i’m sick

but feeling a little better today. While trying to find something to watch on TV, I came across the 1937 “A Star is Born.”

I googled the star: Janet Gaynor. Among other things, I learned she was in a lavender marriage with the costume designer Adrian, and had been in a long term relationship with Mary Martin. I wondered more about the term lavender marriage, and after some additional googling, came across the awesome story of once acclaimed actor William Haines.

When pressed by the studio, William Haines refused to enter a lavender marriage, and his acting career was destroyed. However, he and his life partner, Jimmy Shields, became very successful interior decorators and were together for almost 50 years. There are fantastic photos and much more info on The Errant Aesthete blog.  Haines’ early life is pretty fascinating, too.

Haines designs are still sold today, under his name.