When Elizabeth Taylor passed in March of this year, the prolific stories and images about her reminded me of one of her films that I hadn't seen in years. Elephant Walk had entranced me as a young woman because of the stunning clothes worn by Elizabeth Taylor. It was perhaps one of the seeds that was planted early on that grew to become my fascination and love for vintage dresses from the 1950s.
The film was made in 1954 and Edith Head designed the costumes for Elizabeth Taylor. The movie was filmed on location in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the setting is stunning. Head does a great job of making the star stand out amidst such exotic backgrounds.
The clothes that Taylor wears might seem out of place on a remote tea plantation if we weren't told early in the film that her new husband treated her to a new wardrobe in Paris on their honeymoon.
Head dressed Taylor in full skirted dresses with tiny waists that accented her ample bosom. The dresses were always belted and most of the belts had some sort of adornment or beading to draw the eye right to Taylor's miniscule waistline.
Taylor wore this pink peignoir set on her first night on the plantation. She looked very romantic and beautiful.
My favorite dress in the entire film is this evening gown. Purple lace sculpts Taylor's figure very tightly and a white tulle full skirt floats beneath it. You can see the gown in action in this video.
Like the look? I have this 1950s dress available at Couture Allure that was probably inspired by Taylor's dress in the film. Pretty, isn't it?
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Don't think your mom or grandmom wore shorts when temperatures soared? Think again! All these looks are from 1954.
March and Mendl pink duffel coat paired with a Pringle cashmere sweater and Kingcraft silk shorts, belted with a pink sash. Shorts sold for $18 in 1954 (about $147 in today's dollar.)
Christian Dior Boutique black linen top and shorts.
Clare Potter pink linen jacket and ice green linen Bermuda shorts. Set sold for $120 in 1954 (about $982 in today's dollar.)
Emilio of Capri for John Miller purple cotton fisherman's jacket and shorts. Set sold for $33 in 1954 (about $270 in today's dollar.)
Jacques Fath blue and white stripe seersucker bolero and shorts.
I have fallen in love with the purple jacket and short set. Which is your favorite?
So often we read about American fashion designers from the 1950s, and we love to drool over the clothes they made, but we have no idea what the designers themselves looked like. I stumbled across this photo which was part of an ad for Chrysler cars in 1954. The ad headline states, "7 top fashion designers find Chrysler Corporation's 1955 cars a stimulating new concept of good design."
Click on the picture to enlarge and you'll see the faces behind the clothes.
From left to right: Tim Brigance, Anne Fogarty, Clare Potter, Lily Daché, Nettie Rosenstein, Pauline Trigere, and Claire McCardell.
Did you guess? This photo of actress Florence Henderson was taken in 1954, when she was starring in her first role on Broadway in Wish You Were Here. She started with a walk-on role in 1952 and was playing the title role of Fay by the time this photo was taken.
Of course, Henderson is best known for her television role as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch.
This year, Henderson had a lot of fun when she appeared on Dancing With the Stars. Not bad for 76!
Oftentimes, we can look at an ad or a picture from a vintage magazine too quickly, thinking the look is dated or no longer relevant. Today, let's slow down and look at some details. All of these ads are from 1954. When you open your eyes for inspiration, there are some great ideas to be found.
This ad is for Worumbo Vicuna fabric used in a coat by Max Milstein.
Did you notice the orange leather handbag and yellow gloves? Bright colors offset a basic camel colored coat to perfection. And a colorful scarf peeks out of the pocket. Then, did you notice how the handles of the purse are molded to be flat at the top, so the bag is comfortable to carry on the arm? Genius!
Here's an ad for a mink wrap coat by Leslie Morris, Bergdorf Goodman's custom designer.
Did you notice that incredible hat? The model's hair is worn tight to the head, and a cap of pheasant feathers is tilted to the side. So sophisticated!
This ad is for Jantzen bras.
Did you notice the stacked pearls on her arm? There are either several multi-strand bracelets worn one atop the other, or several strands of pearls wrapped around and around the arm to form a wide cuff. Fabulous!
Here's a photo of a simple black matte jersey dress and jacket by Larry Aldrich. The 3/4 jacket sleeves are lengthened with black gloves.
Did you notice how the plain black is set off with a zebra-striped bag? Fun!
This ad is for a Maximilian mink coat.
Did you notice her haircut? The hair is parted low on one side and swept over the top of her head with little wisps touching the forehead. Love!
If you're going to do some holiday shopping today, you might as well go in style. Here, a double-breasted leopard jacket trimmed with red fox fur by Traina-Norell, 1954. Of course, it is no longer legal to buy or sell furs from endangered species whether vintage or not, and we are not advocating such. But, there are wonderful quality faux furs available today and we hope you'll use this photo as inspiration to look your best today and every day.
In September of 1954, the movie Brigadoon was released. Based on the Broadway play of the same name, the film starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, the magical dancing duo that had starred in Singin' in the Rain two years previous. Irene Sharaff designed the costumes for Brigadoon and her worked earned her an Oscar nomination.
Fashion trends inspired by movies were nothing new at the time. Dorothy Lamour's sarong in Jungle Princess from 1936 inspired a fashion classic. And in 1951, Elizabeth Taylor's white strapless dress from A Place in the Sun inspired the most popular style for proms that year.
A several page ad in August of 1954 featured "Brigadoon Fantasy Fashions" by Greta Plattry. Plattry was one of America's best known sportswear designers in the 1940s and 50s, and she was a perfect choice to design fashion based on the ethnic clothing of Scotland. Following are the rest of the ad pages with pictures by Richard Avedon.
Tweed wool jersey blouse and full skirt with embroidery at the neckline. Set sold for $36 in 1954 (about $294 in today's dollar).
Top: Pleated white cotton blouse with short wool kilt worn with matching wool shorts underneath. Ensemble sold for $56 in 1954 (about $457 in today's dollar). Bottom: Plaid wool full skirted jumper with white cotton blouse. Ensemble sold for $52 in 1954 (about $425 in today's dollar).
Left: Red wool flannel jumper worn over white wool sweater. Ensemble sold for $48 in 1954 (about $392 in today's dollar). Right: Red flannel jumper with the same white sweater and tasseled knee socks. Ensemble sold for $36 in 1954 (about $294 in today's dollar).
Velveteen jumper worn over a printed wool/cotton challis blouse. Ensemble sold for $60 in 1954 (about $490 in today's dollar).
This is the stuff dreams are made of. Nowadays, it's not often that we get to wear full-on glamour as formal affairs seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur. It's always fun for me to hear from my customers who need a gown for a black-tie event and I try to keep a good supply of vintage evening gowns and cocktail dresses for those times. Here are a few examples from 1954 to inspire you.
Harvey Berin pale pink satin ball gown.
Mainbocher gold metallic sheath with square neckline.
Pierre Balmain satin sheath with flower appliques and train that drops from a huge hip bow.
Bergdorf Goodman custom salon draped sheath in pink or blue silk lamé.
Italian designer Simonetta white satin ball gown with allover pink velvet flowers.
Do you prefer the full skirted ball gowns, or the fitted sheaths?
How I love the mid 1950s, which is the height of full skirt dressing. Skirts have yards and yards of fabric and a shape that flares straight out from the waist. Hems are a few inches below the knee. Alternatively, slim sheaths that are fitted to the body are also in vogue. Whether full or slim, though, its all about a tiny waist. Here, dresses for the heat of summer from 1954.
Jerry Parnis black and white striped cotton dress. Sold for $45 in 1954 (about $368 in today's dollar).
B.H. Wragge beige linen with black figural stripes accented with black ribbon. Sold for $50 in 1954 (about $408 in today's dollar).
Givenchy red and white polka dot silk dress. Note how the belt is tied instead of buckled.
Sheath dress made from Simplicity pattern 4633 in red embroidered Moygashel linen.
Gay Gibson green and white gingham check dress. Sold for $13 in 1954 (about $106 in today's dollar).
Photo 2 by Paul Radkai, 3 by Louise Dahl-Woolfe, 4 by Derujinsky, 5 by Tom Palumbo.
There's a mini heat wave that has been rolling across the US, and we're expecting it here in Boston today, before it makes it's way out to sea. It is certainly a day to consider hints for dressing in hot weather while enjoying summer fashions from 1954.
- Wear something simple, with a minimum of fuss, and a maximum of skin exposure within the bounds of professionalism. Dark buttons give this white dress enough decoration without adding weight or layers. Dress by Jerry Gilden. - Use an umbrella as a parasol to block the sun. Shade is always cooler than direct sun. And don't forget the sunscreen!
- Opt for a dress or skirt instead of pants, and go with bare legs if you can. - Bring along a natural fiber shrug sweater, a large silk scarf, or a shawl to cover your shoulders in cold air-conditioned buildings. Dress by Kane Weill.
- Always choose natural fibers for hot days, as they keep you cooler by wicking moisture away from the body. Lightweight cotton, silk, or linen is best, but rayon will also do. - Choose light colors that will reflect the sun's rays instead of absorbing them. This classic shirtdress by Clare Potter is a perfect choice in off-white silk.
- Opt for looser fitting garments for added breathability and air flow. Simple blousy blue cotton shirt worn with an easy green cotton skirt. Both pieces by Claire McCardell.
- Keep your hair style simple for hot days. - Wear open-toed shoes or sandals if you can. Cheongsam styled dress in embroidered cotton by Carolyn Schnurer.
- Wear a wide brimmed hat to shade your face and shoulders. This is another reason to keep your hairstyle simple in the heat! Cotton eyelet dress by Carven.
All photos by Lillian Bassman for Harper's Bazaar except the last, which is by Arsac.
