A Classic: C.Z. Guest: American Style Icon by Susanna Salk

In her book C.Z. Guest, American Style Icon, Susanna Salk delivers an intimate portrayal of one of America's most legendary style tastemakers. I find this is a perfect book to pick up for summertime reading. CZ was a woman who loved the outdoors and her favorite pastimes of riding, gardening, and  playing tennis. Entertaining seemed to come naturally to her and she was always the supreme hostess. Guest was a woman with the gift to make everyone comfortable around her,  in part because she was completely at ease with herself. She always exuded confidence and self assurance, and though a Boston socialite, she loved wearing her gardening togs just as much as a couture ballgown. 

At Templeton, Old Westbury, New York, C.Z. rode nearly very day of her life, a dream she had from early childhood.

C.Z was a syndicated garden columnist for 351 newspapers, author of 3 books on the subject and even created C.Z.'s Bug Spray. Ahead of her time in marketing, more than 1200 pairs of her Goatskin Gardening Gloves sold on QVC!

On their wedding night, C.Z. with her new husband Winston at the home of Earnest and Mary Hemingway in Havana. Hemingway was best man. C.Z and Winston had two children together, Cornelia and Alexander.

C. Z at age 36 styled in Mainbocher , one of her favorite fashion designers. Jewels by Tiffany

Salvador Dali's infamous portrait of C.Z with a framed note from the artist hang over a fireplace at Templeton.

Cosmetics Entrepreneur Estee Lauder and Guest attending a wedding at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in New York City, 1989. 

C.Z.'s Charles II gold vermeil dressing table collection, including many family photographs and of course fresh flowers from her garden!

In the grand salon at Templeton, there are two large portrait paintings by John Singer Sargent, this is of Amy Phipps Guest, Winston's Guest's mother. Guest often gave formal dinner parties for many friends, including Yves Saint Laurent, Rudolf Nureyev, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (her children's godparents), Nancy Reagan, Truman Capote and other social stalwarts.

C.Z.'s daughter Cornelia in her Manhattan office with a portrait of her Father, Winston Guest. (a three time world Champion Polo Player) Cornelia and her brother have since sold the family home in the Spring of 2014.

Guest died in November of 2003 at the age of 83 after valiantly fighting cancer for some time.

Including hundreds of photographs and contributions from many of Guest's nearest and dearest friends, you will love having this book as part of your library! Susanna has painted us a very personal portrait of  this iconic woman.

C. Z Guest, American Style Icon is published by Rizzoli New York and may be purchased at Amazon. 

Visit Susanna's website at http://www.susannasalk.com 

Thank you to Susanna for the signed copy of her book and to Rizzoli New York for the images included.

Thank you to my friends and followers who support The Arts!

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xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena


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