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

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

Super cute - Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil

I recently watched a TEDTalk of a fantastic Q&A between Secretary Albright and Pat Mitchell.  What a foxy lady, I looooove her.

And this transcript excerpt must be shared:

MA: [...] I have my youngest granddaughter, when she turned seven last year, said to her mother, my daughter, "So what's the big deal about Grandma Maddie being Secretary of State? Only girls are Secretary of State."

(Laughter)

(Applause)

PM: Because in her lifetime -- (MA: That would be so.)

These pins are from her memoir, Read My Pins:

Former Defense Secretary Cohen, President Clinton, and Secretary Albright.
Photograph by Diana Walker.

And yes, this is why this post is aptly named "Super Cute."  I dare you to do anything else but smile.

Love,

Seimi

Albright, Madeleine et al. Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box. New York: HarperCollins, 2009

Jewelry of the Day: Elizabeth Taylor's Antique Brooch

Photo Source

Art Nouveau enamel, glass, and pearl brooch, circa 1910
by Lalique

Blue-green glass face surrounded by golden serpents and enhanced by blue and green enamel.  A single baroque pearl is suspended from the mystical, hypnotic brooch.


A gift for Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor Burton, by her very beloved Richard Burton.

Love,

Seimi

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

Brooch

Brooch, pins, however you'd like to call it.  I know I'm not supposed to play favorites, but I'm going to go ahead and admit that they're my absolute favorite accessories.  It's also the one item that I look for exclusively at varies flea markets.

I'm certainly not the only fan.  Secretary Albright is famous for wearing pins to convey her messages.  See some of her pins here.  

Photo by John Bigelow Taylor

(Note to self: must write an entry on Madeleine Albright's pins.  They are gorgeous.)

This is the iconic dual berry pin that President JFK famously gave Jacqueline for the birth of their son, John Jr.  The berries are symbolic for their two children, and had been custom made by Tiffany & Co in New York.  President JFK had presented the gift to Jacqueline right before he took office in 1961.   It was the only piece of jewelry mentioned in her will (to be placed on permanent display at the JFK Library).

Here's another image of Jacky O wearing the dual berry pin (upside down) - this is from the White House luncheon following JFK's inauguration.

QVC carries a line of Jacqueline Kennedy's jewelry replicas.  

The dual berry pin makes an excellent Mother's Day present, just sayin'.  

Most brooches are made with a half 'loop' behind the structure.  This is done on purpose so that - if you feel like it - you may put a chain through it and wear the brooch as a pendant.  So smart, huh?


But here's one pin that is never intended to be worn as a necklace: Stewardess' wing pins!

Photo source from the AMC website

This is Don Draper doing his thing on the Season 3 premier of Mad Men.

Wing pins are also one of those items you never find at flea markets (and for good reason).  Delta announced on November 2010 that they're bringing them back - for kids, anyway.  And for you curious folks I found a website that carries images of wing pins from different airlines here.

Love,

Seimi

Golden Globes 2011 Accessories

Here are two of my favorite accessories from the 2011 Golden Globes:

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The beautiful Nicole Kidman wore an amazing 1920's turquoise and enamel brooch from Fred Leighton.

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As always, Van Cleef & Arpels was a starlet favorite on the red carpet.  Anne Hathaway wore these vintage yellow diamond earrings with her stunning Armani Privé gown.

photo source

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Looking forward to the gems at the Oscar!

Love,

Seimi