Simon Noonan's three types of mature style

the Gypsy, personified by Jade Jagger and India Hicks;

the Socialite, the old school Jackie O type of beauty

and the Existentialist, who is Tilda Swinton and a smaller group of edgy women who create trends.

Nowness + Advanced Style

Every day I think of New York and miss these ladies.



Advanced Style: Age and Beauty on Nowness.com.

RIP Elizabeth Taylor

"But I nearly died quite a few times. Nearly dying was my specialty. That has to count for something, doesn't it?"

Waking up to the news this morning that Elizabeth Taylor had lost her battle to prevailing ailments has certainly put a dampner on the day. I haven't posted anything since being busy with LMFF and the graduate collection proposals, but today is all about the memory and legacy left by Liz. R.I.P, you decadent bitch.

By Richard Avedon, 1964

Elizabeth was thrown into fame though her role as Priscilla in Lassie Come Home when she was 14 years old, and held a prominent acting career for some sixty years receiving numerous accolades and titles including five Best Actresses nominations and two Oscar awards for her performances.

Aside from her acting career, however, Liz Taylor is probably better known and liked for the "frills, pills and thrills" of her personal life, which was highly publicized (she even holds the record for the most appearances on the cover of Life Magazine). Between 8 marriges (well, 2 to Richard Burton), the high life, and numerous medical procedures, she often said survival was her middle name "I've appeared in more theatres than Dame Nellie Melba on her farewell tour. Unfortunately, mine have all been operating theatres". In 30 years, she had more than 37 operations, including the removal of a benign brain tumour, congestive heart failure, and hip-joint replacements.

Her relationship with two time husband Richard Burton was a tempestuous as it was enriching. Together they made 11 films — including the memorable Virginia Woolf, an admired production of The Taming of the Shrew, and some others best forgotten — and achieved a kind of corporate notoriety.

25 years after his death, Dame Elizabeth Taylor was asked if she would marry Burton again if that were possible - "In a heartbeat," she replied. She apparently died with his photo by her bedside.

Portraiture by Hugh Stewary

Portfolio

Lady Gitte

My favourite kind of decadent bitch is the understated decadent bitch. The kind who is too damn decadent to care for the attention. It makes for a nice surprise when they pop up around the place, like so:




for Celine A/W 10'11

 

 Lady Gitte lives her high life in the low light. Danish born, Brigette Lee Kröncke had a modelling career over 50years ago and has only recently made a creeping return into a spotlight after years of keeping a private life playing loving wife to famed and knighted actor Sir Christopher Lee. In the last few months she has been featured in Celine's Autumn Winter 10/11 advertising campaigns as well as an editorial for Vogue Italia in October 2010.



in Vogue Italia, October 2010 by Tim Walker

 Her style is very much an effortlessly elegant uniform - sweater, trousers, coat - in fabrics which vary from season-to-season to suit the climate. She keeps things simple and classic, varying outfit combinations with hats and accessories to match each ensemble.




There is a lot to be said for understated elegance, and I think we'll be seeing more of Lady Gitte in fashion.

Uncompromised style.

I found this photo within a news picture gallery showing the unfathomable devastation caused by Japan's quake and tsunami. Made me smile even though everything else is so hard to comprehend.

"De 10 a 60 Ans"

Vogue Paris, November 2008
Eniko Mihalik ages through make up, by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin.

Just the two of us.