Madra Lord's New Hat

Madra Lord

Miss Lord tops her sharply tailored 1940's ensemble with a spicy new hat to flatter even the most discriminating diva. Inspired by an illustration from a German pattern book, the small brimmed, felt hat features a high open crown to accommodate a marvelous feather spray. Silk tweed jerkin, hat, and color-blocked suede guantlet gloves are from The Couture Touch. Pinstriped shirt is from Robert Tonner's Brenda Starr Collection. Black skirt is from Sandra Stillwell, and the clutch is from Madame Alexander. The restyled "Siren in the Night" Madra Lord, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

Illustration from "Der Goldene Schnitt",
 1940/41.

Experiment in Straw

Inspired by a noted French fashion designer, the milliners at The Couture Touch have been hard at work experimenting with straw to create new fashionable toppers for the stars of Monolithic Studios.

Gene Marshall

For a publicity shoot, Gene Marshall wears the sleek, striped suit originally worn by Madra Lord in the 1940 film "She Went to Rio". Miss Marshall tops the Adrian-inspired suit with a fabulous straw hat from The Couture Touch. Suit and gloves are from Ashton Drake. Fur is from miniature furrier PD Root.

The inspiration for Miss Marshall's hat was this marvelous Elsa Schiaparelli cellophane straw hat, circa 1939. Illustration courtesy hprints.com

Gene Marshall

Miss Marshall, on location for her new film, wears a dramatic version of this whimsical topper. The black lacquered straw with red and turquoise stripe detailing along with red and black beaded suede gauntlet gloves and coordinating handbag complement this late 1930's suit ensemble. Hat, gloves and skirt are from The Couture Touch. Red jacket is borrowed from J'Adore Gene Marshall and is accented with a floral jabot (originally an Ashton Drake hair ornament). The original buttons on the jacket were updated. Handbag is from Sandra Stillwell.

Ivy Jordan

While scouting a new location for Miss Marshall's new film, director Ivy Jordan wears a smart, basic black dress topped with a fabulous burgundy suede hat with a crown of black straw. A narrow black grosgrain band artfully holds a single black feather. Dress, gloves, handbag, and earrings are from Ashton Drake. Hat and brooch are from The Couture Touch.

Credits:

Symphony in G Gene Marshall, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.
Phoenix Gene Marshall, sporting a chic wig from Monique, is from JamieShow.
Color Deal Ivy Jordan is from Integrity.

Schiaparelli and Madra Lord

A Shocking Collaboration

The collaboration between fashion designer and film star is well-documented: Adrian and Joan Crawford, Orry-Kelly and Bette Davis, Oleg Cassini and Gene Tierney, Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn. All had a special relationship on screen as well as off. So perhaps it's not so shocking that a fictional movie star diva from Monolithic Studios would embrace the modern and whimsical style of famed Italian designer, Elsa Schiaparelli. Mme. Schiaparelli's flamboyant flair for design would almost certainly appeal to the often over-the-top personality of Madra Lord.

This 1940 original Schiaparelli hat, created exclusively for Dave Herstein & Co (New York), could have easily been the inspiration for Miss Lord's smart and stylish hat from Robert Tonner's "Arrival at Port" ensemble.

Miss Madra Lord

Credits:
Like a Fox Madra Lord is from Ashton Drake.
Arrival at Port suit ensemble is from Robert Tonner's Brenda Starr Collection.
Photo of Schiaparelli hat is from The Millinery Monitor, 1940.

Hats Off to Brenda Starr

During the 1940's. hats were de rigueur even for the career-minded, investigative reporter of the fictional newspaper The Flash. Brenda Starr was created by Dale (Dalia) Messick and debuted on June 30, 1940 in the Chicago Tribune. Messick drew her comic-strip heroine as a red-headed, glamorous, fashion-forward, jet-setting reporter whose stylish hats were no doubt inspired by Messick's mother, a milliner by trade.

Photo courtesy neptsdepths.blogspot.com

What to wear for a jail-house visit? A fabulous platter hat perfectly matched to her suit ensemble.

Photo courtesy savagecritic.com

Brenda is determined to steal the spotlight from Daphne in a fabulous off-the-face feathered topper and matching fur-trimmed coat.

Photo courtesy savagecritic.com

Embroiled in plots and intrigue, Brenda is lucky in stripes: a marvelous, unusual-shaped, halo hat and jacket to match.

Photo courtesy geek-news.mtv.com

A chic turban is always in style for that all-important interview.

Gene Marshall as Brenda Starr

Monolithic Studios' resident girl star Miss Gene Marshall portrays the comic-strip heroine and goes undercover as a blonde to get her story. She chooses a smart terracotta wool felt tilt topper to complement her blonde locks. The silk tweed jerkin, hat, and gauntlet gloves are from The Couture Touch. Pinstriped shirt is from Robert Tonner's "Just My Type" Brenda Starr ensemble. Skirt is from Ashton Drake, and handbag is from Integrity. Miss Marshall (a re-styled "Fashion Plot") is from Ashton Drake. 

Photo Courtesy dalemessick.com

Two delightful hats as envisioned by Dale Messick for the cover of her book, The Red-Headed Bombshell (1989).

Photo courtesy dhdd.net

Brenda's hat dilemma.....deliciously solved!

A Dame in a Red Hat

Miss Gene Marshall

I love the color red partnered with a leopard print. Monolithic Studios' diva Miss Gene Marshall loves red too! Here she poses for a publicity shot in an off-the-face, scoop-brimmed hat by The Couture Touch. A marvelous leopard plastron from D.A.E. Originals is layered over the black knit top from Ashton Drake's "A Lady Knows" costume. Miss Marshall's hair and jewelry are from The Couture Touch.

"Fashion Plot" Gene Marshall is from Ashton Drake.