The Eye Has to Travel

I recently watched this documentary about the life of Diana Vreeland, and was very inspired by it. She worked for Harper's Bazaar, Vogue as editor-in-chief, and then the Metropolitan Museum of Art where she created the Met Ball on behalf of the costume institute. She had quite modern ideals, even as an older woman, and of course I'll tell you that "I want to be her when I grow up."

Her vague yet wise witticisms throughout the film are wonderful...

"How boring to copy the past -- with all the magnificence of today and tomorrow."

"Within every girl is the possibility of arousing emotion. Without emotion there is no beauty."

While at Harper's Bazaar at the beginning of her career, she wrote these articles called "Why Don't You..." in which she would create an irreverent prose about fashion and modernity. 

"The future holds a golden world. It will be for beauty; it will be for intelligent productiveness."

"To me, since the gondola, there's never been anything like the blue jean."

"Water is God's tranquilizer."

"There’s only one very good life and that’s the life you know you want and you make it yourself."

“Unshined shoes are the end of civilization.”

"The first rule that a geisha is taught, at the age of nine, is to be charming to other women... Every girl in the world should have geisha training."

"Style — all who have it share one thing: originality."

"There’s only one thing in life, and that’s the continual renewal of inspiration."

"Prohibition. Insane idea. Try to keep me from taking a swallow of this tea and I’ll drink the whole pot."

Ugh, don't you just feel inspired reading those words? I do. If you're feeling uninspired, watch The Eye Has to Travel.

God is Bigger Than Elvis

A couple weeks ago, I saw a beautiful and inspiring documentary called God is Bigger Than Elvis. It's about a woman named Dolores Hart, a young Hollywood actress with a bright future. She gave Elvis his first on-screen kiss. But in the middle of her acting career, Hart decided she had another calling to take: she became a Benedictine nun at an abbey in Connecticut. 


If you have HBO, you'll be able to watch it there... But unfortunately I can't find a trailer for the film or any information on when it will be available for viewing anywhere else. 


Here's an earlier interview with Dolores:

Must Watch

I'm a little late on seeing Bill Cunningham New York, but oh my dear, I recommend it to any and all.

It's about one of the first true street style photographers, Bill, who now works for the New York Times. He's quite a character. As you'll find out in the film, for a long time, he lived in a very small apartment in New York's Carnegie Hall building. Recently he and other artist tenants who had lived there since the late 40s were forced to vacate. Turns out there's a documentary on that subject, called Lost Bohemia, which I'd very much like to see.

ANYWAY. Bill. Oh, what a character. He wears the same thing every day -- a blue coat that is actually a Parisian street sweeper's uniform -- and rides around NYC on a bike (he's had around 28 of them stolen). He doesn't care for money, luxury, or fine food. He cares about style!

Just watch this film for yourself and feel your heart grow with love for this dear man who is most definitely a humble visionary of our time.

Been Rich All My Life

Highly recommend the documentary Been Rich All My Life, which captures the stories of five women whom in their heyday danced on stage at such prestigious places as the Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club in Harlem. And today in their 80s and 90s they are STILL hoofing! They have all led such vibrant lives and are so sassy and love the hell out of dancing. I hope when I'm that age, I'm still able to do what I love.