Donald Sutherland | The Stylish Artistic Homicidal Maniac

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“Well, I was always cast as an artistic homicidal maniac. But at least I was artistic!”

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–Donald Sutherland

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Donald Sutherland making a strong case for caps, tweed, forward pleats, and braces.

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1976 — Donald Sutherland and Shirley MacLaine attend a party. — Image by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS

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1975, Rome, Italy — Donald Sutherland during the filming of Fellini’s Casanova. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

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William Friedkin | Leading 1970’s New Hollywood Style Set

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“Style is something that’s extremely important, but it must grow naturally out of who and what you are…”

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–William Friedkin

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1972 — William Friedkin directing on the set of The Exorcist which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. — Image by © Condé Nast Archive/Corbis

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1972 — William Friedkin directing on the set his horror masterpiece The Exorcist.

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William Friedkin directing on the set of The French Connection, which five Academy Awards, including Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director.

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Merry Christmas | A Holiday Hot Totty Retrospective

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“A good conscience is a continual Christmas.”

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–Benjamin Franklin

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Circa 1955, New York, NY — The Ed Sullivan Show Dancers show their Christmas spirit. –Image by © Michael Ochs Archives/Corbis

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Joan Crawford is coming down your chimney… and she’s gotta gun. –Photo by Clarence Sinclair Bull Via

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Circa 1953, New York, NY — Audrey Hepburn, recently named the top movie star of 1953 by “Film Daily,” gets a kiss from Santa Claus during ceremonies at the “Heart Thrift House,” in New York Dec. 21.  Miss Hepburn also tied the bow on New York’s biggest Christmas package, “The Heart Thrift House,” a model home exhibited for the benefit of the New York Heart Association. — Image by © Bettmann/Corbis

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Circa 1951– Marilyn Monroe poses while standing inside an oversized nylon Christmas stocking beside a fireplace. Monroe wears a two-piece bathing suit. –Image by © Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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1953’s “The Cool Hot Rod” | Cool Culture, Corny Flick

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1950s hot rod culture at it’s best.  Yes, there’s the prerequisite corny score and script… but more so, enjoy the glorious landscape of 1950’s fashion, pomade, and hot rod heaven.

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L.A. Stories Told Through Vintage Pics | UCLA Archives

 

“Los Angeles is 72 suburbs in search of a city”

–Dorothy Parker

 

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Ed Holovchik (aka Ed Fury), bodybuilder and Mr. Los Angeles contestant with model Jackie Coey --1953.

 

 

VISITING TRIO-- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus clowns Coco and Bobby Kaye visiting a patient at Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital --1970.

 

 

FOOD'S FUN-- Nancy Kennedy, 20, downs diet cola and french fries, popular combination with the young set. The theory is that diet drink saves enough calories to allow for the fattening french fries. L.A. Times --1965.

 

 

Comedian Eddie Cantor with beauty contestants Lisa Davis, Barbara Drake and Phyllis Applegate, Los Angeles, CA --circa 1954.

 

 

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell putting handprints in cement at Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, CA --circa 1953.

 

 

PERFECTION?-James L. Pyle and Nonna Walls examine "Miss Formula", a computer-created drawing resulting from a list of "perfect female" statistics, CA 1964.

 

 

Pat Hall, "Miss 7-Cent Cup of Coffee, 1950," serving William E. Kinman coffee while wearing a bikini, Los Angeles, CA --1950.

 

 

Man wearing gag thumb with three bathing beauties, Long Beach, CA --1949. Someone please explain...

 

 

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE-Policeman Chuck Peyton checks to see if the old-fashioned bathing suit worn by actress Myrna Ross complies with 1933 Redondo Beach ordinance banning women's suits that are more than 3 in. above knee. The city attorney warned enforcement may be necessary if topless suits appear on beaches. Male swimmers would also be required to wear more discreet attire.

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Cecil Beaton | Fashion Slave from the Cradle to the Grave

 

“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary”  –Cecil Beaton

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Cecil Beaton drinking while wearing his fourth costume of the evening, as host of his garden party. --circa 1948

 

 

Cecil Beaton-- his vanity knew no bounds.

 

 

 

 

Photographer Cecil Beaton adjusting the lens on a primitive camera in his studio, U.K. --circa 1929.

 

Cecil Beaton-- put that in your pike a smoke it.

 

Photographer Cecil Beaton escorting Francis Doble (Lady Lindsey Hogg) to the wedding of Lord Herbert Equerry & Lady Mary Hope-- Circa 1936

 

 

Actress Ina Claire hugging Cecil Beaton at the opening of "Once Is Enough"-- circa 1937

 

Photographer/designer Cecil Beaton at the switchboard doing his duty as an Air Raid Precautions operator on the estate of Lord and Lady Pembroke-- circa 1940

 

 

Fashion designer Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel w. photographer Cecil Beaton-- circa 1937

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James Coburn | 70’s Style Animal

 

“Personality.  Gotta have some kind of personality and you don’t wear your personality on your body.  It’s gotta come from someplace.”  

–James Coburn

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Benjamin (Belstaff) Button

I knew there was a reason I loved the wardrobe so much–

 

Belstaff, which was founded in Longton, Staffordshire, in 1924, opened up its 85-year-old archives to West and supplied original, classic designs for Pitt-as-Button’s screen wardrobe.

When Benjamin Button is riding his vintage Indian motorcycle through Louisiana he is wearing the Belstaff ‘Panther’ jacket in dark-brown leather, a timeless classic as popular today as it was 50 years ago. At another pivotal point in his life, Button takes off on his Triumph motorbike wearing the Belstaff ‘Button’ blouson in black leather, a ‘new’ classic based on an original design. In another key scene, opposite Tilda Swinton who plays diplomat’s wife, Elizabeth Abbott, Button is in a vintage Belstaff shearling jacket in black leather with cream collar.

Link to Belstaff/Button story

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Live Like James Bond 007.

Bond Lifestyle provides a stylish and clear online guide to products related to the world of the most suave secret agent, Bond… James Bond.  Find inspiration to improve your style, complete your 007 collection, get ideas for your James Bond theme party, or identify gadgets, cars, clothes, accessories and locations that you saw in the latest Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

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Sir Michael Caine – A pint of bitter… in a thin glass.

If your knowledge of Michael Caine is limited to Dirty, Rotten, Scoundrels – then you don’t know Jack about Caine.  To get a true picture of the man you need to go back, way back – 1971 to be exact.    

Michael Caine played sexy, smoking, drinking, shotgun-toting, trench-coat wearing British mobster – Jack Carter, out to avenge the death of his brother.  Get Carter is widely considered to be one of the greatest British films ever made.  Michael Caine’s steely performance and strong, sexy looks are spot-on, and visually the film is a sartorial splendor with clothing and furnishings that look like they’re straight from Savile Row.  

All of this is underscored by Roy Budd’s legendary and innovative soundtrack.  Budd incorporated sound effects from the movie (the famous train scene) along with the music – something no one else was doing.  Altogether, it’s a masterpiece and by all means required viewing.  

Other great Caine films include The Ipcress File (1965) and Alfie (1966).  So if you please, put aside Blame it on Rio and get acquainted with the classics.  You’ll never think of Sir Michael Caine the same way again.  

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