The Showcase

Another amazing creation of Mr. Ray's, who I am always on the lookout for details of. Note: he's not the Mr. Ray of Baltimore. This Mr. Ray is from Alabama, and wrote several incredible hair manuals ("The Showcase" is from "Mr. Ray's Golden Sets.")

I think Derek J is similar to Mr. Ray. These men have their own philosophy, they know how to make a woman feel beautiful, and they create amazing hairstyles. There should be a return to the "Mr." of old salons, don't you think? It's out of respect.

'Try all you vish,

-but you cannot be me, dahling. Because I am Zsa Zsa!'

'Darling --'

'Why don't we bring them home with us?'

It's a Drag

Or, as one of my fractured Flickr fans commented, "The Ed WoodWinds!"

Actually, this is Ricky Ricardo's band. Go figure!

Ssssh

Look at those eyes - Mr. Frederick has a secret, all right and he can barely contain it! Doesn't he look like he's trying not to laugh? It must be at those lumpy ones on the left, before they hear they join the secret circle.

How Prophetic!

This is a birth announcement that my mother sent out. I just found it, addressed to my great-uncle.

Lust for Shoes

Nickolas Muray

McCall Style & Beauty, 1944, 1942

He's Got Personality

Thanks Megan

Hair, Hair, Everywhere

My head hurts from too much reading. Let's take a break!

First up, Clean Gene unearthed a photo of Mr. Ray in action. It looks like a tv appearance as everyone is wearing microphones. The search for Mr. Ray continues (no, he's not the same Mr. Ray of John Waters' movie fame.) This Mr. Ray was from Knoxville, we believe, and the author of two of my beauty bibles, "Cut, Blow, and Go with Mr. Ray," and "Mr. Ray's Golden Styles." My best pal, Mavis Martini, found them at a flea market and lovingly copied every single page for me.

King of Fabulon Thom sent me this. I have always loved two-tone bouffants.

More Reading Material

Yes, you read that right. Dr. Willy and his pals, including "Other Authorities," penned this rather slim volume (only 444 pages and it's an encyclopedia!) that really makes you want to skip to the good parts - the illustrations, that is:



Those pesky stomach contents, mixed with women in red sweaters ... it's all so complicated!


Beware of "Eciting" foods, women in red bathing suits, fur stoles, and sailboats!

Of course, it must all be true, because Cadillac Publishing has to be a class act, no? The book is peppered throughout with antidrug and alcohol references, such as this:

So much for that plan you had for a wild night out.

Unmentionables

I remember finding "The Sensuous Woman" in my friend's basement. Actually, we found a whole stash of dirty books, like "The Happy Hooker" and "The Seven Minutes" too. Somewhere in there was "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which was our biggest inspiration. We didn't really understand "The Seven Minutes" ... "The Happy Hooker" was funny, and "The Sensuous Woman"'s big technique, from what I remember, was treating his you-know-what like an ice-cream cone and applying "the strawberry swirl."

Who knew Albert Ellis' wrote a naughty book? Or maybe it was a straight educational sex book that sold better in the back of Frederick's catalogs. If Dr. Ellis' name rings a bell, it may not be because you're as pervy as you think. He's the father of rational emotive behavior therapy and died last year at the ripe old age of 94. They should put his book back into print on that fact alone!

On the topic of "Sensuous Woman" and "Man," nothing, but nothing, beats the Rudy Ray Moore/Lady Reed (aka "Queen Bee" from the Dolemite movies, though she's listed as "The Madam" on the album) utterly filthy party record "Sensuous Black Woman." If you haven't heard it, find it, or as the Lady Reed says, "Get it! Get it!"


You can read the back cover liner notes and buy it here.

Give 'em H.B.P.

Thanks Megan!

Electric Fauxmosexuals

NYT, December, 1932

Mr. Ray

It's a good day for the Mister that is Ray.

Dowager Quarterly: New Issue!

Spontex

Merci Jean-Phillippe

Ugly Groom!

Ok, I have to stop. But the Ugly Brides website is just too much! Check out Italian Olympic Boxer Silver Medalist Clemente Russo. I'm surprised he didn't wear the medal as part of his wedding attire ... you know he wanted to. Ugly Brides has the rest.

Here Comes the Hideous

I never watch those "bridezilla" shows because even in their tackiness I don't find them amusing. Looking at photos, however, is a different story. I once found a wedding photo on the street where the bridal party was dressed in "asian style" turquoise gowns (complete with fans) while the groom and ushers were in gangster-wear, with fedoras and spats. I immediately gifted them to a friend. Why were they on the street? They lovely couple had used their bridal party photo as a thank you card!

Check out Tacky Weddings. They have an "Ugly Brides" category. My favorite is the Santa Bride. She looks like she is going to kill you. Or me, if she finds out I put her picture on here.






Thanks Coop

Wigs, snort, wigs

My, my, look what's in the Daily Mail:

These look better than a lot of the trash I see out here every day!

'The idea for these images 'came from a discussion with a friend who said, 'Hey wouldn't it be fun to shoot horses with big hair?','

Poor Farrah

She needs a trip to the Bionic Beauty Salon Hospital. And that kid of hers isn't any help ... getting busted in the parking lot! Charlie needs to get in there and sort that lot out. I met Ryan O'Neal once on my way to the dentist. He was super nice and gave me that 'surprised-raised-eyebrow-don't-I-know-you-thing' that I get because I look like I should be someone, but I'm not. It's really disappointing when I go to events, because I've actually heard people go, "Oh, she's nobody." (And you wonder why famous people go crazy out here when they stop being famous!)

Here's Farrah and Penny Marshall:



Watch her cream Joe Namath:



and Farrah on the Dating Game:

Bionic Beauty Salon

What if Jamie brushed her hair too hard with her bionic arm? It would fall right out! You'd have to be careful doing her hair ... what if her wires got wet. She'd need a special hairdresser. I wonder if she and Steve Austin shared salons?


Unlike the Bionic Beauty Salon, I actually had this Barbie and Ken pair.