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Finally! JLo shares pics of her THREE stunning wedding dresses

<p dir="ltr">Jennifer Lopez and her new husband Ben Affleck celebrated their marriage once again after already tying the knot.</p> <p dir="ltr">The newlyweds <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/jlo-and-ben-affleck-finally-tie-the-knot-20-years-later" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said their vows in an intimate ceremony</a> in Vegas on July 17, just three months after being engaged (for the second time).</p> <p dir="ltr">Affleck first proposed to Lopez, now known as Mrs Jennifer Lynn Affleck, 20 years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">The loved up couple however wanted to celebrate their marriage and did so on August 20, with Mrs Affleck showing off three stunning wedding dresses designed by Ralph Lauren. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her newsletter, On The JLo, the singer shared stunning images of the three wedding dresses which are each estimated to cost around the $1 million mark.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The dresses were dreamy...thank you Ralph Lauren,” she wrote with a heart. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I will be sharing a few more pics and delicious details on our big day coming very soon On The JLo…”</p> <p dir="ltr">The first photo showed the bride in a breathtaking curve-snatching dress with a spectacular 20 foot ruffled train.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another image showed Mrs Affleck wearing a second wedding dress with a plunging neckline and crystals sewn on. </p> <p dir="ltr">The third and final image showed Mrs Affleck sitting on a swing in the dress which was covered in strings of pearls sewn onto the gown with Swarovski crystal detailing. </p> <p dir="ltr">When the pair married, JLo shared the news to her devoted followers in her newsletter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“WE DID IT!” she began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Exactly what we wanted. Last night we flew to Vegas, stood in line for a license with four other couples, all making the same journey to the wedding capital of the world.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mrs Affleck said there were different couples around them who were “wanting the same thing” as they waited patiently for their turn. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We barely made it to the little white wedding chapel by midnight. They graciously stayed open late a few minutes, let us take pictures in a pink Cadillac convertible, evidently once used by the king himself (but if we wanted Elvis himself to show, that cost extra and he was in bed),” she joked. </p> <p dir="ltr">“So with the best witnesses you could ever imagine, a dress from an old movie and a jacket from Ben’s closet, we read our own vows in the little chapel and gave one another the rings we’ll wear for the rest of our lives. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They even had Bluetooth for a (short) march down the aisle. But in the end it was the best possible wedding we could have imagined. </p> <p dir="ltr">“One we dreamed of long ago and one made real (in the eyes of the state, Las Vegas, a pink convertible and one another) at very, very long last.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When love is real, the only thing that matters in marriage is one another and the promise we make to love, care, understand, be patient, loving and good to one another. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We had that. And so much more. Best night of our lives. Thank you to the Little White Wedding chapel for letting me use the break room to change while Ben changed in the men’s room.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They were right when they said, ‘all you need is love’. We are so grateful to have that in abundance, a new wonderful family of five amazing children and a life that we have never had more reason to look forward to. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Stick around long enough and maybe you’ll find the best moment of your life in a drive through in Las Vegas at twelve thirty in the morning in the tunnel of love drive through, with your kids and the one you’ll spend forever with. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Love is a great thing, maybe the best of things-and worth waiting for.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With love, Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Affleck.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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"She was perfect": Reality star's heartbreaking loss

<p>Lauren Goodger, a 35-year-old popular model and reality TV star based in the UK, has shared the devastating news that her newborn baby daughter Lorena has passed away at just two years of age.</p> <p>In a heartbreaking post on social media, Goodger shared a touching black-and-white image of her holding her baby's hand and made the tragic announcement.</p> <p>"She was the most beautiful healthy baby I've ever seen," wrote Goodger. "Words can't describe, as a mother losing, your baby that I carried for all these months perfectly and gave birth too, for my angel to be taken from me."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf011M3IC4_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf011M3IC4_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lauren Rose Goodger (@laurengoodger)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While Goodger did not give any indication of the cause surrounding her daughter's death, she did stress that there were no issues with the birth.</p> <p>"There were no pregnancy or labour complications and she was fine and healthy but I am not going into detail right now. Just know that there was nothing wrong with her or myself," wrote Goodger. "She was perfect."</p> <p>Goodger and her partner Charles Drury have also asked for privacy as they grieve and prepare funeral arrangements.</p> <p>"I will never get over this but I will learn how to live everyday with Lorena in my heart. She will be with me always and I will be with her again one day… My Lorena I love you so much."</p> <p>Goodger's announcement was met with an outpouring of love and support. She currently lives with her partner and young daughter Larose, who was born in January 2021.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Lauren Hutton poses topless

<p dir="ltr">With a modelling career spanning six decades, Lauren Hutton is well aware of how youth is prioritised in the industry and has shared an insight into what it’s like to continue working at 78.</p> <p dir="ltr">The model and actress, styling a Gucci blazer and plants (and nothing else) on the May issue of <em>Harper's Bazaar</em>, spoke about her career, skincare routine and what it was like to jump back into modelling by snagging the biggest modelling contract in history.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was about to become 30, and I knew I was about to expire, and wanted to protect myself with a contract that would guarantee I kept working for years to come,” she told the publication.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b58eebf3-7fff-35da-1679-7d5a98b1ffa4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“So I got a contract with Revlon. At the time, it was the biggest one in modelling history.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcxqPN6uICx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcxqPN6uICx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Harper's BAZAAR (@harpersbazaarus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">When she began modelling again at 40 after taking a break for her career in film, she recalled telling her photographer, Steven Meisel, she wouldn’t “try and look younger”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And he said, ‘I love that. That’s why I’m working with you’,” Hutton said.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for cosmetic procedures, Hutton said it’s “a real thin line”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are people who I find hard to look at today. Their faces don’t look like the people I once knew,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">With that in mind, Hutton revealed that she doesn’t spend too much time on skincare.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The only beauty ritual I have is washing my face with soap and water,” she said. “It’s horrifying.” </p> <p dir="ltr">The few products she does use include <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/strivectin-s-t-a-r-light-retinol-night-oil-30-ml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">StriVectin S.T.A.R. Light Retinol Night Oil</a> ($155), and the leaves of her aloe plant, which she cuts open before putting on her face and “décolletage”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I put castor oil in my hair too,” she added. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I just put it on my fingertips and rub it all over my scalp, and it makes my hair a little less dry and nasty.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Though she still models, Hutton admitted “it’s embarrassing” to be in front of a camera now.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You feel strange. You become self-conscious. Modelling is like playing the violin: You have to practise every day,” she added, noting that she does have a way of working around it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now, when I look at the camera, I’ve learned to picture my lover’s face, my godkids’ faces, my friends’ - whoever I need there,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">To read the full interview with <em>Harper’s Bazaar</em>, click <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a39697802/0122-0129-lauren-hutton-on-going-your-own-way-may-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-78e397dd-7fff-523d-abc3-fb8d6a7fadf4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @harpersbazaaraus (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Woman turns herself in after fatal attack on 87-year-old singing coach

<p>A 26-year-old woman has turned herself in to police after admitting to attacking an 87-year-old woman, which led to her death. </p> <p>Lauren Pazienza shoved Barbara Maier Gustern before striking her on the back of the head in an unprompted attack on March 10th in New York City. </p> <p>The NYPD released a picture of the woman wanted for the attack, just days before Lauren turned herself in to authorities. </p> <p>Police identified Pazienza through video and her Metrocard, police sources said.</p> <p>Pazienza covered her face with her hair as she was led by detectives to a car for transport to criminal court, as she refused to answer reporters who asked her about the allegation she pushed Gustern.</p> <p>Following the brutal attack, Barbara was in critical condition until she died from her injuries on March 14th. </p> <p>“Today, at 11:15am, we have lost one of the brightest little flames to ever grace this world,” her grandson wrote on Gustern’s Facebook page. </p> <p>“I ask that you all give me a little time and space, but I want to make time for anyone and everyone who wants to know more about her final moments,” the post said.</p> <p>“Bobbob, I love you, you are and always will be my heart,” it said. “I love you all so much, I could not have made it through these past 5 days without all of your support.”</p> <p>Barbara Maier Gustern, who was a renowned vocal coach and tutored famous students including Blondie singer Debbie Harry, was walking around at night alone when the attack occurred. </p> <p>Her red-headed attacker then ran off, with police saying the attacker crossed the street before pushing Gustern, who suffered a fatal head injury.</p> <p>NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig described it as a “disgusting, disgraceful law offence” committed against a “vulnerable elderly female who is doing nothing but walking down the streets of New York City”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: NYPD / Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Three girls murdered: "Something doesn't add up"

<p>Locals and loved ones alike say they can’t comprehend what’s happened after Lauren Dickason has allegedly murdered her three daughters in Timaru on New Zealand’s South Island.</p> <p>The three girls were found dead at home - twin sisters Maya and Karla, aged two and Liane, aged six. New Zealand Police did not share the nature of their injuries.</p> <p>Their mother Lauren Dickason, a doctor, briefly fronted court on Saturday morning, charged with murder.</p> <p><strong>Police state no other people are sought in relation to this crime</strong></p> <p>New Zealand Police have made a statement saying: ‘Police would like to reassure the community that this was a tragic isolated incident and we are not seeking anyone else.’</p> <p>‘The investigation into this tragedy is still in its very early stages, but we can confirm that nobody else is being sought in relation to the deaths of the three children,’ another statement read.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7cb328e12ef64d0d99d1c40d48a111c8" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.56996587030716px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844205/three-girls-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7cb328e12ef64d0d99d1c40d48a111c8" /></p> <p>Lauren Dickason’s husband Graham, an orthopaedic surgeon, is reported to have returned home from work late last week to find the girls’ bodies and was said to have been “crying hysterically”.</p> <p>The Dickason family had moved to New Zealand from South Africa to start a new life in August and had exited two weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine only last week.</p> <p><strong>Neighbour’s and friends can’t comprehend the situation</strong></p> <p>Lauren’s former colleague and neighbour, Natasja le Roux, told media she “cannot comprehend what happened”.</p> <p>“(Lauren) is a medical doctor and she wasn’t arrogant or anything like that,” le Roux said.</p> <p>“She was very humble.”</p> <p>Le Roux said the couple had “waited years for those children” after struggling with fertility.</p> <p>When Lauren finally fell pregnant, everyone around the family was supportive and Le Roux said: “The nicest person it could happen to is that woman; she was really just a nice person, she and her husband.”</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/06aad284e10e4cb0b58311b105bc7dbf" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.0880829015544px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844206/three-girls-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/06aad284e10e4cb0b58311b105bc7dbf" /></p> <p>Another neighbour, who lived in the same area as the couple, said the parents “absolutely adored those children”.</p> <p>“Something just doesn’t seem right to us,” the neighbour, who did not want to be identified.</p> <p>“We don’t know what happened. There is not a lot of information, but they are kind people.</p> <p>“Something just doesn’t add up.</p> <p>“I don’t know if it’s the stress from New Zealand, moving there, being quarantined for so long and everything - just not coping with that going on.</p> <p>“So, I think whatever happened is not normal, it wasn’t normal circumstances.”</p> <p>“Something just doesn’t add up.”</p> <p><strong>Grandparents are in a “state of shock”</strong></p> <p>In a statement, Lauren’s parents and the children’s grandparents Wendy and Malcolm Fawkes, said the extended family were in a “state of shock”.</p> <p>“The extended families are in a state of shock as we try to understand what happened,” their statement read.</p> <p>“We ask for your prayers and support during this very difficult time. We would also request privacy as we battle to come to terms with what has happened.”</p> <p><strong>“I’m torn apart”</strong></p> <p>Mandy Sibanyoni, who worked as a nanny for the Dickasons in South Africa, described them as an “awesome family” with “wonderful kids” and no obvious problems.</p> <p>She said the only sign of “stress” she saw from Lauren was as a result of one of her daughters being born with a lip disfigurement, which needed surgical interventions.</p> <p>But both parents “loved their kids like nobody’s business,” she said.</p> <p>“I’m torn apart - a part of mine is gone,” Sibanyoni said in an interview with media in South Aftrica.</p> <p>“And it’s like those kids, they are my kids too because I raised them.”</p> <p>“I don’t know what to do about this because the only question that I’ve got now is, what happened? What went wrong? Because Lauren cared for her kids,” Sibanyoni added.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

News

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15 reasons we will always love Lauren Bacall

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lauren Bacall was a superstar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Born Betty Joan Perske in New York on 16 September 1924. She is impossible to forget for her distinctive husky voice, sultry stare, and epic love affair with Humphrey Bogart. She passed away at the age of 89 on 12th August 2014 but we will always remember her style, talent and beauty.</span></p> <p><strong>To Have and Have Not, 1944</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lauren Bacall’s breakthrough performance in the 1944 Warner Bros picture, To Have and Have Not, is still acknowledged as one of the best film debuts in cinema history. The 19-year-old Bronx native was scouted by Warner bigwigs on the lookout for the next big female star. More specifically, they needed an actress who could match the magnetism – and insolence – of Humphrey Bogart. Bacall was perfect in her performance and left Bogart astounded and smitten.</span></p> <p><strong>The ‘Look’</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seduction personified, Bacall coined ‘The Look’ during screen tests for To Have and Have Not. The alluring stare was achieved as the result of a shy tendency to press her chin to her chest. With almond-shaped eyes peeking through long lashes, she made an immediate impact.</span></p> <p><strong>Humphrey Bogart</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The romance between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall lasted a little over a decade, yet it remains as enduring as the films they starred in together. The Hollywood love story began while the pair filmed To Have and Have Not. At the time 45-year-old Bogart was married. Within two years he was divorced and had married Bacall, who was 25 years his junior. They had two children together and remained wed until his death in 1957. “I fairly often have thought how lucky I was. I knew everybody because I was married to Bogie, and that 25-year difference was the most fantastic thing for me to have in my life,” Lauren Bacall told Vanity Fair in 2011.</span></p> <p><strong>Enduring Icon</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 1995 Lauren Bacall was named Empire magazine’s sixth sexiest star in film history. Two years later People listed Bacall among their 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. This wasn't the first time her beauty was awarded. In 1942, she was named ‘Miss Greenwich Village’ and ‘Prettiest Usher’ of the 1942 theatre season.</span></p> <p><strong>Rat Pack Royalty</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bacall was one of the founding members of the Hollywood Rat Pack. She even coined the term ‘rat pack’ and was referred to as ‘den mother’ by fellow members Frank Sinatra, Swifty Lazar and, of course, her husband Humphrey Bogart.</span></p> <p><strong>An alluring muse</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lauren Bacall was one of four Hollywood starlets (along with Veronica Lee, Rita Hayworth and Julie London) who inspired the cartoon character Jessica Rabbit.</span></p> <p><strong>Thoughts on Ageing</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bacall opted to age gracefully, and her musings on maturing are heart-warming: "I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.” - Lauren Bacall</span></p> <p><strong>Fearless Negotiator</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Forcing Bacall’s hand was like forcing a concrete slab across the beach. Indeed, her refusal to star in the film Storm Chase saw her suspended an astounding seven times. An article from the Reading Eagle, published in 1949, stated, "Lauren Bacall has become a storm center at Warner Brothers studio because she refuses to appear in a picture by that name.” In response to her suspension she said, “This makes the fifth or sixth time Mr. Warner has suspended me. I told him he had a fine picture (in ‘Storm Center’), but I didn’t think the part was for me. I thought he understood me at that time. I guess he didn’t.”</span></p> <p><strong>Risqué roles</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When many actresses are cast aside or relegated to grannie roles, Bacall relaunched her career when she featured in a number of provocative roles. She starred in Lars Von Trier’s cult classic Dogville (2003), followed by the 2005 thriller Birth.</span></p> <p><strong>Self Deprecating yet Stylish</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Never afraid to laugh at herself, Bacall lent her voice to the hit animation series Family Guy. Additionally, the down-to-earth beauty played herself in a 2006 episode of The Sopranos, where she was mugged and stripped of her awards show goodie bag.</span></p> <p><strong>Stylish Dame</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lauren Bacall knew how to wear a tailored suit. Always elegant and seductive, her ‘come-hither’ gaze was just as mesmerising as both the masculine style suits and figure-hugging gowns she favoured.</span></p> <p><strong>Key Largo, 1948</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The usually seductive Bacall assumed a more demure, dutiful part in the steamy Florida thriller Key Largo. Sporting long skirts cinched at the waist with tight belts, it was the last on-screen collaboration between Bacall and Humphrey Bogart.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scroll through the gallery above to see Lauren Bacall through the ages. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Republished with permission of </span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/entertainment/15-reasons-we-will-always-love-lauren-bacall.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wyza.com.au.</span></a></em></p>

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15 reasons we will always love Lauren Bacall

<p>Lauren Bacall was a superstar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Born Betty Joan Perske in New York on 16 September 1924. She is impossible to forget for her distinctive husky voice, sultry stare, and epic love affair with Humphrey Bogart. She passed away at the age of 89 on 12th August 2014 but we will always remember her style, talent and beauty.</p> <p><strong>1. To Have and Have Not, 1944</strong> <br />Lauren Bacall’s breakthrough performance in the 1944 Warner Bros picture, To Have and Have Not, is still acknowledged as one of the best film debuts in cinema history. The 19-year-old Bronx native was scouted by Warner bigwigs on the lookout for the next big female star. More specifically, they needed an actress who could match the magnetism – and insolence – of Humphrey Bogart. Bacall was perfect in her performance, and left Bogart astounded and smitten.</p> <p><strong>2. The ‘Look’</strong> <br />Seduction personified, Bacall coined ‘The Look’ during screen tests for To Have and Have Not. The alluring stare was achieved as the result of a shy tendency to press her chin to her chest. With almond-shaped eyes peeking through long lashes, she made an immediate impact.</p> <p><strong>3. Humphrey Bogart</strong> <br />The romance between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall lasted a little over a decade, yet it remains as enduring as the films they starred in together. The Hollywood love story began while the pair filmed To Have and Have Not. At the time 45-year-old Bogart was married. Within two years he was divorced and had married Bacall, who was 25 years his junior. They had two children together and remained wed until his death in 1957. “I fairly often have thought how lucky I was. I knew everybody because I was married to Bogie, and that 25-year difference was the most fantastic thing for me to have in my life,” Lauren Bacall told Vanity Fair in 2011. </p> <p><strong>4. Enduring Icon</strong> <br />In 1995 Lauren Bacall was named Empire magazine’s sixth sexiest star in film history. Two years later Peoplelisted Bacall among their 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. This wasn't the first time her beauty was awarded. In 1942, she was named ‘Miss Greenwich Village’ and ‘Prettiest Usher’ of the 1942 theatre season.</p> <p><strong>5. Rat Pack Royalty</strong> <br />Bacall was one of the founding members of the Hollywood Rat Pack. She even coined the term ‘rat pack’ and was referred to as ‘den mother’ by fellow members Frank Sinatra, Swifty Lazar and, of course, her husband Humphrey Bogart.</p> <p><strong>6. An alluring muse</strong><br />Lauren Bacall was one of four Hollywood starlets (along with Veronica Lee, Rita Hayworth and Julie London) who inspired the cartoon character Jessica Rabbit.</p> <p><strong>7. Thoughts on Ageing</strong> <br />Bacall opted to age gracefully, and her musings on maturing are heart-warming: "I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.” - Lauren Bacall</p> <p><strong>8. Fearless Negotiator</strong> <br />Forcing Bacall’s hand was like forcing a concrete slab across the beach. Indeed, her refusal to star in the film Storm Chase saw her suspended an astounding seven times. An article from the Reading Eagle, published in 1949, stated, "Lauren Bacall has become a storm center at Warner Brothers studio because she refuses to appear in a picture by that name.” In response to her suspension she said, “This makes the fifth or sixth time Mr. Warner has suspended me. I told him he had a fine picture (in ‘Storm Center’), but I didn’t think the part was for me. I thought he understood me at that time. I guess he didn’t.”</p> <p><strong>9. Risqué roles</strong> <br />When many actresses are cast aside or relegated to grannie roles, Bacall relaunched her career when she featured in a number of provocative roles. She starred in Lars Von Trier’s cult classic Dogville (2003), followed by the 2005 thriller Birth.</p> <p><strong>10. Self Deprecating yet Stylish</strong> <br />Never afraid to laugh at herself, Bacall lent her voice to the hit animation series Family Guy. Additionally, the down-to-earth beauty played herself in a 2006 episode of The Sopranos, where she was mugged and stripped of her awards show goodie bag.</p> <p><strong>11. Stylish Dame</strong> <br />Lauren Bacall knew how to wear a tailored suit. Always elegant and seductive, her ‘come-hither’ gaze was just as mesmerising as both the masculine style suits and figure-hugging gowns she favoured.</p> <p><strong>12. Roses are Red</strong><br />Few things are sexier than a woman in a suit and a slick of bright red lipstick. No matter what she wore, red lipstick was a common accompaniment to Bacall’s overall look. Now that is classic style.</p> <p><strong>13. Presidential Pause</strong> <br />Marilyn wasn’t the only movie star who sang for a President. In an act of sassy seduction, the starlet sat atop a piano as U.S. Vice President Truman was playing. The event took place while Bacall was visiting Washington in 1945.</p> <p><strong>14. The Big Sleep, 1946</strong> <br />Bacall’s portrayal of the beguiling Vivian Rutledge set the tone for the rest of her career. Her unflappable charm makes this a film you can enjoy again and again.</p> <p>Glamarous as always - Lauren Bacall in 'The Big Sleep'</p> <p><strong>15. Key Largo, 1948</strong> <br />The usually seductive Bacall assumed a more demure, dutiful part in the steamy Florida thriller Key Largo. Sporting long skirts cinched at the waist with tight belts, it was the last on-screen collaboration between Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. </p> <p>What was your favourite Lauren Bacall character? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Written by Louise Smithers. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/entertainment/15-reasons-we-will-always-love-lauren-bacall.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p>

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This grandpa’s sweet gift will bring a tear to your eyes

<p>A teenager from Texas has received an incredibly sweet gift from her grandpa to mark her 16th birthday. And this one’s so touching it might just bring a tear to your eyes.</p> <p>Lauren Blank, who just turned 16 this week, received a gift her grandfather has been working on for years – journals that documented every moment they spend together.</p> <p>Blank said she was confused at first, but as she started to notice the heart-warming diligent detail her grandpa had gone to, she become overwhelmed and started to cry.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">today for my birthday, my grandpa gave me 3 books filled w stories of each time he hung out w me from the age of 2 to 5. I am speechless.😭 <a href="https://t.co/fyeOUV1K2J">pic.twitter.com/fyeOUV1K2J</a></p> — ren (@renblankk) <a href="https://twitter.com/renblankk/status/844725153774944256">March 23, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Blank said, "I had no idea that he had these, and neither did my parents or anyone in my family. It was a complete shock. I didn't cry at first, but it was so overwhelming."</p> <p>Blank was very close to her grandpa growing up, who helped raise her due to her mother’s busy schedule. </p> <p>Blank explains, "He said that it was a memento, and he wanted to give it to me after he passed away. My mother said, 'No, give it to her now so it has more meaning!'"</p> <p>Blank's tweet has been retweeted 140,000 times so far, with a half million likes.</p> <p>What a lovely story. What’s the most heart-warming gift you’ve given or received?</p>

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