Being Audrey, in more than one way

Hello all. Thanks for being so patient as I fell off the face of the Earth (yet again). Without going into too much detail, the economic crisis has mucked up my life and I'm afraid I must spend the majority of my time trying to make ends meet until things improve. So I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but thank you for being loyal and hovering about, waiting patiently for more news.

Just now I received a letter from a lady named Michelle, and she has some interesting information that New York Audrey fans will love to hear, I'm sure. I'll just copy and paste Michelle's words, since they say everything that needs to be said so well:

Being Audrey is the story of Claire Stark, the new York woman who has it all: a beautiful life, marital and social bliss, and a view of Tiffany's from her Fifth Avenue apartment. When calamity strikes and her fairytale world threatens to collapse, Claire seeks refuge in her imagination, where she embarks on a hilarious, romantic adventure inspired by the films of her heroine, Audrey Hepburn. As Hepburn's character in the classic films Roman Holiday, Funny Face, Love in the Afternoon, Sabrina, and Breakfast at Tiffany's, Claire's fantastical escape appears complete until she must confront the reality of what she stands to lose. Being Audrey celebrates the variety of life and the themes embodied by one of America's most beloved and enduring movie stars. Music and lyrics by Ellen Weiss. Book by James Hindman. Developed with and directed by Jack Cummings III.

Being Audrey will be performed at the Connelly Theatre at 220 E. 4th St. New York, NY. Tickets are $45 for reserved seats, $38 for general admission. Reservations can be made with our General Manager, Michael Coglan, at coglan@transportgroup.org or (212) 564-0333. Please visit our website for more information, www.transportgroup.org

Sounds interesting, no? Maybe it sounds a little like something we're all guilty of at some time or another? I'll admit to stopping at the Tiffany & Co. in San Francisco a few times and just peering in the windows when I still lived up there, and doing some other Audrey re-enactments to entertain myself. If you live in the New York area or will be in town between March 27th and April 26th, the show's run, then try and check it out! You can't visit New York and not take in any live theatre. That's just . . . wrong.

Speaking of having your own little Holly Golightly moment, someone else was caught having her own moment. Though while people like you and I do it quietly, maybe on the way to work or while wandering downtown, Jennifer Love Hewitt called the paparazzi to document her trip. Apparently this was her 30th birthday celebration, but so far I haven't read anything positive about it. Perhaps everyone's tired of her on and off Audrey fandom? Either way, here's a picture or two, you can make up your own mind:






I'll stay mum on this, but once and for all, I'd like to know what this girl has against Wayfarers! She didn't use them in The Audrey Hepburn Story and she's sporting Jackie O's here. Wayfarers are really hot right now, and personally, I love my pair. What's so wrong with them? They're classic! And very Audrey.

How to be Audrey Hepburn/Holly Golightly for Halloween

It's that time of year again ... Halloween! And I've noticed that a lot of people have been searching for an Audrey Hepburn costume, so here's everything you need all in one convenient post. Since most women tend to do Holly Golightly as an easily recognizable Audrey costume, most of these tips are Breakfast at Tiffany's oriented. The film was recently voted the most stylish film of all time, so it's hard to go wrong as Holly Golightly!

1. The hair. A lot of people think that Audrey's iconic "pineapple 'do," that massive updo from the beginning of Breakfast at Tiffany's, is almost impossible to do by yourself. But this step-by-step tutorial shows that it's actually quite easy and possible for almost any hair length. You might need a lot of hair pins and hairspray, especially if your hair tends to be fine, but it's definitely achievable. Ask a friend for help if you have trouble; what friend could resist dressing you up as Audrey Hepburn?


2. The makeup. Recently makeup artist askmemakeup posted a video tutorial on how to do Holly Golightly's makeup. It's very good and true to Audrey Hepburn's real makeup both on and offset, so whether you're doing Holly or Audrey you're in good hands with this video.



3. The accessories. What's an Audrey Hepburn costume without a tiara? And not just any old tiara will do, my dear. Luckily, Tiaratown offers very good replicas of some of Audrey's most iconic jewelry pieces, from Breakfast at Tiffany's to My Fair Lady, and even Funny Face. Available in both gold and silver finishes, these tiaras and necklaces are beautiful enough to wear anytime, not just on Halloween.*


Sunglasses. You can't be Audrey Hepburn without some fabulous, oversized sunglasses now, can you? Audrey's top choice in shades were the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarers, but they may be out of your price range for the time being. Not to worry, though! The Wayfarers are so enduringly popular that they've spawned tons of knockoffs, all much more affordable and all still good looking. You can get good knockoffs starting at $2, if you know where to look.


*Bonus: While you may not feel comfortable parading around in nothing but a men's tuxedo shirt and an outrageous sleep mask in the middle of autumn, you can still get an excellent replica of Holly Golightly's sleep mask, made by Fred Flare. You know, for personal use. ;)


4. The dress.* If you're very crafty, you could sew your own dress, but you'd probably have to either make your own pattern or modify an existing one to get what you want. If you're not so crafty, or you're just running out of time, then it's probably just easier to buy a dress off the rack. It's completely up to you whether you want to go long and formal or do an easier little black dress, but shop around before deciding! Remember that Audrey was known for simple and elegant LBDs, so less is always more. Try to stick with knee-length, maybe with a nice boatneck, since that was Audrey's preferred neckline. Any local boutique should have what you're looking for.

from Charade

Well, that should be everything you need. If I've forgotten something or you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll be happy to help. Have fun!

*Update: I've added a second section with even more costume tips and tricks here. This entry includes opera gloves, jewelry, dresses, cigarette holders, and more!
- Sewing patterns for Audrey costumes of all sorts and sizes can be found in this guide.
- And to add a little touch of Audrey the humanitarian to your Audrey as a fashion icon costume, click here.
- As long as you're going to be Audrey for Halloween, why not enter our contest and get a free book or DVD out of it? See details here.
- Link checked on July 9, 2010 and the Tiaratown website is temporarily closed for a holiday. If it's not back by the end of July, I'm afraid it's closed for good. I will find alternatives for you.

affordable Audrey style -- and are the new Wayfarers out already?

News is still very slow here -- is everyone on vacation but me? But there is a new boutique in Palo Alto, California, which has a very prominent Audrey style. While their website is still pretty bare bones for now, Vian Hunter is already making a name for themselves with their affordable, chic women's clothes. There's even an LBD (that's little black dress, for those of you who might be out of touch) named the Audrey! If you live nearby and stop in for a peek, you might even catch a glimpse of Audrey herself -- rather, a film of hers playing. And to make up for the website still being under construction, they have a printable colouring book with their designs to download, completely free. Information thanks to InsideBayArea.com.

And I've been breathlessly awaiting the new (and hopefully not improved) Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Last I heard, they were coming out at the beginning of 2007 amid much fanfare and inflated prices, but some online retailers claim to already have them. Among those selling the New Wayfarers: Sunglass Hut, for $89.95 ($139.95 for a special tortoiseshell frame); and Nordstrom's, black frame only, for $89.00.

FINALLY! New pictures, and the minute-long Gap commercial

Thankfully my home didn't decide to burn down (yet), so I was able to get up 229 pictures for you! This gallery is just miscelaneous pictures from throughout the 1950s, like modeling pictures and candids. You can go straight to the gallery by clicking here, if you'd like.


Next up, someone finally got the 60 second Gap commercial back on You Tube! I'll always kick myself for not downloading it right away. The sound isn't quite synched up at the beginning, but I'll take what I can get right now.

Edit: video has been removed from YouTube

I found a review of the new They All Laughed DVD on USA Today, and they didn't seem to care about it too much. It rated 2 1/2 stars out of four, and no bonus features are listed. (The only ones I know about so far are a commentary with director Peter Bogdanovich and an interview with him and fellow director/fan Wes Anderson.) You can see their review here, about halfway down the page.

And lastly, Ray-Ban is bringing back some classic shades. The Wayfarers, worn in many classic movies like The Blues Brothers and Breakfast at Tiffany's, is going to come back from the dead, for the price of $129. There's apparently going to be a pretty big media blitz to stir up more interest in the shades (and to try and get away with their major price inflation), so maybe we'll see some more use of Audrey in ad campaigns? The most important part of the story is here, but if you want to read more, you'll have to subscribe to The Wall Street Journal. Lame.



P.S. I'm having trouble deciding what I want to give away in the next contest, so maybe you could help us out! There's a poll on the contests page, so vote on what you'd like to see given away next. If you want to suggest something that's not listed, simply click on the "something not listed here" button, then drop us a line saying what you would like to see. We'll take all suggestions seriously, as long as you don't suggest us buying the Breakfast at Tiffany's dress and then giving it away. Don't you dare! :)