Heather Taylor's New Style Series

Heather Taylor of L.A. In Bloom and handbag designer Clare Vivier

This is a big week for my daughter Heather Taylor.  Heather writes the lifestyle blog L.A. In Bloom where she features a webisode series about how to work all day and still enjoy cozy pleasures such as entertaining, cooking, flowers, home, and garden.  She has come up with easy and doable projects that make it all possible for a working girl with limited time.  This summer she has been working on a  project which she has just launched -- a new Style series in collaboration with Look TV  and  I wanted to share the first episode with you!

For her new series she moves out of the kitchen and into the stylish world of Los Angeles.  She visits her friend handbag designer Clare Vivier's newly opened flagship boutique in Silverlake and gets a tour of this beautiful new space.  She and Clare show us the new and exciting handbag designs that the store carries.  Heather has made six of these episodes on style and I hope you will stay tuned for future episodes; they will air every Wednesday on her blog and on Look TV.   The topics will include how to go from a daytime to an evening look in five minutes or less, a make-up tutorial, and how to shop at a flea market.  I am so proud of her!  Please click below to watch the first episode.  I hope you enjoy it.

Schiaparelli and Prada at the Met

Wallis Simpson wearing Schiaparelli

"She shook back her shining hair .  For this evening, she had managed to borrow the Schiaparelli dress.  It was made of taffeta, with small side panniers stuck out with cleverly curved pads over the hips.  It was coloured dark blue, green, orange and white in a floral pattern as from the Pacific Islands.  

He said, 'I don't think I've ever seen such a gorgeous dress.'  

'Schiaparelli,' she said.

He said, 'Is that the one you swap amongst yourselves?

'Who told you that?'

'You look beautiful,' he replied.

She picked up the rustling skirt and floated away up the staircase.  Oh, the girls of slender means!"

 --  Muriel Spark, "The Girls of Slender Means" 

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Last week I was in New York and got a chance to see the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute's retrospective "Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada:  Impossible Conversations."  It is a fascinating and beautiful show, comparing and contrasting work by two designers of different generations.  It includes an imaginative film by Baz Luhrmann featuring the actress Judy Davis playing Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada.  They are sitting across from each other at a dining table having a conversation about clothes and feminism.  Although the women lived during different time periods, there are many similarities between the two.  They were both born in Italy to old, conservative families.  Both of them rebelled early on and when they started designing clothing, they brought an original and fresh perspective: Prada inspired women to dress for themselves and not for a man and Schiaparelli was influenced by Surrealism through her friend Salvador Dali and incorporated it into some of her designs.  (The surrealist designs are outstanding, though they don't dominate the show; most of her clothes are elegant and relatable.)  Her lobster dress was worn by Wallis Simpson and is in this exhibition.  It is truly something to see!

A film featuring Miucccia Prada and actress Judy Davis playing Elsa Schiaparelli plays behind the fashions they designed

This segment is called "Waist Up/Waist Down" and pairs skirts by Prada with jackets by Schiaparelli

Shoes by Prada and necklaces by Schiaparelli

Judy Davis playing Elsa Schiaparelli in the film by Baz Luhrmann that plays throughout the exhibition

If you get a chance to see this show, don't miss it.  You will enjoy getting to know these two strong and creative women through Baz Luhrmann's film.  I loved Judy Davis' portrayal of Elsa Schiaparelli.  The conversation between her and Miuccia Prada as captured in this film is fascinating.  And the clothes are fabulous!  Both designers have made major contributions to the art of fashion design and it is exciting to see such a large collection of both their designs in one place.   Don't miss Shiaparelli's "Lobster Dress and her "Tears Dress," both influenced by Salvador Dali.

 Photo via here

All photos (except the last two) from The New York Times

Morning Coffee

What did you read with your coffee last weekend?  We were in San Francisco visiting our daughter and I got a chance to read the Wall Street Journal at our hotel each morning.  On Saturday I read some great articles.  First there was an insightful piece by Anna Quindlen on five excellent novels that all deal with the topic of young women searching for their identities and their place in the world:

The Death of the Heart  by Elizabeth Bowen

A Sensible Life  by Mary Wesley

Away  by Amy Bloom

The Pursuit of Love  by Nancy Mitford

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Elizabeth Bowen with students at Bryn Mawr in 1956

She writes that Elizabeth Bowen "... may be the finest novelist most people have never heard of."  The young protagonist Portia Quayne of The Death of the Heart is a 16-year-old orphan searching for herself with absolutely no guidance from the adults around her.  Regarding Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, she writes "There may be no female protagonist in literature as tragic as Lily Bart -- and, yes, I include Anna Karenina when I say that."  I really enjoyed reading her thoughts on these five important books.  Isn't this photo of Elizabeth Bowen with her students at Bryn Mawr in 1956 fabulous?

In the same paper I read another fascinating article about the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute's retrospective "Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada":  Impossible Conversations."  It opens May 10 and I hope to see this exhibition next time I am in New York.  It will include an imaginative film by Baz Luhrmann featuring the actress Judy Davis who was the star of "My Brilliant Career."  She will be playing Elsa Schiaparelli.  Fashions from both designers will be highlighted as well as their philosophies about clothing and women.   This should be a spectacular fashion exhibition.

  Wallis Simpson wearing Schiaparelli

In another article I learned about the "Edouard Vuillard: A Painter and His Muses, 1890-1940" exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York.  The Parisian painter Edouard Vuillard excelled at depicting the interiors of his friends' homes.   He was famous for his lush and dreamy paintings of their elegant and inviting surroundings.  For the last forty years of his life he had an unusual domestic arrangement,  living with his art dealer Jos Hessel and his wife Lucy Hessel, with whom he was having an affair.  This art exhibition looks like it will be very beautiful as well as interesting, shedding light on the personal life of this French artist. 

 "Lucy Hessel Reading" 

This exhibition runs through September 23.

And finally, I read the gardening article "How Green is Your Garden" by Marian McEvoy.  She gives us some great tips on how to find our personal outdoor palette.  She says, "I think of gardens that incorporate more than one color as painterly; green-only landscapes are sculptural."  She writes about planting ideas for every shade of garden and gives us examples, such as the romantic rose garden of Carolyn Roehm, pictured below.   

Books, art, fashion, and gardens kept me busy reading this weekend.  I hope you will check out all of these excellent articles.  What have you been reading with your morning coffee? 

All photos from The Wall Street Journal 

    

Happiness Starts Here!

Some very delightful things have been happening lately!   My daughters Heather Taylor and Megan Taylor just had this beautiful portrait done by the artist and photographer Jeana Sohn.  I love the background color, the peaceful looks on their faces, and the closeness between them as sisters that comes across in this portrait. 

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Heather and her husband Alex de Cordoba are featured in the new October issue of Sunset Magazine.  The issue just came out and you can find it at the news stands.  There is an article in the magazine about their Hollywood home and their fun design aesthetic.  They recently had us over for grilled pizzas and we all sat around their new fire pit and had a fabulous dinner outside.  You can see more pictures of their home and read about it here.  You may remember that they recently got married in their backyard under their lush citrus trees --  I wrote about it here.

  

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Ivy At The Shore Restaurant

Friendships really are the spice of life.  This week I had a night out with two of my dear friends.  We went to dinner at the beautiful Ivy at the Shore restaurant in Santa Monica to celebrate my friend's birthday.  It is such a special place for a birthday dinner, especially sitting out on their lovely patio.  Each time I go there,  I am always enchanted by the bougainvillea-draped entry to the Ivy.  In addition, the bar at this iconic Los Angeles restaurant is adorned with festive ceramic pitchers loaded with garden roses.  I am delighted each time I walk in and am greeted by this rose glory.  Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, wrote in one of her books that when she is overwhelmed with her life, her favorite restorative activity is to go out with her girlfriends for dinner and a fun cocktail.  I agree.  Life feels wonderful surrounded by good friends, the Ivy's signature crab cakes, and a beautiful glass of chardonnay!

Ice Cream Sundae for the birthday girl 

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Speaking of good friends, my charming friend Susan gave me the book "Parisian Chic" as a going away present for my trip to Paris.  I am dying over this book.  I realize that I am a little late to the game, as it came out in the Spring, so I apologize if you all know about this.  But I am so inspired!  It all looks so simple,  French women really get it.  If we just follow these guidelines, perhaps we can get this Parisian look in our day to day wardrobes.  According to the book there are seven staples we must have.  The first one is the blazer, pictured below.  I am taking notes here!

The Blazer, don't you love it belted like this?

The Trench, bien sur, we knew that!

The Little Black Dress, simple and elegant

A great pair of Jeans, straight-leg are best

A great Purse, central to every Parisian's personal style


The Navy Sweater, not pictured, looks great with many things but especially white jeans

The Leather Jacket, not pictured, guaranteed to save any overly-conventional look

Everything we need to know about the effortless style that French women do so well is in this book "Parisian Chic" by Ines de la Fressange.

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By the way, some new adventures are about to begin and I will be taking a little break.  Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Stylish Saga of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

Andrea Riseborough as Wallis Simpson and James D'Arcy as King Edward VIII

The last time we saw Wallis Simpson and Kind Edward VIII portrayed in a film was in the wonderful "The King's Speech" last year.  Despite the fact that they were a controversial couple, their romance has caught the popular imagination and many of us are in thrall to the story of King Edward abdicating the throne for the woman he loved. Theirs is one of the most famous love stories of the twentieth century.

"W.E." is the upcoming film directed by Madonna about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  I spotted these incredible photos by Tom Munro, via "Vanity Fair," which give us a sneak peak into what looks to be an exquisitely beautiful period film and costume drama filled with fashionable clothes, jewelry and gorgeous houses and settings.  No matter how people feel about her, Wallis Simpson has become a style icon in the fashion world.

"W.E." focuses on two love stories.  The first is that of Wallis Simpson  (played by Andrea Riseborough) and Britain's King Edward VIII (played by James D'Arcy), who gave up the throne to marry the twice-divorced American.  After Edward abdicated he and Wallis became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  However she was denied the title Her Royal Highness.  The second story is that of a contemporary New Yorker named Wally (Abbie Cornish) who falls for a security guard at Sotheby's and who identifies with that other, most sensational love affair of the 20th century.  For the fashions in the film, costume designer Arianne Phillips worked with such labels as Cartier, Dior, and Dunhill for the film's 60 or so wardrobe changes

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Two new biographies on Wallis Simpson have recently been written.  The biographers are taking a new look at her and arguing against many of the popular assumptions about the "American Harlot," as she was known in England.  

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor at Ednam Lodge, Sunnydale, in October 1946

Both these books reflect an historical reassessment of Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII.  For example, historians are arguing that King Edward never wanted to be the king and asking the question what happens when you get a monarch who is constitutionally incapable of being one?  As I learned from a recent piece on NPR,

"Simpson's rehabilitation may take time.  As recently as 2008, the historical landmark organization English Heritage refused to put one of its famous blue plaques on the London building where she was courted by a king.  Simpson, it said, was unworthy of that kind of recognition."

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Fort Belvedere

King Edward VIII was living at the country home Fort Belvedere when he abdicated the throne.  I was lucky enough to visit it last summer as part of the fabulous garden tour I went on in the English countryside.  The gardens at Fort Belvedere were breathtaking.  Though it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the history that took place here.  We saw the room where Kind Edward signed the document proclaiming that he had abdicated the throne.  (We were not allowed to take photos inside the house)  I had the chills.

Fort Belvedere is a country house on Shrubs Hill in Windsor Great Park, England.  It is a former royal residence -- from 1750 to 1976 -- and is most famous for being the home of King Edward VIII.  The property is currently occupied by private tenants, Canadian businessman Galen Weston and his wife Hilary Weston, the former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.

The gardens at Fort Belvedere were lovely and that's what we were there to see, but I was fascinated by all the history that took place at this residence.

Our group was given a proper English tea on this lovely patio under the trees on the gorgeous grounds of Fort Belvedere.

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Now that I know about the new books on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor,  I am looking forward to learning more about these two controversial figures, and perhaps seeing another side of the picture.  They had a huge impact on world history and are the subjects of one of the most famous romances of the twentieth century.  And in the fashion world, the Wallis Simpson buzz is building and it looks as if this will be the year, fashion-wise, of Wallis Simpson.

Gorgeousness at the J. Paul Getty Museum

Some times you really have to pinch yourself.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I was invited to go on a special tour of the new exhibition at the Getty Center in Brentwood:  "Paris: Life & Luxury."  The enticing banners for this exhibition are all over town and I had been curious about it. My friend had invited me to join her and a group of women to tour the exhibition and then have lunch afterwards at the delightful restaurant at the Getty.  And so I drove up to the Getty on an overcast, misty morning in anticipation of a day of fine art and delicious food.   

"La Toilette" by Francois Boucher

As always I was struck by the beauty of the Getty and the breathtaking views of its gardens and the city that you get from the upper levels of the museum.  

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As we entered the foyer to the exhibition I saw this quote painted on the  blue wall leading into the first room.  We encountered many other quotes like this one along our route. 

As we entered the first room it was obvious that this was no ordinary decorative arts exhibition.  Not only were we seeing a wide variety of exquisite objects from 18th-century Paris that would have been in the homes of the elite society, but these objects were exhibited in beautiful settings.  Each room was painted a complementary and gorgeous color, such as red or blue;  the lights were dimmed, and in some cases there was music playing.  The panels or signs that described what we were seeing were designed in a decorative manner, written in calligraphy and outlined in a scalloped design.  (We were not allowed to take photos!  My words will have to do all the work here.)

This exhibition evokes the rich ambiance of Paris during the mid-18th century.  It is structured in a chronological way in terms of how an 18th-century Parisienne would go through their day.  And so the first room is all about the "Toilette." We saw paintings of women performing the ritual of their toilette by French artists such as Boucher and Chardin. These are known as toilette portraits.  And in this room devoted to the toilette were many objects that would have been used in this ritual, including toilette tables and toilette services which included silver mirrors, ewers and basins, silver brushes, and enamel boxes.

Walking through the different rooms  -- for dining, playing musical instruments, socializing after dinner -- we encountered one exquisite object after another -- dresses, furniture, silver serving pieces, clocks, musical instruments, and paintings.  My favorite was the red harpsichord.  Each object was an example of fine craftsmanship and artistry. There were objects and paintings that represented the different stages of a person's day, including reading and self-improvement, dining, and evening activities such as cards and sociability.  Here are a few images from this gorgeous exhibition.   

Woman's Dress and Petticoat, 1760-1765

Hanging for a Bed, 1690-1715

One of a Pair of Three-Panel Screens, 1714-40

Wall Clock, ca. 1740

Folding Fan, about 1760's

After viewing all of this beauty, I think I may have to rent and watch again the film "Dangerous Liaisons." When you visit this show at the Getty, be sure to purchase the wonderful book that accompanies this exhibition.  It is a scholarly treatment of the subject and is filled with many luscious photographs.

The book's beautiful endpapers

After our tour of the exhibition, we had lunch at the Getty's restaurant.  This restaurant is one of the best kept secrets in Los Angeles.  The food is delicious and quite beautiful.   

Scallops on a bed of risotto

The women that I joined on this wonderful cultural afternoon are a group that get together regularly to experience the rich arts and culture that  Los Angeles has to offer.  I was delighted to be included and we had a wonderful lunch and conversation, one topic leading to another, and when I left I felt incredibly optimistic and excited about exploring our city and taking advantage of all the artistic treasures that we have.

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When I got home, feeling very French, I was inspired to put together an outfit that felt a bit Parisian.  I wore it out to dinner and felt I was prolonging the mood of the day.

  

The purse and the trench gave it a bit of a French flair, non?

Please go see this show at the Getty, you will be transported to another era --  Paris in the 18th- century.  It is just exquisite!