À la Nancy Cunard

Well, after doing this shoot, all I can say is that armfuls of bangles are as inhibiting as enormous chopines must have been in the seventeenth century. I practically needed a servant to carry my arms about.

I have always greatly admired Cecil Beaton’s work; 1920s style in general; and Beaton’s portrait of Nancy Cunard in particular (below), her arms bristling with bangles from wrist to elbow.

However, before I could set this shoot up in homage, I had to increase my own collection of bangles in variety as well as number. I had the opportunity to expand it when in Vietnam earlier this year, and bought several wooden bangles, as well as four jade ones: green, purple, black – and finally a red bangle (the most expensive) carved with a fantastic cornucopia of dragons, vines and flowers.

None of them went up to my elbow like Nancy’s unfortunately. Did they make them especially large in the Twenties, or did women have really fat arms? Or is Nancy modelling home furnishings, or perhaps bits of sawn-off piping? I shall always wonder…

Check out the Out-takes & Extras gallery for more pics.
See more of Cecil Beaton's images here.