Ipanema

I was casually walking up the road when my neighbour stopped me to tell me I looked exactly like the girls from his youth in the sixties. He’s Brazilian, and apparently all the most fashionable, daring girls wore dresses in a similar style to this one with matching sandals. “Do you know the song The Girl From Ipanema?” he asked, “you look like her today!”.

Tall and tan and young and lovely… quite the compliment! The Girl From Ipanema was originally written about Helo Pinheiro who was aged around 18 at the time of composition in 1962. Written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, it became a worldwide hit in 1965 as sung by Astrud Gilberto (read more here). Vinicius de Moraes later described their inspiration as:

“a golden teenage girl, a mixture of flower and mermaid, full of light and grace, the sight of whom is also sad, in that she carries with her, on her route to the sea, the feeling of youth that fades, of the beauty that is not ours alone—it is a gift of life in its beautiful and melancholic constant ebb and flow.” 

I think that’s such a wonderful description, what girl wouldn’t want to be immortalised in a song that way? She looks so beautiful in the few photos available of her in 1962.

It’s weird to think this vintage cotton dress would have been considered racy, as I think it’s quite modest compared to some of the summer dresses on offer today. The cotton dress I’m wearing is vintage so who knows where and when it might have been worn in a previous life; it’s sadly not been sashaying down to the sea with me yet though hopefully in a few weeks that will be rectified…

Helo Pinheiro in 1962, (copyright Renta Rendas).

Helo Pinheiro in 1962, (copyright Renta Rendas).

Dress – vintage, sandals – TK Maxx, bag – charity shop, belt – from childhood