A superb example of the work of Serge Lutens for Christian Dior.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, April 1976.

Photographed by David Anthony.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1974.
Claire Bloom is an exquisite dark-haired beauty, all actress without being the least bit stagey. She first caught the public eye in Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, then made her film debut in Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight in 1952. This month she stars as Blanche in Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, produced by her husband, Hillard Elkins, and co-starring Stacy Keach. Recently Claire took the great step for an actress and had her hair cut.
“I couldn’t stand my thin shoulder-length hair a moment longer. I thought if I don’t give myself a new look now, I never will. Now I feel a different person.
“I start every day the same way. Coffee, then a delicious smelling Floris bath followed by half an hour of yoga. I was taught in New York three years ago and I’ve done it ever since. I took it up because I was getting so tense and nervous—it really has made a difference. I do it to a marvellous record of chanting Tibetan monks. I like the feeling of physical fitness it brings too. I’ve tried transcendental meditation, but found it too relaxing. When I started yawning through The Doll’s House, I just had to stop. ‘
“My make-up follows this routine: I use RedKen’s moisturiser, followed by Mary Quant’s Nature Tint Foundation, then puff on some transparent powder. The shiny look is not for me. I need to play up my eyes so I always wear eyeshadow and liner. My favourite colours are all the dark, smudgy ones—greys, browns, burgundies and greens. I only wear lip gloss as my lips are well-defined and lipstick makes me feel too made up. If I n a bit of brightening I use Boots No 7 powder rouge. I go to Countess Csaky (5 Carrington House, Hertford St, WI ; 01-629 3732) once a month for a facial. Twice a week I steam my face to get it really clean. I put on Countess Csaky skin food and I lie down with a warm moist flannel over my face for about five minutes. I don’t follow any special diet although I try not to eat anything between breakfast and dinner—just a cup of tea when I’m very thirsty. I don’t like spirits but I love wine with food. Every day I take a complex vitamin tablet—I get them from the States—and a vitamin C tablet. It may be psychological but I feel very well and haven’t had a cold for over three years. The newest find in my life has been a book called Feed Your Face (Duckworth, 90p)—a herbal guide to healthy and beauty. It’s full of the most marvellous recipes. I rushed out and bought some almond meal which is a fantastic facial cleanser, and I use cucumber slices as eye pads. I can’t wait to try out all the recipes!”

Photographed by John Annunziat.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, October 1973.

In clothes we dare you to wear!
Make a name for yourself in 1974. Be an inspiration, a focal point, an innovator. Paint a positive future and make January a beautiful time. Experiment with colours. Branch out and try some totally different styles. Don’t go along with the rest of the girls—start up your own school, you’ll soon have plenty of followers. Begin by studying your best points, then set about accentuating them. If your skin gleams, show it off; if your waist is small, cinch it; if your legs are great, make certain that they are seen. The clothes here are not cheap, but like every good artist it’s vital to invest in good materials for long-lasting results. They will be appreciated for a long time to come ...
Styling by Penny Graham.
Photographs by Bill King.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1974.
I do love some equal opportunities Mild Sauce. These clothes are amongst some of my most coveted pieces, especially that outrageously plunging back John Bates dress. If you thought that McQueen invented the ‘bumsters’, remember that someone else has always got there first!




. . . with the aid of Yuki, Sheilagh Brown, Wendy Dagworthy, Sheridan Barnett, Bill Gibb, Jane Cattlin, Zandra Rhodes and Peter Golding, eight top designers who were each persuaded to whip up a creation for when you still haven’t got a thing to wear.
Hair by Harambee, 19 Avery Row, London W1.
Make-up by Yvonne Gold.
Persian carpets from Liberty.
I think one of the models is Clio Goldsmith.
Photographed by Terence Donovan.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1978.







The bathroom as an erogenous zone.
No room is more intimate than your bathroom. There is nowhere better to relax and get in the mood … to succumb to the sheer sensuality of soaking in scented water, indulging fantasies and anticipating future pleasures.
Your bathroom should be a place to feel beautiful in. to lacquer your toenails or finish a novel, henna your hair, water your plants or even paint a picture. No reason why it shouldn’t be your bathroom-boudoir-dressing-room-studio all in one. Even better if there’s room for a bed .. .
The bathroom is where you imprint your personality. Dare to be exotic with jungle prints, orchids growing in glass tanks. Or keep it cool with ice-white decor, stark modern art, a Japanese Bonsai tree.
Whatever your style, remember the importance of warmth, the comforting feel of thick pile rugs and heated towels. There’s no greater turn-off than getting goose pimples in a chilly cheerless bathroom. We photographed three highly individual bathrooms designed with great flair, and each styled perfectly for their owner’s lives. But all with a single thought in common—comfort.
The lure of the East for international fashion designer, Thea Porter. She designed her Mayfair bathroom with a Moorish interior in mind . . . wide built-in seats with heavily embroidered cushions. a little arch cut into the wall to display treasured objects. Thea doubles her exciting room as a studio, hangs her paintings around the walls.
If you want to please a man, model your bathroom on the one good-looking London businessman David Evers owns, with handsome polished mahogany fitted units, ivory backed brushes and green plants. David says the atmosphere reminds him of a St James’ men’s club.
The third is a fiery red hideaway, a fantastic design by Richard Ohrbach for New Yorker Cynthia Peltz. There’s more than a touch of the womb about this room—very comfortable after a hard day at the office …
Text by Joan Prust-Walters.
Photographs by Tim Street Porter.
Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1974.