If I had to pick one girl from the golden era

[vintage.vendeuse]

My girlfriend has said that Grace Kelly makes her want to quit trying. And my girlfriend does not mean it in a jealous way, just as high praise acknowledging that Grace Kelly got it all right looks-wise. I couldn't agree more. While I think she looks fantastic in all her movies, it says something that she is still jaw-dropping in "The Country Girl" where they try to make her look dowdy. And, then, she is in the most visually beautiful move of all time - "To Catch a Thief." Regarding that movie, once again, I quote my girlfriend, "darn her, she can even look elegant and beautiful eating fried chicken."

Absolutely. Grace Kelly had IT. She got it right looks-wise but IT is something more. IT includes attitude, carriage, mannerisms, style. And Grace Kelly had Style with a capital S and it showed whether she was in casual clothing (as in the photo above) or in a ball gown... or eating fried chicken.

 

[herringbonekid]

Grace Kelly is simply one of the most classically beautiful women to have ever lived. an ex girlfriend of mine didn't get it though, and thought she was just a bit boring looking.
i understand in a way, as i prefer someone who's face is a bit more unusual.

 

[Fastuni]

In all honesty I don't get it either and belong to those who think Grace Kelly to be rather boring.

She was certainly elegant and pretty - if you want either "classically" or "conventionally" beautiful.

The "It" - that something more - is missing in my view: Something "unusual", spicy or quirky, in either looks, attitude or mannerisms.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I like unusual. Not only the looks but also what they did and how they did it.
My history girl-crushes are Josephine Baker and Lee Miller. They were beautiful but not "classical" like Gene Kelly. They made art in their own way and were friends with cool people but they certainly didn't have it easy. They were just too badass to let the hard times get in their way.

PS: I say girl-crushes because I don't really now what they were like. It's more like being a fan.

 

[Fastuni]

I don't think Josephine Baker and Lee Miller can be compared with Gene Kelly... apples and oranges.

(Just kidding... I know you meant to write "Grace Kelly".)

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Outch. Yeah. :eusa_doh:

What a disGRACEful mistake.

 

[Fading Fast]

I don't think Josephine Baker and Lee Miller can be compared with Gene Kelly... apples and oranges.

:lol:

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

In all honesty I don't get it either and belong to those who think Grace Kelly to be rather boring.

She was certainly elegant and pretty - if you want either "classically" or "conventionally" beautiful.

The "It" - that something more - is missing in my view: Something "unusual", spicy or quirky, in either looks, attitude or mannerisms.

It's not surprising that we all have our own ideas of what "It" is. To me it's definitely classical elegance. I, myself, have often been considered conventional, old-fashioned, etc, in my looks/mannerisms/way of speaking and treating people. My nickname at university was "The Ivory Soap Girl", lol! In my younger days, I was told that I had a classic kind of beauty. So I suppose it's only natural that that would be what I admire in a woman and what I aspire to. I don't agree with boring, however. At least, I don't know much about GK's true interests and activities but mine are quite varied and sometimes unusual. I do often surprise people in that respect.

A somewhat-related story:
I was in a public ladies' room at a restaurant/bar back in the late 1980s... at the mirror/sinks washing up after taking care of business. In walks another customer who begins primping at the mirror.
She looks over at me and starts, "Do you have a... no, never mind."
"What?" I ask.
"I was going to ask you for a cigarette but you don't look like the type that smokes."
I produced my pack and offered her one.

(I've since quit and been smoke-free since 1997.)

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

Here's mine. I met her while on safari once.

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Sure, sure,..no one ever heard of her I suppose, but Grace Kelly ditched me for some Prince Charming or something.

 

[Fastuni]

@ Vintage.Vendeuse

Collecting and dealing with vintage clothing and telling an anecdote involving a public ladies´ room is something I can´t imagine a Grace Kelly doing. :lol:
See, that´s something quirky and unusual that speaks for you.

@Horace

Now who is she?

 

[Smithy]

@Horace

Now who is she?

No doubt Horace knows for sure but I'm fairly certain that's Laurette Luez. Bit of a bombshell.

 

[Fading Fast]

It's not surprising that we all have our own ideas of what "It" is. To me it's definitely classical elegance. I, myself, have often been considered conventional, old-fashioned, etc, in my looks/mannerisms/way of speaking and treating people. My nickname at university was "The Ivory Soap Girl", lol! In my younger days, I was told that I had a classic kind of beauty. So I suppose it's only natural that that would be what I admire in a woman and what I aspire to. I don't agree with boring, however. At least, I don't know much about GK's true interests and activities but mine are quite varied and sometimes unusual. I do often surprise people in that respect.

A somewhat-related story:
I was in a public ladies' room at a restaurant/bar back in the late 1980s... at the mirror/sinks washing up after taking care of business. In walks another customer who begins primping at the mirror.
She looks over at me and starts, "Do you have a... no, never mind."
"What?" I ask.
"I was going to ask you for a cigarette but you don't look like the type that smokes."
I produced my pack and offered her one.

(I've since quit and been smoke-free since 1997.)

What's nice in your story is that you are comfortable with yourself, many people want to be different - curly hair wants straight (and vice versa), exotic wants all-American (and vice versa). Also, I had to chuckle at the cigarette story - and kudos to you for quitting (having watched enough people go through it, I know second hand [tee-hee], it is not easy).

Now I have one small Grace Kelly Story. Back in the early 1960s, my parents were at the race track (my Dad was a professional gambler) and he had asked my mother to place some bets for him. She's standing in line and notices the woman in line behind her is beyond stunning - like someone from another universe of beauty had dropped in amidst the regular people. As she is stealing looks (she said you could not help yourself), it hits her that this is Grace Kelly. She said hello - they exchange a few pleasantries and that was it. But my mother said that her beauty was more than features and skin, there was a glow, a force, a power to it that overwhelmed.

 

[rjb1]

I'd pick Bettie Page over Grace Kelly any day of the week. Aside from liking her looks much better, I would possibly have something to say to Bettie, since we are from the same town and are fellow college alumni.
Even more important, I'm not a multi-millionaire Prince, so Grace would not likely be concerned with my existence. (Would not give me the time of day...)

 

[Fading Fast]

I'd pick Bettie Page over Grace Kelly any day of the week. Aside from liking her looks much better, I would possibly have something to say to Bettie, since we are from the same town and are fellow college alumni.
Even more important, I'm not a multi-millionaire Prince, so Grace would not likely be concerned with my existence. (Would not give me the time of day...)

Recently watched on Netflix an awesome documentary "Betty Page Reveals All" - I think you would enjoy it. She had a crazy - all over the map - life.

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

Yup, that's Laurette alright! Ain't she a doll?

No doubt Horace knows for sure but I'm fairly certain that's Laurette Luez. Bit of a bombshell.

 

[jamespowers]

No doubt Horace knows for sure but I'm fairly certain that's Laurette Luez. Bit of a bombshell.

Just a bit of a bombshell?!

:eyebrows:

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

What's nice in your story is that you are comfortable with yourself, many people want to be different - curly hair wants straight (and vice versa), exotic wants all-American (and vice versa). Also, I had to chuckle at the cigarette story - and kudos to you for quitting (having watched enough people go through it, I know second hand [tee-hee], it is not easy).

Now I have one small Grace Kelly Story. Back in the early 1960s, my parents were at the race track (my Dad was a professional gambler) and he had asked my mother to place some bets for him. She's standing in line and notices the woman in line behind her is beyond stunning - like someone from another universe of beauty had dropped in amidst the regular people. As she is stealing looks (she said you could not help yourself), it hits her that this is Grace Kelly. She said hello - they exchange a few pleasantries and that was it. But my mother said that her beauty was more than features and skin, there was a glow, a force, a power to it that overwhelmed.

Thanks for the compliment. (I especially appreciate it since in re-reading what I wrote, I sound a bit pompous!) And I did go through a stage in my teens/twenties when I got fed up with being viewed as the classic girl-next-door type and wanted to be the cool/sexy girl. But I just couldn't pull it off, it wasn't me.

How neat that your mother actually met Grace Kelly! And your dad was a professional gambler??

@ Vintage.Vendeuse

Collecting and dealing with vintage clothing and telling an anecdote involving a public ladies´ room is something I can´t imagine a Grace Kelly doing. :lol:
See, that´s something quirky and unusual that speaks for you.

I suppose that's so!

 

[EmergencyIan]

Virginia Mayo

Really, it's nearly impossible to choose one, but I think that Virginia Mayo's a pretty darn good choice.

- Ian

 

[herringbonekid]

the Brits haven't been well represented on this thread so far so here's the first of my Brit nominees : Joan Greenwood.

she has a great voice too.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I was always an Ella Raines fan:
View attachment 3076

I know you'd appreciate this. Ella Raines was married to Brigadier General Robin Olds, World War II, Korea and Vietnam fighter Ace.