Collectible Jewelry: January 2014

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

On Her Birthday-The Best Dressed Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne 12/20/1898 – 09/04/90

American actress and singer Irene Dunne was born on this day 115 years ago. Her classically trained voice lent itself well to musicals popular in 20s and 30s, but her talent didn’t stop there. She went on to become equally popular in comedies and dramas.

Irene Dunne in a promotional shot for Roberta. 1935

Irene Dunne in a promotional shot for Roberta. 1935

As a highly respected actress of her time, Irene earned best actress Academy Award nominations for Cimarron (1931) Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), Love Affair (1939) and I Remember Mama(1948).

Irene Dunne in a Robert Kalloch gown for The Awful Truth. 1937

Irene Dunne in The Awful Truth 1937, Columbia designer kaloch

Irene Dunne in a Robert Kalloch gown for The Awful Truth. 1937

Her elegant and ladylike style didn’t go unnoticed either. She made best dressed lists more than once, including the International Best Dressed List hall of fame in 1958.

In a newspaper article in 1952, when asked how she kept her “best dressed” reputation, Ms. Dunne replied-

“Perhaps it is because of the way I buy clothes. I don’t buy many, but what I do buy are of the best.
When I look for an outfit I don’t merely look for one that will last for a season.
I make sure the clothes are well made and I generally pick things along classic lines.
It’s not unusual for my things to last six or eight years.”

Irene Dunne wearing stunning, metallic Greer gown in 1939. Photo by Richard Kelly.

Irene Dunne wearing Greer gown in 1939. Photo by Richard Kelly.

On and off-screen, Irene was a class act. She was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies in her time, yet managed to stay out of scandal’s way, which gave her less press than some of her more flambuoyant colleagues.

Irene Dunne in a fabulous bow print dress in 1941. Love this print!

bow dress unfinished business 1941 Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne in a fabulous bow print dress in 1941.

Fantastic Plastic- Vintage Lucite Jewelry

One of my favorite things to collect is vintage lucite costume jewelry. Many people think of lucite as being clear, but it actually can be tinted many different shades. I especially love all the various colors and shapes because they remind me of candy! Except for pieces like the highly collectible “Jelly Bellies”, it’s still somewhat plentiful and not anywhere near as pricey as bakelite.
After doing a little research I discovered Lucite was invented by the Dupont Company around 1936. It was used extensively by the military during World War II. After that it was marketed strictly for decorative purposes.It’s a type of acrylic resin referred to as a ”thermoset plastic”, which means, like bakelite, it cures irreversibly into a stronger form once it has been heated and molded.
Below are a couple of sets I picked up recently. These fun pieces look quite fabulous with vintage sundresses. But this type of jewelry would also add an interesting and whimsical touch to a contemporary outfit.