Marlene Dietrich set the screen on fire in A Foreign Affair and she managed to be part of a movement — women in trench coats. No longer a fashion staple for the military, the trench coat became a trend that would lead all the way to modern-day, with moments such as Audrey Hepburn in the rain in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Victoria Beckham’s signature trench coat look (she wears one… like… all the time).

Trench coats are one of those timeless wardrobe staples. Grab one of these gorgeous trench coats and rock the classic style year-round.

As I sit here in my skinny jeans, I honor the trail-blazing women like Marlene Dietrich and Carole Lombard who began wearing menswear. Controversial in their day, their fashion statement also history-making. They paved the way for it to be acceptable for women to wear pants today.

Maybe they should have named the classic film series: Gentlemen Prefer Women in Leopard Print.

There’s a fascinating history of Leopard Print and how women used it to attract the opposite sex. It turns out that science backs it up!

Leopard print is a bold statement. Lucky for you, there are tons of gorgeous leopard print options that will make you feel fabulous, not ridiculous.

I love Doris Day’s simple, honest approach to fashion, including her use of simple, striped sweaters.

Striped cardigans are a classic, but designers have updated them perfectly. In my opinion, at least one striped cardigan belongs in every closet!

I adore Carole Lombard. With her energetic, off-beat roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s, she skyrocketed to comedienne fame. She doesn’t get the credit she deserves nowadays, including the ways in which she inspired her dear friend Lucille Ball.

She was the highest-paid star in Hollywood in the late 1930s; tragedy struck when she was killed in a tragic plane crash on a war bonds tour during WWII. Her husband and the renowned King of Hollywood, Clark Gable, was left devastated.

Read Screwball: The Life of Carole Lombard

Doris Day, the goregous blond actress and talented singer is best-known for her charmng comedic roles opposite leading hunks such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant. With a career that ranged from radio, to the bandstand, to two dozen films and more than 600 recordings, her loss in 2019 was truly heartbreaking.

She lives on through her work, and this book was a joy to read... I loved the references to local eateries in Los Angeles that still exist!

Read the Biography of Doris Day

Jean Harlow was the sex symbol of the 1930's, but you never would have known it were you to be lucky enough to catch in in conversation. She was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but she loved to host simple BBQs in her backyard.

Often nicknamed the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde," she was popular for her "Laughing Vamp" movie persona.

Read the Biography of Jean Harlow

The “First Couple of Comedy” has been, and will always be, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

So far, this is my favorite book about the pair... it doesn't go a whole lot into the show itself, with a stronger focus on their life before I Love Lucy.

Read the Real Story behind Desi and Lucy

Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television, and theater. One can’t watch her performance in a movie like Of Human Bondage ( watch for free on Amazon Prime) or All About Eve and not agree that she is one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history.

Most of the books I have read have been Biographies, not Autobiographies, so I really enjoyed hearing this book full of stories of Bette Davis’ life in her own words. This is a joy to read -- her stories, and her honesty about her broken marriages, are especially easy to relate to.

Read Bette Davis’ Autobiography

Marilyn Monroe’s iconic shimmy needs no introduction. But you may not know that Marilyn's favorite pair of shoes were made by Salvatore Ferragamo.

And since the designer has re-released some of their classic designs of the era, there is no better time to shimmy your way into your own pair of the designer’s shoes!

Marilyn Monroe reportedly loved Charlie Chaplin films. This is not surprising, perhaps, considering she dated his son.

Watching a Chaplin flick is the ultimate pick-me-up on a bad day. Just try to watch it with a grumpy face. It’s impossible.

There is a famous photo of Marilyn reading Ulysses which is widely thought to be one of her favorite novels. She loved to read...she had a rather extensive library.

Chanel No. 5 is the famous perfume most closely associated with Marilyn Monroe . The perfume really was one of her favorites... but there is another that was perhaps even more so…. keep on reading!

Yes, Marilyn Monroe is famous for Chanel No. 5. But let’s talk about the fact that she once ordered half a dozen perfume bottles of Rose Geranium Toilet Water. She had them delivered to the Beverly Hills Hotel.

You can't buy the perfume itself anymore, but if you are curious about the scent, you can still get Rose Geranium bath oil. It’s all you need to pretend you are bathing in one of Hollywood’s swankiest hotels.

Here’s an eerie thought—the last check Marilyn Monroe purportedly wrote was for a white dresser, which makes sense. Marilyn loved white!

I was unable to find photos of the dresser she ordered, probably because it was never delivered. But a chic white dresser is versatile, beautiful and adapts to the style of just about any space.

Another one of Marilyn's collection was a coffee believed to have been sourced (handmade) from Mexico. It is difficult to source something identical, but with its striking lines and distinctly non-bulk made look, I think this similar table on Amazon fits the bill to photos of her home.

Browse other similar tables.

Is it any wonder that Marilyn Monroe loved silk sheets? It is said they are good on hair, and better yet, slow the aging process (their smoothness prevents your skin from crinkling on the pillow).

Indulge in a silk sheet set all your own. Your silky smooth skin will thank you later.

While Marilyn's style was almost overwhelmingly simple when it came to interior design, she clearly loved pops of color. A red couch just like this one sat in the living room of her Brentwood home.

If it’s not available on Amazon at the moment, you could fetch something similar to complete your living room look.

Marilyn Monroe brought back a number of souvenirs from her vacation to Mexico. They were scattered throughout various places in her house. Some of the tiles she used in her Brentwood home are still there today.

Spice up one of the drab spaces in your pad with these Spanish-inspired Tiles.

In her Brentwood home, one of the doorways was a Gothic arch. It may not be possible to remodel your home this way, so go the easier route… evoke the feel with this Gothic Mirror.

There is this delightful picture of Marilyn Monroe perched atop a chair that looks similar to this (I believe it was taken for Life magazine). It looks like a Chippendale to me. Other than the green cushion of the original, they look pretty similar!

BUY SIMILAR ON AMAZON

Marilyn Monroe had a beautiful floral painting hanging in her bedroom. Swathed in purples and oranges, this gorgeous oil painting of poppies by Janet Peters reminds me a lot of Marilyn's!

I loved the way this biography went into the little details -- from the restaurants Marilyn frequented, to the photos she kept on her nightstand. I really felt like this book demystified the woman a bit -- but in a way that made her no less glamorous!

Read Marilyn Monroe’s Biography

Prince Rainier knew roses were Grace's favorite flower. In 1984 he inaug fresh rosesurated a public rose garden dedicated to her memory.

You don’t have to travel to Monaco to get your fill of roses… this affordable rose necklace gets lots of attention (and compliments!)

This famous fragrance was commissioned for Grace Kelly’s wedding day to Prince Rainier of Monaco.

The notes of Creed Fleurisimo include bergamot, tuberose, violet, and ambergris.

Grace Kelly’s graduation yearbook listed her favorite actress as Ingrid Bergman. The internationally renowned Swedish actress is best known for her performance in Casablanca, but Notorious is my personal favorite (it’s a Hitchcock film!)

Grace loved to speak in limericks with friends and family. It was a kind of game for her.

In case you are wondering, a limerick is “a kind of humorous verse of five lines, in which the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth lines, which are shorter, form a rhymed couplet.”

These oughta keep your friends and family entertained for a minute.

One of Grace Kelly’s favorite poem was this line from the poet Kahlil Gibran...

Did she have her handsome Prince Rainier in her mind when she read it?

The tragic story of Carole Lombard's early and untimely death will have you see her—and Clark Gable--in an entirely different way. An interesting read for true romantics.

And if you love a good ghost story, don’t miss this touching tale of a ghost friendship between Carole Lombard and her close friend, Lucille Ball.

Read the tragic story of Carole Lombard’s final days.

Lucille Ball was reportedly a master at backgammon. She even carried a portable backgammon set around with her like this one that sold at auction recently.

Since you can no longer get your hands on that one….

GIVE YOUR BACKGAMMON STRATEGY A TRY.

Actually, in truth, Cabaret was only one of her many favorites. But since Judy Garland and Liza Minneli were two of her favorite actresses, I felt it only right to feature it here.

Can we just adore these photos of Judy Garland and Lucille Ball together???

WATCH “CABARET”

Lucille Ball’s favorite perfume smells of fresh oranges. It is perfect for a hot summer day.

There is a more ghostly aspect to this selection, though. Reportedly Lucille Ball’s last words were a request for her Florida Water. This seems odd, unless you consider Lucy’s fascination with various aspects of spirituality. Florida water is considered a talisman against evil.

And lest you think it is an old, outdated scent, know that the fragrance keeps a solid spot on the red carpet even nowadays. Solange even wore Florida Water to the Met Gala.

Whether you are buying it for spiritual reasons or for a fresh orange scent is up to you.

Henry Fonda, an American stage and film actor, was known for portraying American heroes known for their integrity.

Watch Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda perform together in the screwball comedy (with a sort of Brady Bunch storyline) Yours, Mine and Ours.

This is one of the most popular episodes of I Love Lucy for a reason—it made us all want to go grape stomping because Lucille Ball made it look so darn fun.

Did you know that as of this writing, you can watch the entire I Love Lucy series on Amazon Prime Streaming?!?!? What are you waiting for!?!?!?

STREAM IT NOW

One of Lucille Ball’s favorite jewelry designers was Van Cleef and Arpels — and her jewelry (like the one pictured here) occasionally pops up in Hollywood estate sales.

Browse other Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry.

Bette Davis’ favorite of her own performances was in Dark Victory.

STREAM IT NOW

One time a reporter asked Bette Davis what she was wearing and she replied “Tuberose”. Shop products (from candles to perfumes) that feature the scent!

From The Age of Innocence to Bette Davis to Ava Gardner, yellow roses have become iconic amongst the glittering women of history.

Get a bouquet of fresh yellow roses delivered to you!

One of the most glamorous and popular motion-picture stars of the 1920s and '30s, Greta Garbo is best known for her stony-voiced portrayals of strong, independent women.

Bette Davis once said of Greta Garbo, "Her instinct, her mastery over the machine [camera], was pure witchcraft."

Ninotchka is the only film in which the somewhat austere Greta Garbo is known to have laughed.

Catch a Greta Garbo flick.

Bette Davis stated that Spencer Tracy was one of the actors she most wished she had made a film with.

It may be cliche, but my favorite performance of Spencer Tracy’s is in the Elizabeth Taylor classic, Father of the Bride. He is so stoic!!!

But recently I also discovered Captain’s Courageous which pretty much melted me to tears, and is one of my classic movie Father’s Day favorites.

Each birthday Ava Gardner celebrated with the same iconic cake flavor— coconut.

Don’t feel like cooking? Me either. Try this rum-infused coconut cake available on Amazon, it looks promising with great reviews from over 100 reviewers. Plus it has rum in it, so I am sure Ava would approve!

Or choose from these other coconut cake products!

Frank Sinatra was not only the love of Ava Gardner’s life, he was also her favorite singer—even after they split.

I didn’t fully realize Frank Sinatra’s capabilities as an actor until I saw Man with the Golden Arm. (bonus, its free to stream on Amazon Prime as of this writing). It’s a grim movie about drug addiction, with some pretty horrific heroine scenes, but man does he nail the performance. Kim Novak is stunning in it as well.

Listen to old “Blue Eyes” on Amazon Streaming

When Ernest Hemingway died, Ava Gardner was heartbroken — she was a fan of his work, and he had also given her encouragement in her own career. Ava and Ernest could even be found drinking together from time to time.

Ava said that “A Farewell to Arms” was one of her favorite books of all time.

With hints of bergamot, mandarin and lilac, this Parisian-style perfume was one of Ava Gardner’s favorites.

Unlike many classic fragrances, this one is still available. You can grab a bottle of Fracas perfume here.

Ava Gardner wasn’t the only Classic Hollywood goddess who swore by these products! I see the Erno Laszlo brand name crop of just about EVERY DAY.

Try a Laszlo Soap for yourself and see for yourself if there is a reason for the obsession.

This book was a hell of a good ride — probably because its subject matter is so incredibly fascinating!

Read Ava Gardner’s Biography

This biography of Grace Kelly offered an intimate look into the life of a princess — both the ups and the downs, without sanitization, which I appreciated!

Read Grace Kelly’s Biography

The legendary love story of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall alone is worth the price of this book. The rest is icing on the cake!

Read Lauren Bacall’s Autobiography

With notes of orange blossom, Jasmine and tuberose, this is an homage to the original L'Interdit from 1957 — Audrey Hepburn’s signature fragrance.

No, it isn’t Louis Vuitton or Chanel…

It’s… baskets!!!

Google “Audrey Hepburn baskets” and you will see myriad photos of her with adorable baskets of all sizes.

This is a trend I am very ready to see happen in pop culture. Let’s the basket as purse trend started…

Audrey famously said, “To grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow”.

If you are unfamiliar with the classic children’s tale, it tells the story of an orphan girl who comes to live in a remote manor on the Yorkshire moors where she discovers a mysterious, walled-off garden.

Audrey once said, “When I wear a silk scarf I never feel so definitely like a woman, a beautiful woman.”

I am sure she would have loved this scarf in Cyan, her favorite color!

Shop other silk scarves.

Audrey Hepburn’s favorite poem begins:

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs,
That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,
In life after life, in age after age, forever.

A recent Christies auction reported that Hepburn carried a Dior Ballpoint Pen like this in her handbag from the 1970s until her death. Write in gold style for far less with similar-looking sets online for a steal—and emulate this glamourous chic idea.

ELASTICIZER! IT?

It's said that Audrey Hepburn fell in love with the beauty treatment, having large tubs of it shipped to her regularly.

Hepburn may be most closely associated with diamonds, Tiffany diamonds to be exact — but in real life she preferred pearls for the way they looked warm against her skin.

Shop vintage pearl necklaces on eBay!

Of her own performances in her own films, Calamity Jane was reportedly Doris’ Day's favorite — and the one she identified with the most.

The lighthearted musical movie tells the tale of "Calamity" Jane and "Wild Bill" Hickock amongst the setting of the illustrious American West.

Doris loved animals — she even had her own foundation which she dedicated much of her time and resources to.

Doris Day reportedly loved Rocky Road Ice Cream.

Many fans and friends said that she served it in a cantaloupe!

None in the freezer? Shop these rocky road treats instead.

Doris Day made social media waves when her 92nd birthday picture popped up and fans went haywire! At the time, her publicist reported, “These days… she listens to Perry Como, Vince Gill, Nat King Cole, the Mills Brothers and Ray Charles.”

Facebook fan groups say tootise rolls were Doris Day’s favorite candy.

Fun fact: Leo Hirschfield invented the iconic Tootsie Roll in 1896 and named it after his daughter “Tootsie”. With its taffy and caramel type qualities, and the fact that it doesn’t really melt, it was even used as a soldier ration during World War II.

"I hope one day its proven healthy," Mae West once lamented.

Lucky for us, the health benefits of dark chocolate have been well documented! A dark chocolate bar should do just the trick.

Mae West would go out to chop suey and ask for additional fortune cookies, reading each one out loud, commenting on them, even keeping them in her bag.

The high price tag is attributed to the amount of roses needed to make Mae West's favorite fragrance, Joy -- 28 dozen roses are used to make 30ml!

Mae West drank Poland Spring Water -- bathed in it, washed her vegetables in it, and generally swore by it.