Reading List || The Titanic Edition
12/04/2012 § 2 Comments
Grand staircase of the Titanic. Image via Retronaut.
I have a mild obsession with Titanic — the historical event much more so than the Cameron film, but I’m not going to even try to pretend like I didn’t make my high school boyfriend sit through that 3 hour extravaganza — twice.** And so, I’ve put together a roundup Reading List in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster; the concurrent 15th anniversary and 3D release of the 1997 James Cameron film; and the people who didn’t realize Titanic was real, not just a movie:
Amazing photographs: Construction of the Titanic || Interiors of the Titanic || Photographs taken onboard Titanic by Father SJ Browne || Titanic Survivors {all via Retronaut}
Titanic Guide to New York City Part 1 & Part 2 {via Scouting New York} — top it off with a stay at The Jane Hotel, where the survivors stayed 100 years ago {via Designtripper}
Seven Famous People Who Missed the Titanic {via Smithsonian.com}
Guernsey’s and Bonhams both auction off Titanic artifacts this week. View selected items {via Artinfo}
Fashion and ephemera salvaged from the deep: On the Titanic, Defined by What They Wore {via NY Times}
Every *MAN* for himself: Researchers say male chivalry on sinking ships is a myth {via Washington Post}
Remastering Rose and Jack: Converting Titanic to 3D with a cool infographic {via NY Times}, but if you happen to be in China, don’t get all excited about Rose’s 3D boobs {via LA Times}
Unsinkable Molly Brown presenting a loving cup to Captain Arthur Rostron, master of the RMS Carpathia, the ocean liner that rescued the survivors from the Titanic. Image via the Library of Congress.
**and I may have gotten the tiniest of lumps in my throat upon my first viewing of the 3D trailer in the theatre. Don’t you judge me! I was young and impressionable!
PF Flyers: Honoring American Style Since 1937
11/04/2012 § Leave a comment
If you follow me on Twitter (@MariahKunkel) you might have noticed that I recently had a guest editorship on Flavorpill Los Angeles, where I put together a shortlist of interesting events in the LA area, which also happens to be my hometown. I was especially pleased to find out that the guest editor series was sponsored by PF Flyers, the iconic American sneaker brand that was founded in 1937 and immortalized in one of my favorite movies, The Sandlot (see Benny put on his magic pair here, at 9.00 minute mark).
Was also featured on Flavorwire!
First produced by BF Goodrich in 1937, PF Flyers featured a patented insole — the PF stands for “Posture Foundation” — that was marketed as a magic wedge designed to help wearers “run faster and jump higher,” endearing them to generations of children (see: The Sandlot) who believed in their special powers.
PF Flyers was also the first sneaker company to collaborate with a pro athlete, developing classic basketball shoes with Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy in the 1950s, that are still available today;
and in the 60s, the adventurer Jonny Quest also relied upon the “action shoes”:
“He ran like the wind! Lucky he was wearing his PF Flyers!”
In a genius bit of cross-marketing, kids could get a free PF Magic Ring just like Jonny’s with the purchase of a pair of PF Flyers.
Starting in the 1970s, PF Flyers lost much of the popularity they enjoyed in the 50s and 60s, but after the recent purchase and revival of the brand by New Balance, PF Flyers is staging a comeback with its “Authentic American Style Campaign” that simultaneously honors the brand’s past, looks toward the future and searches out contemporary icons for truly American style inspiration:
“Everyone has a story. Ours began 75 years ago and is based on the tradition of crafting authentic American style. While we are passionate about what we do, we aren’t the only ones. The contemporary cultural landscape is flooded with purveyors of authentic American style.
To help us tell this ever-evolving story, we’ve enlisted a select group of today’s style-makers who we feel embody the same sensibilities as we do. Over the coming months we will be unveiling their perspectives in a series of video-based interviews where they share their thoughts on inspiration, authenticity, and individual style. Stay tuned.“
The campaign recently kicked off with one of my favorite people, New Yorker Ouigi Theodore, Creative Director and Founder of the Brooklyn Circus. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing who else is included. You can find all the interviews here.
For wearable sneaker nostalgia check out the Archival Reissue Collection.
I’ve been loving the Bob Cousy Los, with their “Gullwing Closure” at the ankle.
Girls! Run faster, jump higher…and wait for the subway!
Lastly, many thanks to PF Flyers and Gabby and Christopher at Flavorpill
for including me in such a fun project.
Archive photos via PF Flyers. Life photos by Yale Joel, via the Life Archive.
Hey, Red! {Jessica Chastain for Vogue Italia April 2012}
09/04/2012 § 1 Comment
Well, now. I realize I haven’t posted about an editorial in almost three months. Is it because my interest has been elsewhere? Or perhaps because I just haven’t seen anything that has caught my eye? In any event, I have actress Jessica Chastain and Vogue Italia to thank for reviving my love of the editorial with an amazing set of images that hearken back to classic Hollywood and were coincidentally shot in one of my very favorite places in Los Angeles: the Fred Harvey Restaurant in Union Station — an art deco masterpiece that has been closed since 1967.
You can see my photographs from my last visit here.
Chastain giving her best Hayworth…
Please believe me when I say I know I will be married here — and I am not at all like that about weddings. Now all that’s left is to pin down the groom.
Details, details.
Photos by Michelangelo di Battista for Vogue Italia, via FGR.
Travelin’ Man: Ricky Nelson Tours America
04/04/2012 § 2 Comments
Interestingly, Ricky Nelson was one of my earliest crushes, due to a Nick At Nite childhood spent watching Donna Reed, My Three Sons and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, which Ricky starred on with real-life parents Ozzie and Harriet and brother David from 1952 to 1966. With its 14 seasons, the show remains the longest-running live action sitcom in history to this day.
Sidenote 1: I’d say my crush was “interesting” mainly because Ricky was dead by the time I fell in love with him. He died in a plane crash in Texas in 1985.
Sidenote 2: When did Nick At Nite cease actually being Nickelodeon at night and start being its own channel? And why do they now play shows like Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond and not the classic television they used to play? What the Hell! Who approved this?!
Contrary to his wholesome on-screen persona, Ricky was a bit of a hellcat growing up. He also didn’t have much musical instruction or knowledge until he was 16, when he simply decided he’d like to make a record. His father indulged him and Ricky’s music became a part of the family show, starting with his performance of the Fats Domino song I’m Walking in 1957, when he was 17.
The best part might be his dance moves.
An early archetype for what would become the modern teen idol, Ricky’s exposure through his music and the Ozzie and Harriet show caused his popularity to surge — between the years of 1958 and 1959 he charted twelve songs, compared to Elvis Presley’s eleven. He also holds he distinction for achieving the first ever #1 on the newly-created Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958 for his performance of Poor Little Fool — a song he actually hated and refused to perform on the show.
Poor Little Fool: #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958
Travelin’ Man: #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961
Hello Mary Lou: #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. Ricky actually preferred to play rockabilly songs like Hello Mary Lou, despite the success he had with ballads.
After an abbreviated tour in 1957, Ricky launched a full tour across America in 1958. Life Magazine sent photographers Ralph Crane and Hank Walker along for the ride to capture the madness, which they did fantastically. I did include quite a few, I hope you don’t mind. Obviously I still have a crush.
Fun bit of trivia: the Nelsons are the only family in history to have three generations of #1 hitmakers. The Ozzie Nelson Orchestra hit number 1 in 1935 with And Then Some, Ricky had his string of hits, and Ricky’s twin sons Matthew and Gunnar, better known as Nelson, hit it in 1990 with (I Can’t Live Without) Your Love and Affection.
Sidenote: Would you be very surprised to learn I also nursed a serious crush on Ricky’s sons, they of streaming, flaxen hair, man bangs, exceptionally tight pants and an amazing/ridiculous video for their #6 hit After The Rain? I suppose my only defense is that it was the 90s, and I was very very very young, after all…
All images via the Life Archive.
Real Property Lust || Eccentric King George
02/04/2012 § 1 Comment
“Harriet’s projects stitch together restoration and classic modern design; the 20’s hang out with the Edwardians, everyone is invited, just as long as you are well turned out. Her confidence and her playful nature with design allows rooms to be fun without the ridiculous, smart without dullness and most importantly a place you would want to be.” [via]
When the past is engaged in an active dialogue with the present, you already know my interest is piqued. Here, the mid-19th century late Georgian home of designer Harriet Anstruther in London successfully honors its architectural origins without a slavish adherence to Georgian decor, creating a statement home that feels fresh, yet nostalgic — and is completely personal. What I love about this space is its successful and seamless blending of so many different sources of inspiration without the sacrifice of comfort or personality. Neither a stuffy museum nor a stark exercise in modernism, its soaring white walls immediately call to mind a gallery space, a context helped along by the family’s art collection. Some of my favorite touches include the Penguin watercolor, the crystal chandeliers, the black stripes of the upholstery, the magenta skylight in the shower and — above all — the fire bucket sink and the Fornasetti wallpaper in the bathroom. Hello, lover.
Whereas our last discussion on interiors encouraged me to mix up my sources (IKEA vs. antique finds), I really like how this home illustrates a successful mingling of very different aesthetics. It’s got me inspired…and eying the Harper sofa by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Thoughts?
All images via T Magazine.
First Quarter: Affirmative, Roger that.
28/03/2012 § 6 Comments
Image via George Eastman House
Ladies and germs, March has been a terrifically busy, yet rather challenging month, I kid you not. As we close out this first quarter of 2012 — poof! gone! — I wanted to briefly discuss the topic of resolutions, both of the New Year’s and Lenten variety. Ohhhh yes, remember those? As we inch closer to 2013, how have you fared? For me, I’m rating my success a solid C+
As for resolutions: I’ve started three books but I haven’t been able to fight my way to the end of any of them. I have done some running, but nothing near the distances I need to be ready for a half marathon. I haven’t actually cooked anything, but I have started to buy groceries. I haven’t been anywhere near a horse. I have been actively working at identifying what I want, clearly asking for it, and working to make it happen.
As for Lent: I have successfully banished the snooze button and breakfast sandwiches, but dairy, on the other hand, has been harder to shake. (We’ll talk about passive negativity in a moment…)
When I take a step back and see all the goals I made for myself and my uneven progress toward achieving them, I have a natural inclination to focus on what hasn’t been done and freak myself out about that. I’m obviously a failure. Not only will I completely ignore the big wins (my love of the snooze bar is well documented — an epic snoozer, I would sometimes hit it for over an hour before rising), I will cast aside the smaller victories I’ve made in the process of achieving the greater goals (e.g., groceries first, then cooking) as not good enough. And then the fatalism comes shuffling in: Since I’ve already messed it all up, why even keep trying? For me, it can be difficult sometimes to give myself a break and let success come a little slower than my irrational brain — and pride — would like. So here’s where my attempted ban on passive negativity steps in. By honoring what I have already accomplished and by recognizing that achieving these goals will not be a quick as flipping on a light switch, I feel more relaxed and much more open to the change and commitment these resolutions require.
But how to do this? As crazy as it might sound, I simply try to take a moment to reflect on my progress, call out my victories and give myself a mental pat on the back. You could do this in a moment of meditation on the train or in your car, write about it in your journal, or if you’re not shy about expressing it you could give the words even more strength by saying them out loud. By choosing to spend my time thinking, writing or even speaking positively, I give power to these thoughts and my spirits are immediately lifted. It becomes easier to accept the little stumbles on the way to achieving my goals. I am reminded that as long as I pick myself up, dust myself off and start again, everything is fine.
And for a little inspiration, two child affirmation prodigies you may have already met, but should definitely visit with again:
So let’s agree to take a moment and have a bit of celebration for the awesomeness that you are, and commit to making the second quarter even better.
And I would love to hear about your goals and your progress as well!
Field Notes || Argentine Polo Open
27/03/2012 § 3 Comments
Taken at the 2011 Argentine Open Polo Tournament on my trip to Buenos Aires. The fifth-oldest polo competition in the world, the tournament was first played in 1893. For more information, visit Asociación Argentina de Polo.
Charm School Extra Credit: The Elevator Girls of Marshall Field & Co.
22/03/2012 § 2 Comments
Editor’s note: Even though February’s Charm School has come and gone, I still find myself coming across lovely gems like this story and set of pictures taken by George Skadding for Life Magazine. So if you might indulge me, I’ll share a few throughout the year as a bit of “Extra Credit.”
In 1947, Marshall Field & Co., Chicago’s biggest department store, decided that their elevator girls were in need of a bit of finishing, so they were enrolled in a local charm school where they received lessons on everything from makeup to elocution. The article noted that the “finished” ladies were happier and much more beautiful, even if there didn’t seem to be a correlating increase in sales, and that they all hoped to follow in the footsteps of actress Dorothy Lamour, who was scouted while working at the department store.
Aside from the amusing illustrations — who knew there was a correct way to bend over? — I’ve had a thing for elevator girls ever since seeing The Apartment (1960, and which happened to be the last black and white film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, until The Artist, this year), where Shirley MacLaine plays elevator operator Fran Kubelik, who catches the eye of Jack Lemmon’s hapless corporate drone C. C. Baxter. Written, produced and directed by Billy Wilder, it is an excellent film that you must see immediately.
To read the article that appeared in the Sept 15, 1947 issue of Life, head here.
For further Marshall Field’s nostalgia, head here.
Elevator girls June Wahl and Ann Vratarich before…
…and after.
How not to operate an elevator…
…and proper form.
How not to bend over…
…and the correct way.
Elocution lessons.
All images via the Life Archives.
The Downton Express {Louis Vuitton F/W 2012}
20/03/2012 § 1 Comment
Have you ever wanted to love something so much, because you felt it was thisclose to perfection — but you just couldn’t quite get there? This was the exact feeling I had while watching the Louis Vuitton Fall Winter 2012 show. Even before that magnificent train fully pulled into the “station” and the models disembarked one at a time, trailed by immaculate porters bearing the iconic bags the house of Vuitton is known for, I knew that Marc Jacobs was pulling from the same early 20th century inspiration well that Ralph had also dipped into (and that I loved) and I got excited — but I should have seen the kaleidoscopic Jacobs twist coming. Indeed, with all the glittery doo-dads, exaggerated silhouettes and ridiculous hat action, I wouldn’t be very surprised to learn Dr. Suess or Tim Burton had assisted. And while I definitely respect Vuitton for pushing their boundaries, I must admit that I frequently feel disinterested in the brand’s contemporary fashion collections. I suppose I’m just not a Marc Jacobs girl.
The bags and luggage are usually a different story, and while I did find plenty to like among the collection’s accessories, I was still most bowled over the amazing production value of the show — which is destined to be my favorite concept for a very long time. I did want to share a few bright spots from the show though, which were best shown by the detail photos of Yannis Vlamos for Vogue Magazine.
Perfection. Complete and utter perfection.
Of course, if you are more of a Marc Jacobs fan than I,
you can head here to view the full collection (via Vogue).
Also amazing is this short film produced by Louis Vuitton, which is a lovely behind-the-scenes look at the show’s preparations all the way through its execution:
Tomboy Style: Beyond the Boundaries of Fashion
12/03/2012 § Leave a comment
So excited for Lizzie’s book! If you haven’t already, pre-order it.
Quite Continental 