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Born on July 26:
Dorothea Towles Church, American model; 1922
Christopher Kane, Scottish designer; 1982
Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann, American model; 1983

Birthday salutations! I’d like to tell you about fellow July 26er, Dorothea Towles Church. Dorothea was visiting France when she decided to drop by the offices of Christian Dior. As it turns out, a house model was on vacation and Dior was in need of a model. Just like that—insert magical-wand dring!—Dorothea became the first professional African–American model on the runways of Paris. This serendipitous story is the universe pointing to the fact that a door is going to open this year for you and you need to be ready to walk through it. To be clear, I’m talking about a metaphorical door here. I’m sure you understood that, but I just don’t want you to be fixating on actual doors when your big opportunity could take any number of different forms, from a chance at true romance or a fantastic new career. Whatever it turns out to be, promise me you’ll be ready to carpe that diem.

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From the What-The-Hell-Was-She-Thinking files comes today’s story, the marriage of model/muse Wallis Franken to designer Claude Montana on July 22, 1993. She was one of the faces of the 1970s, refreshingly dark-haired and androgynous. He was hot in the 80s, a Frenchman who could have served an entire untouched Fashion Week buffet off his shoulder pads. They had been close friends for 18 years. She was 44 and a grandmother. He was, always had been, and always would be, gay.

Everyone had their own ideas about why they were doing it (getting married—not doing “it”). Some said it was because Montana felt his career sagging and thought that shacking up with an It Girl (and believe it or not, she still had it) would give him a boost. Then there’s the opposite theory, that Franken’s life had been such a financial roller coaster that she was hoping to collect on the Montana label if anything ever happened to the mister. Still others said that she was simply in love with him and foolishly thought she could recruit him to the other team. Maybe it was all true and, in Franken and Montana’s minds, that added up to a good idea. Three things are certain: 1) she proposed; 2) he agreed; and 3) it was going to end very badly. Read More »

Find out who in the fashion world shares a birthday with you and learn your destiny for the year. Guaranteed.

Born on July 21:
Charlotte Gainsbourg, English-French actress, singer, songwriter, style icon; 1971
Iris Strubegger, Austrian model; 1984

Best wishes to you, July Twenty-Oner! What you need this year is some serious exposure, because frankly the universe has been wondering what you’re up to these days. I keep thinking about fellow birthdayer and model Iris Strubegger’s experience. Iris was in New York City for a three-month exchange program when she was “discovered” while walking down the street. Well I am certain that, like Iris, during these next 12 months you will finally be recognized for your work, talents, brains or just plain youness. So, if you’re an artist, show people those paintings you’ve been slaving away on. If you’re a drummer, get out of that basement and let people hear you play. If you’re an exotic dancer, well, then you’re probably getting just the exact right amount of exposure. The point is that no matter what you do best, this year I want you to be recognized for it.

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Find out who in the fashion world shares a birthday with you and learn your destiny for the year. Guaranteed.

Born on July 19:

Sedene Blake, Jamaican model; 1990

July Nineteenion! Look at you, birthday chum! When asked what her plans were for the next 10 years, fellow birthday-er Sedene Blake said she wants to be the Number One model in the world. I’m sure a lot of models want that title, but Sedene has claimed it and so should you. It’s not that you need to necessarily set your sights on the apex of the modeling world (though if you do, I’ve got your back 115 percent, my friend), but you do have to put your cards on the table and make your desires known to your circle of friends and family. Wait, you might be saying, won’t everybody and their Aunt Zelda know my secret wants and needs, then? Aha! You’ve caught on to my cunning plan. By telling the people around you what you want, the pressure is squarely on you to go out and get it. Plus, you will get little pokes of encouragement every single time a friend or colleague asks, “Weren’t you writing a book and/or planning to jump Snake Canyon on your motorcycle?” So, what are you waiting for? Go shout it to the world, and don’t forget to wear your safety helmet.

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Find out who in the fashion world shares a birthday with you and learn your destiny for the year. Guaranteed.

BORN ON THIS DAY:

Ranya Mordanova, Russian model; 1991

My friend, I am over the moon for your birthday! When I think about your next 365 days, I keep thinking about fellow birthdayer and fashion model Ranya Mordanova, best known for her bowl haircut and bleached eyebrows. Trust me: The coming year is ripe for you to do something as dramatic as Ranya, something that will have people talking, texting and snapping pictures of you with their cell phone. Am I telling you to simply adopt Ranya’s look? Of course not; it would look odd if all you July Eighteeneers were rocking the same bowl cuts and invisible eyebrows. (It would be super cool, but still odd.) Anyway, you’re going to need to be an individual rather than following somebody else’s lead and/or hair-dyeing/removing program. So embrace that festering idea, creative urge or wacky chapeau (this is also the year of the hat) that makes you completely different, because it’s high time you got noticed. And if you’re lost for a unique idea, I would suggest that you cannot go wrong with a monocle. Wait, I’m being told by the universe that you can go totally wrong with a monocle. So I guess you’re on your own with the finding-your-individual-style thing—as it should be. Good luck, my stylish friend!

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