shwryr: Elizabeth Taylor February 27th 1932

I was up and ready to write a new post on some random fashion find this morning until I got the news this morning actress Elizabeth Taylor passed away. My morning started off a usual, get up write something, walk the dog, etc. but nothing hits you more than learning that someone you admire has passed away. I didn't know how to react at first but true to Cancer form I cried, No I didn't know Elizabeth personally but I didn't need to in order to love her as much as I do.

As an avid golden era movie watcher Elizabeth was the woman that always held my attention in the most in movies.Not because of her beauty but Elizabeth was a damn good actress. Her presence commanded a scene when she entered and she held an audience with her softness and sometimes vulnerability. You could relate to her characters, root for them, or despise their very presence and to me THAT is what acting is. To make you feel an emotion towards a character that doesn't exist but for those 2 hours in time they do.

I grew up watching Elizabeth the way America watched her grow up on screen, years before. I can't tell you how many countless hours I have watched Elizabeth go from the cute little girl in Lassie Come Home to her simmering command on camera as Cleopatra.

I loved her acting but the one thing I loved even more were her clothes. If I could get away to this day walking around like Elizabeth Taylor in the White Diamonds commercial I would. Her looks were always well put together and spelled elegance. My mother and I have spent hours talking about Elizabeth's clothes in her movies. She could wear anything and some how make it look regal, her gorgeous gowns from Elephant Walk and even her simple "everyday" clothes in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof and Giant here always beautifully put together and reflected her character's personalities to a T.

Elizabeth is the very reason I design clothes the way I do, almost everything I have drawn up or created has been with the thought of if she would wear it in a movie. Designers draw inspiration from a lot of different places, mine just happens to come from a legend of the silver screen.

She has touched so many people in so many different ways, but for me it was a simple love. She taught me style, elegance, and how to handle a man with in a 50 yard parameter. Elizabeth was more than just an actor to me she was there on a Saturday night when a date went terribly wrong and all I had was a remote and a pint of ice cream. She made me laugh, cry, and cheer for her characters so much that I forgot about the world for a second and just enjoyed a really good movie.

Elizabeth was a friend in my head to me and to many women. She was that brassy no holds bar friend that told it like it was whether you wanted to hear it or not. In a world where the word icon is used on people who have barely started their careers, Elizabeth Taylor is the true meaning of an icon and it is well deserved, leaving us a heritage of movies and memorable characters that will always live on. You will be missed.