Hello Hollywood!

I was born in New York City, the Bronx. My brother was born in Manhattan, we moved to Los Angeles the summer I turned 6 years old. Mind you, I wouldn't have escaped my love of Hollywood glamour and film if we hadn't have moved here. I recall coming home from elementary school to the KCET Movie Matinee. My first memory of watching a classic film was from about 2nd or 3rd grade. I came home to my mother who gave me a snack and introduced me to Bette Davis. We watched Of Human Bondage and that pretty much says all you need to know about me....

I love Debbie Reynolds. From Tammy films, Singing in the Rain, the Singing Nun and the Unsinkable Molly Brown she is fabulous! Not to mention I loved her time on television show Will and Grace: Perfection. I love that she admits to having had her share of issues, I love that she forgave Liz Taylor for stealing her husband, and I love her most because she had the vision to keep and catalog the costumes that make up the visual wanderlust we call Hollywood. She personally salvaged wardrobes and props from studios in the last near 40 years including FOX and  MGM according to the Associated Press.

Debbie Reynolds still bright and beautiful with some of her collection. Associated Press Photo

Associated Press Photo

Sadly, no one stepped up to create  the museum of hollywood costumes, that Ms. Reynolds envisioned which has lead to one of the most amazing private hollywood memorabilia collections for sale. You probably have already heard about 4.6 million dollars paid for Marilyn Monroe's Subway dress from The Seven Year Itch. How about the 3.7 million for Audrey Hepburn's beautiful black and white ascot dress from My fair Lady? These figures do not including fees of nearing a million dollars to auction house, Profiles in History. All of the images below are from the Profiles in History Debbie Reynolds Auction catalog. The catalog is available for download here. Isn't that wonderful!

Below some of my favorite catalog picks and movie moments through costume. Feel free to share yours and comment dolls!

"Cleopatra" Claudet Colbert

"Wizard of Oz" Emerald City Jacket 

"The Sound of Music" Julie Andrews

"Gigi" Leslie Caron

"Stormy Weather" Lena Horne

"Blood and Sand" Rudolph Valentino

Custom tailored High School Graduation Dress, 1956 for Natalie Wood

NYC - Curvy in the Blog-O-Sphere Rocked!

Courtney Williams

I am in love with Courtney Williams founder of Sweet Roll Entertainment for putting together a New and Aspiring Bloggers Workshop, "Curvy in the Blog-O-Sphere". An event absolutely worth traveling 3,000 miles for. Fabulous curvy women with great ideas, talent and lots of humor endeavored to be better in the blog-o-sphere. Courtney lead a fabulous discussion and exercises to sharpen our skills and become more 'well rounded' in subject matter, focusing ourselves and our purpose!

Alicia Goodwin Rockin Lingua Nigra

Selenia Moore

Knickie D!

Nikki "BeDecadent" Buchanan

I was flanked by Alicia Goodwin the designer behind my new favorite jewelry line, Lingua Nigra; Selenia "CT Diva" Moore, Stylist and Blogger of Better than Average a great resource blog offering reviews on Boutiques and products serving Curvy women!; and Knickie D a jounalist, Spoken Word poet and natural born stylist, her smart savvy socio-political take on fashion, relationships and pop culture can be heard on Reverbnation or check out her blog. We were treated to an interview with Nikki Buchanan, independent Fashion Artist of Decadent Industries a colorful line of body conscious leggings tops and dresses as well as body products. We were all happily gifted a sample of Nikki B's amazing Mango shea butter that I have been using ever since. More to come on that interview with Nikki B!

Curvy Bloggers!

Along with the opportunity to interview Nikki B and Courtney herself we spent a lot of time on who we each are as bloggers, who we serve, becoming savvy about platform, hosting, tagging posts, external feeds and subscriber tools. We also focused on some blogger basics like staying current, creating a dialogue, and of course being uniquely yourself! I received so many excellent suggestions and ideas and am grateful to have met so many fabulous women. Thanks again to Courtney and at Linger Lounge in Brooklyn who hosted us.

The event was fantastic and I will probably have to make another trip east for one of Sweet Roll Entertainment's upcoming events by years end!

New York State of Mind

fffweek by Vanessa Leigh on Polyvore

It's Finally hear dolls! Sonsi Full Figured Fashion Week! I am packing a bag and heading east for FFFWeek! Here's an idea of my clothing inspiration for the extra long fashion forward weekend. Comfort rules while attaining to remain chic while beating the heat! What do you think of my traveling wardrobe?


This month the positive body image advocate behind Vogue Curvy and editor of Vogue Italia, Franca Sozzani has put three plus sized models on the cover of the June issue of Vogue Italia. Models Candice Huffine, Robyn Lawley and Tara Lynn are showing off their curves in a gorgeous black and white lingerie shoot by Steven Meisel. Sozzani also currently has a campaign on the site against pro anorexia websites. I am grateful to such a healthy celebration of the female form in the world's dominant fashion magazine. Vogue Italia has had issues completely dedicated to Black models in 2008 and more recently provacative issues with controversial editorial shoots around the themes of rehab and the chase for youth through plastic surgery. Vogue Italia is easily the vanguard and representing fashion in a way that respects it as an art form. As we know art should be available to everyone. Let's hope couture and rtw by our favorite high end designers will be closely following Vogue Italia's lead when it comes to size acceptance. If Lanvin can tackle children's clothing they should certainly be able to consider full figured women as a potential market, as we are ready and willing.

I will arrive for a blogger's luncheon on the 18th and the Fashion Week Finale Fashion Show, and then look forward to three days of quality time with one of my favorite cities! Of course a trip to NYC would not be complete without a trip to the Metropolitan Museum for the Alexander McQueen Exhibit.

I'll also be spying for my major fashion crush Daphne Guinness and checking out the famous Re/Dress NYC in the flesh. I suspect a mini spree wll be in tow this trip.


Social Media is an amazing thing. Two months ago I did not know that there was such a thing as Full Figured Fashion Week.  How awesome is this small social media world of ours that I'm looking forward to meeting in the flesh people who have already inspired me to change my life and pursue my dreams by their mere existence. It is a beautiful thing! If you are in NYC and would like to touch base send me a line! To a fabulous month darlings!

Grease

Grease by Vanessa Leigh featuring ASOS

Aso
$46 - asos.com

Day dresses-eShakti.com
$60 - eshakti.com






Alright Darlings! It's getting tot hat time where I have to decided what to wear to Grease! The above are my option inspirations. Obviously I tend toward the sweet but love a pink ladie in any incarnation. Opinions?

Paris in the 20's

I am very much a visual creature as are most style-o-philes, soaking up every lovely thing before me. After weeks of attempting to get to the movies I finally succeeded. Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris was the film of choice. I have a special place in my heart for neurotics and romantics. His subject staple.

There are some stunningly funny and fabulous caricatures of the great artists and icons of the 20's. Allen's ode to Romantics who fantasize about living in another time suits me well, however flawed or delusional we might be. It is sweet, sentimental and rings true..  It certainly inspired me to consider a life in Paris...

If you could have dinner with anyone from anytime?

My guest list:

Dali

Frida Kahlo and Josephine Baker

Coco Chanel

My wardrobe inspiration because of course dinner would easily become a fortnight of wicked conversation, debate and creation :

xo <3