Holiday Gift Guide Part 4: For The Elvira Hancock-ish Diva
The only thing Scarface‘s Tony Montana wanted as much as the coca empire throne was the adoration of chic ice queen Elvira Hancock (played by Michelle Pfeiffer). Her white skirt suit, sequin-covered party dresses, teardrop-shaped diamond earrings, short blond bob, and glittery makeup epitomized early ’80s glamour. Her evening frocks captured the sexiness of Miami nightlife (from plunging necklines to halter silhouettes) and the era’s over-the-top showiness (gold sequin details, dramatic eye makeup), and her daytime looks (like the aforementioned white skirt suit) underscored her status and wealth.
Here, a look at some of the pieces that would appeal to those smitten with Elvira Hancock’s sense of style.
Paul & Joe Viviana Sequined Mini Dress, $610. Visit NetAPorter.com
It was the early ’80s, and the disco era had come to a close, but the flash and sizzle of that time was carrying over into the new, rock-led age, as evident in the sequin-covered dresses women donned on their evenings out. With its asymmetrical neckline and short hemline, Paul & Joe’s Viviana dress would’ve allowed Elvira to show off her tanned stems.
Badgley Mischka Elani Metallic Sandal, $191. Visit Endless.com
A huge fan of the leisurely life, Elvira sorts don’t spend too much time on their feet, preferring to tavel in luxury automobiles. Their toes, then, are always freshly polished and peeking out of the finest sandals, such as these Eleni strappy sandals from Badgley Mischka, which feature a metallic bow that practically scream, “I’m a gift ready to be opened.”
Fekkai Golden Shimmer Gelée Mist, $20. Visit Fekkai.com
With her slightly asymmetrical blond bob and slightly parted bangs, Elvira’s hairstyle set a golden standard. The Fekkai Golden Shimmer Gelée Mist would have allowed her to keep her hair in place during nights out dancing, while also adding some golden sparkle to her tresses.
NYX Cosmetics The Make-Up Box, $15. Visit NYXcosmetics.com
From contoured, winged eyeshadow to glossy lips and sculpted cheekbones, Elvira knew how to play up her features and create an indelible expression of personal style using makeup. Bonafide beauty junkies like Elvira, then, would appreciate NYX’s The Make-Up Box, which features 16 eyeshadow hues, 3 blush shades, 4 lip color hues, and 2 applicator brushes.
Dimri Back Sequin Scarf, $29. Visit HotItemsOnline.com
Those who aren’t ready to take the leap to in-your-face sequined ensembles can still experiment with the look by adorning their necks with this Dimri scarf.
Zoya Ultra Glitter Winter 09 Collection, $7 each. Visit Zoya.com
Any dancing queen (and even those with two left feet) would light up at the sight of Zoya’s collection of Ultra Glitter polishes: from Luna, a resplendent silver hue, to Nova, a pink with purple fuchsia speckles, and Astra, a ruby red with pink glitter particles.
Jack Vartanian Amethyst Teardrop Earrings, $7900. Visit Barneys.com
These regal teardrop earrings are a modern, upscale twist on the pair Elvira wore with the silk teal gown she donned during her first meeting with Tony.
Urban Decay 24/7 Super Stash, $36. Visit UrbanDecay.com or Sephora.com
Few eyeliners can yield the type of high-impact color that Urban Decay’s 24/7 Gide-On Eye Pencils can deliver. This limited-edition set features nine miniature creamy eye pencils in colors ranging from a silvery, asphalt black (Oil Slick) to an emerald green (Graffiti) and sapphire blue (Binge).
Fendi Pleat Trim Cotton-Blend Jacket, $888, and 3.1 Phillip Lim Wide Leg Pants, $172.50. Visit TheOutnet.com
When Tony first shows up to pick up Elvira in his tricked-out Caddy, she’s wearing a crisp white skirt suit: a knee-length pencil skirt, belted jacket, floppy sunhat and peep-toe pumps. Give the Elvira in your world a slightly updated version of this outfit with this Fendi jacket and these 3.1 Phillip Lim pants.
Lola by Marc Jacobs Solid Perfume Ring, $42. Visit Sephora.com
Sexy and fun-loving, the Lola by Marc Jacobs fragrance features notes of fuchsia peony, rose and geranium, vanilla, ruby red grapefruit, tonka bean, and musk, along with spicier notes like pink pepper. It’s feminine but flamboyant, quirky but tempting — and, when packaged in a retro floral solid perfume ring, it’s a Carmen Miranda-esque miracle.
Bare Minerals Extreme Glimmers, $32. Visit Sephora.com
Last year’s Extreme Glimmers set focused on purple and silver shades, but this year’s edition incorporates three warm metallic earth tones: Extreme Pyrite, a dirty yellow gold; Extreme Malachite, a shimmering black shade with green undertones; and Extreme Perlite, a bronze-y brown hue. With this amount of sheen, your eyes will be worthy of their own Olympic medals.
Whiting & Davis Retro Multi Compartment Clutch in Gold Multi and Black Muti, $250. Visit Endless.com
As if their fine mesh material wasn’t enough to lure anyone with a disco-influenced sense of style, these Whiting & Davis clutches hypnotize thanks to their tri-color folds and the angular shapes worked into their design.
DV by Dolce Vita Fire Pump, $90. Visit Nordstrom.com
Sequins always take center stage during the holiday season but, for Elvira Hancock types, they never go out of style. The DV by Dolce Vita Fire Pumps are aptly named since they’ll turn up the temperature in any room.
Alberta Ferretti Sequin Detail Crossover Dress, $4710. Visit TheOutnet.com
This body-hugging Alberta Ferretti dress will make any woman look like she has Salma Hayek-esque curves. The crossover design, along with the way in which the glitter-accentuated semicircle lines along the bodice are arranged, create the illusion of voluptuousness.
Bond No. 9 Westside Swarovski 100ml Perfume, $320. Visit BondNo9.com
For Elvira sorts, less is never more. As she herself put it, “Nothing exceeds like excess.” This limited edition bottle of Bond No. 9’s Westside perfume features a treble clef symbol outlined in Swarovski crystals. The juice itself is unchanged, with notes of ylang ylang, peony, sandalwood, amber, vanilla and musk, but the packaging is a status symbol — and we all know how much Elvira types love those.
Colette Malouf Large Mesh Flower Beak Clip, $102. Call (302) 421-9036 to order.
With its art deco-ish look and faceted stone interior, this flower hair clip is a bit like Elvira herself: beautiful with a dark side, dangerous and yet irresistible.
What Goes Around Comes Around Cobalt “Sultana” Racerback Gown, $225. Visit Bluefly.com
It may not be the teal color of the dress Elvira wore when she first met Tony Montana (right after that classic moment, when he spots her coming down the elevator in Frank’s pad), but this jewel-toned silk blue dress from What Goes Around Comes Around channels the same vibe — it fits like a second skin, features a plunging, cleavage-enhancing neckline, and dazzles thanks to the crystal details along the trim.
The Moet Celebration Case, $425. Visit Sherry-Lehman.com
Elvira always liked the finer things in life. From the moment we first saw her mingling at The Babylon nightclub, she was sipping on the finest champagne. Anyone with similar tastes would appreciate this Moet Celebration Case, which features a bottle of Moet Imperial, eight champagne flutes and a black tote, along with eight gilded Moet bubbles (one for each flute), which are meant to hold a flute charm engraved with the word “Celebrate.” Only 500 sets were produced globally.
Tous Bubble Bear Pendant, $629 each. Visit Tous-Shop.com
Typically, Elvira sorts wouldn’t be seduced by anything that could be described a adorable or cute but, when said item is covered in sapphires, well, all bets are off. These Tous Bubble Bear pendants add some glitz to any necklace. Each Bubble Bear is made out of 18k white or yellow gold and features diamonds and gemstones (blue sapphires, yellow sapphires, green tsavorites and pink sapphires).
Ann Taylor Jersey Knit Stripe Scarf, $29.95. Visit LOFT.com
Nowadays, when scarves are such a must-have accessory (even in the summer months), this white jersey knit scarf, with its golden metallic stripes, would’ve been the perfect addition to Elvira’s white suit ensemble.
Christian Siriano for Payless Carolina Pumps, $34.99. Available at select Payless Shoesource Stores.
You need to pick the right shoes to go with all those metallic cocktail dresses — and these Christian Siriano for Payless Carolina Pumps do the trick, while featuring a surprisingly affordable price tag.
CC Skye Cobra Bangles, $150. Visit Shopbop.com
These interwoven bangle bracelets can complement both casual and dressy ensembles with their classic mix of black and gold hues.
Carmen Marc Valvo Poppy Silk Beaded Gown, $375. Visit Bluefly.com
If it had a twisted front and a plunging neckline, this Carmen Marc Valvo gown would be eerily similar to the one Elvira wore to the club on the night when Frank tried to set Tony up. At that moment, watching the Lady in Red from afar, Tony knew he had met his future wife.
MAXX New York Dresden Round Bag in Red, $88. Visit MAXXnewyork.com
Featuring all-over sequins in a ruby red hue, this round purse with its long gold chain shoulder strap is as tempting as a forbidden apple — except it won’t get you kicked out of paradise. Yes!
Tarte Cosmetics Crown Jewels Lip Gloss Mini Set, $39. Visit TarteCosmetics.com or Sephora.com
As the resident queen of Miami, Elvira expected all the special treatment that came with this type of status. Give the Elvira in your life a gift befitting royalty with Tarte’s Crown Jewels set, which includes 15 lipgloss shades — from creamy matte cappuccino and peach shades to dazzling scarlet and magenta hues.
Smashbox WISH For The Perfect Pout Set, $29. Visit Sephora.com
With these six lipgloss shades, the perfect pout won’t just be a wish — it will be a reality. Elvira Hancock types will be particularly enamored with the Tease and Radiant hues — the former is a raspberry-meets-red-wine color, while the latter is a sparkling golden rose plum.
Paige Novick Sofi Earrings, $2990. Visit PaigeNovick.com
A modernized, rock-n-roll version of the earrings Elvira wore to the drama-filled dinner when she told Tony she’d be leaving him, these Paige Novick 14kt gold fringe earrings feature mixed metal chain strands and black diamond details.
