Most of you are looking at the subject title and thinking, who the hell is that? It’s okay, you’re forgiven this time for having no idea what I’m talking about. Jane Stacy is a character played by Diana Lynn in “My Friend Irma,” a 1949 movie based on a popular radio show of the same name.

The reason I love this movie and have seen it like 80 times and own the DVD is because it’s awesome and cheesy and hilarious, but also because it’s the very first movie that Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis starred in, and anyone that knows me knows how much I LOVE those two. After they split, I was always Team Dean. Jerry Lewis is weird. But Dean Martin was composed of dangerous levels of awesome. Seriously. He’s fantastic.

You know what else is pretty fantastic? The wardrobe for Jane and Irma in the movie. They’re both secretaries and wear these adorable little dresses to work, and these awesome pencil skirts and it’s just lovely. So that’s what really inspired this post and fanmix. Yes, there’s a fanmix. I spoil you guys, I really do. Unfortunately, law school started up again today so I won’t have as much time now to put together these awesome mixes. Fortunately, I do have another mix made that’s kind of sitting around on the back burner, and I’ll share it with you guys once I figure out a way to create a workplace outfit inspired by Sideshow Bob.

😐

Yes, Sideshow Bob. In my defense, it’s an absolutely awesome mix. So hopefully we’ll get to check that out next week, if I can come up with some sort of outfit that’s not, like ,a prison jumpsuit. You definitely don’t want to wear that to work.

But today’s post and fanmix are about Jane Stacy, so let’s get started.

I Just Lap It Up Like Honey: A Jane Stacy FanMix

As always, click on the cover art to enlarge.

This mix is kind of girly, because Jane is uber femme, and I stuck with mostly female singers (except Dean and Jerry’s bonus tracks) and with songs that have kind of an old-timey feel.

I Enjoy Being A Girl – BJ Barker

I’m a girl, and by me that’s only great!
I am proud that my silhouette is curvy,
That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait
With my hips kind of swivelly and swervy.

Because Jane is a beautiful young woman and knows it. Not in a haughty sense – it’s just that she’s feminine and works it. Plus, Diana Lynn? Gorgeous.

Sisters – Rosemary Clooney

Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters

Because Jane and Irma really do behave as sisters. They don’t really have anyone else.

Alfie – Lily Allen

Ooooo Alfie get up it’s a brand new day,
I just can’t sit back and watch you waste your life away
You need to get a job because the bills need to get paid.
Get off your lazy arse,
Alfie please use your brain

Because Jane just hates that Al (Irma’s boyfriend/almost-fiance) is so lazy and useless. Although Lily is much, much nicer to her Al than Jane is to Irma’s.

Gold Digger – Dolly Rockers

There’s a brand new girl that’s going around
Turning the boys upside down, gold digger
She’s an only child that’s been away,
Now she’s back no one’s safe, gold digger

Grrr. Tone-wise, this doesn’t fit that well because it’s rocky, it’s punky, it’s fast, but whatever. And lyrics-wise, it only barely fits. Jane *is* a gold digger. It’s painfully obvious, but of course, it was more culturally acceptable to be a gold digger back in the 1940s and 1950s because women’s prospects were far more limited than they are today.

I was really hoping someone like Regina Spektor or Sara Bareilles or Yael Naim had done a cover of Kanye West’s Gold Digger, but no such luck, so I had to go with this. Bah. Whatever.

In the Sun – She And Him

Well alright (well alright)
It’s okay (It’s okay)
We all get the slip sometimes every day
I’ll just keep it to myself in the sun
In the sun

This is kind of about Jane and Richard – she’s into him but he’s kind of slow to come around and be into her as well. It also describes Steve’s feelings for Jane – he’s really into her but she’s a little frosty at first, and then warms up but still keeps him at a distance because Richard is the endgame.

Fever – Eva Cassidy

Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade

Because Jane drives these two men CRAZY. They both want her and it’s gut-wrenching. Particularly Steve’s plight, although Richard’s is quite pitiful, too.

My FAVORITE version of this song is performed by Peggy Lee but I had to use another song sung by her in this mix, and I HATE repeating artists. Eva Cassidy is fine, not as good, but whatever. However, Eva’s version of “Time After Time” is fabulous – I love it even more than Cyndi Lauper’s version. And that’s, like, Cyndi’s SONG. I’m probably just weird for liking Eva’s better.

Goodnight and Go – Imogen Heap

You sleep here,
I’ll sleep there

Because this reminds me of the night that Jane and Steve meet, and he and Seymour spend the night in Jane and Irma’s apartment, sleeping on the pull out couch. Jane and Steve have this great scene on the roof where they talk and share their ambitions in the moonlight, and Jane quietly rebuffs his advances, and later, as he undresses, Steve starts singing, knowing it’ll get to her as she tries to fall asleep in her bedroom. And it does.

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Doris Day

You won’t admit you love me
And so how am I ever to know?
You always tell me
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps

Because Jane really strings these two fellas along. God. It’s painful. If you watch the movie, your Jane Stacy love will take a real beating. I think I mostly love her because Diana Lynn is so gorgeous and delicate and feminine and graceful and adorable. Also, Doris Day is such an amazing singer. Totally under rated as a female vocalist. Apparently that’s why she went into acting – she wasn’t doing so well as a singer. SHAME, America. She’s sublime.

Also, bonus: Here’s the same song set to a Dmitri/Anastasia fanvid. I love that movie.

How Much More – Stars

My hands are tied
because I won’t say goodbye
I tried
I told you I was brave but I lied

Because even though she strings them both along, it’s pretty clear Jane genuinely likes both men. And her heart is torn. Rather, I think her brain and heart are in conflict. She likes Richard a lot and knows he will be a good husband, and her brain says that her future will be secure with him, but her heart is really pulling for Steve, and she’s always been the sort of girl to follow her head and this is really, really difficult for her.

Ooh, Love – Charlotte Sometimes

When my hair brushes my shoulders
When I cry, be that tissue
Ooh, love
I feel it now more than ever

Because deep down, I think Jane always knew which man would win out. It was just a matter of admitting it to herself.

It Only Happens When I Dance With You – Judy Garland

Two cheeks together can be so divine
But only when those cheeks are yours and mine
I’ve danced with dozens of others the whole night through
But the thrill that comes with spring when anything can happen
That only happens with you

Because Jane and Steve have a gorgeous dancing scene in the movie. It’s fabulous, and Jane looks divine. And Steve is an ass. A hilarious ass. 😀

Baby, Don’t Be Mad At Me – Peggy Lee

If I made you cry, I’m sorry.
Baby, don’t be mad at me.
If I told a lie forgive me.
Baby, don’t be mad at me.

Because Jane knows she made a mistake, and she knows who she belongs to. And yeah, Steve makes it way too easy for her, but whatever. It’s the 1950s. 😛

Incredible Love – Ingrid Michaelson

I never thought I’d fall so far down
This incredibly long dark hole
Something so sweet as the sound of your feet
On the floor would give me more room to breath

Because Jane and Steve had a long ways to go before they finally got together. And after all the anticipation and the pillow-throwing and the yelling-obscenities-at-the-screen, the pay off is soooo worth it. Or maybe that’s just me, because I think Dean Martin is perfect, and I just want to protect all of his characters from the world.

BONUS:

Oh, My Only, My Own, My All – Dean Martin

I see it in your smile,
I hear it in your sigh
That we have found the feeling
Higher than high

Here’s to Love – Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Dean:

Here’s to love,
Here’s to love
Here’s to all that love can stand for
it’s a wishful wonderland for
Just you

Jerry:
Here’s to love,
Here’s to love?!
That’s a thing for jerks and rabbits
Gets you in the darnedest habits,
It’s bad.

And there we have our lovely Jane Stacy fanmix, full of fun, girly songs about love and friendship. I’m sure most of these songs are available on Amazon or iTunes. Sadly, the Dean Martin ones probably are not, as they are little-known. I have basically every Dean Martin record ever made, and they don’t appear on any of them. So you’re out of luck unless you wanted to convert the YT video to audio, which is another violation of copyright and which I do not recommend.

Moving on, let’s get to the outfit, shall we?

Deuce Coupe Darling Dress ………. $44.99
Michelle D “Jane” Pumps in Grey ………. $29.99
Metal Ring Set in Silver ………. $19.90

It’s simple enough to channel some of that retro glamor, right? I picked this pretty vintage inspired dress with the neat little nipped in waist and cute bow from ModCloth, which is a great place to go if you’re looking for unique pieces like this.

The shoes are from Dillard’s, and I didn’t plan that whole “Jane” pump thing, but it totally works, right? Jellybean colors like that bright fuchsia are totally in right now, and while the trend currently is to combine them (which to me is too intense a look; it’s glaring and I don’t like it), usually, when you’re wearing such a bright color, you pair it with a neutral like cream or beige or white.

I went with grey instead to make this just perfect for the office. The shoes give me a vintage-y feel, too, what with those T-straps. I love T-straps. Sometimes. I go through phases. But you don’t care. Bottom line: those shoes are adorable. I threw in a chunky metal ring set from Express, and we are good to go.

And there we have an outfit inspired by Jane Stacy and her times, the 1950s, that’s still perfectly acceptable for work.

(Toss on a cardigan if you get cold or if your office frowns on short little sleeves.)