The “It” Perfumes of 1985

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The "It" Perfumes of 1985 | Giorgio of Beverly HIlls } Finnfemme

I’ve been a huge perfume fan my whole life. So perusing through the September 1985 issue of Vogue magazine,  I was reminded of the many scents that I wore and were popular that year. But the scent that captures the essence of the ’80s to me was the ubiquitous Giorgio of Beverly Hill perfume. Seemingly everyone wore it. It was strong, instantly identifiable, and left a lot of sensitive-to-scent people coughing and gagging in its wake. I remember women wearing this to work (I worked in corporate banking), and having to smell it all day long. It lingered everywhere; especially when you were trapped on the elevator with someone wearing it. I don’t recall wearing this myself – I think I got enough of it from the wearers around me.

The "It" Perfumes of 1985 | Paris by YSL | FinnfemmeParis d’Yves Saint Laurent parfum was more my style. Of course my favorite YSL perfume was and is Opium, but I did venture out into some of his other scents. As I remember it, Paris was a more flowery scent. I loved the whole ad imagery of this scent – slightly reminiscent of the golden age of 1950s Paris – very French classic elegance.

The "It" Perfumes of 1985 | Obsession/Calvin Klein | FinnfemmeCalvin Klein’s Obsession perfume was actually launched in 1985. With its sexy advertising campaign featuring nudes, it got a lot of attention due to shock value. Obsession is a perfect Oriental blend and is also one of my favorites.

The "It" Perfumes of 1984 | Ysatis/Givenchy | FinnfemmeYsatis by Givenchy, a lovely coconut-y floral scent parfum, launched in 1984. It’s fun to practice pronouncing it – “Eee-sant-ees by Jee-vahn-shee – in your best French accent. What I like about this ad is its ’80s Art Deco revival style. It features a painting within a painting of designer Hubert de Givenchy.

The "It" Perfumes of 1985 | Charlie/Revlon | FinnfemmeWhile Revlon’s Charlie perfume will ALWAYS remain a scent of the ’70s for me, it was still kicking around in 1985.  With its insouciant Annie Hall-like model updated for the ’80s, it declares “Wear an original”.  Introduced in 1973, I wore it then. But I don’t recall wearing Charlie after about 1975.

The "It" Perfumes of 1985 \ White Shoulders/Evyan |FinnfemmeWhite Shoulders was an American perfume that was introduced in the 1940s by Evyan. “The best the world has to offer.” With its lilac/jasmine/rose/gardenia blend, it was and is a classic fragrance. This 1985 incarnation of White Shoulders advertising features a photograph of of a white-shouldered woman, with a man looking on. They are surrounded by a painting of white shouldered/nude women.  To me, even though I didn’t wear White Shoulders, this remains an iconic 1980s advertisement.

~Marilyn

Power Red Chanel Lips and Nails of the ’80s!

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Vintage 80s Chanel Red Lipstick ad | Finnfemme Blog“New from Paris. Turbulent, seductive colours for lips and nails.”  

Chanel, in the 1980s, was emerging distinctively under its fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. This 1985 ad shows deep, bold RED lipstick and nail polish, as befitting the shoulder-padded-power-suit-wearing style that was so chic in in that era. Chanel Red remains a classic to this day, but it was absolutely perfect for that statement-making ’80s fashionista!

~Marilyn

 

 

Ines de La Fressange: Chanel’s 1980s Muse

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Ines de La Fressange: Chanel's 1980s Muse | Coco perfume | FinnfemmeThe insouciant charm of the French model, Ines de La Fressange, was not to be denied when she became the muse of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld in the 1980s. She had been the first model to sign an exclusive modeling contract with a haute couture fashion house. This fabulous ad – from September 1985 Vogue magazine – is for Chanel’s Coco Parfum. It strikes a chord with Ines’s cheeky yet classy look.  A perfect example of what was going on with Chanel in the 1980s!

~Marilyn

Clotheslines in Late Summer

Posted by & filed under Daily Life, Fashion, Frugal Living, Vintage.

FINNFEMME: Clothesline in Late SummerAs I was hanging my laundry out on the clothesline today, I realized that it is the perfect time of year for air-drying. Temps are in the upper 70s, and there is a moderate breeze to keep things moving on the line. Since Mother Nature is unpredictable, it’s nice to have an optimum balance, especially when it comes to drying laundry out in the elements.

Today’s washing load was sheets and towels. They take up all three of my outdoor lines (plus the extra one I have on my tree). Clotheslines are great for drying sheets and towels because they are so huge. When I used to use a dryer (10+ years ago), I hated the fact that towels and sheets would be so bulky and take FOREVER to dry. Out on the line, the whole surface area gets exposed to sun and air and they dry relatively quickly. Plus they dry crisp and wrinkle-free.

But my favorite thing about drying sheets and towels outside is the smell. The. Smell. There is nothing that can capture the scent of freshly air-dried linens, other than freshly air-drying your linens!

~Marilyn

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini

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The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | FinnfemmeI was lucky enough to find this September 1985 issue of Vogue magazine at a thrift store – wahoo! The cover girl is none other than the iconic model and actress, Isabella Rossellini. Isabella – the daughter of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini – was hot, hot, hot in the 1980s. She started out her modeling career at the relatively advanced age of 28, but soon exploded onto the fashion and beauty scene. In this issue of Vogue, not only was she the cover model but was also was featured in the “Celebrating Italy” fashion editorial pages. She was also “the face” of Lancome, and appeared in several of their advertisements.  Here’s a look at where I found Isabella inside Vogue’s pages…

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Lancome Paris – Cabaret d’Automme advertisement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Lancome Paris – Clarifiance Oil-Free Hydrating Fluid advertisement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

 

Lancome Paris – Forte’-Vital Tissue Firming Creme advertisement.

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Isabella in Mario Valentino’s knockout rounded, red patent leather jacket with shearling-lined hood – an emphatic statement of color, shine, design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Isabella in a Missoni signature: their marvelous mosaic -like fitted knit jacket and matching skirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Isabella in Valentino – Miss V. fitted black velvet jacket , zipped up the front and subtly dazzled with rhinestone buttons, with its matching skirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Isabella in a Giorgio Armani Couture shimmering dotted evening jacket, here over a silk blouse and velvet stirrup pants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vogue Face of 1985: Isabella Rossellini | Finnfemme

 

Isabella with a Fendi black velvet evening bag, embroidered with glimmering flowers. Equally striking: the raciness of a sleek red-faced Ferrari chronograph watch.

 

 

 

 

 

She remains one of my favorite models of the 1980s!

~Marilyn

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972

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You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. Virginia Slims | FINNFEMMEOne of the most iconic advertising campaigns of the 1970s, Virginia Slims – “You’ve come a long way, baby.” – had a way of embodying the feminist zeitgeist of the day. This 1972 ad portrays how in the olden days women had to sneak out to smoke. Whereas now you could flaunt your hot pants and smoke out in the open.  Adding the the allure was the fact that they were “slimmer than the fat cigarettes men smoke”. TV and radio cigarette advertising was banned in early 1971, but I can still hear the catchy Virginia Slims jingle in my head: “You’ve come a long way, baby. To get where you’ve got to today. You’ve got your own cigarette now, baby. You’ve come a long, long way!”

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. Kool | FINNFEMME“Lady Be Cool.”

KOOL cigarettes jumped on the bandwagon with the merging of length and coolness. With a tall, slim woman laying in a field of green smoking Kool Filter Longs, she was supposed to exude the essence of being stylishly long and tastefully cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette ads of 1972. Belair | FINNFEMME“Start Fresh With Belair”

Here we have a happy California-blonde couple enjoying a day in the great outdoors smoking their Belair Filter Longs. “With just the right touch of menthol”, it was sure to make your outing more enjoyable. Balancing out all that fresh ocean air with tar and nicotine.

You could even save up all your Raleigh coupons to get a groovy Thermo-Serv Picnic Set. So there’s that.

 

 

 

 

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. L&M | FINNFEMME“This…is the L&M moment.”

Icy L&M Menthol cigarettes: Perfect for when you’re hanging out in a tree limb over a river with your sweetheart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. Winston | FINNFEMME“Getting to Know You.”

Winston cigarettes are a useful tool in getting to know someone while standing awkwardly on the sandy beach. I guess you at least have smoking in common.

“Winston Tastes Good Like a Cigarette Should” is another catchy jingle that is etched in the files of my vintage brain.

 

 

 

 

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. Raleigh | FINNFEMME“Spend a Milder Moment With Raleigh”

Because nothing says milder moment more than standing out smoking Raleighs in a dry wheat field with your beau.

She just happens to be wearing a Vendome watch, which you could get free if you collect enough Raleigh coupons.

 

 

 

 

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Cigarette Ads of 1972. Eve | FINNFEMME“The Lady Has Taste”

“Smoke pretty” was what Eve Filter Cigarettes was going after. There were lovely graphics of a woman in a flowery field on both the package and cigarette itself. I always thought it looked very artistic and appealing. Had I been a smoker, I would have definitely smoked these beauties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Marilyn