Platform Shoes Worn by Mae West

Hollywood legend Mae West was famous for her ultra-glamorous, larger-than-life persona, but she stood barely 5 feet tall. To gain a commanding screen presence and stand eye-to-eye with towering leading men like Cary Grant, she famously wore custom-made, “double-decker” platform shoes that added between 8 to 9.5 inches to her height.

A marvel of vintage footwear engineering, these shoes literally featured one shoe bolted on top of another. A set of white platform straps sat atop a lower pair of wooden silver pumps. The bottom section created a “fake foot” illusion to fool onlookers. Hidden beneath her signature floor-length gowns, only the bottom silver toes would peek out from the hemline. This kept her massive height advantage a complete secret from audiences.

Her towering footwear directly birthed her trademark cinematic style. West could not take normal steps in 9-inch wooden blocks, so she adopted a slow, rhythmic, swaying sashay. What audiences perceived as a deliberate, seductive stride was actually a gait born out of pure necessity to keep from falling over.

Several pairs of her custom platforms survive in prominent historical fashion archives. ASU FIDM Museum holds several pairs (including 1950s performance shoes measuring 9½ inches total, plus her foot traces used for custom lasts) and has displayed the “double-decker” style. The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum has shown a pair of her 1950s wooden/metallic-leather platforms (around 8 inches). Other pairs have appeared in exhibitions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s Hollywood glamour shows.

1930 Packard 745 Deluxe Eight Convertible: American Luxury of the Classic Era

The 1930 Packard 745 Deluxe Eight Convertible was one of the most elegant American automobiles of the Classic Era. Built on Packard’s long 145.5-inch wheelbase chassis and powered by a smooth 385-cubic-inch straight-eight engine producing 106 horsepower, it combined refined performance with exceptional craftsmanship.

Many examples featured exclusive coachwork from renowned builders such as Dietrich, Waterhouse, Derham, and Brewster, resulting in graceful convertible designs that epitomized prewar luxury. With its long hood, balanced proportions, and sophisticated styling, the Packard 745 remains a highly prized symbol of American automotive elegance.

These stunning photos capture the timeless grace and refined luxury of the rare 1930 Packard 745 Deluxe Eight Convertible, a true classic of the Golden Age of American motoring.

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40 Stunning Portraits of Maureen O’Hara in the 1950s

In the 1950s, Maureen O’Hara (August 17, 1920 – October 24, 2015) reached the absolute pinnacle of her career, solidifying her status as Hollywood’s definitive “Queen of Technicolor.” Known for her striking red hair, fierce independent screen presence, and electric chemistry with John Wayne, she dominated the decade through iconic Westerns, action-packed adventure films, and television appearances.

Her working dynamic with director John Ford and co-star John Wayne defined her decade. She starred as Mary Kate Danaher in The Quiet Man (1952), delivering an iconic performance marked by fiery independence and physical commitment, followed by Western classics like Rio Grande (1950) and The Wings of Eagles (1957).

Studios leaned heavily into three-strip Technicolor specifically to feature O’Hara’s signature vibrant red hair, emerald-green eyes, and flawless complexion, making her a box-office staple in high-budget adventure films.

Known for insisting on performing her own stunts, O’Hara played fiercely capable leads in swashbucklers and adventure pictures like At Sword's Point (1952), Flame of Araby (1951), and Against All Flags (1952) alongside Errol Flynn.

In 1957, O’Hara famously sued the tabloid magazine Confidential for libel after it published fabricated stories about her, becoming one of the first major Hollywood stars to challenge gossip rags in court and win.

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30 Elegant Fashion Portraits of Agneta Darin From the 1960s

Agneta Darin was a fashion model active in the mid-1960s, known for her refined features and sophisticated presence in high-fashion editorials. She appeared in major magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, where she was photographed by leading photographers of the era including Saul Leiter, Francesco Scavullo, and William Helburn. Her work captured the clean lines, modern elegance, and youthful energy of mid-decade fashion.

Though less widely documented than some of her contemporaries, Darin’s striking looks and poised style made her a memorable face of 1960s fashion photography. These vintage photos capture the refined elegance and timeless style of Agneta Darin, a sophisticated model of the 1960s.

Agneta Darin in green matte Cohama vinyl sailor suit by Robert Sloan, sunglasses by Fashion Eyewear Group, photo by James Moore, Harper's Bazaar, January 1966

Agneta Darin in Bucol fabric silver streak dress molded high and strapless, a long stole wrapped around her head, by Castillo for Elizabeth Arden, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, April 1966

Agneta Darin in glorious free-form prints of chiffon over crêpe from neck to hem with wing-sleeves in chiffon by Galanos, flowing pageboy by Michel Kazan, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, April 1966

Agneta Darin in silky white Indian lamb coat with gilt-edged pearl buttons and edged in delicate gold braiding by Maximilian, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, October 1966

Agneta Darin in striped dress of blazing sequins spun in shock colors and chalk white jolts, bead fringes above the wrist and knee by Norman Norell, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, April 1966

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A Young Robert De Niro Photographed in 1963 for Brian De Palma’s “The Wedding Party” (1969)

Robert De Niro made his film debut in the movie The Wedding Party (1969), although it was actually filmed earlier in 1963 and released later. Many people associate De Niro’s early breakthrough with Greetings (1968), also directed by Brian De Palma, because it was released earlier and gained more attention. His career truly exploded after Mean Streets (1973) with Martin Scorsese, beginning one of the most famous actor–director collaborations in film history.

The Wedding Party is an American independent black-and-white comedy farce co-directed, written, produced, and edited by Brian De Palma, Wilford Leach, and Cynthia Munroe. It was shot in 1963 (on a budget of about $43,000) as a collaborative project involving Sarah Lawrence College theater professor Leach and two of his students (De Palma and Munroe). Due to a legal dispute over rights and final cut, it was not released until April 9, 1969, in New York City, after De Palma’s Greetings (1968) and after Robert De Niro had started gaining notice. The on-screen copyright year is 1966. It was later distributed by companies including Troma Entertainment and Ajay Film Company.

The film follows Charlie (Charles Pfluger), a young groom who arrives at the wealthy Fish family’s estate on Shelter Island, New York, two days before his wedding to Josephine (Jill Clayburgh). He is accompanied by his groomsmen and friends Cecil (Robert De Niro) and Alistair (William Finley).

Charlie quickly develops cold feet amid the eccentric, judgmental relatives, social rituals, and pressures of the pre-wedding events (stag party, rehearsal, dinner, etc.). His friends encourage him to bail, and he considers sabotage or other ways out, while the story satirizes wedding etiquette and social pretensions (including title cards quoting a fictional etiquette book, “The Compleat Bridegroom”). The tone is manic, experimental, and influenced by the French New Wave and Richard Lester-style comedy, with quick cuts, speeded-up sequences, and an improvisational feel.

It is an early, formative work for De Palma (he later noted realizing on this set that he knew more about filmmaking than his mentor Leach) and marks the screen debuts of De Niro and Clayburgh, plus early appearances by future De Palma collaborators Finley and Salt. It is often viewed as a messy but interesting precursor to De Palma’s later style and as a historical curiosity rather than a polished classic.

Robys (Robert Wolff): The Art Deco Master of French Advertising Posters

Robys, the professional name of Robert Wolff (1916–1995), was a French poster artist celebrated for his bold and colorful advertising designs.

Active primarily from the late 1920s through the 1950s, Robys created striking lithographic posters for wines, aperitifs, and consumer products, including brands such as Kina Lillet, Toni-Kola, Monsoleil, and Union. His work is marked by strong compositions, vivid colors, and a playful Art Deco elegance that captured the spirit of mid-century French commercial art.

Today, Robys’s posters remain highly regarded for their graphic energy, charm, and lasting visual appeal. These vibrant vintage posters showcase the dynamic Art Deco style of Robys, a true master of French advertising design.

Monsoleil, Léger, fin, délicat, circa 1929

Vals Saint-Jean, Eau Minerale Naturelle, circa 1920s

Adelshoffen, la bière fine d'Alsace, circa 1930

Baby L’Ange, Toute La Layette, circa 1930

Les Graines Vivantes VITA, Tous Jardiniers, circa 1930

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40 Photos of a Beautiful Julie Newmar in the 1960s

In the 1960s, Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer; August 16, 1933) became an indelible pop culture icon, defining the decade's fusion of space-age glamour, high camp, and female empowerment. Already an accomplished Broadway dancer and Tony Award winner, she reached global stardom on television by delivering a masterclass in seductive, witty, and physically imposing performances.

Before putting on the catsuit, she starred as Rhoda Miller, a sophisticated female android, in this sci-fi CBS sitcom My Living Doll (1964–1965). Leveraging her classical dance training, she perfectly executed the rigid, emotionless movements required of a robot, which she considered some of her finest and most challenging acting work.

Her most famous role came as the villainous love interest in the campy ABC hit series Batman. Appearing in just 13 episodes over the first two seasons (1966–1967), her sultry chemistry with Adam West's Batman permanently defined the character. She even famously customized her skintight black Lurex bodysuit, lowering the belt to emphasize her hips, creating a look later preserved by the Smithsonian Institution.

Her unique, statuesque presence (standing 5'11") made her a highly sought-after guest star. She memorably played the pregnant tribal queen Eleen in the 1967 Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Friday’s Child,” and made appearances on hit shows like Get Smart, The Twilight Zone, The Monkees, and Bewitched.

She spent the early 1960s starring in major national theatrical tours, playing the ultimate seductress Lola in Damn Yankees (1961) and the title character in Irma la Douce (1965). At the end of the decade, she stepped away from Batman to star in the Western adventure film Mackenna’s Gold (1969).

Beyond her acting, Newmar’s sharp intellect saw her emerge as an early fashion innovator; she actually patented a precursor to shaping pantyhose during this era, paving the way for her second career as a multi-millionaire real estate entrepreneur and lingerie designer.

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