Farewell Queen Elizabeth T.

The other day i've red her story. She was fabulous, fascinating, graceful heartbreaker who smiled to us from the other side of blue screen. But also she was a person..a person who i've never knew, but a person i'd like to know. I think she was a kind of teacher for a few generations of girls and women. Today she passed away. Elizatheth Taylor. I wish she'll have a new glorious life in another world. RIP Liz (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011).

i get so inspired and excited when...

... i hear & see them singing together, especially this live version of "Hurt" mesmerizes me.

Twenty Six between life & death: Gia Marie Carangi

Some stories falls on us from the sky..I mean it's like you had to know something about someone. In the end of december 2010 i was walking around the supermarket when i surprisingly took a new issue of magazine "*****" and the article that opened immediately was about Gia Carangi, a supermodel of late 70s and early 80s. I heaven't read that article back then, but her name permanently stuck in my mind. Later, when i was working on "Beauty over Ages" series of posts for my blog i heard that name again - Gia Marie Carangi. But this time i got to know her story better. She was one of those beautiful & famous girls that died at the age of 26..She was the 3rd, if i'm not mistaken. This awful tendency has started with gorgeous hollywood bombshell of 30's - Jean Harlow who died of renal failure, the next victim of sudden death was 60s actress and model, a wife of Roman Polanski - Sharon Tate, who was killed by followers of Charles Manson. I don't know why, but this trilogy seems so strange...If maybe you (my dear reader) know more on this theme - i hope you can share your knowledges.
Now back to Gia Marie Carangi..as she completely captured me with her "singularity in fashion" and her very very sad story. Everybody knew this uncommon girl as Gia when she breaked into the world of high-fashion as a hurricane at the age of 17. Looking like a tomboy with a knife in her pocket, she came to Wilhelmina Cooper model agency and become a number one model in the end of 70s. Everybody wanted her on the cover on their magazines. But fame wasn't a number one goal for Gia, she was looking for more..she was looking for someone who'll love her for who she is, she was looking for understanding. But even her beauty, talent and deep inner world never brought her happyness. Problems in family, perhaps, made her too sensitive for this cruel world. Loss of her close friend Wilhemina Cooper also was a big shock for Gia, that likely pulled her to the edge..and falling into the abyss was her affection to heroin, that ended up with her death at the age of 26. She was the first famous woman in U.S.A. to die of AIDS.
Knowing that she is to die soon, Gia wrote in her diary: "Life and death, energy and peace. If I stop today it was still worth it. Even the terrible mistakes that I made and would have unmade if I could. The pains that have burned me and scarred my soul, it was worth it, for having been allowed to walk where I've walked, which was to hell on earth, heaven on earth, back again, into, under, far in between, through it, in it, and above."
And no doubt she was a very talented person who could have had much more brighter future. She wanted to learn photography and have kids, but in the end she said: "I think God has a plan for me, but I don`t think it`s in this life."..
Facts about Gia:
*She was born in Philadelphia on 29 January, 1960.
*She had italian bloods in her veins from her father & irish and welsh from her mother.
*Gia was known to be a bisexual.
*Carangi was a regular at Studio 54 and the Mudd Club. She usually used cocaine in clubs, but later began to develop a heroin addiction.
* Gia was romanticly linked to her make-up assistant Sandy Linter.
*Carangi did her first major shoot with top fashion photographer Chris von Wangenheim.
*Gia's body measurements were: (US) 34-24-35/(EU) 86.5-61-89; height 5'7" (170 cm).
* Cindy Crawford, who also appeared on the covers of fashion publications during her time, was later referred to as "Baby Gia" due to her resemblance to Carangi.
Films about Gia:
*"Thing Of Beauty" 1993's bio
*"The Self-Destruction of Gia" documentary
*"GIA" HBO movie staring Angelina Jolie as Gia.
Interesting Links:
www.gia-carangi.com
www.giacarangi.com

Beauty Through the Decades: 90's

That's how, step by step, we've come up to 90's. The decade of various beauty standarts that were incredibly diverse and constantly changing. I may be wrong, but i think that this decade was a certain transition moment when fashion models became as popular as famous actress and singers and deservedly concurred prefix "super-". You may not know the name of Gia Carangi (though she was one of the first supermodels), but you definitely heard of Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Kate Moss. Breaking into the highest league of models Kate Moss brought with herself a standard of extreme thinness, sometimes referred to as "heroin chic" from the strung-out, emaciated appearance of the face and body. In my opininon that looks great, but not on everybody. And that "androgyny" or "unisex" trend grew into the deepest layers of fashion's mind. So now in 2011 woman in fashion hardly can afford "loosening the belts", except Crystal Renn  of course (& other "+" size models). In the early 90's Grunge was extremly popular not only in music, but also in fashion and lifestyle. Courtney Love can proove that!) Those who weren't on grunge, were on rave, rap, pop-punk, brit rock or anything else that was popular back then. Tongue, eyebrow and nose piercings (for both men and women) also came into vogue in the '90s and even crossed into the "mainstream" of youth culture. And for sure most of the teenage girls wanted to look like one of the "Spice Girls". Well, let's look over those, who were on the peak!)

 "Spice Girls"

90's supermodels

famous 90s "Beverly Hills 90210" series

Alicia Silverstone is an American actress, author, and former fashion model. She first came to widespread attention in music videos for Aerosmith, and is best known for her roles in Hollywood films such as CluelessBatgirl in (1995) and her portrayal of Batman & Robin (1997).

 Carla Bruni is an Italian-born French songwriter, singer, and former model.

 Christy Turlington is an American model best known for representing Calvin Klein from 1987 to 2007.

 Cindy Crawford is a former American model. Known for her trademark moleVH1's just above her lip, Crawford has adorned hundreds of magazine covers throughout her career. She was named #3 on 40 Hottest Hotties of the 90s. Her success at modeling made her a celebrity that has led to roles in television and film, and to work as a spokesperson.

Claudia Schiffer is a German model and occasional actress, who reached the peak of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers.

 Kate Moss is an English model. She has appeared on over 50 magazine covers and in magazine spreads. She is also notorious for her high-profile relationships and party lifestyle. In 2007, she came 2nd on the Forbes top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $9 million in one year.

 Linda Evangelista is a famous Canadian Supermodel of 90s.

 Naomi Campbell is a British model. Campbell started her career in the 1980s and is considered a supermodel having regularly appeared on the catwalks of Milan and Paris as well as on over 500 covers for such magazines as Vogue Italia, Japanese Vogue, Elle, i-D, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, W, Vanity Fair and GQ. She was the first black cover model for French Vogue, the second for British Vogue and Time magazine. Campbell is also known for a series of legal issues and less known for her extensive charity work. In Europe, Campbell is also known for the perfumes associated with her name.

 Drew Berrymore is an American actress, film producer and film director. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore.

 Neve Campbell is a Canadian actress. After beginning her career on stage, she achieved fame on the 1990s television series Party of Five, playing the role of teenager Julia Salinger. She subsequently appeared in leading roles in several Hollywood films, including Scream, The Craft, and Wild Things, and has since appeared in smaller parts and returned to stage roles.

 Nicole Kidman is an Australian actress, Spokes model, and humanitarian.

 PJ Harvey is a English musician and singer-songwriter. She was raised in Corscombe, Dorset and Yeovil, Somerset. Growing up, her parents were both fans of American blues music. Their record collection exposed Harvey not only to the blues but also to Captain Beefheart. Both the blues and Beefheart would become major influences on Harvey’s own musical style.

 Sherilyn Fenn is an American actress. She came to international attention for her performance as Audrey Horne on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks.

 Shirley Manson is a Scottish recording artist and actress, best known internationally as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage.

 Kylie Minogue is an Australian pop singer, songwriter, and actress.

Courtney Love is an American rock musician and actress. Love is primarily known as lead singer, guitarist and lyricist for alternative rock band Hole, as well as for her publicity-ridden marriage to the late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

 Fiona Apple is an American singer-songwriter. Her 1996 debut album Tidal received a Grammy Award for the song "Criminal".

 Gwyneth Paltrow is a famous American actress.

 Gwen Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt.

 Winona Ryder is an american actress.

 Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993), and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper (1995). Ricci made a transition into more adult-oriented roles with The Ice Storm (1997), followed by an acclaimed performance in The Opposite of Sex (1998), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. She continued her success with well-received performances in Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Monster (2003).

 Supermodels of 90s: Cindy & Claudia

 Juliet Lewis is an American actress and musician. Juliette gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. This followed with major roles in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Natural Born Killers, The Evening Star, and From Dusk Till Dawn. Her work in television has resulted in two Emmy nominations.

 Kim Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.

 Madonna (one of her 90s looks)

 Monica Belluci is an Italian actress and fashion model.

 Sharon Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her performance in Casino.

 Sophie Marceau is a French actress.

 Vanessa Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi". Since then, she has accomplished a career in music, movies and modelling.

 Liv Tyler (born July 1, 1977) is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's lead singer, Steven Tyler, and Bebe Buell, model and singer. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of 14, but after less than a year she decided to focus on acting.

Tori Amos is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument.

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P.S. Dear Earthling, if i've forgot somebody beautiful and important of this time period - please do not keep silence! Leave Comments, telling me who should also be in the list. Merci.

Beauty Through the Decades: 80's

Moving closer and closer to what we call "modern", we can't pass through a decade of 80s, that has given us...well..lots of interesting culture stuff. When thinking of 80's the first few things that came on my mind was Hip-Hop, Graffiti, Madonna, Dami Moore, New Wave..Haha, i guess that was all. But i have a  good excuse - i was born in the end of 80s..i was too little to understand anything that happens around me and that was Soviet Union.., so anyway!:) So first i've asked my Mom what she remembers about the decade. She was also very young at that time, but her eternal love to fashion helped me to figure things out and of course internet..And i've made a conclusion that 80's was a jump over the gap to craziness in fashion and culture, but this craziness was so artsy that still inspires our hearts and minds.
Talking about music, the decade began with anti-disco backlash in US and 80s music would be characterized by the wide spread synthesizers and keyboards. The main tendencies in music were New Romantics, New Wave, Synth Pop Glam Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Hip-Hop. Madonna was regarded as the most groundbreaking female artist of decade, she was noted for her many fashion incarcations (smells like Lady Gaga in the end of 00's). The super-cool haircut was mullet and intentionally messed-up and off-colored hair. And 80s gave birth to such popular cloth items as leggings, headbands, skinny ripped jeans, leather pants, Ray Ban Glasses, open-shoulder shirts, bolero-jackets, leotards, sweatshirts, Dr. Martens...In make up there was different tendencies mixed up: from crazy and motley colours and heavy make-up to something more natural. However we can notice most of this on the Famous & Beautiful girls of 80's:

Yasmin LeBon (Parvaneh) is a British Iranian fashion model. In 1981, the young Yasmin was discovered by a local modeling agency while working a part-time sales job in a boutique. In mid 1984, Yasmin Parvaneh met Simon Le Bon, lead singer of Duran Duran.

 Madonna (Hope, this Lady doesn't need some extra-introduction!!!)

Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.

She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular recordings including "Crimson and Clover," "I Hate Myself for Loving You," "Do You Want to Touch Me," "Light of Day," "Love Is All Around," "Bad Reputation," and "Little Liar."

 Demi Moore is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the television drama series General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St. Elmo's Fire (1985).

 Olivia Newton-John is an English-born, Australian-raised singer and actress.

Princess Diana was a member of the British royal family and an international personality of the late 20th century as the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981.

 Annie Lennox is a Scottish recording artist. After achieving minor success in the band The Tourists in the late 1970s, Lennox went on to major international success in the 1980s as part of the duo Eurythmics, which she formed with former Tourists' member David A. Stewart.

 Brooke Shields is an American actress, author and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle.

 Tatjana Patitz is a German model and actress who rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s.

 Carol Alt is a American supermodel and actress.

 Christie Brinkley is an American model best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage to musician Billy Joel.

 Cindy Lauper is an American singer, songwriter and actress, also know as The Empress of Pop. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album. Lauper has released 11 albums and over 40 singles, and as of 2008 had sold more than 30 million records worldwide.

 Elle Macpherson is an Australian supermodel, actress, and businesswoman. She is perhaps best known for her record five cover appearances for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s. She is also known as the founder and primary model for a series of business ventures including Elle Macpherson Intimates, a lingerie line, and "The Body", a line of skin care products. According to Forbes, Macpherson possesses assets around £60 million. In 2010, she became the host and executive producer of Britain's Next Top Model.

 Helena Christensen is a Danish fashion model, (former) Victoria's Secret Angel, beauty queen, and photographer. She has also served as creative director for a fashion magazine, designed clothing, and supported funding for breast cancer organizations and other charities.

 Rene Simonsen and Joan Severance

 Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.

 Kim Alexis is an American model and actress.

 Molly Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. She became popular with teenage audiences in the 1980s, as a result of her starring roles in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). She resumed her acting career with her role as Anne Juergens in the ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Paulina Porizkova is a Czechoslovakian-born model and actress. At the age of 18, she became the first woman from Eastern Europe to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She was the second woman (after Christie Brinkley) to be featured on the swimsuit issue's front cover consecutive times (1984 and 1985).

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P.S. Dear Earthling, if i've forgot somebody beautiful and important of this time period - please do not keep silence! Leave Comments, telling me who should also be in the list. Merci.