Three Directions I Wish Fashion Would Move Toward- Inspired by Film

3) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Okay, so maybe these outfits wouldn't have the same effect without Elizabeth Taylor being the one to wear them... but there is something universally sexy about the elegant fabrics and cuts of yesteryear. I've never been a fan of low rise jeans or tube tops of the 2000's. Give me an hourglass shape with a defined waist and tasteful cleavage any day. 

2) Basic Instinct (1992)

I want to be Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. I don't just want to look like her, but I want her brilliance and psychotic confidence. 

Nowadays the minimalist undergarment look is so chic (i.e. going commando, bralettes, etc.), but no one pulls it off like Stone (Literally!). The long, lean, oiled legs with the subtle, dark makeup and slicked-back hair... 

1) Her (2013)

The costumes are almost too hipster for me, but I love the simplicity of the casual office and day-to-day wear. Everything just looks so comfortable and almost like a Utopian, Future Society uniform... like everyone has these random pieces in their closets to select from and everyone looks eerily similar, yet subtly distinct. I find these choices to be very reminiscent of the menswear trend donned by Diane Keaton Annie Hall as well! 

“I’m realizing this retroactively. What a lot of futuristic films do and we didn’t, is add things. No epaulets, badges, materials, textures. Those are things you look at the entire film going ‘That’s the future. That’s the uniform.’ What we did instead was take things away. So something is off, but it’s not a distraction. All the costumes in the film are things someone could be wearing now, but we don’t have any denim or belt buckles or ties or baseball hats. We barely have a collar or lapel. The waist lines are all higher.” - Casey Storm in an interview with a NY Times Blog

Five Ways I Get Through The Day

Shemp's Five Tricks To Make Any Day a Better Day

5) Albums & Gin Gimlets

There's nothing better than putting on an old vinyl and mixing a delicious Hendricks gimlet, with muddled, fresh cucumber. My favorite albums these days include Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John and The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

The gimlet is a cocktail made of gin and lime juice. A 1928 description of the drink was: "gin, a spot of lime, and soda." (Wikipedia)

 

4) Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast is the best meal of the day and should not be wasted on just morning. Having breakfast for supper can cheer up any work night. From sweet to savory, breakfast is just the superior meal. Favorites include: Waffles, Eggs Benedict, Hash, Crispy Chourico, Toad in a Hole, French Toast, Soft Bacon, baked beans & Runny Eggs on Rye Toast.

3) Lavender 

I have an obsession with this scent right now... it's clean, floral, and cosmically soothing. I put it in water with mint for hydration, rub essential oil on my body for that dewy look, take baths in it. I think we could all use more lavender in our lives. 

2) Reading Trashy Romance Novels

The trashier the better. The way I look at it, instead of watching Lifetime or TV in general, at least I am reading. I spend maybe an hour or two each time I purchase new books for my Kindle on Amazon, scouring descriptions and reviews. I scour every used book sale for Harlequin's from the 70's and 80's... hell, I've even read Victorian Era erotica. At the end of the day, if I'm not titillated at least I am amused. I've always had a very active imagination.

<-- The next one on deck! DON'T JUDGE ME  

1) Laying Naked with My Cats in Bed (Spike & Brother)

My cats are my life. They are the sweetest, furriest little feline babies to ever exist. They are independent and yet they always wait for me at the door when I come home. If I cry in bed, for whatever reason, they are quick to come right up to me and comfort me. 

Don't get me wrong, dogs are amazing animals and I can't wait until they day comes when I have my own pooch! However, I think I was a cat in a past life and there is just an undeniable connection between us. I don't know what I'd do without my cats. 

In honor of the number one slot on this list, I've included a poem I wrote for my youngest cat, Brother.

10:33 P.M.
The heat of your head warms my wrist as you rest your chin upon it, like you always do.I whisper sweet nothings into your ear, gently nibbling – you crane your neck into my wrist, as if you could fuse yourself with me if you just tried hard enough.

I close my eyes,breathing in time with the soft, sweet hums that resound through your body.
Your eyes meet mine.                                                    You blink, I blink, you blink, I blink.
I want for nothing.My brother, my son, my love, my friend- In this moment you are all of these things and none of these things.
You are my cat.

Top Ten Hottest Actors from the 50's to the 90's

Shemp's Top Ten 

Hottest Film Actors 

50's to the 90's

Sometimes you just need to sit back in your favorite spot on the couch, dip your french fries in mashed potatoes with gravy, and appreciate some old-fashioned, Hollywood handsomeness. This list is my ultimate ranking of manly, sexy actors of yesteryear. It's cliche, but they don't make them like this anymore! Well, maybe that's not entirely true... check out the bottom of this blog post for Shemp's Five Honorable Mentions from the 2000's to now!

10) Patrick Stewart 

This British theatre veteran was once told that he would never find love because of his baldness, but boy were they wrong! Stewart has been the object of every SciFi girl's fantasy since the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation aired. He exudes class and sophistication, has an incredible sense of humor, and that accent! He could engage me any day!

Notable Films: X-Men, Hamlet, Star Trek

9) Rock Hudson 

The name alone makes me excited! Hudson was the heartthrob that America loved and every woman went to bed fantasizing about...even though he wasn't so interested in them. If you really want to swoon, catch him in All That Heaven Allows (1955) with Jane Wyman.  

Notable Films: All That Heaven Allows, Pillow Talk, Giant

8) Denzel Washington

Denzel has been a resident hottie since he hit the scene and has only gotten better with age, like a fine Merlot. He may not be the best actor of our generation, but his capability and versatility make him a Hollywood A-Lister - from action flicks to biopics. I think he may have sold his soul to the devil for those good looks and unyielding youth.   

Notable Films: Malcolm X, Glory, The Hurricane, Training Day

7) Cary Grant

"Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant." 

-Cary Grant

This classic leading man is one of my favorites. What can we say about Cary Grant? His transatlantic accent, refined masculinity, and his body (the perfect combination of fit and not too too fit) make one flawless individual. He's the kind of man you would take home to meet mom and he would charm the pants off of her. It's a crime that he never won an Oscar.

Notable Films: North By Northwest, Charade, An Affair to Remember

6) Patrick Swayze

The day he died, the world cried... and I was no exception. His dance moves, those rugged good looks - a truly remarkable specimen. His acting was never something to write home about, but his je ne sais quoi jumped off the screen. I am unashamed to admit that he was the first celebrity that ever made me tingly downtown.        

     Notable Films: Dirty Dancing, Roadhouse, Ghost, The Outsiders  

5) Jeff Goldblum

Goldblum has achieved cult status for his films, but to me he is just the finest, quirky actor. When he asks Gina Davis in Earth Girls are Easy, "What is sex?", I die every time with sheer envy. I would love to teach him! I have to admit, Goldblum is an obsession of mine. He will pop up in this blog again, mark my words!

Notable Films: Jurassic Park, Independence Day, The Fly

4) John Travolta

You should be dancing... with me, John Travolta of 1977. He might not have aged so well and Scientology may have gotten to him, but you can't dispute the obvious! Travolta's moves, voice, looks and swagger made him a 1970's dreamboat. 

Notable Films: Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, Face Off

3) Will Smith

Another actor that only gets better with age/does not age. He stole hearts as a young stud on the small screen from West Philadelphia and went on to be the cleanest rapper ever to exist and a talented film actor. His career shows no signs of slowing, being featured in the summer blockbuster Suicide Squad. For me it's all about his smooth voice and smooth moves... 

Notable Films: Bad Boys, Independence Day, Ali, Men in Black

2) Michael Douglas

I feel like an 80's/90's Michael Douglas could put me in my place and make all of my wildest, secret fantasies come true. Plainly, he'd make Christian Gray look like Mickey Mouse. This man is talented, with a long-lasting career to prove it- not to mention Catherine Zeta Jones as his on-again-off-again main squeeze. Even Kanye West gave him a shout out in I'm In it. 

Notable Films: Romancing the Stone, Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, Falling Down, A Chorus Line 

1) Harrison Ford

How could Indiana Jones, Han Solo, Rick Decard, Jack Ryan, and the President of the United States himself not be on this list? Harrison Ford embodies all of the best qualities of actors 2-10, although perhaps his acting chops fall a bit short of some of the other contenders on this list (never won an Oscar). Good looking, funny, adventurous, and that smirk! I could melt just now. 

Notable Films: Star Wars films, Indiana Jones films, Blade Runner, What Lies Beneath (Spolier- He is evil!), The Fugitive, Patriot Games, American Graffiti, Frantic, Presumed Innocent

Honorable Mentions from 2000's to Today

5) Javier Bardem

4) Michael Fassbender

3) Chris Hemsworth

2) Idris Elba

1) Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy even makes Bane attractive...

Stay tuned for more posts, lists, and generally a good time!