Women we love: Duchess of Windsor

"[...] But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."

Excerpt from speech - Edward VIII - December 11, 1936

Duchess of Windsor wearing her Cartier bib necklace

Cartier Bib Necklace
Photo Source

Verdura Brooch
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Cartier Brooch
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Van Cleef & Arpels Unmatched Pearl clip earrings

Plume-shaped diamond brooch, designed in 1935 by the Prince of Wales for his future bride
Photo Source: 
Taylor, Elizabeth.  My Love Affair with Jewelry.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002

Read the 1966 Bazaar Interview with the Duchess of Windsor here.

Love,

Seimi

Women we love: Amelia Earhart

Photo Source

I think she's so stylish.  And so courageous.  

Love,

Seimi

Texts from Last Night

from here

This one just made me laughed out loud.  And then I felt sad that I didn't have a copy of the Land Before Time.

lol,

Seimi

Quote - Elizabeth Taylor

"As I look at some of my jewels I realize what a very lucky girl I am.  Sometimes I wonder what will become of everything, because just like the Duchess of Windsor's collection, they will all be up for auction one day.  They will be scattered to the four corners of the world, and I hope that whoever buys each piece loves it as much as I do and takes care of it and realizes that having jewelry is a temporary gift.  In truth, we 'owners' are just the caretakers.  Nobody owns beautiful paintings.  Nobody every owns anything this beautiful.  We are only the guardians."


Taylor, Elizabeth. My Love Affair with Jewelry. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002

Jewelry of the Day: Betty Draper's Pearls

Betty Draper Francis (née Hofstadt) is one of my favorite characters on AMC's Mad Men.  Sure she is not without her flaws - she is vain, childish, spoiled and airs an overwhelming sense of entitlement.  But parts of her personality is very relatable.  Underneath all that facade is a woman who desperately wants to be happy.  When she smiles - an occasion few and far in between - she looks completely vulnerable.  That vulnerability tugs at your heart strings.

Love,

Seimi

Looking forward to Mother's Day! AND - Elizabeth Taylor's 1st piece of Jewelry

You know, you always hear stories of how little girls used to wear their mother's pearls, make up and heels?  Looking back, oh gosh, I never did.  Mom wore very little jewelry or make up - and I certainly didn't appreciate heels until I was in highschool (by then Mom and I were the same shoe size, so I just wore her's).  

One of my happiest memories was riding on the vespa with Mom.  My siblings had already started school so I had Mom all to myself.  We would cruise around on her blue vespa, and occasionally go pick up some noodles for lunch.  I would stand in front of the seats, feeling the wind hitting my forehead (I was barely tall enough to clear the dashboard), and then see the noodle soup wrapped in plastic bags swing back and forth on the handle bars - just brushing by my cheeks...  Thinking back, it sounded so dangerous - what was my mom thinking?!  But we had so much fun, so much fun.  I love you Mom <3

Gold plate and colored stone brooch
circa 1965

I was reading Elizabeth Taylor's memoir a while back, and she talked about this brooch - it was such a sweet memory.  As a child, she secretly saved up all of her allowances (50 cents per week) for months to buy this brooch for her mom for Mother's Day.  It was her mother's most valued possession, and when she passed she left it for Elizabeth.  Isn't that just precious?

Love,

Seimi

Taylor, Elizabeth. My Love Affair with Jewelry. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002

Scarab Jewelry

Photo Source

14k gold vintage nephrite scarab ring from Doyle & Doyle

Look #1 from Bottega Veneta Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear

Look #2 from Bottega Veneta Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear

King Tutankhamun's lapis scarab

King Tutankhamun's pectoral scarab with desert glass

Beetles on my mind,

Seimi