When I was browsing back over the old posts for Girl Friday, I suddenly realized that I had completely overlooked one of my personal favorites. I mentioned her briefly, in another post, but she certainly deserves her own spotlight for Girl Friday.
So, without further ado, here's the woman who sparked my initial interest in Edwardian Beauties:
Lily Elsie
Lily Elsie was born, and lived most of her life in, England. She was wildly popular as a stage actress, appearing in comedies and musicals - due to her strong voice.
Oddly enough, Lily Elsie was painfully shy by most accounts. She was almost passed over for her breakthrough performance in The Merry Widow - because of her reluctance to play the lead role.
It was her appearance in The Merry Widow that is thought to be the impetus for the rise in popularity of the huge, feather laden hats with which Edwardian Women are so firmly attached in peoples minds. It set off a fashion trend that was unheard of at the time.
Lily Elsie did not have a long career. Her shyness made her more comfortable out of the limelight. She married a rich Army Officer, and spent most of her time pursuing her love of Fox Hunting. By many accounts, it was not a happy marriage and the two split in the 1930's. She passed away in 1962.
A quote of her's that I very much like:
The only way to succeed is to peg away. Work as hard as possible, and never appear to find things a trouble. (Lily Elsie.)
0 comments:
Post a Comment