She
Was More Than Glam and Glitz
Sara Etgen-Baker
©
Copyright 2023 by Sara Etgen-Baker
|
Photo by the author. |
“Elegance
is a glowing inner peace. Glamour only radiates if there is a sublime
courage & bravery within: glamour is like the moon; it only
shines because the sun is there.” C. JoyBell C.
As a young girl growing up
in the 50s, Hollywood’s glamorous and glitzy lifestyle
fascinated me. And popular actresses such as Jane Russell, Ava
Gardner, and Rita Hayworth captivated me with their mink stoles,
high-heeled shoes, Dior gowns, and overstated jewelry. But of all
the women I saw both on-screen and off, my Aunt Betty was the most
glamorous, elegant woman I knew.
Whenever she strolled into
a room, I couldn’t help but notice how her warm,
chestnut-colored hair captured the light just right. And her long,
gorgeous eyelashes trimmed the gentlest, kindest pair of coffee-brown
eyes—eyes that always held a tiny warmth within them and
sparkled with bliss whenever she smiled. Her lips—glistening
with meticulously applied cherry red lipstick—were flawlessly
sculpted while her face—slightly lighter than ivory—was
rouged and florid just like Jane Russell’s.
Aunt Betty frequently wore
ostentatious earrings that clung to her earlobes and sparkled like
tiny chandeliers made of Austrian crystals; so whenever she turned
her head in any direction, the earrings twinkled like stars scattered
across the night sky. And draped across her shoulders was her
favorite mink stole—a dark, glossy fur that reminded me of the
high-fashion pieces associated with Hollywood’s glamour and
glitz.
And, yes, Aunt Betty was
every bit as glamorous, graceful, elegant, and seductive as Ava
Gardner; yet, beneath that fashionable mink stole and those
glistening earrings was the most strikingly courageous, independent
woman I knew. In fact, she was the only single woman I knew; and she
was the only woman I knew who fashioned a career in a time when a
woman’s only life choice was motherhood. She inspired me, for
just being in her company made me feel as if I, too, could one day be
both a glamorous yet strong, independent woman.
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