Tag Archives: icon

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TSY Style Hall of Fame | Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons

Known for his brooding vibe, serpentine voice, long-limbed grace & eccentric style– Jeremy Irons is a man that few can reckon with.  Say what you will about his spotty role selection at times– when Irons is in his element, there is no one better or more mesmerizing.  Often referred to as “swoon fodder for the thinking woman”, he and his longtime wife Sinead share their time between County Cork, Ireland and England– where he can frequently be spotted flying down the bustling London streets on his BMW sportbike– headed perhaps to the Wolseley for a spot of tea.  

While dining with friends there a while back, I was introduced to the very charming and talented Christopher Bailey– the place is incredible.  Sorry, couldn’t leave that bit out– it was too good.

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SLIM AARONS | THE STILL UNDISPUTED KING OF HOLLYWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

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the kings of hollywood slim aarons

Slim Aaron’s most celebrated image was shot on New Year’s Eve of 1957 in the Crown Room at Romanoff’s restaurant in Hollywood.  Called ”The Kings of Hollywood,” it shows Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart — what Smithsonian magazine called ”a Mount Rushmore of stardom” and the novelist Louis Auchincloss ”the very image of American he-men.”  Why are the men in the picture all laughing?  Mr. Aarons sometimes said he did not know why.  In all truth, those chortling stars in ”The Kings of Hollywood,” Mr. Aarons sometimes admitted, were really laughing at him.  Mr. Gable had said how bad he thought Mr. Aarons’s acting was in a small movie part.

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BILL BLASS CLASS

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“The beauty of being able to draw, or paint, from an early age is that you never feel trapped, least of all by your immediate circumstances.”

–Bill Blass

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From The New York Times—

In early December 1999, the mood in the Bill Blass showroom at 550 Seventh Avenue was as gray as the film of dust on a potted plant that sat in the corner and always seemed to be dying.

Blass, arguably the most famous of all the American designers, had shown his farewell collection that September and sold the company a few weeks later.  He had been ill for some time, living with throat cancer for years — he was then 77 — and he didn’t seem much inclined to argue with the new owners about who would fill his oversize shoes.  They wanted a name.  So the future of Blass’s longtime assistants was far from certain.  Laura Montalban, one of two top designers, left to work for Oscar de la Renta; Blass called the other, Craig Natiello, who had been with him for a decade, into his office.

“You’re not going to like the people who bought the company,” Blass said.  He made a phone call, then told Mr. Natiello, who recalled the conversation in a recent interview, that there was a job waiting for him at Halston.  “Here is your out. Do you want it?”

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That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is class.  Keep a stiff upper lip, tell it straight, and repay loyalty with loyalty. This kind of character is an increasing rarity, unfortunately. Kudos, Mr. Blass.

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THE “REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE” CURSE | A CURIOUS CAST OF CHARACTERS

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James Dean in 1955’s “Rebel Without a Cause”

The 1950s were a very cool time, I only wish I could have experienced them for myself. It is a time in American pop culture that is highly idealized for it’s music, fashion, style and culture. Everyone looked incredible, and seemed so squeaky clean– but you just knew there had to be much more going on behind the scenes. Rebel Without a Cause is one of the most iconic films from that era, and the stories behind the making of the James Dean classic are as incredible as the movie itself. And truth be told, Dean was not the only rebel on the set. Nicholas Ray, Dennis Hopper, Nick Adams and Natalie Wood definitely held there own.

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Jimmy Stewart’s Honorable Style

Jimmy Stewart Rope

With seemingly every known sportswear brand with a nickel’s worth of history coming out with an “authentic” or “vintage” line, I’m left wanting to step away and rediscover the “heritage” of dressing well.  At least I won’t have to worry about being stoned to death for not wearing the correct of-the-moment hipster boot anymore.  So I’ll have that going for me- which is good.

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In Like Flynn | A Swashbuckler’s Legacy

hosl01_yachts errol flynn yacht

“A boat is like a horse… every ship has her own personality, the tricks she does, the foibles she has.” – Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn was born in the British Commonwealth seaport Hobart, Tasmania, on June 20, 1909. His father, a distinguished marine biologist, introduced him to the sea at a very young age. Flynn always said the one true love of his life was the ocean. Sailing became a lifelong obsession and his favorite escape.

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“I like my whiskey old and my women young.” – Errol Flynn 

A young Brigitte Bardot cooing over 47 yr old Errol Flynn. –1956. He passed 3 yrs later. The phrase “In like Flynn” originated as a coarse reference to his powers as a seducer.  

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Classic Roots

Poloclothing

Menswear designers new and old are tracing fashion roots and embracing brand heritage– whether it’s their own or borrowed.  Ralph is the true master of classic American sportswear, and no one is more in their element at this time than him.

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