Sisters Estelle (on the right) and Veronica (Ronnie) Bennett (left) , and their cousin Nedra Talley (middle), were the Ronettes, a famous “girl” group in the 1960s. Like many groups, success was hardly overnight, with fits and starts until they met up with Phil Spector in 1963 and the rest is style and musical history. They had several mega-hits and toured with the Rolling Stones. Little know fact: the only Grammy Phil Spector (Mr. Wall of Sound himself) ever won for best sound effects was for the Ronettes hit “(Walking) In the Rain." Estelle attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and helped create their signature look (you didn’t think Amy Winehouse invented that beehive and eyeliner, did you?). Ronnie eventually married (and divorced) Phil Spector and Estelle had a series of famous suitors, including Mick Jagger, George Harrison and Johnny Mathis (you go, girl!) but sadly, had a harder time as the group faded and re-tried for new success and all three lost out on royalties owed to them by Phil Spector. In 2007 the Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (introduced by Keith Richards). Estelle died just a few weeks ago but we think cool never dies, and this YouTube clip proves it.
The Coolsisters love the fabulous Shelby Lynne (bottom pix) and Allison Moorer (top), sisters with simply too much talent, beauty and brains. If you want the facts, just Goggle them. If you want to to transport yourself, you'll need access to their CDs. Shelby's recent contribution to the culture is a collection of Dusty Springfield covers (sadly, some of you might need to look Dusty up, too) but her own songs are poetry in musical action - ballads to rockers - she simply hits the sweet spot most every time. Alison has a great musical pedigree too and recently released an album of covers of songs by female singer/songwriters including her sister. How cool is that?
Back before we were over and forced-fed on tatty celebrities there was Jean (l) and Chrissie Shrimpton (r), fabulous cool sisters and icons of the 1960s. They were models (though Jean was more famous) and muses and are cool not because (well not only because) of their swinging BFs (Terrance Stamp, Mick Jagger, respectively) but because these gals had loads of personal style and help define a decade. Plus, you never got enough of those images. Remember, this was back when you got your fashion old-school style via Vogue, (though published twice a month in large format!): there weren't dozens of blogs, mags, zines, etc. much less fashion/style TV choking you. So a little went a long, long way. That's cool. Here is a good set of snaps.
Actually, these gals - the Pleiades - are pretty hot as they are a cluster of stars (very obvious to the naked eye) in the constellation Taurus, and prominent in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. They have been known since antiquity to cultures all around the world. The nine brightest stars of the Pleiades are named for the 7 Sisters of Greek mythology: Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygete, Calaeno, andAycyone. We dressed them up a bit.
Ah, the Lindström and Rosellini sisters. That's Ingrid, Isabella and Pia. Need we even explain what makes them cool? Pia is the first child of actress Ingrid Bergman (and Dr. Aron Petter Lindström.) Bergman became pregnant by the Italian director Roberto Rossellini (big, big scandal in the late 1950's and Bergman lost custody of Pia). Bergman then married Roberto and gave birth to twins Isabella and Isotta Ingrid. Each sister has been uniquely successful: Pia (Lindström) is a highly recognized journalist; Ingrid has a Ph.D in Italian literature (from Columbia) and currently teaches at NYU; Isabella is of course, most famous as an actress. Our kind of cool: history, beauty, and brains. photo source: www.modaentertainment.com/casablanca/photos.htm
The Cushing sisters, of course! Particularly cool when they are wearing our ribbon rosette brooches. That's Babe, Betsey and Minnie, all three daughters of a successful Cleveland surgeon. These gals raised the bar on social climbing back when marrying well was a career. Let's recap: Betsey (the eldest sister) married James Roosevelt (eldest son of FDR), and later American millionaire and U.S. Ambassador, John Hay Whitney. Minnie (middle sister) married Vincent Astor, the heir of a $200 million fortune; divorced him and married artist James Whitney Fosburgh. Babe (youngest sister) married Stanley Mortimer, Jr., heir to the tidy Standard Oil fortune; divorced him and married CBS founder Bill Paley. I am sure your husband is swell, but sister, the Cushing hook-ups make us all look pretty minor league.
