Friday, July 1, 2016

Knight in White Satin

Okay, so it's white cotton, but we can't afford to be picky. Without boring you with all the details, I have been without home Internet for two weeks and the day I finally got it back, my laptop power adapter broke and an automatic update caused the battery to careen down to 0%! So I'm without any way of working on pictures, looking at youtube, etc... from home until the new adapter arrives. And, as usual, I have been pummeled with issues at work. In the meantime, please help me celebrate the summer with this sunny 1963 TV Guide fashion layout featuring one of our faves (who has gotten short shrift here in The Underworld because her tribute came when I was still typing now-startlingly brief posts.) I speak of Miss Shirley Knight. These slender shots of her will surprise those who know her more from her more recent full-figured character roles. I'll be back with more fun ASAP!
"A white cotton beach coat with rick-rack trim. It's sleeveless with an Empire waist and a skirt that ends just above the knees. The coat is $18.75."
One might almost mistake this as Julie Christie during her wig, er, I mean, performance in Far From the Madding Crowd (1967), making this the first time I ever noted any similarity between the two ladies at all. "Shirley in a hostess dress. The black Irish-linen top is sleeveless. The skirt, in a pattern of pink roses on a green background, is of cotton made in Austria. Black rick-rack trims the top and the hem of the skirt. At the waist: a narrow rose velvet ribbon. The dress costs $29.95."
"A sundress with a buttercup-yellow top in rayon, and full, shirred black-on-white pindot skirt of cotton made in Austria. A narrow yellow belt encircles the waist from buttons in the back. The dress - $29.95." "Shirley in a short-sleeved beach shift in cotton with vertical stripes of pink, green, yellow, blue and white. The hood wraps around the neck and ties in the back. The shift is $29.95. With it we like tapered pants in pink cotton - $9.75."
"A field of daisies on a two-piece hostess dress. The long white cotton skirt with daisy embroidery trim around the hem and a black velvet ribbon tying the waist is $19.75. The waist-length sleeveless top, also embroidered with daisies, is $13.95. Shirley's sandals are narrow strips of white leather with tiny heels. All shoes shown are by Capezio."

6 comments:

EricSwede said...

Photos by Horst? I'm impressed. He was a very big deal in the world of photography.

Gingerguy said...

Fabulous! I love rick rack and now want to attach some to my Summer shorts. She does remind me of Julie Christie here which is high praise indeed (your wig hint makes me think I have to see that movie). I really like this actress and it's lovely to see her getting the full fashion treatment. It seems a little upscale for TV guide back then, since all the fabric is European and the clothes aren't cheap. When I saw the pre auction of Liz Taylor's wardrobe a few years ago I learned that she loved daisies so I think she would have loved the two piece hostess outfit-but Shirley rocks it here. Love this post!!

Poseidon3 said...

EricSwede, great catch! You read the fine print, which I had somehow missed...! That's neat to know.

Gingerguy, I love Julie Christie, but I have always been very much averse to the wig she wears in "Madding Crowd." It kept me from watching the (decent) film for quite a few years! It just seemed really anachronistic and unrealistic to me. I agree that the clothes in this layout were not cheap, not for that time!! I do shudder a little at picturing Liz in that looonnnggg narrow skirt...not a silhouette I think of her in. LOL!

Gingerguy said...

Oh! I forgot she was tiny, you're right. Maybe picture her in the top worn as a mini dress?

Jaytee said...

Thanks for this post and "spread" of Miss Shirley Knight, Poseidon. As a long-time fan, I'm pleased to know you and others like her, too.

Poseidon3 said...

I fell for Shirl when she was practically the only one with any class in "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure," but when she won me over for life was her hysterical cameo in "Color of Night" with Bruce Willis. I can never see enough of her in that tiny part!