Film Fashion Friday: Vintage Fashionable Films A-Z

I saw someone in blogland do an A-Z list of movies and I thought it would be a fun challenge to do an A-Z list of vintage fashionable films. If anyone else decides they would like to make their own A-Z list, let me know. I would love to see what you come up with! I'll be back next week with a regular Film Fashion Friday post.

Above Suspicion (1943)

Black Widow (1954)

Colleen (1936)

Daytime Wife (1939)

Employee's Entrence (1933)

Forever Darling (1956)

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

I Wake Up Screaming (1941)

Joy of Living (1938)

Kid From Spain (1932)

Lady of Burlesque (1943)

Mildred Pierce (1945)

Neptune'sDaughter (1945)

Orchestra Wives (1942)

Possessed (1931)

Queen Bee (1955)

Rebecca (1940)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Thirty Day Princess (1934)

Unfaithfully Yours (1948)

Vicki (1953)

Wife Verses Secretary (1936)

Madame X (1966)

Yours Mine Ours (1968)

Ziegfeld Girl (1941)

All images were found on google. All films are available on either DVD, VHS, or from film collectors online.

Film Fashion Friday: Film Fashion Survey

I thought for this week's Film Fashion Friday it might be fun to create a classic film fashion survey for all of us to fill out. I have seen different types of these floating around the web and I think they are really fun. Hope you do too!! If you choose to fill one out, I have set up a Mr. Linky at the end of the post for us all to share.

1. Name you favorite classic hollywood designer.

At the risk of sound cliche, I think I would have to say Edith Head. She was in the business for a long time and really knew how to dress a women. I also really like that among her contemporaries, she was willing to accept input from the starlet she was designing for. I think the looks she created are iconic not to mention, she wrote a book to give the average woman advice on how to dress.

2. Who's movie wardrobe would you steal if you could?

Hands down Ann Rutherford's in Orchestra Wives (1942). The 40s are my favorite decade and Rutherford dons some of the cutest outfits in this film, really showcasing the average 40s look that many girls of her age would be sporting.

3. What's your favorite film based on fashion?

Pin Up Girl (1944). This film was a close second for a movie wardrobe that I would love to steal if I could. I love everything that every character wears, plus it's in color so we get to see all the wonderful clothing in the colors they actually were. Here I am thinking about that awesome chartreuse number Grable wears.... swoon!!

4. Favorite actress/designer team-up.

I would normally say Joan Crawford and Adrian because their work together is really out of this world, however I think Myra Loy and Dolly Tree are a team that should have some more light shed on them. Dolly Tree designed for some of Loy's best and most loved films, including three of the Thin Man films. They collaborated more than 6 times and each time produced a wardrobe drool worthy and one that any vintage gal would love to have. Dolly Tree also dressed Lana Turner in the 30s and I really feel had a hand in shaping her "look." I also really love Helen Rose's team-up with Esther Williams and Elizabeth Taylor.

5. Bette Davis or Joan Crawford?

Now, I hope no one hates me from this one, but BOTH. Here's my reasoning. Davis for being fashionable in her personal life. I love that we often see photos of her in sports wear and in pants. I feel she is a great icon for vintage sportswear. And Crawford was just fashionable in every aspect of her life. In my opinion, she is the quintessential glamour girl.

6. Favorite old hollywood fashion icon?

Lana Turner. I love that Turner loved jewelry -- both real and costume -- so much so that she had custom cabinets built into her bedroom walls to store it all. I also love that she started her career in the 30s and kept on working into the 70s, covering the most fashionable decades. She was a true glamour girl who did the nightclub circuit and was even apart of the original rat pack.

7. Most fashionable character in classic cinema?

I'm cheating and picked two. Pola (Marilyn Monroe) in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) and Frances (Grace Kelly) in To Catch a Thief (1955). I love that Pola has to wear glasses and I feel no one could make glasses look better than Marilyn Monroe. I just love her outfits and that she still can look fashionable with spectacles on, something I feel wasn't easy to do in the 50s. And how could I not include Grace Kelly in here somewhere. She was an icon both on and off the screen and influenced fashion then and now. She had a purse name after her and was a princess!! While most love her in Rear Window (1954), I love her best in To Catch a Thief. I am just smitten with the gold ball gown she wears at the end of the film!

8. What actress do you feel is overrated fashion-wise?

As much as I love her and feel she was a very fashionable lady on and off the screen, I feel that Grace Kelly is a bit overrated. Because she has such a small list of films to her credit, I feel that many people place importance on her fashion in her private life verses her filmic life. I don't mean to discredit Miss Kelly in anyway, I just think there are other actresses who have a bigger career to their credit which showcases their fashionability, rather than just a few films.

9. What actress do you feel is underrated fashion-wise?

Linda Darnell. She has starred in some really wonderful roles which had her wearing some really wonderful clothing. Plus, off screen she was quite stylish and I often compare her to Lana Turner.

10. What's your favorite film for each of these designers?

Adrain: Ziegfeld Girl (1941)

Helen Rose: The Long, Long Trailer (1953)

Dolly Tree: The Shining Hour (1938)

Edith Head: Elephant Walk (1954)

Walter Plunkett: Duel in the Sun (1946)

Orry-Kelly: In This Our Life (1942)

Irene: The Clock (1945)

Jean Louis: Over 21 (1945)

Renie: Vicki (1953)

Travis Banton: Cover Girl (1944)

Irene Sharaff: Girl Crazy (1943)

Travilla: Night and Day (1946)

11. Favorite outfit or ensamble?

The pjs that Ann Rutherford wears in Orchestra Wives. I fell in love with them the first time I watch the movie. I know this is very simple, but I just think they nailed the lounging look of the 40s.

12. Which black and white movie do you wish was in color to see all the wonderful costumes in color?

Orchestra Wives..... can you tell I LOVE this movie?? :)

13. Biggest Oscar snub fashion-wise?

This award wasn't created until 1948, so going on that I think 1957 and the omission of Designing Woman.

14. How to Marry a Millionaire or Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Love that outfit Monroe wears when they first get on the boat!

15. Favorite film(s) out of each genre?

Comedy: My Favorite Wife (1940)

Film Noir: Mildred Pierce (1945)

Musical: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Holiday: It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

Drama/Romance: When Ladies Meet (1941) or A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Horror/Mystery: Lady of Burlesque (1943) or Strait-Jacket (1964)

Sci-Fi: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Hitchcock: Marnie (1964) or To Catch a Thief (1955)

Hope you enjoyed this little survey!! Can't wait to read your answers!!

Emily

Film Fashion Friday: Of Human Bondage (1934)

First off, the winner of the Street of Women DVD is Lauren!! Thanks to everyone for entering. Lauren, email me within a week and I will get your DVD in the mail.

This week's film is an interesting one because I am sure many would not include this in their list of fashionable classic films. After reading my thoughts, I hope you will be able to see that it has some interesting elements present.

Cast

Bette Davis.....Mildred Rogers

Leslie Howard.....Phillip Carey

Frances Dee.....Sally

Kay Johnson.....Nora

Reginald Denny.....Griffith

Directed by John Cromwell

Gowns by Walter Plunkett

Synopsis

Bette Davis is a waitress who uses her good looks to lure in gentlemen to fund her fun. The unsuspecting Leslie Howard, a painter turned medical student, becomes enamored with Davis and starts pursuing her. By the way, Howard just so happens to have a clubbed foot, which complicates things even more. Howard ends up throwing Davis to the curb in an effort to start a new and healthy relationship with Nora. However, when Davis comes back, Howard drops everything to be with her. This trend happens yet again when Howard meets Sally. How does he handle it this time? Does he throw true love away to be with Davis?

Fashion Review

I found the fashion selection in this film to be immensely interesting. I would consider this to be among one of Plunkett's earlier films, where he is still trying to get his feet wet. However, I think he did a wonderful job with this film, especially with Davis, whom I am sure had a thing or two to say about what she was and wasn't going to wear. There are three kinda of women presented in this film: the homely wifey type: Sally, the debutant social scene type: Nora, and the tramp: Mildred. Plunkett does an excellent job dressing each type in a way that conveys what type of woman they are just by looking at their clothing. If you are going to watch this purely for fashion inspiration, I would pay attention to Nora and Davis at the beginning of the film. Davis starts out fairly normal and then slowly, with each scene, morphs into a cheap looking woman.

One thing I think Davis does very well is positioning her body in a why such that it "displays" the clothing and well as herself. Of Human Bondage was base off a 1915 book in which the character of Mildred really is a prostitute. Since of the strict PCA code, the film could only slightly allude to this. {{{SPOILER}}} Mildred is also suppose to dye of syphilis rather than TB, however Davis still wanted her death to look real verse being given the "Hollywood treatment." To do this, she came up with her own make-up and some accounts say she applied her own make-up for these last few scenes. While the information is a little unclear, it is interesting to consider the fact that Davis was such a serious actress that she wanted to get dirty and look like hell in order to give a more realistic presentation.

One thing I noticed about this film, in relation to fashion, is the only time Davis is "glamorous" is during the dream sequence Phillip has. Here Davis is wearing a dress that could easily be compared to the famous Letty Lynton dress that her rival Joan Crawford wore only two years earlier. I find it fascinating that during this dream, Phillip is fantasizing about his idealize version of Mildred and this "idealize" version just happens to be wearing a dress much like the Letty Lynton dress, which was hugely popular and set trends for the era. In order to be ideal, Mildred must be glamorous and to do so, she must be trendy. I think this dream has a lot going on with it and I could go on and on. :) I would love to hear your thoughts about the dream after you watch the film.

Of Human Bondage is in the public domain, so it can easily be found online streaming and there are tons of copies of it for sale (cheap I might add). If you have Netflix, it can be viewed online there.

Film Fashion Friday: Fashion Show February: Stolen Holiday (1937)

My Warner Archive DVDs finally came!! I have three movies for you all today and this will wrap up Fashion Show February. Next week we will return to normal broadcasting! :)

Cast

Kay Francis.....Nicky Picot

Claude Rains.....Stefan Orloff

Ian Hunter.....Tony Wayne

Alison Skipworth.....Suzanne

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Gowns by Orry-Kelly

Synopsis

Nicole Picot is working as a model in a Paris dress salon when she is picked by Stefan Orloff to help him convince a wealthy investor that he is well connected. She is to wear an expensive dress and dine with them because she has "class." The scheme works and both Stefan and Nicole become very wealthy over the course of a few years. Stefan is a "financier" while Nicole opens her own dress salon. But while Nicole's business is above board, Stefan's isn't, and eventually his web of deceit and fraud begins to unravel. Not always honest with her either, Stefan enlists Nicole's help one last time to avoid prison. (Taken from IMDb)

Fashion Review

I was so excited to see this movie and even more excited that Warner Archive was offering this as part of their vault collection. It really is a fabulous film!! The fashion is impeccable and as with many films I feature on this series, I want every outfit. :) Kay Francis really has the figure to show off these wonderful 30s fashions and I have grown a new appreciation for her! I really recommend checking ut some of her 30s film; she is fabulous!

Orry-Kelly designed the gowns for this film and boy do we get to see a wide array of his talents here. I have posted on Orry-Kelly before, so I won't bore you all with the details of his life and career. Click HERE if you want to learn more. The fashion shows in this film really display Kelly's keen eye for women's fashion and demonstrate his skill of dressing the female form. I am pretty sure there is always a female present on screen in this film and Kelly takes full advantage of that, with numerous costume changes and elaborate outfits.

Fashion Show Evaluation

Not even one minute into the film and we are given a fashion show....my kind of movie! What makes this even better is that we are presented with not one, but two fashion shows and they come before we even reach 30 minutes into the film. I really enjoyed the sequences here, which display many of the same traits that all the other fashion shows in this series present. I found each of the shows to be a bit like the one in Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), where we have some one on a microphone describing the outfits. This is something that definitely sets these shows apart from the rest. What also sets it apart from some of the other shows in these types of films, is the fashion show really is just for the audience. We are drawn in and there are minimal cuts away from the show, which is great for us vintage fashion lovers -- we really get to see each outfit in detail! :)

Stolen Holiday is available on DVD through the Warner Archive Collection.

Film Fashion Friday: Fashion Show February: Lovely to Look At (1952)

Cast

Kathryn Grayson.....Stephanie

Red Skelton.....Al Marsh

Howard Keel.....Tony Naylor

Marge Champion.....Clarisse

Ann Miller.....Bubbles Cassidy

Zsa Zsa Gabor.....Zsa Zsa

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Gowns by Adrian

Synopsis

Al Marsh, Tony Naylor and Jerry Ralby, Broadway producers, are desperately looking for backers. Al is one of the heirs of a dress salon in Paris, but this is almost bankrupt. The two other heiresses, Stephanie and Clarisse and the three producers are able to convince the creditors to back a fashion show there. Things become complicated, when Al and Tony fall in love with Stephanie and Al's New York girl friend Bubbles arrives. (Taken from IMDb)

Fashion Review

This film has a lot of things going for it: 1. Adrian designed the gowns/costumes, 2. It is a musical, 3. It is in color, 4. It is a remake of Roberta (1935), and 5. It has a wonderful fashion sow sequence at the end of the film.

Many vintage fashion lovers hail Adrian as being the top Hollywood fashion designer of his time. There really doesn't need to be a "review" section, because with Adrian's name attached to a picture, you best believe it is going to hold some spectacular fashion. While this may not always be the case, I think it's a fair generalization.

Adrian was born in Connecticut in 1903 and studied at the School for Fine and Applied Arts. One of his first jobs was to design sketches for George White's Scandals. This lead him to catch the eye of Irving Berlin, who was impressed by some of his costumes at the Grand Prix Ball. Berlin commissioned Adrian to do some designs for the Music Box Revue. Eventually, Adrian caught yet another eye, that of the wife of Rudolph Valentino. He did work on three Valentino films which gained him a contract with De Mille Studios. After a two year stint, Adrian moved to MGM in 1928, where he would remain until 1942. Here Adrian was able to put his talents to great use, designing for both period costume dramas and providing MGM's top stars with fashionable wardrobes. In 1942, Adrain left MGM to open his own shop in Beverly Hills and continued to sporadically design for movies. His last film was Lovely to Look At, where he designed both the fashion show garments and the clothing for leading players. Adrian died seven years later and with his death, Hollywood lost a little bit of class.

Fashion Show Evaluation

This is definitely the most elaborate fashion show I have seen on film. The staging is intricate and it put on rather like a Broadway play. What I find interesting about this film is that the sequence and the whole film for that matter, appears in color. With the exception of Lucy Gallant (1955), the short sequence in The Women (1939), and Designing Woman (1957) I cannot think of another fashion show sequence that focuses on day and evening wear that appears in color. Singin' In the Rain (1952) is in color, but the fashion sequence is not exactly a fashion show per say, and many scholars argue that it does not fit into the fashion show-in-film category. Neptune's Daughter (1949) does appear in color, but the show focuses solely on swimwear. I find it fascinating that most of the fashion show sequences that appear in Classical Hollywood films are in black and white and are present in mainly films from the 1930s. This says a lot about the climate of the 30s in America. Moviegoers went to the movies to escape from their dim reality and what better than a fashion show to help them accomplish that? The black and white would seem to be a detraction from how we normally think about fashion. However, I see it like a blank canvas for women spectators to picture the color they like best -- a great selling ploy in my opinion.

Lovely to Look At is available on DVD through the Warner Archive Collection.

Film Fashion Friday: Fashion Show February: Street of Women (1932) and A Giveaway

The last film of this series and for this week is Street of Women (1932). I have opted not to do a "traditional" FFF style for this post for a few reasons; I cannot find who was the fashion designer/director on this film and the fashion show sequence is very short and very much part of the plot.

While I cannot find some to give credit to the fantastic outfits this film showcases, that certainly does not detract from making this super fashionable film -- one that I hope everyone gets a chance to see at some point. I accidentally bought two copies of this film, so I am going to give one away on my blog. It does not still have the shrink wrap on it, but it is brand new. to enter, just leave a comment on this post. Only one entry per person and the winner will be announced next Friday. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only, since I am going to ship it via Media Mail.

The fashion show sequence is very short in this film, all of about five minutes, but it plays an interesting role within the film. The woman sitting in the chair visits Kay Francis's boutique because she knows her husband is having an affair with her and wants to see what kind of night gowns she should purchase. It all really is just a rouse to let Francis in on the fact that she knows what her husband it up to. I think it's pretty neat that they are using a scene like this to relay such a message. This scene reminded me of the age old question of do whom do women dress for: themselves or other women? I also like that the film takes the one of the conventions of the fashion show: a costume in a boutique setting to view clothing and employs it for a completely different use: to let Francis in on the "joke."

There are many other films with fashion shows in them and a few have just been released by the Warner Archive. I wish I would have known about them when I first started this series. Maybe I can bring it back? :)

Anyways, if you are looking for some more fashion shows within film check out these movies:

From the Warner Archive:

Colleen (1936)

The Golden Arrow (1936)

Mannequin (1937)

From Amazon:

Vogues of 1938 (1937)

Artists and Models Abroad (1938)

From Film Collectors Online:

Artists and Models (1937)

Our Blushing Brides (1939)

The Bride Walks Out (1936)

Employee's Entrance (1933)

Widely Available on DVD:

Artists and Models (1955)

The Women (1939)

Funny Face (1957)

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

That Touch of Mink (1962)

Also featuring fashion shows are:

Lucy Gallant (1955)

On Your Back (1930)

If anyone has either of these movies, please send me a message. I would love to own these.

I think I got them all, but if I missed one, let me know and I will update the list. :)

I hope everyone enjoyed this series!!

Film Fashion Friday: Fashion Show February: I Can Get It For You Wholesale (1951)

I was planning on doing two movies today that are available on DVD, however, they have not arrived in the mail yet from the Warner Archive. So, instead I will extend Fashion Show February into the first week of March and wrap it up then. Today, I will be sharing two movies that are not available on DVD, but show up on TCM quite often. I also have a copy of both of these movies, so feel free to send me an email to inquire about getting a copy.

Cast

Susan Hayward.....Harriet Boyd

Dan Dailey.....Teddy Sherman

George Sanders.....J. F. Noble

Same Jaffe.....Sam Cooper

Costumes by Charles LeMaire

Directed by Michael Gordon

Synopsis

A ruthless fashion designer steps on everyone in her way in order to reach the top of her profession. Eventually she is forced to choose between her ambition and the man she loves. (Taken from IMDb)

Fashion Review

If you ever get the chance to see this movie, I would highly recommend that you do so. The fashion in this film is exactly what you would expect from a film made in 1951, chalk full of New Look designs. I love seeing fashion sketches in films and here you will see plenty. :) I love movies that show the "backstage" or behind the scenes part of anything and this film does just that. It opens with showing the fashion district in New York City and the factories and machines that create clothing. I am reminded here of the scene in Neptune's Daughter, where Esther Williams takes the group through the factory.

The costumes were created by Charles LeMaire. LeMaire got his start in show business in vaudeville, but moved on to fashion and costume design for broadway. He work on big productions such as the Ziegfeld Follies and The Five O'Clock Girl. When the movies were starting to become more organized, LeMaire moved over to films around 1925. LeMaire was a key part of the creation of the Academy Award for costume design. Pretty cool!! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have this category. LeMaire was nominated 12 times and won 4 Oscars for his work, which spanned nearly 40 years and included around 200 films. LeMaire really has a great eye for style and design, which is present in this film, but also in many of his other films available on DVD. I would check out All About Eve, Bus Stop, An Affair to Remember, and The Razor's Edge.

Fashion Show Review

The fashion show in this film is very similar to the one in the films of last week, were we see the models and the patrons who are viewing the models. What is interesting here, is that many times we are only able to see the models through the mirror behind Hayward and Sanders. It would seem that the camera/director is placing our focus on the actors and what they are saying, but still allowing us to "glance" at the fashions through the mirror.

I Can Get It For You Wholesale is not currently available on DVD. It does appear on TCM and I have a copy for anyone who is interested.