Pretty Photos - Slim Aarons

As a fan of observing "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places", I've long enjoyed the work of Slim Aarons, the famed American society photographer who coined that phrase. His work transports me to that delusional happy, glamorous place in my head (thanks to the ever-stylish SLynnRo ,who recently wrote about this sort of imagery) where I'm the type of woman to take my vintage convertible out for leisurely drives down the Pacific Coast Highway, Hermes scarf fluttering softly in the California breeze, giant sunglasses and driving gloves in place, on my way to sail around Balboa Island and sip vodka sodas for the day.*
*I've got the giant sunglasses sorted out already. As for the rest . . .

Imagine my delight on happening upon seeing a piece Aaron's work in the December "InStyle", of all places, where I learned that certain prints & portfolio sets are for sale online at Assouline, a boutique publisher of sorts with fantastic fashion reads like this and this. Just think of the holiday shopping potential, I cried! I was slightly less delighted to then learn that to purchase such prints for my friends would require my actually going to live in that same happy, yet fictional place in my head where I swan about in Hermes - a nice thought, but slightly out of the question financially.

Nonetheless, let's look at and enjoy these glam snapshots of the past, with apologies to my Christmas list that I can't yet gift these to you in actual fact. Like the vintage convertible, someday . . .

(credit: Photographer's Gallery via Getty Images; Find it here at Assouline)

"Nice Pool" (1955) - The socialite, writer, and Pretty Icon C.Z. Guest and son at their ocean-front estate, Villa Artemis, in Palm Beach.

(credit: Photographer's Gallery via Getty Images; here at Assouline)

"Four Kings of Hollywood" (1957): Rhett Butler Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, and James Stewart. Yes.


(credit: Photographer's Gallery via Getty Images; here at Assouline)

"Poolside Gossip" (1970) - a Palm Springs, California home known as the "Kaufmann House" designed by Richard Neutra. Wonder if they're swapping tales about that Palm Springs institution himself, Mr. Sinatra?

(credit: Assouline)

"Sea Drive" (1967) - Kevin McClory and wife Bobo Segrist in the "Amphicar" at Nassau. Looks like a pink parasol-worthy occasion, don't you think?

(credit: Assouline)

"Family Snapper" (1959) - Mrs. William "Babe" Paley, another Pretty Icon, and Mr. Paley (note him in the background snapping a shot of the photographer) at Round House, their Jamaica cottage.