Thought for the day

"If I say that your sense of style's as far as off as your youth;
It's simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will tell you the whole stinkin' truth?"

Vera Charles, Mame

A sepia Hedy Lamarr?

"Always be smarter than the people who hire you."

"In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I`m black and a woman, singing my own way."

“It's ill-becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occasionally we do.”

“It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.”

Lena Horne (30th June 1917 – 9th May 2010)

My tribute when Miss Horne died

On the Jukebox this weekend at Dolores Delargo Towers

Every folly but vanity

"I may be no better, but at least I am different."

"Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well."

"Provided a man is not mad, he can be cured of every folly but vanity."

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (28th June 1712 - 2nd July 1778)

Sweet dreams...

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

John Keats, Endymion

Racing Ladies, pt 2

The belle of the ball of Royal Ascot every year is the lovely Mrs Florence Claridge.

A veteran of the event for more than 25 years, Mrs C has been adopted as a form of "unofficial mascot" of the races - dressed as she always is by the maestro of big eye-catching hats David Shilling (whose mother Gertrude was a fixture of Ladies' Day for many years until her death in 1999).

Let us just stand back and admire this amazing woman and her oustanding headgear...













"It's Ladies' Day, isn't it? You have to stand out." is Florence Claridge's motto.

I think she succeeds!

David Shilling

Racing Ladies, pt 1

"Hats divide generally into three classes: offensive hats, defensive hats, and shrapnel." - Katharine Whitehorn

As ever, the milliners of Britain went completely overboard for Ladies' Day at Ascot Races yesterday.







The rain didn't hold off for long...



But the punters kept smiling.



Especially our favourite, Mrs Florence Claridge:



- but more of her in part two...

More Royal Ascot Ladies' Day hats