Babe Paley
She defined American elegance in the mid-20th century, setting a standard of style and grace that made her the ultimate social arbiter and a muse to designers.
1915–1978 (age 63)·American editor and socialite·Birthday: July 5·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Babe Paley was less a socialite and more a curator of a rarefied world. The daughter of a prominent neurosurgeon, she and her sisters, the 'Fabulous Cushing Sisters,' were launched into society with fanfare. But Babe possessed a singular eye. Her career as a fashion editor at Vogue gave her a professional authority that set her apart from her peers; she didn't just wear clothes, she understood them. Her marriage to CBS founder William S. Paley placed her at the apex of New York's media and cultural power structure, and their homes became temples of impeccable taste. With her striking beauty and minimalist chic—often favoring simple black turtlenecks and dramatic costume jewelry—she became the benchmark for postwar American style. Truman Capote, who idolized her before their infamous falling out, called her his 'most alluring swan.' Her influence was quiet but immense, shaping the visual ideals of an era.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Babe was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Babe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Babe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Died at 63
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
Key Achievements
- She was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1958, cementing her status as a global style authority.
- She worked as a fashion editor at Vogue magazine, where she influenced trends and photographic style.
- She served as a trustee for the Museum of Modern Art in New York, contributing to the cultural landscape.
- Her personal style and homes were extensively documented and emulated, defining East Coast high society glamour.
Did You Know?
She was a heavy smoker and was rarely photographed without a cigarette in an elegant holder.
She underwent a radical mastectomy in 1974 but kept her illness largely private.
Her famous friendship with author Truman Capote ended bitterly after he published thinly-veiled stories about her social circle.
She was known for dyeing her signature white streak of hair with blue rinse to make it appear brighter.
“Elegance is refusal.”
