Hard, fast and fashionable: A factoid or two about Ida Lupino.

I love Ida Lupino. I admire Ida Lupino. She was smart. She was fearless. She broke the mold. And she looked good doing it. She was not only a talented actress, she was a model of feminist filmmaking. In fact, the Village Voice said "Not only did Lupino take control of production, direction and screenplay, but each of her movies addresses the brutal repercussions of sexuality, independence, and dependence." How's that for impressive?

A factoid or two or three about Ms. Lupino:

1. She directed her first film, Not Wanted, in 1949, when the male director suffered a heart attack. Afterward, she directed many of her own projects, making her the only female film director of that period.

2. She was the first female to direct a film noir movie. The Hitchiker, in case you want to see it.

3. She was featured on some Hollywood patterns in the 1930s, including Hollywood 1240, a Sew-Simple design. (Beginners, take note!)

The details about this pattern (and don't you love those luscious sleeves on the black dress? I do. Most certainly.): Hollywood 1240 Dresses Featuring Ida Lupino Bust 32 Complete Circa 1936 $68

Now. Go rent some Lupino movies. That's an order. Albeit a gentle one.

And, yes. Yes. This pattern can be yours at The Blue Gardenia, where the patterns are counted, the jewelry is sparkling, and domestic shipping is free. (We ship abroad as well, happily. And we charge less for shipping than the postal service charges us. Isn't that delightful? We think so.)

If you want to learn more about Ms. Lupino, check Wikipedia or Ida Lupino: Beyond the Camera by Ida Lupino with Mary Ann Anderson.