Paris Fashion in the 1950s

What a great video this is! I even love the music, although it's 20 years earlier :-)

Enjoy fashions in Paris and then head over to British Pathe for more archival footage.

 Très élégant!

Paris Is a Feast - Moveable in Time...Part 3 of 3

This is a long one, so I'm breaking it up into three parts. Hope you all enjoy the latest of my inspirations...Here is Part 3 of 3

Sadly, Gil and his new par amour parted ways at Maxim's. Arianna was offered a designing job that she just couldn't refuse. She didn't want to live in her present, as Gil ad originally not wanted to live in his.

"This is the time we are in. Everything moves so fast; life is noisy and complicated."

The more Gil moved back and forth through time, the more I preferred his 1920's excursions. The harsh realities of his present day seemed unappetizing and bland. However losing Arianna made him realise something.


"If I ever want to write something worthwhile, I have to get rid of my illusions and that I'd be happier in the past is probably one of them..."

Back in the present, Gil made an important life decision. A chance meeting with a woman on a bridge at night cemented his conviction of the path he had just chosen. They walked away as the rain began to fall. After all, Paris is more beautiful in the rain...

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 Throughout the movie, Gil meets such an incredible array of famous names: Picasso was in love with Gil's new fantasy, Gertrude Stein accepted the request to read Gil's novel, Salvador Dali found inspiration in Gil's face for his now famous (melting clock) Surrealist piece.


There were also amazing lines from the movie that really inspired the writer/artist/philosopher in me:


"No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure..."


"You'll never write well if you fear dying..."


"A woman is equal to a man in courage..."


"Artists are like children..."


"The present's not satisfying because life's a little unsatisfying sometimes..."

Paris Is A Feast, Moveable Through Time...Part 2 of 3

This is a long one, so I'm breaking it up into three parts.  Hope you all enjoy the latest of my inspirations...Here is Part 2 of 3

At a smoky night club, Gil was still in shock when he saw Edith Piaf mesmerizing her audience. After that he went to a cozy bistro where the Fitzgeralds introduced him to Ernest Hemingway. This meeting was particularly meaningful and overwhelming for Gil as he had just completed his first novel and he wanted desperately to transition from his well-paying profession to becoming a "starving writer".

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Wilson's cold and unfeeling fiancé didn't share his character's romantic notions of finding inspiration in Paris like those he admired such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald. Gil believed that 1920's Paris was the best era in history. His admiration of the past was in fact the main theme of this film.

It's the present, it's dull."


"The present's not satisfying because life's a little unsatisfying sometimes."


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 Gil and Hemingway went to meet Gertrude Stein who was having a passionate disagreement with Picasso about his latest piece, which she thought lacked his usual touch. There Gil met a beautiful woman named Arianna, who was a fictional mistress of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. She was a beautiful and enigmatic French woman with aspirations of becoming a fashion designer like Coco Chanel. She was the antithesis of Gil's fiancé.

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Arianna also dreamed of living in the past. Her ideal time was "la belle époque" - late 19th century Paris where she dreamed of rubbing shoulders with the 'bon vivant' in Maxim's. One night when she and Gil went for a romantic moonlit stroll, they crossed the magic timeline together into Arianna's dream. At La Moulin Rouge, they met the brooding Toulouse Lautrec as well as Paul Gauguin and Edgar Degas. Ironically enough, these artists' idea of "L'age D'or" was the Renaissance.

"This generation is empty and has no imagination. Better to have lived during the Renaissance".


Continued tomorrow...

Paris Is A Feast, Moveable Through Time...Part 1 of 3

This is a long one, so I have spread this posting out for the next few days.  Hope you all enjoy the latest of my inspirations...



Movie poster for
"Midnight in Paris"

 I recently watched a Woody Allen film called "Midnight In Paris" starring Owen Wilson.  Allen's directorial/writing styles may not appeal to some, but I certainly loved this movie as the star of the story wasn't one of the actors, but my favourite city of lights.

"The Fitzgeralds"
Fandango.com

Wilson's character (Gil) was on vacation in Paris with his flighty fiancé and her parents.  One night he was wandering the streets a little drunk and upset, when as the clock struck twelve, a beautiful vintage 1920's car pulled up and the people within urged him to accompany them.  They went to a party for Jean Cocteau where the who's who of the American expatriate club was in attendance.  It turned out that Gil was somehow transported back to 1920's Paris.  Cole Porter was at the piano crooning away.  Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald introduced themselves to Gil, who began to realise that something magical was happening.

The room was meticulously decorated like a Parisian style salon in the grand days of the roaring 20's.  It was a smoky and festive room full of laughter and not a care in the world.  The women were glamorously dressed in their most glittery flapper dresses.  Men had their hair slicked back, wearing impeccably smart suits with debonair flair.  The champagne was flowing and so was the fun.

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The magic of the evening had spread outside.  The darkened streets were also transformed as there were many beautiful vintage cars parked quietly for the night.  And during these scenes, Cole Porter jauntily sang his famous tune "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)".  I was also immediately plucked from my sofa and into these scenes as if Allen invited the viewers into this wonderland time.

Continued tomorrow...

J'adore Paris!



wikipedia.com

 I am passionate about many things.  One of those is the city of Paris.  My friends and family know that if they engage me in conversation about the city of love, they won't be able to escape my incessant raptures!  I just found out that my cousin Michelle will soon be headed over there for the first time.  She asked me what should be on her top 10 list of things to do and places to see.  One of the places I suggested was Maxim's.  My first time there I was 18 years old.  I was initially disappointed that their kitchen had closed for the obligatory 2 hour lunch break.  But they did allow me to sit for a coffee and baked goods.  As soon as I went inside, it felt dark but amazing with its enveloping Art Nouveau style.



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Although first founded as a bistro in 1893 by Maxime Gaillard, Maxim's next owner Eugene Cornuché was responsible for the beautiful interior that is still famous today.  Would you be surprised to know that its current owner is Pierre Cardin?  He apparently saved the previous owner the sadness of selling to foreign bodies who were interested at the time.



Vintage menu
worthpoint.com

Maxim's was immensely popular in the 1950's when they welcomed frequent guests such as Aristotle Onassis and Barbara Hutton.  In the 1970's Brigitte Bardot caused "une scandale" when she appeared at the restaurant in her bare feet.  Maxim's has since branched out to other countries.  But I have to admit that the original on 3 Rue Royale near Place de la Concorde will always be the one for me.