The women we wanted to look like

In this stunning and provocative book, Brigid Keenan captures the essence of the glittering world of high fashion. She examines every aspect of the shift in styles from Paris in the 1920's to Madison Avenue today. The real heroines of this lavishly illustrated book are the beautiful women who wore the beautiful clothes -- whether members of famous families like Baroness Pauline de Rothschild and Jacqueline Kennedy, or models like Twiggy and Verushka who made their names for themselves. In a witty and often irreverent style, the author focuses on the high-powered designers who have influenced fashion -- Pucci, Dior, Quant, Chanel, St. Laurent, to name just a few -- and examines their contribution to the changing scene. Film stars with their own unique auras -- Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Hedy Lamarr, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor -- each motivated thousands of women to imitate a particular look, to adopt a certain style. The powerful impact of black women on fashion is discussed, as is the importance of the famous beauties of the 20's and 30's like Millicent Rogers and Princess Paley. Debutantes, eccentrics, notorious public figures -- all contributed to the history of fashion and all are depicted here in entertaining detail. The photographers responsible for the strikingly evocative pictures in this book (over 200 photographs, 40 in full color) include such luminaries as Cecil Beaton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Man Ray.