Film Fashion Friday: Niagara (1953)

This week Film Fashion Friday is bringing you a taste of warmer weather! Lately, I have been caught up in films that are set in warmer climates. They are so inspiring and I am creating a mental library of summertime outfits for the up coming season.

The main film this week is Niagara (1963) starring Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, and Jean Peters. I watched it for that first time last week and I must say I was quite surprised. I wasn't expecting much and this film turned out to actually be pretty good. I can't believe it took me this long to watch it, considering my love for Joseph Cotten. Both Marilyn Monroe and Jean Peters have an array of fantastic outfits created by Dorothy Jeakins. I would say that this is among Jeakins' best films, considering her small body of work. If you like her work in this film, I would check out South Pacific (1958), Titanic (1953), or Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), all great films with some eye candy worthy wardrobes.

Niagara is the story of two different married couples and how a week at Niagara Falls intertwines the two. There is also the added element of murder and mystery making for a quasi film noir. I highly recommend this film, if for nothing more than the spectacular costumes. Monroe and Peters each go through several outfit changes and each has their own distinct look -- giving both "good girl" and "bad girl" style in one film. This film really showcases how fab '50s summertime clothing was.

Stop Staring Clothing sells a dress that looks to be an exact replica of Marilyn Monroe's famous dress from the film. It is a bit pricey, but I must say it looks like it could have been in the film...it's that good. So for all you gals that want to look like you stepped out of movie, literately, then this dress is for you!

Going along with the summer theme and staying in the same decade, this week's honorable mention stars Katharine Hepburn in Summertime (1955). The film was shot entirely on location in Venice and features a cute little love story between Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi. No costume designer/director was listed in either the credits of the film or on IMDB. Whoever put together or designed the clothes for this film did a fabulous job, really creating the feel for a summer holiday in Italy.

Both of these films are instants on Netflix and are normally widely available at video rental places. I hope you find this breath of summer air as inspiring as I did!!

Make sure to check back next week and keep sending in your requests!

Emily

Film Fashion Friday: How To Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Hello lovely readers!! To introduce my new series, this week I am featuring a classic favorite that often gets talked about for its fabulous costumes. How to Marry a Millionaire features numerous ensembles created by Travilla. Travilla got his start in the film industry in the early 40's and continued to work into the 80's. He often worked with Marilyn Monroe and even did some of the costumes on the hit 80's tv show Dallas.

The film stars three wonderful leading ladies; Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, and Betty Grable who were all known for their keen style sense. They all have about 4 or 5+ costume changes each throughout the film, each showing off some of the most fashionable clothing options for the 1950's. Each girl is always accessorized well and always beautifully put together. If you haven't seen this film before, it's a cute romantic comedy about three gold digging girls who are on the hunt for some millionaire men. Their journey in luring in the men provides much of the comedy. Besides the marvelous costumes, this film can stand well on its own for great witty dialog and some beautiful cinematography.

One of my favorite parts in the film is the fashion show sequence. The models are wearing some of the more couture items for 1953 (the year the film was made and released). It's fun to see what was considered high fashion and it really gives us vintage girls some great ideas!!

There is also a great scene in the powder room where the girls are primping themselves before joining the men at dinner. The set for this scene is really decadent and glamorous. I also really love the mirror shots. Pictured above is Marilyn, but there is also a similar one of Betty Grable that is just as fabulous!

So that's my pick for this week. I wanted to start out with something readily available both on dvd and Netflix and easy to find at your local video rental place. I have also decided to feature at least one or more films each week as honorable mentions. These films will also be available on dvd or Netflix as well, but might be a little more difficult to find.

This week since the main film was from the 50's, I wanted to feature a film from both the 30's and the 40's. Both honorable mentions this week come from Alfred Hitchcock, "the Master of Suspense." The Young and Innocent is from 1937 and is a really great film. The main character on has about two or three costume changes, but they are some really outfits featuring classic 30's designs. The extras in the film are also well dressed. The Paradine Case is from 1947 and showcases some really great new look fashions. There are a few fancy dinner scenes that show off some really great formal gowns and for this reason, I feel it's worth watching..also if you enjoy a good courtroom drama.

I hope you enjoyed the first week of these series and if you have any requests for a certain decade or star, let me know!!

Emily