ASK D.V....

I'm going to forgive you for not picking up on the new Ask D.V. feature, because I buried news of it at the end of a rambling post which began by telling you not to read it, then got busy and forgot about it for a bit.

So anyway: relaunch!

I've re-read La Vreeland's memoirs D.V. so many times that it's now firmly lodged in my subconscious. It's so full of snippets of fabulous wisdom that I feel I could summon her advice on any given subject at all.

So the idea is that you leave a comment - at any time, on any post - only remember to put "I'd like to ask D.V." or "Dear D.V." or whatever so I don't get confused. Then ask her about whatever troubles you; I will consult the oracle and respond. Like this from Rose*:

Rose said...

Fun! Dear DV- How can I cure the sore throat I seem to have developed from excessive weekend drinking and only sleeping during the day?

Lola Is Beauty said...

This is all straight from the horse's mouth (D.V.'s memoirs): D.V. says: "There's no drink that kills, except the drink you didn't want to take, and there's no hour that kills except the hour you stayed after you wanted to go home."

And, "All my life I've never gone out before 12 noon." So you're OK there.

She also recommends Tiger Balm and Ginseng Tea for your throat, but the most amazing hangover cure is this: "Soak a sponge in ice cold water and press it against your gallbladder [to reduce swelling after overindulging]. Never lose sight of your gallbladder!"

See? She is the oracle. I'm afraid she doesn't say how to locate your gallbladder...

You can ask D.V. about anything you like, not just fashion - after all as well as pretty much inventing fashion as we now know it, she lived through two world wars, the Great Depression and the invention of polyester.

*{Thank you Rose - hope you don't mind me re-printing your comment}

Red photo: unknown source
Other photo: Bob Colacello