.  Here are some of the favorite perfumes that I wore:

 

YSL-Opium Perfume Ad 1987Opium by Yves Saint Laurent.  Hands down my absolute favorite!  I started wearing Opium in 1983, have worn it consistently since then.  It is one of the only perfumes I wear that I get comments on all the time, “you smell so GOOD!”.  I do believe that YSL made in specifically for me in mind, it is so tailor-made to my body chemistry.  If they ever stop making it, I will have to go into extreme hoarding mode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poison Perfume Ad 1987Poison by Christian Dior.  Of course I wore this too, all purple-y and mysterious.  It was a little too cloyingly sweet for my taste, but I did love the bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ines del la Fressange COCO ad 1987Coco by Chanel.  Featuring the glorious French model, Inès de La Fressange.  Who didn’t want to be her?  We all wanted to be French in the 80s!  I still wear this perfume today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ralph LAUREN perfume ad 1987Lauren by Ralph Lauren.  All-American fragrance that was romantic and sweet.  I actually wore this quite a bit too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paloma Picasso Perfume ad 1987Paloma Picasso ‘Mon Parfum’ by Paloma Picasso.  She seemingly came out of nowhere, and suddenly she was EVERYWHERE in the 80s.  So of course, we all wore her perfume – she is a Picasso, after all.  I can’t remember what this actually smelled like though.  I guess her name eclipsed her perfume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bijan Perfume ad 1987Bijan by Bijan.  The ubiquitous Bijan.  Who was this guy anyway?!  He always looked like he was having fun in the ads – grinning mightily and surrounded by lively models.  He, too, was everywhere.  So of course we all had to buy his perfume.  It was a really strong scent as I remember.  I wonder what happened to ol’ Bijan?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for strolling down 80s perfume lane with me!

~Marilyn