Posts in Inspiration
End of September! Modern Headlines from the Month Served with a Classic Hollywood Twist

We finally made the big move and have landed in Los Angeles! Ah, it is good to be back. The coming weeks here on She Wore Stars are sure to be chock full of Hollywood lore centered around L.A. sites while I get my belly full.

September is the month of the harvest -- festivals are popping up all over the place to celebrate the abundance of this season. I hope that this time of year finds you steeped in plenty, as you get ready to pull out your winter wardrobes, your Halloween decorations, and your favorite chicken soup recipes to survive the cold winter months ahead!

In the meantime, enjoy the stories that inspired me this month, including a little bit of ...

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The Cateau Marmont, Vasquez Rocks, and Other LA Oddities

The hubby and I have traveled to San Luis Obispo, and we are loving it! From hiking Bishop Peak to viewing humpback whales off the coast of Morro Bay, it's been an amazing getaway. 

The cold weather is setting in though, some nights it gets super foggy. I love pulling out my favorite sweater, pouring a cup of tea, and digging into a good book. I am reading through the 1001 Books to Read before You Die list -- an ambitious endeavor to be sure! But it will keep me occupied on long road trips. 

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END OF JULY! MODERN HEADLINES FROM THE MONTH SERVED WITH A CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD TWIST...

It is shaping up to be a gorgeous summer here in Salt Lake City – sunny skies with just enough of a breeze to make it bearable. My hubby and I have been biking the canyon trails that run up and down next to the raging river (fed by a beautiful watefall).

I love these summer nights with nothing to do but enjoy the people we care about. What are all of you up to this summer? I hope it is full of laughter, running barefoot in the grass, and friendship.

Enjoy the stories that inspired me this month, featuring...

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1930s Fashion: How Charm Bracelets Held Hollywood's Secrets (And Still Do)

When I was a little girl, my mother gave me a charm bracelet she had worn as a child. Picked up from a souvenir shop in San Francisco, the bracelet oozed with kitsch... a small spinner with a true/false dial could tell the future, much like a Magic 8 ball. A small telephone had a rotary dial that actually spun! I was so mesmerized that later in life, I used various events in my life... including my first trip to Europe... to collect charms to tell the story of where I had been. Gibraltar was a monkey... Santiago de Compostela was a shell with a tiny cross inside... and for the Tower of London, a miniature guillotine (macabre, I know!).  

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Grace Kelly Fashion Inspiration: my thrift store wedding dress

Most girls dream about what their wedding dress will look like when they grow up... and the $ they are willing to spend on their dream dress once they get there is, to some, bordering on insanity. The national average is over $1400! That is a lot of money for a dress you are going to wear once, although I am all about unique life experiences so I can't begrudge any gal her one day of being a princess. 

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The Golden Age of Cinema, From Photoplay to... Photoshop???

When it comes to old films, I have some favorites, and Pillow Talk is one of them. Starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, it may not be fodder for an Academy Award but who cares? It's hilarious!  

Doris Day plays a non-nonsense woman who falls in love with a complete womanizer (think Sam on Cheers! or Will Smith's Hitch). He even has his own jingle to charm his lady-friends. "You are my inspiration... Eileeeeeeen..." he croons. All he has to do is switch out the name of his targeted female at the end of the line. It's brilliant. More men should do it just to get a laugh.

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Channeling Joan Crawford's Incredible Method to Overcome Any Fear

Oh Joan.

Is there anyone who inspires more images of kind of terrifying, vamp-like makeup and images of wire hangers?

If you don't know what I am talking about and you are in the mood for a deeply disturbing film, go watch Mommie Dearest. But honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. I made my poor husband sit down and watch it with me in preparation for FX's "Feud". When Joan wanders into her little girl's room and sees wire hangers in her closet, she screams like a banshee, "NO... WIRE... HANGERS!!!"

 

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Debbie Reynolds Tribute: How Very Special Are We.

When I heard the news last night that Debbie Reynolds had passed away, my heart felt the loss of yet another Hollywood great. I was reminded of a chance meeting I had with her a few years back. I had gone to a bar in Los Angeles, completely unaware it was popular with many of the Classic Hollywood film set. To my surprise, she was there enjoying a little bit of jazz and dinner with her friends. 

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