Amid the constellation of Swans, created by Truman Capote, who made them his own personal coterie, Babe Paley ruled! But, she was followed right on her heels by Slim Keith!
I mean, who wouldn't want to look like this, darlings??????? I am not sure an afternoon at Elizabeth Arden could do this for me!
Slim was gorgeous, but she was also colorful. She was as at home at a social tea, as she was hunting big game with Ernest Hemingway! Slim was a gal, who could be one of the boys; one of her husbands was macho film director (but, let us not forget he also directed the distinctly non-macho "Bringing Up Baby!!!") Howard Hawks!!!!! Not to mention Leland Hayward, before he left her for she who has been called "the great horizontal of the Twentieth Century"--Pamela Harriman!!!!!!!!!!!
Would you believe, darlings, that Slim hails from the same town as Jodi Arias? That's right--Salinas, California. Slim was born there on July 15, 1917--as Mary Rae Gross! I mean--God!!!!!!!!!!!! Fortunately, her mother changed her name to Nancy, and from the moment she stepped onto Life's scene, she was gorgeous. If Babe Paley was perfect, Slim Keith was impeccable. She inspired the blonde California look, that would go on to become an appearance and fashion mainstay! It would also do wonders for future beauties, like Grace Kelly, who might not have had a career if Slim hand not set the precedent before her!
Imagine, having appeared on the cover of "Harper's" by age 22! I haven't landed a cover shot, yet!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was her whirlwind of husbands, (which included a daughter, Kitty, by Howard Hawks), then her friendship with Capote and the Swans! The day Esquire Magazine came out with "La Cote Basque," in November of 1975, Slim received a call from Babe Paley, asking if she had seen what Truman wrote! Slim, who was then staying in a suite at the Pierre, where you know I sometime plan to stay, darlings, did the same thing I would have--sent her maid down for a copy!!!!!!!!!! When she read it, she was shocked, and Truman became Manhattan's Number One Social Pariah!!!!!!!!!!! Though I keep telling you girls--wait till you read MY "Answered Prayers!"
This last thing I don't understand, being a child of a mother who died like Slim and Babe--of lung cancer! Somehow, in their era, women smoking was seen as being most elegant! This I have never understood! Maybe because of my judgement being colored by my mother! But Babe and Slim smoked like chimneys, and both died of lung cancer!
You have to be tall and lanky to pull off the Slim Keith look!!!!! So, forget it, I'll never do it! But, then, neither could Truman Capote! All he could do was look, and appreciate! And learn about fashion designers!!!!!!!!!!
Which is just fine with me, darlings!
Slim Hawks was the original Hawksian woman that everyone would be compared to. The three actresses that Howard Hawks made into stars are: Lauren Bacall, Ella Raines, and Margaret Sheridan for "The Thing from Another World" (1951). The Hawksian woman was considered different from other female archetypes of the time, in that she is considered "one of the gang" rather than an object of sexual desire. She could hold her own in a wit-driven argument, have the same profession as her male counterpart, and keep her cool under stress. The equality given to the Hawksian woman by the director, however, does not detract from her feminine qualities, such as seductiveness, femininity and softness. The strength of the Hawksian woman often brings out the more masculine qualities of an otherwise quiet and timid male lead. Typically Hawksian women come from either the aristocracy and learned to appreciate their working-man's ideals, or were hard-working professionals themselves who fought for the good of the common man. Hawksian women would be clothed in tailored well-cut, sporty styles, that were attractive yet down to earth. Physically Hawksian women are not all classic beauties, but rather, are carried more by their spunk and charisma than their physical features but many of his leading ladies would considered stunning beauties of the day.
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ReplyDeleteHey Marc,
Loved your assessment of the Hawksian woman.
You are right on the mark. Though I barely
recall Margaret Sheridan or Ella Raines.
They didn't go as far, socially or professionally,
as Lauren and Slim.
All of them had something long gone called Class.
Would there were other swans out there--maybe Blythe
Danner and Meryl Streep are the last of this kind.