Socialites & Jetsetters

[heyalice]

Any news on the mother of all socialites, Mrs. Astor?

[Yossarian]

Is Nan Kempner still alive?

[viridian]

yossarian said:

Is Nan Kempner still alive?

Nope, she died in 2005. The Met had a special exhibit[/color] a few months ago to show off her wardrobe. It sounded sort of interesting, but I thought the recent Chanel show at the museum was poorly organized & wasn't willing to pay for another fashion exhibit. New York magazine had a brief slideshow[/color], if you're interested.

One thing is for sure, she certainly was thin.

[Yossarian]

Thanks for that, viridian. She sure had a lot of clothes; some of them beautiful ... some of them, um, interesting.

I always wonder whether the husbands of these Social X-Rays actually find them attractive? Attractive as in a I-want-to-jump-your-bones kind of way. Or are they valued more for just how many mentions they get in Vogue per month? Most of them are so thin (and not in a good, healthy way), look very brittle, dress in couture that is more handsome than feminine or sexy, and have perma-bitch faces. Add to that their complete vapidity (with few exceptions), what is there to admire? If I was going to have a trophy wife, I'd want one that was a) teh purty, or b) could at least maintain a decent conversation on something not related to fashion or the other women of their set.

[divasahm]

yossarian said:

Thanks for that, viridian. She sure had a lot of clothes; some of them beautiful ... some of them, um, interesting.

I always wonder whether the husbands of these Social X-Rays actually find them attractive? Attractive as in a I-want-to-jump-your-bones kind of way. Or are they valued more for just how many mentions they get in Vogue per month? Most of them are so thin (and not in a good, healthy way), look very brittle, dress in couture that is more handsome than feminine or sexy, and have perma-bitch faces. Add to that their complete vapidity (with few exceptions), what is there to admire? If I was going to have a trophy wife, I'd want one that was a) teh purty, or b) could at least maintain a decent conversation on something not related to fashion or the other women of their set.

I think a lot of the socialites of a certain age had a real talent for the meet and greet--making connections at parties, board meetings, etc., with movers and shakers who could help advance their husbands in their business dealings and who could help them in their charity fundraising efforts.

[Deleted]

divasahm said:

yossarian said:

Thanks for that, viridian. She sure had a lot of clothes; some of them beautiful ... some of them, um, interesting.

I always wonder whether the husbands of these Social X-Rays actually find them attractive? Attractive as in a I-want-to-jump-your-bones kind of way. Or are they valued more for just how many mentions they get in Vogue per month? Most of them are so thin (and not in a good, healthy way), look very brittle, dress in couture that is more handsome than feminine or sexy, and have perma-bitch faces. Add to that their complete vapidity (with few exceptions), what is there to admire? If I was going to have a trophy wife, I'd want one that was a) teh purty, or b) could at least maintain a decent conversation on something not related to fashion or the other women of their set.

I think a lot of the socialites of a certain age had a real talent for the meet and greet--making connections at parties, board meetings, etc., with movers and shakers who could help advance their husbands in their business dealings and who could help them in their charity fundraising efforts.

I think that's why powerful men were attracted to women like Pamela Harriman. At least she had brains to go along with her beauty.

[Auroranorth]

Money, probably. The Miller girls all got married.

[viridian]

divasahm said:

I think a lot of the socialites of a certain age had a real talent for the meet and greet--making connections at parties, board meetings, etc., with movers and shakers who could help advance their husbands in their business dealings and who could help them in their charity fundraising efforts.

I think you hit it right on the nose. It's also a very insular world, so it's not surprising the men go for the familiar socialite rather than "not our kind, dear". Besides, the super-slim physique is such a given in that circle, the men probably take pride in their wives being so tiny & getting their photos in magazines.

Olivia Chantecaille is waaaaay too skinny, though. There's been rumors that she's anorexic, right?

[Daisy Pusher]

Most of today's socialites irritate me. They are identical to the point of being fungible. None of them stand out by virtue of their style, charm, charisma, etc. As divasahm pointed out:

I think a lot of the socialites of a certain age had a real talent for the meet and greet--making connections at parties, board meetings, etc., with movers and shakers who could help advance their husbands in their business dealings and who could help them in their charity fundraising efforts.

Perhaps because the era of socialites has faded, or perhaps because the 80s catapaulted new money to the top of the social heap, I cannot say, but it really seems like the socialites of today are just worthless for anything beyond partying.

Compare today's poor facsimiles to the greats, like Pamela Harriman, or Slim Hawks Hayward Keith, Brenda Frazier, or, my personal favorites, the fabulous Cushing sisters.

[Peggy Lane]

Or like the fabulous Babe Paley.