LIKE A WEDDING DRESS FITTING (Έμοιαζε με πρόβα, πρόβα νυφικού)

With long, silky hair, large eyes and an oneiric voice, she was perfect for the 60s and 70s Greek psychedelic music! I think it's time to talk about Dora Yiannakopoulou, one of my favorite artists!

Even more than her songs, I love Yiannakopoulou's debut novel, called Wedding Dress Fitting (Πρόβα Νυφικού). This is about a beautiful young woman, whose marriage to a man she loved deeply goes completely wrong. All this happens in the turmoil of the Second World War. Happily, the young woman finds someone else and the evil husband finds the fate that he deserves. This amazing little book became a hugely successful TV series, with a terrific cast and a fantastic soundtrack! (Needless to say the evil husband was played by the gorgeous and intriguing actor Philippos Sofianos, ΦίλιπποςΣοφιανός. The protagonist, Angeliki, was the equally gorgeous Alexandriane Sikelianou, Αλεξανδριανή Σικελιανού).

Dora Yiannakopoulou became famous in the 60s and 70s with amazing Greek psychedelic songs like Marina, Του μικρού βοριά, Στα περβόλια, &c. Her voice is simply magic. It is like clear water running on pebbles, like a waking dream. She is also a most beautiful woman. This type of music, which Dora sings, is called Νέο Κύμα in Greek, meaning new wave. It goes by the term psychedelic, in English. For me, it is the best Greek music ever!!!

I love Dora so much that I bought her recent autobiography, Ζωή σαν Πρόβα, Life Like a Dress Fitting. I haven't read it yet, but I will review it for The Lipstick Papers when I do!

Have a lovely evening xxx
💝💖❤️💄💄💄
‪#‎Greekosychedelicmusic‬ ‪#‎νεοκυμα‬ ‪#‎ντοραγιαννακοπουλου‬‪#‎προβανυφικου‬ ‪#‎reading‬ ‪#‎books‬ ‪#‎weddingdress‬ #‎greece‬ ‪#‎cyprus‬‪#‎greekmusic‬
Youtube link to the soundtrack, performed by famed Greek singer Marinella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsKh66P6x94
For Dora's Marina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUWLwAN4P2w
And Tou mikrou boria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eZkrztOnIg

WHO SAYS PENGUINS CAN'T FLY?

Great Expectations and Jane Eyre are my number one novels- so what can be better than Penguin mugs with the titles????? Answer: nothing!

Here are my two amazing mugs from Penguin with Great Expectations and Jane Eyre, all in the trademark orange Penguin color.

I love these two novels for many reasons. I love it that both begin with the main character as a child, and I love the way the voice gradually goes through the teenage and then adult years. I love the descriptions of clothes, houses, the descriptions of other books. The power of romance and the deep humanity that comes out of both books. Most of all, I love the oddity and eccentricity. Both novels were written by peculiar and unusual people, and it shows!

When I feel low, I look at my amazing mugs and my lipstick key ring and feel better. I think how difficult it all was for the protagonists in GE and JE and take courage.

Have a good afternoon and be well! Xxx
P.S. For Greek readers, if you want to read GE but your English is not too good, or you prefer to read in Greek, I recommend the Kastaniotis (Καστανιώτης) or Polis (Πόλις) editions. Avoid the Zaxaropoulos transl. at all costs, it's horrid. For JE I recommend the Smili (Σμίλη) translation, it's fantastic!!! 😀

‪#‎janeeyre‬ ‪#‎greatexpectations‬ ‪#‎charlottebronte‬ ‪#‎charlesdickens‬ ‪#‎victorians‬‪#‎englishliterature‬ ‪#‎victorianstudies‬ ‪#‎penguinbooks‬

THE ODYSSEY AND THE LITTLE MERMAID RELOADED

When I was small reading the Odyssey (the children's edition) I was appalled by the portrayal of the mermaids. The mermaids (or sirens, Σειρήνες) try to lure sailors to their doom. But how could this be? Mermaids cannot be evil!!! My seven year old heart rebelled. Had not Homer read The Little Mermaid???

Sadly, he hadn't, as Hans Christian Andersen was born millennia later. If Homer had read the Little Mermaid, he would not have presented the mermaids as heartless killers of men.

(I think there is a Nordic tradition similar to the Greek, as per some Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Sadly, the Nords and the Pre-Raphaelites had not read the Little Mermaid either).

Anyway, what fairy tale and epic mermaids have in common is mythical beauty. No wonder, since the sea is perfect for the skin and for vitality.

Here I am today, taking a nice walk by the sea. I love summer!

And how I wish I was a mermaid! Xxx😀💋💄💝
‪#‎odyssey‬ ‪#‎thelittlemermaid‬ ‪#‎hanschristianandersen‬ ‪#‎homer‬‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬ ‪#‎mermaids‬

CHARMED

A friend was wearing this amazing faux bijoux the other day, and I was, of course, "where did you get it," and "it looks so expensive"! I'm talking about my "evil eye" ring and bracelet charms! In Cyprus and Greece, we believe in the evil eye, which the Wikipedia defines as "the curse cast by a malevolent glare". In Greek, the charm is called ματόπετρα, αμματόπετρα in the Cypriot dialect (matopetra, ammatopetra respectively). It means eye-stone.

According to the Christian religion, the Madonna believed in the evil eye. Because her son was so clever, good looking and kind, she always feared that others might hurt him with their envy and malevolent jealousy. I think the church has a ritual to ward off evil eye casts.

Anyway, I simply love my new faux bijoux! Whether the evil eye exists or not (the ancient Greeks had investigated it scientifically, like they did most things) it is a beautiful design and can go with anything. You can see it here

hanging from the wall in its talisman reincarnation.

Have a great Saturday evening! 💖💝💋❤️ xxx
P.S. The evil eye faux bijoux from Stradivarius 😀
‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬ ‪#‎fauxbijoux‬ ‪#‎themadonna‬ ‪#‎evileye‬ ‪#‎charms‬ ‪#‎stradivarius‬‪#‎talisman‬ #cyprus #greece #cypriotdialect

BE YOURSELF (CHARLOTTE BRONTE AND STING REVISITED)

It is my favorite scene in Charlotte Bronte's Villette, when a hairdresser comes to prepare all the girls at the school -teachers and pupils- for the fete and a grand ball which follows!

He is an expert, and does Lucy's hair so beautifully that she cannot recognize herself. Lucy is the protagonist and first person narrator. She is plainly insufferable and refuses to be beautiful. For years critics assumed that Lucy is ugly, or at least plain, but now the opinion has changed. Some critics now think that Lucy is simply a young woman who refuses to be beautiful. If treatment in the hands of a good hairdresser made her look so glamorous, the conclusion is obvious.

So here is myself today, with my new hair color! Lighter blonde, going for white blonde!

I loved my raven black hair color, and have had it for all the decades of my life (I won't say how many 😎 But blonde is great too. I think blonde is more myself. I always wanted to be blonde.

As Sting would have it, "be yourself, no matter what they say".

Which is something Charlotte Bronte would definitely agree on!

Xxx 💄❤️💖💝
‪#‎hairdressing‬ ‪#‎charlottebronte‬ ‪#‎thebrontes‬ ‪#‎villette‬ ‪#‎sting‬ ‪#‎blonde‬‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬

STAND THE TEST OF TIME (XENOPOULOS AND ELYTIS FACE OFF)

Thirteen years ago, I bought the most amazing set of nail files ever! I am proud to present them now, because they have stood the test of time, and here they are! I bought them together with a tiny phial of coconut oil nail balm- still half full and perfect, as you can see 😀

Like the Greek writer Grigorios Xenopoulos, I believe in the soul of the inanimate. I remember reading one of the essays he wrote for children and young adults, where he spoke about things, cheap often, which stayed with him and endured for years. This made him believe that things have a soul of their own.

Even beloved poet Odysseas Elytis, who famously rejected material things and materiality, created lovely art pictures using collage, and treasured simple gifts from fans like flowers.

Here I would also like to present the manicure from Sally Hansen, which is cheap and plainly fantastic. I trust the American commercial industry in general, and their beauty industry in particular. Think Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder and Maybelline. They have a long tradition. The nail varnish is beautiful and stays on!

Have a great Saturday evening ❤️💖💋💝💄
P.S. I bought the files from the beauty section of Marks and Spencer in 2003
‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬ ‪#‎beauty‬ ‪#‎marksandspencers‬ ‪#‎nailvarnish‬ ‪#‎sallyhansen‬

MUGS FULL OF PENCILS

What do you do when a Tiger comes to tea? Of course, you invite him in. What if he eats all the food in the house???????? Disaster? This is the subject of the much beloved children's story The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

As for author Judith Kerr, she is 93 and still working! She lives alone with her cat, and has a lovely writing desk with mugs full of pencils! I think Kerr is an inspiration to us all.

This is her only book I have, and it is really fantastic. Very funny, too, great for both children and adults.

Discussing the enigmatic figure of the Tiger, Kerr has stated in an interview that he does not represent anything else in the story. He is just a big, orange, beautiful creature; just a tiger.

As Freud once said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar!

For me, the story is all about responding to the unforeseen. When a hungry tiger asks if he can share your tea, you will be hospitable and say yes. When he eats up all the food, as he is most likely to do, you don't go hungry yourself - you go to a cafe 😀

Have a lovely start to the week!

xxx 💖💝💋❤️💄

AND SOME HAIR PINS

Once, I heard a programme on NPR about Madeleine Albright, which said that brooches were one of her most important accessories. The brooch design signified her mood and plans. I find this a most brilliant idea! Brooches can augment any outfit, and underline any theme. After all, where would Catniss be without her mocking jay brooch?

One of the best places for accessories is the I am store, at the Mall in Nicosia. Everything there is very cheap (excellent for someone with no money like me) and tasteful too. This is the most important thing. And, as we all know, taste and style have nothing to do with money.

I bought two very nice brooches and some hair pins. The hair pins can be used as ornaments for the shirt pocket or lapel.

I have not determined my personal code for brooches yet (a la Madeleine Albright) but I will work on it!

Xxx 💝💖💋❤️💄Have a great Friday!
‪#‎brooch‬ ‪#‎accessory‬ ‪#‎CatnissEverdeen‬ ‪#‎hungergames‬ ‪#‎madeleinealbright‬‪#‎friday‬ ‪#‎thatfridayfeeling‬ ‪#‎accessories‬ #thelipstickpapers

THE SOCIETY OF FEMALE ARTISTS

Summer is here, which means I pick up my research into female art from where it was left last summer! As a child, the first book I read (together with the Italian photo romances) was Little Women, and I immediately identified with artistic and coquettish Amy. I never liked Jo March, and I notice that she bullies and is jealous of Amy from start to finish. Personally, I always identify with the pretty coquettes and never with the clever or serious protagonist.

Also, I hate the dichotomy - girls can very well be both coquettish AND clever. This is why I love Jane from Jane Eyre: she is serious and bookish, but she also likes to dress well and is likened by Mr Rochester to a fairy or an elf.

My research takes me into Victorian periodicals, where lots of sermonizing to stop women from becoming artists came up against writers who admired women's art and the Society of Female Artists.

Have a good start to the week! Xxx 💖💝❤️💋
‪#‎janeeyre‬ ‪#‎charlottebronte‬ ‪#‎amymarch‬ ‪#‎littlewomen‬ ‪#‎Victorians‬ ‪#‎books‬‪#‎art‬ ‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬

FLORAL DESIGN

Lucie de la Tour du Pin spent 6 months in hiding during the French Revolution (she had been a lady in waiting to the Queen). She was alone with her children and doctor. During those months, they had no books, so, to avoid boredom, Lucie taught the doctor embroidery and dressmaking, while he taught her medicine and midwifery. With her husband and kids later in the US, Lucie was head of the farmstead, earning a lot of money by making amazing butter, stamped with her monogram!

This woman was a true chameleon, and I loved her memoirs, which I have finished recently. The book is very interesting. Sadly I don't know French (I was excellent at school but I have forgotten it) so I had to read the translation. I have a feeling that the book must be better in the original French, for the translation at points seems rather dry. Since I cannot check with the original, this may only be my impression.

It's a pity that Lucie married a foolish nobleman, and it is a worse pity that she was in love with him. Not only did the foolish nobleman insist that they leave their successful farm business in the US, so that he could get his castle back (they ended up living in poverty in Europe) he also advised their son to go ahead with a duel, which ended with the young man getting killed. He was indirectly responsible for the death of his son.

Among Lucie's range of abilities were cooking and sewing: though she was nobility, she insisted that she learn all the domestic arts.

The floral design on the Costa coffee cup is mine 😀 I hope you enjoy a nice evening!

Xxx
‪#‎frenchrevolution‬ ‪#‎luciedelatourdupin‬ ‪#‎memoirs‬ ‪#‎costacoffee‬ ‪#‎books‬‪#‎reading‬ #costacoffee ‪#‎thelipstickpapers‬