Women & Cigar Smoking

Todays scene with women smoking cigars today is very upscale.  Special cigar dinners, sponsored by upscale hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, feature rare wines, gourmet cooking and choice cigars from around the world. These events are becoming increasingly popular, especially with young, urban professionals.  The atmosphere is appealing and relaxing to women.   Cigars smoke slow, so there is a chance to sit and talk.  They are conversation pieces and the women become conversation pieces, too.

Whether it be a 'young thing', a 'woman thing' or 'trendy thing', it's happening everywhere. Cigar smoking isn't restricted to just the upper cut of our society. Even though movie stars and actresses make it popular, they aren't the only one's helping to fuel the over $100 million dollar a year industry in this country. Women of all social backgrounds from students to mothers are exploring this new passion.

There is a certain strength about todays cigar smoking woman.  She is someone who is self-confident, secure and ready to fly in the face of the criticism of her family and friends.  She is prepared to present herself with a prop, that at the very least will draw attention, if not conversation.  She is armed with a keen, incisive mind that will deal with the comments, criticisms, stupid questions, cat calls and plethora of come-ons that she will attract, as she draws on her smoke.  She holds her head high--she puffs deeply--she smiles slyly, knowing that she ultimately has the upper hand.  She doesn't care about breaking a few rules.  

Guys worth a New York minute of her time, love these things about her. She stands out.  Men like women who aren't afraid to break rules and take risks.  They know that these are women who might just let them put their feet up on their couches with their shoes on, or stand shoulder to shoulder with them at 3 AM in front of the refrigerator, drinking milk right out of the carton.  They know these women just might rock their world!

Famous Women who Smoked Cigars

Catherine The Great (1729-1796) was an avid cigar smoker. She is credited with being the first to put a band around a cigar, purportedly so that her fingers wouldn't be soiled with tobacco stains.

Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), a contemporary of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, had a taste for cigars.

Amy Lowell (1874-1925), Biographer and poet, scandalized her New England neighbors by smoking cigars and cursing in public.

French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954) commonly referred to as just "Colette" - was rumored to have smoked cigars in bed.

Nellie Melba, an Australian coloratura soprano, claimed she took her vocal strength from smoking cigars.  The owner of La Africana cigar factory in Cuba (the first factory to employ a woman 1878) sent Nellie the factory's choicest cigars.

Novelist George Sand began life as Amadine Aurore-Lucie dupin, Baron Dudevant, but took a man's name to get her work published in a male dominated world. She was known to stride about Paris in men's trousers, trench coats and neckties, smoking cigars, sometimes 7 per day. Today her name is perpetuated by the largest women's cigar smoking society, the George Sand Society, founded in Santa Monica, California in 1992.

Lillian Russell, a famous American actress, reportedly smoked 500 three inch shaped cigars a month. The manufacturers, grateful for her contribution of charm to the industry, immortalized her on early lithographs.

A true rogue, Bonnie Parker of the infamous Bonnie & Clyde, smoked cigars as she and Clyde wreaked havoc across the southwest during the Depression.

Annie Oakley puffed on cheroots to calm her nerves before and after shooting exhibitions.

Who can forget the night bad girl Madonna smoked a cigar and left the host steaming during an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in March, 1994.

Marlene Dietrich, who portrayed Catherine the Great in the film "The Scarlet Empress," was often seen smoking cigars.

Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster often enjoys a fine cigar.

Whoopie Goldberg says she has been smoking cigars since she was a teenager. Davidoff is one of her favorite cigars, and if you ever have the opportunity to smoke with her, know that she prefers punching a hole in the end to snipping.

Princess Margaret

Super model Linda Evangelista - What does she appreciate most about a good cigar? It's like sharing a nice bottle of wine, it's comforting.  When you pick one up, whatever you're doing changes for the better.  And when you smoke, you're always doing it with friends.

Sharon Stone

Demi Moore started smoking cigars for the fun of it. Her husband smoked cigars and she wanted to find out what it was “all about”.  Needless to say, she has been smoking them for over seven years now!

Lauren Hutton - She started smoking cigars as a way of communicating with the “local” culture of the many places she visits. She enjoyed her first cigar sitting with some tribal women.