Sisi - Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary
24. December 1837 – 10. September 1898
She was one oft he most faszinating women of her time. Since I saw the first exhibition on her when I was 7, I was hooked and researched her extensively.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />.jpg)
Sisi was a woman way ahead of her own time, she never adapted, was very different from everybody else, lived like God in France but paradoxically didn’t believe in the concept of a monarchy at all!
She was very, very well read and educated and was a fanatic sportswoman – whatever it was she did, she did it with all her heart!
Life at court didn’t interest her whatsoever and she didn’t follow fashion trends either. When curves were in she went on hunger strike to obtain a waistline of between 45 – 50 cm throughout her whole life. While others dolled up to look like Christmas trees, she stuck to clean lines and exquisite materials skipping petticoats altogether very early on.
Her dress style was always elegant but very plain for the fashion of her time – I guess today she would go for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren or Prada.
While she was expected to hold ladies lunches and spread court gossip she became bulimic, excessively tried to hold on to her beauty by nowadays odd sounding rituals, had Fanny Feifalik do up her hair for several hours every single day, got on her horse (even had a famous circus rider give her lessons!!!) or went for power-walks that could also last all day long. I guess today she’d be doing power yoga and keep an Ayurveda diet.
But unfortunately even with all her beauty and all the richness, she was never happy at all and I often wonder if she lived today and had a good therapist, if that could be altered?
Not only many places, souvenirs, paradoxically also sweets, etc. were named after her but also the Sissi-Syndrome which characterizes a form of depression which especially very active people (mainly women) suffer from. The Sissi-Syndrome is defined by restlessness, moodiness, physical hyperactivity, quick changes of temper, hunger strikes, excessive body cult, problems with selfestim and countless attempts to cure oneself.
In case such thing as reincarnation really exists I do wish for her from the bottom of my heart that this time around she uses her gifts & talents more wisely and is happy!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
