Some slack shopping, a nice little movie and a nice little present under the tree for me.
Well, we'll see about that. Shopping is never easy. In 1959, you could have had heavenly shopping in downtown Oakland. I. Magnin, the shops in the Rotunda Building, another department store my boss remembers his mother going to that was just as nice. . .
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| Image from Department Store Museum. |
And here's a Flickr set from Thomas Hawk of the Rotunda Building today.
But I digress. That's because that's what I do when I shop.
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"For the perplexed at heart: a short course, here, in quick, easy present buying. Most of these suggestions are main-floor dwellers in shops . . . any one would be a charming way for man-woman-child-or-dog to deal with all the feminine names on a present list."
First up: a six-pack of silk chiffon scarves with hand-rolled hems. $9 then, $70 now. That's a very nice present. Thank you! Next?
Three purse-sized perfume sprays: Five O'Clock by Helena Rubinstein (defunct); Intoxication, by D'Orsay (I'm surprised we haven't seen them sooner. Ancient French house, but not widely distributed here. Intoxication, in any event, is defunct.) Or, Tweed, which you can still find at the twilight-zonish Vermont Country Store, along with all of the other products that have been dead everywhere else for decades. ($5.50 for the small spray then; $30.00 for twice as much in a bottle, now.)
Or, for a change of pace, what about four more purse-sized flacons?
Ecusson, by D'Albret, apparently first marketed in U.S. in 1947, but supposedly first appeared in France in the 1500s. And now it has been revived by Long Lost Perfumes. The perfume that wouldn't die - but I've never heard of it. $8.50 for 1/4 ounce.
Primitif, "a sultry, jungle-lady kind of fragrance" by Max Factor. $3.50 for 1/4 ounce. And how would you like to get this in your Christmas stocking? I don't think it had the desired affect. Max Factor is now owned by Proctor & Gamble, and when I read this (principals of Hanes hosiery and Proctor & Gamble instrumental in program of forced sterilization of the "unfit") this morning, I knew that somewhere in Vogue tonight, I'd come across the company. But I didn't think it would be so drenched in irony.
Update: December 11, 2011. Within four hours of this post, Proctor & Gamble visited my blog. I've never had that happen. Always thought the Proctor-&-Gamble-is-the-devil belief one of the best markers of the complete moron, but could they be on to something?
Oh La La, by Ciro. Introduced 1959. Defunct.
And finally, the "warm, remote" Antilope by Weil. You mean it got away? Supposedly still around, couldn't confirm.
And, yet more perfume: Fame, Fireworks, Bal de Carnet - we've seen that ad. And Bond Street, late of Yardley's now resurrected at Long Lost Perfumes. This is the only one I'm curious about. Nice women wore it with their tweeds. Very Brief Encounter.
Well, we've thoroughly toured the perfume counter. What next?
Jackpot. Eureka. Thank you, Santa Baby. Finally. You won't believe it. Just have to wait for it.
But first - not out of the perfume aisle, yet. Or ever! Just a list (even Miss Editorial Assistant can't be bothered with prices.)
By now we have thoroughly exasperated the perfume saleslady. But we spritz on.
Directoire by Charles of the Ritz. Defunct.
Eve-Reve, by Rigaud. Defunct.
L'Aimant, by Coty. Kind of around on Amazon, but disavowed on the Coty website.
Stradivari, by Prince Matchabelli. Defunct.
Private Label, by Bonwit Teller. Doubly defunct.
Seven Winds, by DuBarry. Defunct.
Not picking them so well. Can we move on? Nope - now we have purse-sized bottles that can be refilled from bigger bottles:
Joya, "from Spain." Defunct.
Tabu, by Dana. Still sort of around, but not as a perfume you'd find at Nordstrom.
Finally - not perfume, but perfumable: that peignoir I'm sure you've forgotten about. Black-over-pink DuPont nylon. By Vanity Fair. So, how much? Mind you: nylon, Vanity Fair (sold at Penney's). $90.00. How is that even possible? In today's money that would be: $700.00. What a change in fortune for Vanity Fair.
Now we circle back to the cosmetics counter for an Elizabeth Arden lipstick with fancy case at $5.00 ($38.90). Today you can get a very nice Elizabeth Arden lipstick for $22.50, without the fancy case. Nice little present, if you get the right color, which you won't, so it's kind of a strange present.
Now, for my present.
At last -- my own Warhol! And I had it all the time.
Let's go to the movies!
* Very British version of The 39 Steps: Ordinary man rescues baby, gets mixed up in international spy ring, meets girl.
* Kenneth More the epitome of the ordinary man; Taina Elg rather dull. Still - a good movie for a bad day.
* The Ford Zephyr is very cute.
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