This first post is all about Tippi Hedren. She was my first ever girl crush (well first adult girl crush, there were others before in my youth, such notables as Neneh Cherry, Madonna, Pepsi and Shirley...!)
I first fell in love with her when I discovered Alfred Hitchcock, probably my favorite film director of all. It was after watching her in The Birds that I started a long love affair with all things vintage and vintage style. I copied ( as best I could) her outfits. I was all pencil skirts, neat little jackets and kitten heels, tottering about the office floor of my first ever proper job as a design assistant at Debenhams head office. So much so people- including my then boss- started calling me Tippi! ( a vast improvement I might add from the one before which was ' Saucy Sarah' Oh dear..)
Before acting Tippi was a successful fashion model during the 50's and 60's and was discovered by Hitchcock whilst he was watching The Today Show when she appeared in one of the adverts. Mentored and groomed by the Master of Suspense himself she went on to star in two of his most iconic films: The Birds and Marnie. During the making of The Birds, in order to get the most 'realistic' scenes of sheer terror from our heroine, the sadistic Mr Hitchcock insisted that real birds be tied with elastic bands to her head and also thrown at her face! If that's not dedication to the job I don't what is!
Sure there are other Hitchcock heroines- Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Kim Novak and Ingrid Bergman to name a few. But none, in my opinion possessed and delivered on screen the same sass, wit and self assurance as Tippi Hedren.
Tippi
Pass me a Vogue cigarette and an old fashioned telephone..
In anticipation of birds about to be hurled at her face, Tippi tries to keep her cool..
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Getting her hustle on in Marni
What did you just call me?
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His methods may be questionable but Tippi sure looks terrified!
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Hitchcock and Tippi
Loving the blog missy...xx
ReplyDeleteNice work lovely....you write - I'll follow! xxx
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