Reach for warm coats this Winter season to prevent yourself from reaching for not-so-stylish anti-cold pills and dolls.
retrokimmer.com The main poster for the 1967 drama film, Valley of the Dolls
I finished watching the 1967 film adaptation of Jacqueline Susann’s best-selling novel, “Valley of the Dolls,” over the weekend. The film follows three women and their fates brought on by prescription drugs, or dolls, as they called the pills. A beauty meets death, a starlet encounters insanity, and a small-town New England girl searching for success in New York City decides to achieve victory on her own, sans pills and men.
While scenes featuring bright, dancing lights and haunting scores excite the senses, the actresses’ wardrobes prove more hypnotic than the pills’ hallucinatory effects. Anne Welles, played by Barbara Parkins, possessed the most memorable ensembles, in my humble opinion. Her variety of coats fit for the current Winter season, however, enveloped me in sartorial splendor.
Welles’ many looks epitomize late ’60s glamor: sleek, well-fitted dresses, soft color palettes and a focus on texture rather than loud prints popular a decade later. Refinement and finesse are present from the young woman’s large yet tamed bouffant hairstyle to shoes perfectly matching her entire look.
Who knew a completely camel outfit could look so chic? Here, Welles’ beret, coat and purse rise above the Winter style hump.
An ash gray double breasted pea coat with camel-colored lapels and buttons provide a less colorful, yet sleek look perfect for a short business trip to Broadway. Once again, Welles’ beret adds personality and a touch of European flair.
In the last scene, Welles decides to travel alone on her journey toward success. Doing so in a lush brown fur coat automatically validates this decision, no context necessary.
Style on, my lovelies, style on.
Style Over Stress 