Staying Classy With Ava Gardner

"No wonder, when I think of that marriage now, I think of nightclubs: the Palladium, Ciro’s, the Cocoanut Grove, where we danced to Tommy Dorsey’s band. Guys didn’t trouble me much—most of them knew I was Mickey’s wife—but that’s where I learned to drink, I mean to drink seriously. All the clubs were hot on under-age drinking, but Mick would slip me dry martinis in coffee cups. Sipping a dry martini out of a coffee cup seemed as glamorous as hell to me."

Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations 

Upon reading that particular excerpt, it got me thinking - a multitude of sins or less than virtuous characteristics can always be disguised by a little old fashioned glamour. I've never really been a spandex mini dress and stripper heels kind of girl - 1) these particular items, when worn together, make me feel cheap, 2) I prefer seduction through suggestion rather than revelation, and 3) I don't like my wardrobe to kiss and tell (I don't like my body making statements that may or may not be true...). Don't get me wrong, I have a quite a few pairs of fetish heels myself, but I like to pair them with fairly modest attire for contrast. I've noticed that Dita Von Teese utilizes the same strategy, and although she IS basically a stripper (her words!), she never looks anything less than elegant. I prefer to forge my own way, ignore mandates from modern pop culture completely, and create my own brand of sex appeal. As I have stated before, I quite like a healthy dose of vulgarity - but nothing overt or obvious (it bores me). I suppose I think its amusing to be a walking, talking contradiction and I secretly relish the confused looks and blank stares I get from time to time when I say something that doesn't match my appearance. I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoy confusing people, mostly because the idea of fitting into one particular or designated box is a ridiculous idea and to believe that it is so black and white shows your own naivete.Yes, just because you look like a stripper it doesn't mean you are one, but the element of surprise that the femme fatale has is infinitely more fun to play with and garners many more memorable stories than the former. Just take a page from Ava's book!

Comrade Von Pussycat