C Z Guest was an American lady from an extremely rich old Boston banking family but she didn't act like one!! When she died in her 80's still popular, beautifully dressed and Time magazine featured on the cover and said she "was a legend even in her lifetime".
At 19 see appeared as a showgirl on Broadway and after a short stint as an actress in Hollywood, she moved to Mexico and had herself painted in the nude by the socialist artist Diego Rivera (scandal in the 40's). She married totally out of her "class" in Havana with Ernest Hemingway as a witness.
But throughout her life she was always one thing that remained her style.
Later in life she was a socialite, and an accomplished rider. Her gardening column was syndicated in 350 newspapers.
C Z had firm views on how to dress - trousers were for sport and hunting, she ignored trends and choose styles that flattered her figure. She preferred the Palm Beach style that that was defined by heavy fabrics, clean cut lines and pastel shades.
C Z's signature style was a slim fit dress with matching gloves or a pencil skirt teamed with an elegant sweater which was initially taken as an insult in American society but then copied many times over.
I love her simple, elegant style and one of the outfits picked up at Hepcats a few weekends ago has a little of her look going on so watch out for my tribute to her look (when the weather gets a little warmer).
