Glacial blondes in cashmere and pearls.
Fine boned frames sheathed in pencil skirts.
Coiled updos revealing the sensual curve of an alabaster neck.
How on earth did a man who resembled a walrus bequeath such a blueprint for the WASP femme fatale?
Hitchcock was a voyeur but we, the audience, fell in love with his flaxen Pygmalions, and I have fallen in love with Assouline's new book, Hitchcock Style.
To Catch A Thief is my favourite Hitchcock film, it is set in the Carlton Hotel in Cannes where I used to summer during my childhood. I still dream of going there in a blue chiffon dress and being swept off my feet by a mahogany tanned Cary Grant.
Did anyone else spend their single dating life searching for a flawed Hitchcock Hero?
I certainly did.
All images: Assouline
Available for purchase at Assouline
Truly fabulous images! Hitchcock really honed that cool blonde archetype, didn't he? My favorite was Rear Window, just for the gowns Grace Kelly wears.
ReplyDeleteI saw a review of this book a few years ago, & always meant to get it. "To Catch a Thief" is my favorite Hitchcock film also, for three reasons: the clothes, the scenery (Monte Carlo), and the scenery (Cary Grant!). I'm always in awe of Grace Kelly's beauty. I once saw a traveling display of some of her clothes & jewelry at a jewelry store...fabulous. Just today I bought the book, "100 Unforgettable Dresses" by Hal Rubenstein. Grace Kelly has six dresses featured, including three from that movie (the blue gown, the white gown, and the gold lame'). Audrey had six dresses in the book also. Some of the other selections are iffy ( Phyllis Diller?), but overall a beautiful book!
ReplyDeleteI love the white dress Grace Kelly wore, it's featured in the Vintage Style book I have. So pretty.
ReplyDeleteI think I came across more of the "flawed" than the heroes, but it was good training...Grace Kelly was just beautiful, and Cary Grant and James Stewart...real men! That looks like a gorgeous book Tabs.
ReplyDeleteOh how I love Hitchcock films. To Catch a Thief is also my favorite. I must get my hands on that book.
ReplyDeleteI think it's the magic of Cary Grant, and the dimple in his chiseled chin. *Swoon*
ReplyDeleteCary Grant was my idea of a leading man when I was young.
ReplyDeleteAs a teen I cursed the fact that I was not Hailey Mills...
I wanted to be a slim and pretty blonde.
Hitchcock's films were so terrifying to watch, the master of suspense has very few competitors.
Love Hitchcock, love grace! Have you seen the Grace Kelly Barbie Doll in that divine blue chiffon confection? Ideally want it for no good reason!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Hitchcock Movie is Rear Window and Miss Kelly is there in all her cool splendour and some spiffy frocks!
great post--love the images-have always had a thing for Grace Kelly (who hasn't?)
ReplyDeleteOh I have to get this book. Tippi is my aunt, sadly just by marriage because I don't look it!
ReplyDeleteOMG, there's a Grace Kelly Barbie doll? I want!!! Not something I need, of course....but I also have two each of the vintage reissues that came out several years ago; the red velvet coat & dress, the pink Enchanted Evening gown, the Solo in the Spotlight gown, and the bridal gown (which is very similar to Kate Middleton's dress!). I have two each because I have two daughters, not that they got to play with the dolls....dolls are still in the boxes, but they can have them as collectors' items! Vintage Barbie had awesome style, not like today's Barbie, which is mostly slutty style!
ReplyDeleteOh heavens, I dare not get that book because I could never tear my eyes away from it. Love all the Hitchcock films - To Catch a Thief my favourite too - but also never tire of watching North by North West, Rear Window and Vertigo. Yes, he sure had a thing for beautiful women - but the pattern was that they were all intelligent women with style - never bimbettes as many other directors of the era cast them. Which is interesting.
ReplyDeleteTabbers, perfect timing, I am off to see the Grace Kelly exhibit again at the Toronto International Film Fest building this weekend before it departs the city. I always think Hitchcock's icy harem are just the tiniest bit too groomed, best imagined with their hair mussed and gloves forgotten. And Jill Ann there are actually a couple of variations of the Grace Kelly Barbie, including wedding dress and Oscar night.
ReplyDeleteI adore all his movies. I fell in love with white dresses when I saw Vertigo and never fell out.
ReplyDeleteRear Window and To Catch a Thief are equal favourites of mine.
ReplyDeleteIf only I had enough sense to search for a flawed Hitchcock Hero the first time around! Hhmm maybe this time.
Memories of childhood summer holidays are the best.
I love old Hitchcock movies, I always thought Tippi Hedren was fabulous. However, my favourite Hitchcock movie, "Notorious", does not star either Tippi or Grace Kelly. Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman...be still my beating heart!
ReplyDelete"...resembled a walrus" ROFL. You've got him pegged. So true. I love Hitchcock movies and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite but I would have to say "Rebecca" wins--because I loved the novel too (and Sir Lawrence Olivier). I truly enjoy seeing his films. We just watched "Spellbound" (Gregory Peck is probably the one I would be out looking for) the other night. I have "The Birds" (which I haven't seen in years and it freaked me out when I did) and "To Catch a Thief" in my queue on Netflix. I love the style of these movies. ~~Bliss
ReplyDeleteYes, very nice style.
ReplyDeleteI have this book too - isn't it marvellous? I love the interiors as well, especially the North By North West house. I love Assouline books- they have a shoppette in Liberty where you can browse the really expensive massive ones, like the Queen's jewellery etc. Wonderful!xxx
ReplyDeleteThis weeks trauma, a trip to the hairdressers, means I shall now be sporting a classic Tippi Hedren chignon for several months to recover from the experience. Time to slip on the twin set and just go with the flow I think.
ReplyDeleteMy love of dear old Alfred's 'dolly-zoom' suspense thrillers knows no bounds. I delight in spotting his cheeky cameos in each one of his films. North by Northwest is the top of my list, but each and every one is spectacular.
Cary Grants unfortunate LSD habits make even his chiseled chin and boyish good looks much less attractive. He was very flawed!
Right now I'm contemplating an 'Eva Marie Saint' do, which is a long way from the Crystal Tips/Charles II that I sported till Tuesday morning. Bloody scissor happy hairdressers! Grrrr
Room 623.
ReplyDeleteLove the images...I used to sit and watch Hitchcock as a child...fantastci show!! Happy Friday xx
ReplyDeleteWonderful post that brings back some fond memories of some of the "old" stars that I loved, Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, he sure knew how to pick em, gotta give the old walrus that! (and you are so right Sir Alfred Hitchcock does in fact resemble one)!
ReplyDeleteI loved Dial M for murder, To catch a thief and Rear window.....all wonderful classics.
I've always covetted James Stewarts apartment in Rear window.
ReplyDeleteOh that book looks fantastic - another one to add to the list - I love 'To Catch a Thief!'
ReplyDeletePS what happened to your fatty blog?
ReplyDeleteTabitha,
ReplyDeleteEverything about To Catch a Thief was divine! The locale, the weather, the convertible, the clothes, the parties, and the chemistry between Cary and Grace. Great post!!
I've had that book on my wish list for such a long time. It's high time I bought it. I have all Hitchcock's films on dvd, have seen them all and To Catch A Thief is among my favourites. Everything is so stylish in that movie, from Grace and Cary, to the decor and Cannes, of course. I have several books with more or less reference to Hitchcock's heroines' style, but this is a must-have for both the movie and fashion lover in me. xo
ReplyDeleteAda
I feel like having a Hitchcock movie marathon after reading this post. And, I love the Carlton Hotel too, although, as you probably know, it doesn't feel quite the same.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. All the movies are fantastic, too. North by Northwest is definitely one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteYes, Hitchcock certainly had his finger on the blonde pulse!
ReplyDeleteAs for your boots - they are absolutely gorgeous! Your continued good health to wear them!
Ali x
Too funny - I never saw the fashion side of the Hitchcock films, I was too busy being scared out of my wits!!! I don't know if that means I was too young, or just unaware. I thought of Hitchcock today as we walked along the prom from the fish shop, worrying about whether all those seagulls and rooks were likely to attack the bag that Bill was carrying! I'll never look at a bird as anything but scary again. Kelly and Grant were very pretty, weren't they?
ReplyDeleteApparently the maestro was not JUST a voyeur. legend has it that during most shoots, in private quarters their was compulsory, performance art as well, with all the vixens.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you stayed in the same glam hotel from Catch A Thief, I am dying of jealousy! I fell in love with Cary Grant when I saw an old movie of his and was in my teens--my first love/boyfriend of many years looked a lot like him, even down to the glasses. Love that look to this day! He's my all-time favorite male icon.
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
Husk - you have destroyed my appetite for supper.
ReplyDeleteDid you find him?:)
ReplyDeleteTippi Hedren was disappointing, for me, you got the ice but not the queen. I do love, and married, an elegant man.
ReplyDeleteOK Tabitha - this is way too weird. #1 - I own this book and of course love. #2 - To Catch a Thief is probably my favorite movie, period. and #3 - stop by the blog today!!
ReplyDeleteTippi Hedren in Marnie is a favorite, as are Rebecca & Notorious - I'm STILL looking for Cary ;)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, twas a flappy busy day yesterday, please excuse my absence.
ReplyDeleteLPC: No, the pipe and slippers type!
I will have to check out that book! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. xo
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough, I've yet to watch many old movies but I should. There's a certain elegance and sophistication without overt sexual images so common these days.
ReplyDeleteTo Catch a Thief is my all-time, desert-island, fail-safe bestest-ever favourite movie.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous book - I too am totally obsessed with Hitchcock and his blonde heroines. I'm not sure mucking around with stupid rugby boys in rural new Zealand would be construed as searching for a Hitchcock hero, but maybe it was!!! How sad that Tippi Hendren left acting forever after The Birds.
ReplyDeleteNice looks!
ReplyDeletehttp://initialed.blogspot.com
I absolutely adore all Hitchcock's films and my fave would be Rear Window with North by North West a close second.
ReplyDeletexx
The pipe and slippers type is my kind of guy. I've got one of those.
ReplyDeleteI'm still chuckling at "glacial blonde" you are so funny.
I never get tired of Hitchcock marathons, he's my favorite director of all time. I love that "kiss" scene in To Catch a Thief but Vertigo is my favorite, then Rear Window, then Marnie. I loved Marnie's outfits. Remember her yellow clutch bag?
Oh my goodness the Carlton -- and my 15th summer and my French beau. Don't get me started.
ReplyDeleteBut oui, all reality aside, I would've very much liked to meet a worldly 007 in that very lobby ;)
Alcira
Nerochronicles.com
Oh my goodness the Carlton -- and my 15th summer and my French beau. Don't get me started.
ReplyDeleteBut oui, all reality aside, I would've very much liked to meet a worldly 007 in that very lobby ;)
Alcira
Nerochronicles.com