A Holiday Greeting

Christmas with Madra Lord - 1950's

Dateline Hollywood, 1955:  Madra Lord arrives at the Studio Christmas party in the flirty red chiffon dress from "Best Bet".  The versatile attached scarf was wrapped asymmetrically and secured at the waist with a matching red rose "corsage".  Dress, gloves, and beaded purse from Ashton Drake, shoes from Integrity, diamond and ruby bracelet from Robert Tonner, earrings and cigarette holder from The Couture Touch.

Ashton Drake's "Top This" Madra Lord has been enhanced with an Integrity articulated body.

Evening Dresses, Mid-1940's

Nothing to wear to your next Holiday party?  Here are four elegant evening dresses from the mid-1940's to inspire you.

An elegant gown by Emmett Joyce, circa 1947.  Photo by Joffe for Vogue Studio.

Sophie Original dress with fabulous matching gloves.  The pure silk fabric is a Contemporary Artist Print from Onondaga Silk Company.  Circa 1947.  Sophie Original was designed by Sophie Gimbel.  She was a Sak's in-house ready-to-wear designer from 1931 - 1969.  She specialized in formal clothing for day and evening.

Another Sophie Original in yarn-dyed surah silk.  Note the matching gloves again.  Photo by Rawlings for Harper's Bazaar, 1946.

A Vogue Design for Dressmaking pattern # 6012 shown in a gorgeous silk nylon net.  Jewelry from the Petit Musee.  Photo by Horst for Vogue, 1947. 

Christmas with Madra Lord - 1940's

Attending an art auction to benefit the Allied Relief Fund, Madra Lord shows her creative flair by pulling together pieces from the wardrobe department at Monolithic Studios for a relaxed yet elegant ensemble.  Her top is from "A Lady Knows", slacks from "Blonde Lace", hat from "Daily Threads", fur from "C'est Moi", purse from PD Root, shoes from Joe Tai, and gloves from The Couture Touch.  Miss Lord's necklace consists of two pearl necklaces layered together.

Madra Lord, "Flame" from Integrity's Stepping High Collection, re combs her bangs into a sleek rolled style to complement her fabulous new hat.

Madra's inspiration was this 1941 photo from Vogue Studios of a shirred print turban and matching half-moon bag.  Both made of brilliant blue, satin brocade in an antique Oriental pattern.  From the Millinery Shop of Talbert, Madison Ave.

"Mrs. Miniver Rose"

Illustration by Eric

For the red of the flowers in her hat, for the red on her lips and nails - a new shade, the "Mrs. Miniver Rose" lipstick and nail polish from Revlon.  A new Fall hat from Lilly Dache. 

Mrs. Miniver, a 1942 William Wyler film starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, was based on the fictional English housewife created by Jan Struther in 1937 for a series of newspaper columns.  The WWII based drama won 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actress.



1942 Ad for Revlon's
"Mrs. Miniver Rose"

"In the impersonal stillness of a motion picture theatre, we in America have met Mrs. Miniver and loved her completely.  And like the gentle old station-master who grew the beautiful Mrs. Miniver Rose and said, so staunchly, "There'll always be roses," we at Revlon know there'll always be women like Mrs. Miniver.  And so, we christen our proud new color of nail enamel and lipstick the "Mrs. Miniver Rose"......as a small, shining tribute to gallant women the whole world over."



Christmas with Madra Lord - 1930's

Pure Hollywood Glamour....."Golden Riviera" Madra Lord poses for a Christmas at Home feature for Silver Screen Magazine wearing the Asian-inspired, black kimono dressing gown from Franklin Mint's Titanic Wardrobe Collection.  Earrings from The Couture Touch.

Holiday Shopping

Remember when we dressed up to go shopping?  "Trace of Lace" Silkstone Barbie returns from an afternoon of Holiday shopping dressed in the classic suit from "The Boulevard Fashion" Set from the 2001 BFMC.  OOAK hat and fur scarf from The Couture Touch, jewelry and shopping bag from Mattel, gloves and handbag from Integrity. 

Christmas with Madra Lord - 1920's

An early publicity photo of Miss Lord wearing the swanky ensemble "Tea with Coco" from The Devereaux Sisters Collection by Robert Tonner.  OOAK cigarette holder from The Couture Touch.  Madra's bobbed hairstyle, popularized by silent film star Louise Brooks, was all the rage during the Twenties.

Photo courtesy of mothgirlwings.tumbir.com

Louise Brooks emulating Silhouette of the 1920's Madra Lord.....or is it the other way around?