How to Clean Your Jewelry: The Ultimate Guide

How to Clean Jewelry at Home - Josephs Jewelers

When it comes to jewelry, our purchases are often substantial investments and costly. However, numerous factors can contribute to the jewelry you wear getting dirty, whether you wear the item daily, just for special occasions, or somewhere in between. Some of the factors that often contribute to jewelry getting dirty, and even tarnishing in many cases, typically include dust and dirt exposure, subjection to light and air, hand lotions, and soaps. These are just some factors that can contribute to your jewelry getting dirty or tarnishing. Still, they are among many other aspects that occur from just wearing the jewelry item in the first place, regardless of how long you have the jewelry piece on yourself for when you wear it. 

Although you may think jewelry cleaning is a one-size-fits-all situation, this is not necessarily the case. For example, how you would typically go about cleaning a woman’s engagement ring will often differ from how you would usually instead clean men’s pendants. Since different jewelry is made of other materials, depending on the exact item, you should employ varying methods for cleaning individual pieces according to their materials.

If you are searching for how to clean your jewelry items properly, we are here to help. Here, we have compiled the ultimate guide for cleaning your jewelry. Whether you want to ensure that you are correctly cleaning an engagement ring, men’s pendants, a bracelet, or any other jewelry item, depending on the exact material that makes up the particular jewelry item, we have covered you with answers for doing just that.

How Do You Clean Gold Jewelry?

When dealing with gold jewelry, the best method for cleaning such pieces always includes never using too hot of water and ensuring that you never use harsh cleaners when cleaning it. In most instances, a cloth for cleaning will work perfectly fine to clean your gold jewelry. Still, if you want to additionally clean for a more pristine look beyond this, you can use the following recommendation: 

  • Fill a bowl with water, ensuring it is hot but not to the point of boiling. You can create a DIY solution with a few drops of dishwashing liquid and a bit of warm water. Place smaller-sized gold jewelry items into a strainer before putting them in the solution, whereas you can place larger-sized gold jewelry items right into the bowl for soaking. Soak large gold jewelry in the solution for around five to fifteen minutes to help get rid of the dirt on the item. Move the items about, then remove them, place them on a soft cloth, and run over any crevices and chain links with a soft toothbrush to rid them of any dirt or grime that might be stuck there. Place small gold jewelry pieces back into the strainer or filter and rinse all of them under warm water. Finally, use a soft cloth to buff the items dry. 

How Do You Clean Silver Jewelry? 

A DIY home cleaning solution is a standard method for cleaning an array of silver jewelry items, such as men’s pendants. It can serve as an effective way for you to properly clean most silver jewelry by creating a DIY home solution with several items. The items generally consist of a bowl you will have to place water inside and a soft cloth or paper towels to dry the jewelry items with afterward. You will also need water to reach a boiling temperature point and a few other things, depending on which specific DIY route you decide to take. Here, we go over several popular home DIY methods that serve as cleaning solutions for silver jewelry in particular:

  • Baking Soda
    • Three parts baking soda to one part warm water can be an excellent method to remove tarnish and clean silver jewelry items. Get the silver item wet, then apply the pasty mixture with a soft cloth free of lint. Ensure that you get it into the crevices and change the side of the fabric you use as you pick up the tarnish. Remember to rinse sufficiently afterward and buff it dry.  
  • Dish Soap
    • Combine a couple of drops of a dish liquid, such as Dawn dish soap, with warm water. Place a soft cloth gently into the mixture and rub the silver jewelry item, removing the tarnish as you do so. After, rinse the jewelry item with cool water and buff it dry with a different soft cloth. 
  • Toothpaste
    • Since toothpaste contains mild abrasives, it can remove the tarnish from silver jewelry. To use this method, put a small amount of white paste toothpaste, specifically do not use gel toothpaste, to either your finger or a soft cloth, and delicately rub it on the silver jewelry item with tarnish. Then, rinse with warm water and buff dry with a soft cloth to reveal the shine.

Quality silver polish is also an excellent method for cleaning silver jewelry items. Quality silver polish is generally composed of ingredients that break down and, ultimately, get rid of tarnish. Further, it leaves behind a preventative covering in its wake, which serves as a coating to prevent additional tarnish from producing in the first place. There are numerous kinds of polishes for cleaning silver jewelry that you can opt for to clean it. Some standard methods include liquid or paste polish, disposable silver cleaning wipes, or reusable specially treated mitts. You can also use multi-layer clothes, which generally have one side of the cloth for cleaning and removing tarnish, with the other meant for shining the silver jewelry item.

Conclusion

It is no wonder that, generally, most of us want to ensure we keep our jewelry in the best possible shape. So, this includes ensuring to always properly clean it and rid it of tarnishing and other dirty marks to the best of our abilities. Here, we have gone over numerous effective methods for cleaning jewelry items, whether engagement rings or men’s pendants. You can create your DIY home cleaning solution, buy items intended explicitly for cleaning jewelry or take the thing in for a professional to clean it for you. But if you decide to clean your jewelry item yourself, always ensure you’re aware of the material things are made of and that the method you use to clean that item is applicable and practical. 

Sources: 

https://www.sincerelysilver.co/pages/how-to-clean-jewelry
https://abelstedt.com/blogs/stories/jewelry-care

Jhene Aiko Bares the Baby Bump in an Interstellar Maternity Shoot with Big Sean

A few weeks ago, paparazzi photos of a very pregnant Jhene Aiko next to longtime partner Big Sean surfaced online, and the couple recently confirmed what we already knew by posting a breathtaking photoshoot to their respective Instagram accounts! Photographed by Renee Rodriguez, the two are posed side by side and skin to skin, Jhene covered in galaxy nebulas all over her body.

Photo: Renee Rodriguez

While the spacial edits were done by Efuru Edamame, the mother-to-be’s glow was the product of makeup Nikko Anthony and special effects artist Alan Gonzalez Jr. As for her luscious locks, Kahh Spence was the hair stylist behind the magic.

This will be Jhene’s second child and Big Sean’s first, so congratulations to these expecting parents on growing new life together!

Main Image: Renee Rodriguez

Fashion Bombshell of the Day: Mia G from Virginia

Hey Bombshells! Meet Mia G from Virginia, our Fashion Bombshell of the Day. Check her out below.

Mia’s street style is a combination of sporty and glamourous. Oversized pieces paired with high heels and great accessories gives this bombshell easy going everyday looks. She embodies “crazy sexy cool”.

What do you think of her style? Let us know.

Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will remain published or unpublished at our discretion.

Benefits of Wearing Sustainable Footwear

47 Sustainable Shoe Innovations

It isn’t easy to imagine a more crucial wardrobe essential than shoes. You depend on your
shoes to go to work, the grocery store, and the dog park. You might take your shoes on
exciting travels, enjoyable gatherings, and beach outings.
But how frequently do you consider the origin of your shoes? Are the materials used to make
your shoes eco-friendly? What are the effects of your shoes on the environment, and what
happens to them when they have served their purpose?
Your shoes may significantly impact the world regarding the environment and social and
human rights. Therefore, to be a responsible consumer, you must ensure that the shoes you
buy are ethical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

  1. Wide Range
    Several methods exist to make your shoes more ecologically friendly, whether with locally,
    ethically, or sustainably sourced materials. Many eco-friendly alternatives and designs are
    available due to their current popularity.
    There is footwear for every season, whether you like recycled flip-flops in the summer or
    vegan combat boots in the winter. Joining the green footwear trend couldn’t be more
    convenient or provide more choice. 
  2. Exceptional Value for The Money
    Investing in a long-lasting, high-quality item is a terrific approach to increasing the
    sustainability of your footwear. Most sustainable footwear, such as flats for bunions is built
    from high-quality materials that last longer to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
    Additionally, it is no longer as expensive to wear sustainable clothing and shoes as it was a
    few years ago. The production costs are reduced, and these items are now more widely
    available due to the recent rise in demand. As a result, you may get sustainable shoes for the
    same price that will last you longer than conventional ones!
  3. Decreases Waste
    As a customer and the environment, you gain from choosing sustainable products. Supporting
    eco-friendly footwear mainly results in less waste and pollution. Fast fashion is to blame for
    the enormous volume of clothes and footwear that ends up in landfills and takes decades to
    degrade. Unsustainable footwear releases toxic substances into the atmosphere, water, and
    soil. These chemicals contaminate and cause serious diseases worldwide both during and
    after manufacture. Supporting eco-friendly shoe companies helps to reduce pollution quickly
    on all fronts.
  4. You Assist Regional Businesses and Organizations
    Ensuring things are produced ethically and compassionately is a significant aspect of
    sustainability. Numerous indigenous and local groups use sustainable and ethical production
    methods to create shoes. These customs may extend centuries in many societies and
    constitute a significant aspect of their culture. You take an ethical and sustainable stance
    when you support these eco-friendly products. Keeping these small companies, you help
    individual brands and entire communities.

Choosing eco-friendly footwear such as flats for bunions shows that you care about and are
conscious of our environmental impact.It is a product created from recycled and natural raw
materials that do not affect the environment and enables you to save the earth’s natural resources. Supporting environmentally friendly businesses will benefit you, your neighborhood, and the environment. A range of sustainable choices is available to you.

Claire’s Life: Receiving the Vision Community Foundation’s Avant Garde Gala Fashion Entrepreneurial Excellence Award Wearing A Pink Beaded Gert Johan Coetzee Dress

Happy Sunday!

Friday Night, I was blessed to be an honoree at the Vision Community Foundation’s Avant Garde themed Gala! The Vision Community Foundation is a religious organization geared towards the LGBTQIA+ community in Atlanta and beyond. They offer resources and education, with the goal of empowering marginalized communities to live healthy and productive lives.

I received an award for being an architect of Fashion and an Influential Serial Entrepreneur of Excellence! As I said in my speech, acknowledging someone’s hard work is validation–it gives them the confidence to create the life GOD intended for them. I was beyond honored!

The theme was Avant Garde, which in my opinion meant you could have fun with your ensemble! For the occasion, I wore a dress by South African designer Gert Johan Coetzee. Fun fact, Swanky Jerry from Young, Famous, and African helped to make this happen, connecting me to several South African designers, including Gert! He’s the bomb. I completed my look with Voyette Lee heels and sparkly earrings.

Before receiving my award, I said hey to my fellow awardees and attendees, including Marlo Hampton, Catherine Brewton, Bevy Smith, Mona Scott Young, and more!

Learn more and donate to Vision Community Foundation here. Special thanks to Sammi Haynes and I Elevate TV!

Smootches!

Images: Christian Google

*To have me wear your brand to my next event, email Book@ClaireSulmers.com.

Fashion Bomber of the Week: Rolland Ryan from Los Angeles

Fashion is forever but style is eternal. An ancient proverb you’ve probably heard on and off Tumblr. Yet as redundant as it sounds, it is undoubtedly true. Style is what separates the tastemakers from the fashion followers and makes the industry we love go ’round. Take designer Rolland Ryan for instance, a Louisiana-born, L.A-based designer with adoration for sick sunglasses and short shorts.

Ryan’s appreciation for mixing streetwear with posh tailoring, fun prints, and undeniable allure, make his style an instant follow and definite qualifier for Bomber of the Week. He had the hoochie daddy short game on lock before it hit the digital streets and continues to evolve his refined yet edgy style, but we’ll let his ‘fits do all the talking. Scroll through some of his best looks (which were very hard to choose by the way) and let us know what you think of his bomb style.

Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bomber@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will remain published or unpublished at our discretion.

Eight Cool Looks to Wear During Warm Weather for Men 

Men's Summer Fashion 2022: Best Guide to Summer Outfit Men & Men's Sum –  Azuro Republic

When the temperature rises during the spring and summer, you do your best to stay cool, but also look your best. Wearing loose yet breathable fabric will keep your body temperature in a good space while neutral colors help you cool down as well. You want to make sure you’re not wearing something too dark or else you’re just asking for heat. If you’re struggling to figure out how to stand out during the hotter seasons, we have you covered below with eight cool looks to wear during the warm weather months for men. 

Simple  

An easy way to look cool during any period of the year is focusing on keeping your fashion simple by bringing it back to the basics. Some people don’t like vibrant colors or gaudy designs and much rather go for simplicity. A plain old-fashioned monochromatic tank top will give you room to breathe and you’ll be able to mix and match this item with other clothes quite easily. Teachers always said to keep it simple, apply this sentiment to your fashion and you’ll be looking cool in no time. 

Glow in the Dark 

Another cool look to pull off is the glow-in-the-dark aesthetic. Glow in the dark clothing contains phosphors, which is a substance that radiates visible light after being energized. This is easy to find anywhere, and you’ll be sure to light up any function you attend. Many would consider this to be a fun look for the warmer months and there are several men’s graphic tank tops that’ll keep you looking cool as well as feeling even cooler. 

Psychedelic 

Psychedelic looks have been growing in popularity over the last decade and serves as a cool choice for anyone looking to make a lasting fashion statement. Psychedelic fashion is composed of organic shapes, bold colors, sinuous lines, and patterns. These looks originated during the radical hippie movement in the 1960s and 1970s. There are several psychedelic men’s graphic tank tops that will keep you looking cool and trippy. 

Space

If you would like your fashion to truly take off, look into getting a space-themed men’s graphic tank top. Space has fascinated scientists, astronauts, and astrologists for centuries and even has influenced prominent fashion designers such as Givenchy, Dior, and Balmain. Why not take this fascination and put it on display with intergalactic fashion? You’ll be sure to stand out with the stars and planets on your chest. Shine bright as a super nova and get a space-themed graphic tee. 

Floral Print

Floral print fashion is a cool yet trendy option that might be the right look for you during the more humid months. Floral prints are a timeless fashion option going as far back as the 15th century and believed by many to originate in Eastern Countries. Floral prints consist of flower designs and patterns on clothing. These designs symbolize the beauty of flowers and are usually bright, vibrant, and evocative of the warmer months especially spring. If you love nature, plants, and the outdoors, this is the perfect aesthetic for you.  

Abstract  

If you’re artistic, bold, and/or spiritual, you might want to consider the abstract look. There are several men’s graphic tank tops that have a diverse arrangement of abstract art styles for any taste and preference. These looks may be geometric, striped, loose lines, imaginative, and artsy. This is the perfect way to show off your personality, separate yourself from others on the fashion front, and establish a cool look to remember. 

Steampunk

If you’re into science fiction and/or fantasy, you might want to consider adding a steampunk theme into your closet this summer. Steampunk features steam-powered technology in a historic setting with a futuristic flavor. This growing fashion trend pays homage to the vintage fashion inspired by the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution in Europe. There are plenty of men’s graphic tank tops featuring cool designs that will be sure to please any science fiction fan. 

Vaporwave 

Another cool option worth considering is vaporwave especially if you’re a fan of electronic music, videogames and technology. Vaporwave is a subgenre of electronic music originating in the early 2010s and has bled over into the art and fashion world. Vaporwave fashion is composed of glitch imagery, anime aesthetics, 3-D rendered objects, 1990s web design, and cyberpunk elements. Wearing vaporwave is a unique yet nostalgic bit of fashion that’ll have you well on your way to becoming a true trendsetter. 

Conclusion

Everyone wants to look good and stay cool during the warmer months, but there is a wide-array of stylistic options you can choose from. You really can’t go wrong with the simple bare-bones look, glow-in-the dark, psychedelic, space, floral prints, vaporwave, abstract, and/or steampunk. No matter what style you end up choosing, you’ll be sure to look fresh and stay cool as long as you follow the eight cool looks highlighted above. 

3 Black Owned Brands You Should Know from the ‘Nope’ Movie Premiere: JAGNE, SUNNI SUNNI and Jeofroi

Jordan Peele has been instrumental in forging fresh and new ideas within the thriller genre, let alone as it pertain to black film at large. What better occasion than the Los Angeles premiere of the Nope movie to wear black designers proudly! A number of celebrities came dressed in up and coming African American designers for us to discover, so here are three black owned brands you ought to know about as seen at the premiere event:

Skai Jackson in Jeofroi

Photo: Getty Images

Jeffrey and Roy are the designer duo inviting women to command and own the room, which is exactly what Skai Jackson and her stylist Monica Rose accomplished as she entered the Nope movie premiere in this opulent number. This design and every look from its collection were inspired by a woman’s gift of multiplications. “The idea that women have the power to cultivate, nurture and multiply not only her own gifts but the gifts of others,” says Jeffrey Taylor. “We wanted to display our love of classic silhouettes by creating moments that were impeccably sophisticated and lightly flirtatious.”

Founded in 2020, Jeofroi is a young label who prides themselves on their unmatched craftsmanship – the kind that you’d only expect from the most seasoned couturiers on the scene.

Marsai Martin in JAGNE

Photo: Getty Images

Stylist Byron Javar dressed Marsai Martin in an intriguing $690 dress by JAGNE.

Baba Jagne originally created his eponymous line shortly after moving to the US in the 90’s before becoming a sought after pattern maker, designer and product developer for other brands. He gathers inspiration from his African roots and travels to conceptualize modernized designs.

Get the look: $690 Jagne The Conjoined Dress

Kendrick Sampson in SUNNI SUNNI

Photo: Getty Images

When Kendrick’s stylist Rashad Minnick paired an eclectic Moschino suit with SUNNI SUNNI’s staple Reese Square Toe Boot, the overarching result was immaculate. Founder and creative director Sunni Dixon explained that “The inspiration for [the shoe] was uniformity.  The Reese boot is quickly identifiable and intended to be recognized as the SUNNI SUNNI silhouette. The details push the silhouette into a progressive form.”

As a brand, SUNNI SUNNI is inspired by life and the people that Dixon has personally experienced through it. He creates characters in different stories and fulfills their identities through their imaginative style combined with his unique design aesthetic. By pulling out the oddities in contemporary footwear, he’s able to design and visualize my footwear.

Get the look: $780 SUNNI SUNNI Reese Square Toe Boot

What do you think of these three designers?

Main Image: Getty and Tyren Red

PopShop Local offers an array of black owned fashion/beauty brands with machines located everywhere from The Beverly Center to The Hilton Midtown in NYC

Channeling a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit, boundary-pushing fearlessness, and innate understanding of the nexus of technology, commerce, and culture, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene consistently catalyzes the companies and brands under her purview. At the helm of multiple cash flow positive businesses, the Ohio-born entrepreneur, inventor, businesswoman, angel investor, and speaker has made history and emerged as a consumer thought leader in her own right. As the C.E.O. and Founder of PopCom, she pioneers the connection between e-commerce and vending machines, continuing a legacy of innovation and invention.

“The common thread throughout my career is the belief in using technology to create generational wealth and empower my community,” she explains. “Whether I’m using technology to help people discover events, raise money, or sell products, I’m leveraging the power of technology. Technology is more inclusive now, but I’ve never been intimated by being the only woman or black person in a room. I was always driven to be exceptional and to set an example for those that proceed me, to keep the bar very high.”

Dawn’s latest technological venture is PopShop Local – an innovative hybrid between e-commerce and local brick-and-mortar storefronts. PopShops not only give customers the option to purchase trusted local goods through an automated system but also offer e-commerce brands discoverability in local markets with real-time metrics, such as measuring consumer wants. Dubbed the “iPhone of vending machines”, PopShops utilize facial recognition to help retailers capture demographic information, machine learning to help deliver targeted content, and blockchain technology to enable identity verification and the sale of regulated products.

Popshops are currently located at The Beverly Center (Los Angeles, CA), The Metreon (San Francisco, CA), Columbus Airport (Columbus, OH), Windward Mall (Honolulu, HI), Tower City (Cleveland, Ohio), Hilton Midtown (New York, NY), and Concord Mills (Concord, North Carolina).

PopShop Local has partnered with a variety of black owned brands including Flat Out of Heels, which offers ultra stylish and comfortable roll-up flats for women which have been worn by celebrities including Lala Anthony, Meagan Good, Vivica Fox and Eva Longoria. 

Other products offered include The Brow Dr’s Brow Growth Elixir, Soulflowe’s 100% pure natural bath products, Jelcie’s gel nail stickers and Brew and Feed’s creative tea flavors and spice blends. New York based feminie hygiene company Ruby Love has also partnered with PopShop to dispense their period protection apparel line. Ruby Love was founded by Crystal Etienne in 2015  and her innovation has been praised by outlets like People, Allure, Teen Vogue, Health, Cosmo, and SELF.

Summer holiday flat lay, Womans accessories on colorful background, Vacation, summer and travel items

In the end, Dawn most importantly shines light through every venture.

“My job title is C.E.O., but I’m a lightworker, first and foremost,” she says. “Everything I do is aligned with that. With all of my different ventures, I want to encourage, empower, and inspire everyone I work with. I want to be a walking example of what hard work, tenacity, and not taking the popular path can be. I’m here to be a beacon of light and help raise the vibration of the planet by being a living example of the good we can be. I’m a wife. I’m a mother. I’m an inventor. I’m a C.E.O. There’s so many communities and roles that could define me, but ‘lightworker’ embodies who I am as a spirit and soul.”

5 Old School Hotties From The 1940s

Meta Description: Many beautiful and glamorous models from the 1940s turned heads with their iconic modeling and acting careers. Read on to find out who the top 5 were.

Lisa Fonssagrives

Lisa Fonssagrives was the epitome of style, refinement, and elegance. She was beautiful, intellectual, and sophisticated. She was the most sought-after model in beauty photography history, generating most of the unforgettable photographs of all time, from Blumenfeld’s lady clinging perilously from the Eiffel Tower to Penn’s mermaid in a Rochas gown. Lisa Fonssagrives had been a genius, a changeable person who cooperated with the best fashion photographers of the past three decades, including Hoyningen-Huene, Horst, Blumenfeld, Richard Avedon, and her spouse, Irving Penn, to create many of the genre’s iconic masterpieces. David Seidner is well known for his image restoration mastery and has collected together some of the modern time’s most recognized images and an uncovered library of photographs, most of which were Lisa Fonssagrives herself. Lisa Fonssagrives delivers a magnificent and important introduction to the century’s Great Era of photography through the image of the most fascinating and iconic symbol, with historical analysis by the acclaimed photograph-historian Martin Harrison.

Jinx Falkenburg

Eugenia Lincoln “Jinx” Falkenburg was a great tennis player, swimmer, and actor. During the 1940s, she was among the most popular cover models in the United States. After being featured in The American Publication in 1937, her modeling profession took off. Falkenburg’s face appeared in more than 250 fashion magazines and approximately 1,500 business commercials. Unfortunately, on one of her luxurious vacations, she fell from the balcony of a Hawaii resort in 1940 and dropped 30 feet down on a dining table. But we should say this was a blessing in disguise because it was during her healing journey that she met the famous Al Jolson. Jolson, an iconic musician at the time, gave her a position in his planned Broadway play Hold On to Your Hats, which premiered in January 1940. Jinx’s career took the high road as fans congregated weekly at her Shubert Theater changing room doorway, establishing the foundation of what became a countrywide “Jinx Falkenburg Fan Club.” She appeared in a dozen films, mostly for Columbia Records and sometimes as the lead.

Dorian Leigh

Dorian Leigh is regarded as the first fashion model. Her appearance and style shaped the 1940s modeling industry. She was Truman Capote’s companion and the basis for Breakfast at Tiffany’s protagonist Holly Golightly. The highlight of her modeling career was sparked when she first made the cover page of Harper’s Bazaar in 1944 when she was just 27 years old. Later, in 1946 she appeared on eight Vogue covers, and over the next seven years, she was on over 50 covers of magazines like McCall’s, Life, and Look. In the post-war era, fashion publications’ circulation expanded beyond the super-rich, and supermodels became well-known as film stars. Leigh’s blue-eyed attractiveness and alluring smile were the icings to her wild lifestyle and arrogant bravado. She featured in two French movies and was the main lead in The Fifth Season on Broadway. Her relationships with celebrities kept her on the front covers. She traveled to Paris, aged 40, where she co-founded France’s first fashion company with Eileen Ford.

Bettina Graziani

Among the world’s earliest supermodels was Bettina Graziani, who unfortunately died at the age of 89. She worked as a supermodel for Chanel, Grès, and in the 1940s and 1950s, although she gracefully declined a chance with Christian Dior. Her conceptual cheekbones, fountain pen shape, and predatory eyes were a fashion staple at the time. Her image was valuably held high that she eventually created her line of knits with the label Bettina. Graziani traveled to Paris following the liberation of 1944, intending to establish a profession as a qualified designer. She contacted the renowned fashion designer Jacques Costet, who was delighted with several of her designs and eventually hired her as a residential mannequin. She served as a photo mannequin and a model in design houses’ observation rooms. Later in life, she attended every season’s Paris beauty shows, supporting the projects of designers like Yohji Yamomoto and Azzedine Alaia.

Bette Davis

LIFE magazine featured Bette Davis on its page in 1939, defining her presentation in Of Human Bondage as “possibly the best presentation ever documented on display by a U.S. performer.” Davis was distinctive in both her looks (those eyes) and her recognizable, unparalleled “compressive” acting. She became the first woman in history to obtain ten professional Academy Award nominations for acting. Bette Davis was a captivating talent who helped define what it implied to be a movie star during the Golden Era of Filmmaking. LIFE’s cover article in 1939 depicted the performer as a surprisingly grounded, if highly driven, artist rather than a raging prima donna.

Final Thoughts

These top 5 models starred in their era as iconic women in the fashion and modeling industry. They showcased their beauty wrapped up in passion and ambition for great success.