THE SWANS: C.Z. Guest

C. Z. GUEST

Did you know...

1. She was born Lucy Douglas Cochrane on February 19, 1920, in Boston, Massachusetts.

2. Her brother Alexander called her "Sissy" and she eventually transformed that into "C. Z."

3. On March 8, 1947, she married Winston Frederick Churchill Guest, the son of Frederick Guest (who was a son of Ivor Bertie Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne) and Lady Cornelia Spencer-Churchill (daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough). Winston's mother was a first cousin of Sir Winston Churchill.

4. Ernest Hemingway was the best man at the wedding, which took place at Hemingway's home in Havana, Cuba.

5. One of the most photographed women in 20th century America, long considered one of the "beautiful people", she exuded an air of indifference when it came to her status as a stylish icon.

6. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1959.

7. The epitome of aristocratic American prep, she chose simple lines, soft colors, and sporty pieces that highlighted her patrician beauty. She favored designers who worked the subtle everyday glamour that categorized classic American dressing like Mainbocher and could always be found on best-dressed lists everywhere.

8. Often compared to Grace Kelly due to their pale skin and hair, blue eyes, and coolish beauty, she embodied a look reminiscent of Palm Beach dwellers and residents of the Hamptons. She chose to forego heavy makeup and trendiness and illustrated old-guard chic when not on the show, embracing starched white shirts, riding pants and boots, cashmere sweaters, and minimal jewelry.

9. C.Z was most notably a socialite, author, and gardener extraordinaire. She penned a series of books about gardening, the first one titled 'First Garden', which was reported as one of her proudest accomplishments. The introduction was penned by her friend, author Truman Capote.

10. C.Z. Guest died on November 8, 2003, in Old Westbury (Long Island), New York at the age of 83. She started to experience breathing difficulties at home and requested a friend drive her to the hospital but died on her way to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where she had been receiving treatment for ovarian cancer.

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