Fashion Blogs

This was well over due so what better reason than to dedicate our Hollywood Glamour section to recently departed Hollywood star, Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor(February 27th 1932 – March 23rd 2011)

Born to American Parents living in Britain, Taylor became a star pretty much the day she was born. After being born with genetic mutation that gave her double eyelashes which drew attention to her almost violet coloured eyes, she was blessed with looks that was destined for the silver screen. After a rather brief screen test after visits to studios with her former actress mother Sara Viola Warmbrodt, Taylor had the likes of MGM and Universal studios after her.

Her first motion picture, which she starred in aged 9 There’s one born every minute (1942) was to be only film she did for Universal as she felt wasn’t overly welcome especially as she’d overheard the casting director say that her eyes were, “too old and [didn’t]have the face of a child.” Interestingly enough, it could be said that after she signed to MGM her looks combined with the ‘experience’ her face, held allowed her at 16 to play a 21 year old debutante who unknowingly marries a communist spy in the Conspirator (1949). Although the film itself didn’t set the box office world alight, Taylor was praised for her first adult lead in a film. Box office success followed a year later, when she featured in romantic comedy Father of the Bride (1950) which led to a successful but ‘boring’ sequel.

Although Elizabeth had an amazing acting career, the media’s fascination with personal lives is nothing new. Taylor infamously or famously (however, you look at it) married 8 times twice to the same man , and when questioned about why she had chosen to marry so many times she famously retorted “I don’t know honey, it sure beats the hell out of me.” The man she chose to marry twice Richard Burton was the other half of the heavily documented prolific relationship. Burton and Taylor met while filming Cleopatra (1963), which he played Mark Anthony; their romance received much press as they were both married to other people. The coupling was such great media fodder for the tabloid, that Hollywood panicked when the couple considered not working for 3 months as it was considered that films that starred one or both of them generated half of Hollywood’s income.

Another divorce and a few marriages later, the Cleopatra star continued to feature in films in the 1980’s but became more involved in political and charity issues; so much so that in 2003, Taylor decided not to attend the 75th Annual Academy Awards, due to opposition to Iraq war and publicly condemned then President George W Bush. In 2007, the star acted opposite James Earl Jones in a benefit performance of A.R Gurney’s play Love Letters. The event’s goal was to raise $1 million for her charity, The Taylor AIDS foundation.

Despite her doing so much for others, Elizabeth’s health was not the best as throughout the years she had broken her back 5 times, had pneumonia twice, had a benign brain tumour and had skin cancer. Her later condition of congestive heart failure cause her to be admitted for treatment at the Cedars-Senai clinic in Los Angeles where she remained until she passed away surrounded by her four children. At her request, the funeral began fifteen minutes after it was scheduled to begin as she wanted to be late for her own funeral.

Even in death Elizabeth Taylor certainly knew how to make an entrance! So how do bring some of her star quality to your wardrobe, we’ve narrowed it down to three things.

1. Curves –love them, use them and emphasise them. If you were not blessed in that department, create some by creating ruffles in the middle of your garments, pleating around the chest can also give a flatter chest a much bustier appearance.

2. Satin Dresses and sparkle- Ms Taylor just couldn’t resist a good old dress with spaghetti straps with a bit of sparkle. If you don’t feel you can handle satin try experiment with equally sexy material chiffon, you can add the sparkle with super sized earrings like a true starlet.

3. Got no time to dress like you’re going to a red carpet event? (Join the club) and try a little Liz casual (is there such a thing?) and wear off the shoulder baring tops and dresses and flowing skirts.

We’ve created a few looks inspired by the late starlet…accessories featured are from Leila London

Love the Old Hollywood Glamour would you like anyone featured? Let us know below…