Fashion in Film: Elephant Walk

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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Movie Review - Beyond Biba

James Collie, producer of the film "Beyond Biba" sent me a copy of the movie to review. The film will be released on DVD in the US this month, and will have several US screenings this fall. See the Beyond Biba Movie website for more information.

I must admit, the British fashion scene is not my area of expertise, so I was intrigued to learn more about Biba founder Barbara Hulanicki. The film is essentially a series of interviews with Hulanicki and her friends and colleagues augmented with photographs and brief archival film clips. In the first half of the film, we are given an overview of Barbara's childhood and a brief history of the rise and fall of the Biba stores. The second half jumps forward to 1987 and gives a somewhat vague look at Hulanicki's work in interior design in the South Beach area of Miami.

While the film held my interest, I was left with a sense of frustration. As a vintage fashion aficionado, the main reason I wanted to watch it was to learn about the Biba stores, the clothing, and Hulinicki's design process. While there were some fabulous images of original Biba clothing and catalog images, these were panned in extreme close-up, so you could not see an entire garment in one glance. The archival film clips taken inside and outside the stores were all too brief and left me wanting a far more in-depth study. Perhaps someday, we will get one. For now, I do recommend the film with the caveat that you will not learn as much as you would like about the Biba phenomenon of the 1960s.

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Fashion in Film - Down With Love

Yesterday we got to talking about the movie, "Down With Love" over at the Couture Allure Facebook Fan Page. I was happy to be able to recommend the movie to a few people who said they hadn't seen it, and now I'm telling you. If you're a vintage fashion lover, you must see this film!!!!

Made in 2003, and starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, "Down With Love" is a spoof on the Doris Day/Rock Hudson bedroom comedies of the early 1960s.


The costumes were done by Daniel Orlandi, whose most recent work includes 2009's "The Blind Side". He also did the costumes for "Frost/Nixon" in 2008, another film in which the fashion is outstanding.

While it may look like it, there is not a single piece of actual vintage clothing in the film. "We designed everything in the movie, right down to Ewan McGregor's shirts and Renee's gloves," says Orlandi. Even so, I think he got it just right, with enough fun and color to make the clothes completely noticeable.

How can you not love a movie where Renee wears a white turban....

.....or a red fringed go-go dress? Do yourself a favor. Rent or buy this movie and watch it this weekend for the first or fiftieth time.

Here's a fun video where you can see some of the clothes in action. It ends kind of abruptly, but I think you'll enjoy it.

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Fashion in Film - How to Marry a Millionaire

"How to Marry a Millionaire", from 1953, was on the Retroplex channel the other night, a movie I hadn't seen in years. This comedy stars Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall, and Marilyn Monroe as three golddigging models who set out to find husbands with lots of money.

William Travilla was the costume designer for the film, under the direction of Charles LeMaire. They were nominated for an Academy Award for the film, although the Oscar went to "The Robe". Of course, Travilla is best known for his work with Monroe, as he was able to engineer costumes for her that showed her to her best advantage.

While 20th Century Fox allowed Marilyn to show as much cleavage as she wanted off screen, she was required to be covered up in her films. Travilla actually wired the inside of Monroe's costumes to keep her breasts from bouncing on screen.

"How to Marry a Millionaire" was the second film by Fox produced in Cinemascope. While the film labs insisted that there was no distortion, the fact was that Cinemascope did widen the actresses on the screen. Close-ups had to be avoided. Full skirts were the height of fashion at the time, but all three actresses initially refused to wear them because of the on-screen distortion. LeMaire did not want the Fox designers to appear ignorant of current fashion, so he called a meeting of the three actresses. Grable and Bacall agreed to wear some full skirted costumes, most having the fullness flare from the lower hips. Monroe was insistent on wearing tight skirts throughout the film.

Many of the comic moments in the film are provided by Marilyn's character, who is blind as a bat and can't see without her glasses. She stumbles and bumbles around, continually hiding her glasses when in the company of men.

Travilla was able to design lots of evening gowns for the film as we watch the three girls date the various millionaires. But the best scene is the fashion show, where we get to see a parade of summer resort fashions and beachwear. The film is a "must see" for that scene alone!

Here is a short clip from the fashion show where Marilyn wears a red bathing suit and cover-up studded with rhinestones. Check out the clear plastic platforms on her shoes! You'll see one of Marilyn's funny moments at the end when she trips because she can't see without her glasses.

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Fashion in Film - The Thomas Crown Affair, 1968

The original 1968 version of the film "The Thomas Crown Affair" is showing for free on Comcast On Demand this month. Be sure to check it out if you can! Faye Dunaway stars with Steve McQueen in this romp through Boston that involves McQueen playing a millionaire businessman who robs a bank for fun. Dunaway plays the insurance investigator out to get him, but things get tangled
when she falls in love with him. The fun comes in watching the two play cat-and-mouse with each other right up to the end of the film.

Theodora Van Runkle designed all of Dunaway's 29 costumes for the film. Van Runkle and Dunaway had worked together previously on "Bonnie and Clyde", a film that sparked a trend for 1930's style fashion in the late 60's. Van Runkle had received an Oscar nomination for her work on that film, her first of three.

Van Runkle's designs for Dunaway in "The Thomas Crown Affair" give her a sophisticated yet hip appearance. Most are mini dresses or suits, and Dunaway wears fabulous wide brim hats in many scenes. She carries small handbags, and wears big sunglasses that lend her an air of mystery.

Perhaps the best known scene in the film, and one of my all time favorites, is the one in which Dunaway and McQueen play a game of chess. When McQueen meets Dunaway for the evening, she is wearing a demure lilac coat with wide bell sleeves that buttons up the side and across to the collar.







After arriving at his home, she removes the coat to reveal a silky chiffon halter dress with several layers that float around her legs.











The dress was completely backless to the waist. Surprise, surprise!

The scene that ensues is one of delightfully extended foreplay that leads to one of the best and longest on screen kisses in film.

Faye Dunaway had received a nomination for Best Actress for her work in "Bonnie and Clyde" and Theodora Van Runkle designed the gown Faye Dunaway wore to the 1968 Oscars. She also designed Dunaway's complete off screen wardrobe at the time. Van Runkle went on to an illustrious career as costume designer for many films and received two more Oscar nominations for her work on "The Godfather, Part II" and "Peggy Sue Got Married".

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Fashion in Film - The Lady Eve

Preston Sturges' 1941 film The Lady Eve is showing on Comcast on Demand for free through November 22. Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, this madcap romance/comedy is well worth seeking out. Edith Head designed the costumes, and this is the film which finally brought her the recognition she deserved after eighteen years in the industry.

Early in the film, Stanwyck begins to seduce Fonda by wearing an evening gown that is actually two pieces - a long black skirt with a slit up the front and a short beaded top, exposing her bare midriff.

Stanwyck had a good figure, but she was long-waisted and had a low-slung derriere. Prior to this film, most costume designers had tried to hide this by putting Stanwyck in full skirts. Head was able to work with Stanwyck's figure by making costumes with self-belts that were wider in the back. She also added fullness over the bust and sleeves to draw the viewer's attention up. We see this to great effect in several of the costumes used in the film, including the white suit shown above.

Paramount realized that Edith Head had transformed Stanwyck into a box office princess and gave the gowns full publicity. This film cemented a working relationship between Head and Stanwyck that caused Stanwyck to insist that Head design all her costumes for future films, as well as her off-screen wardrobe. Shown above: the silk charmeuse and chiffon negligee Stanwyck wears in the wedding night scene which takes place on a train. The scene is one of the funniest in the film, and, even though the movie is 67 years old, I found myself laughing out loud in delight.

Here's a dress available at Couture Allure that would have fit right in to Lady Eve's wardrobe. Click the picture for details!

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Fashion in Film - De-Lovely

The 2004 film De-Lovely is showing this month for free on Comcast On Demand, and if you enjoy vintage fashion in film, this is a must see. The movie chronicles the career of Cole Porter, played by Kevin Kline, and his marriage to Linda Lee Porter, played by Ashley Judd. The film did not get great reviews, and takes license with some historical facts, but it is worth seeing for the costumes alone. As a fan of vintage fashion, is there any other reason to see a movie?

Costume designer Janty Yates said of this film, "The right costumes were essential to 'De-Lovely.' . . . No one could be seen in the same thing twice, because the Porters wouldn't have done it." Kline wore 38 separate costumes and Judd had 48. Yates also had the task of dressing 1,200 extras in period costume for the film. She did use some authentic vintage pieces, but she also asked Giorgio Armani to design some of the important costumes, including Linda's cream satin wedding gown.

During the 1930's, Linda Porter became a fashion icon. "Whatever Linda Porter was wearing, that was the dress you had to get, if you could find it and afford it." Her simple, elegant looks were trendsetters of the time. Both of the Porters were very much into fashion. When they traveled by train, an entire car was required for their clothing and jewelry.

Speaking of jewelry, the Porters played a key role in the career of Fulco di Verdura by helping him secure a position with Chanel in Paris and later encouraging him to open his first store in New York. Verdura designed all the jeweled cigarette cases that Linda gave to Cole on the opening nights of his shows. Several authentic Verdura pieces are used in the film, and Chanel loaned the double comet necklace that Judd wears in the wedding scene. You'll have to watch the film to get a look at it, but I can assure you, you'll be glad you did! The necklace shown above was designed for Linda Porter and was on loan to The Wertz Gallery in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA as part of their Luxe Life: Masterpieces of American Jewelry exhibit in 2007.

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