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>My top movie costume wish list.

1930s, 1940s, film costumes, movies

>I am a sucker for old movies.  I grew up watching them and I was even named after Lauren Bacall.  I remember as a young teenager telling my friends that I thought the old movie stars were much prettier than today’s actresses.  As time went on I began to notice more and more the clothing in film and now I’ll just as likely be watching the extras in the background and what they’re wearing than paying attention to the actual plot line.
I have many, many, many favorite film costumes.  My vintage film icons are Ginger Rogers, Barbara Stanwyck, Katherine Hepburn, Joan Fontaine, and Myrna Loy.  Each of them has a particular “look”, and I’m drawn to them for different reasons.  Ginger Rogers has playfulness in dress and over the top evening gowns.  Barbara has clothing of tailored lines but still with a sort of sexual allure.  Katherine does well in man tailored dresses and casual wear.  Joan Fontaine has a classic look of understated elegance.  Myrna Loy has pure 30’s sophistication.  There’s clothing I love that falls outside these main stars as well, but those are my fashion icons for their different looks.
Here’s the top film costumes I’d love to make for my personal wardrobe.  Most of these I’ve wanted to make for years and years (or even a decade) but have yet to get the perfect excuse.  I know I’m leaving some out, but here’s my favorites in no particular order.

 
Rosalind Russel’s striped overcoat and hat from His Girl Friday, 1940.  One of my first favorite classic movies and the one that gave me my intro to classic styles I’d actually like to wear myself.  Costumes by  Robert Kalloch.
  
Myrna Loy’s striped dress from The Thin Man, 1934.  I can see this in a white and red striped organza.   A candy cane dress for their holiday party.  I would take ANY of her costumes from this film, but this is tops on my list.  Costumes by Dolly Tree.

Ginger Rogers dress from “The Yam” number in Carefree, 1938.  I would love to make this in green and salmon starburst pleated chiffon.  Costumes by  Howard Greer.  Funnily enough this is not my favorite of Ms. Rogers gowns, but it is one that I think looks like the most fun to dance in.

Another from Howard Greer for Carefree, this hearts and arrows has been tops on my list since I first saw the movie some three or four years ago.  One of my best girlfriends also has this dress on her “to make someday” list, so we’ll be matchy-matchy. Hehe.  

Ginger’s satin sailor suit from Follow The Fleet, 1936.  I’ve actually done all my research on how to make this costume but have yet to make a pattern for it.  I see it in either navy blue or deep purple with yellow accents even though most of the film posters I’ve seen show it as burgundy with yellow or pink.  Costumes by Bernard Newman.
Barbara Stanwyck’s two piece evening gown from The Lady Eve, 1941.  Actually all her clothes in this movie are to die for wonderful.  If I could be entirely outfitted from one movie this one might be top on that list.  I don’t want to hand bead the entire top so when I make this comes whenever I find a black beaded fabric I think will work.  Costumes by Edith Head, who I’m usually not that big of a fan of but this film is an exception.

So what about you?  Any movie costumes tops on your list?  Do we share some of the same favorites?

23 Comments on >My top movie costume wish list.

  1. C.K. Dexter Haven
    February 18, 2010 at 8:52 pm (14 years ago)

    >Great pics, especially Myrna's THIN MAN dress (I use a similar pic as my avatar at FL), which is IMO second only to Ginger Roger's white SWING TIME dress in the "Never Gonna Dance" number.As for Roz's outfit, the DVD menu in the Cary Grant Collection DVD set has it painted purple with black stripes. I wonder if the colors were "made up" or actually taken from vintage lobby cards?

  2. Sabine42
    February 18, 2010 at 9:46 pm (14 years ago)

    >Oh yes, definitely Stanwyck's dress–but I am a huge fan of both Stanwyck and Edith Head. Oh, and Stanwyck's suits in Christmas in Connecticut are pretty fabulous, too.

  3. Charlotte
    February 18, 2010 at 10:24 pm (14 years ago)

    >The hearts and arrows dress is absolutely fantabulous! I also loooove Ginger's sailor suit!Tuppence Ha'Penny

  4. tofupoo
    February 19, 2010 at 12:25 am (14 years ago)

    >oh wow i wonder how youd do the heart and arrows? would you have them screened on? this list is lovely :)

  5. Amanda
    February 19, 2010 at 1:05 am (14 years ago)

    >Those dresses are fabulous! I have to say my favorites are the one worn my Myrna Loy in the Thin Man and the stunner on Barbara Stanwyck

  6. stitchywitch
    February 19, 2010 at 1:08 am (14 years ago)

    >Stanwyck's suit in "His Girl Friday" was my first vintage favorite! I agree with Christmas in Connecticut… there are some great clothes there.

  8. Anna Allen
    February 19, 2010 at 5:01 am (14 years ago)

    >i agree with you on ginger's heart and arrow dress (been wanting to make that for a very long time!) and myrna's striped gown. i was showing my boyfriend the thin man movie for the first time and he says he likes the striped gown. score! now to find the time to make them… incidentally, karen walker made a dress very similar to ginger's dress awhile back. http://gracefullady.blogspot.com/2008/02/they-stole-my-idea.html

  9. Emily
    February 19, 2010 at 4:39 pm (14 years ago)

    >I love the clothes from The Women with Rosalind Russell, Joan Crawford and Norma Shearer. Rosalind Russell wears this shirt near the beginning of the movie that has three eyes on it. It is the funniest blouse ever. I love it and her jacket that goes over it. I love, I would wear it with jean if I could.www.emilyguerra.com

  10. Lauren
    February 19, 2010 at 5:06 pm (14 years ago)

    >So fun!!!

  11. Amy Jeanne
    February 19, 2010 at 8:16 pm (14 years ago)

    >Oh dear. You may have opened a new can of worms for me….

  12. BaronessVonVintage
    February 19, 2010 at 10:36 pm (14 years ago)

    >oooohhhh yeahhhhh!!! It's sooo funny! I've previously blogged about the Girl Friday suit, the Myrna/Nora striped dress AND the Ginger Rogers heart/arrow dress. GREAT taste, lady!!!!!

  13. aurelia.donka
    February 19, 2010 at 10:42 pm (14 years ago)

    >Just watched The Lady Eve on tee-vee recently. Pointed that dress out to husband and began plotting its re-creation in black pique. Summer casual for me.

  14. Mel
    February 20, 2010 at 8:37 am (14 years ago)

    >I love old movies too, and I especially look forward to the costumes! Oh my gosh that sailor outfit Ginger Rogers has on was my dream costume for Halloween when I was 12. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with a pattern nor could I sew at the time, but I still always think about recreating the costume. Maybe one day. I also love the costumes in Meet Me in St. Louis, though I know they're a little old-fashioned, and there was a hat Joan Fontaine wore in Suspicion that I loved and hoped to find a similar one in the future.

  15. elventryst
    February 20, 2010 at 2:35 pm (14 years ago)

    >I usually watch these old movies with sketch book in and hand and freeze frame when I see a dress I love! I love all of Grace Kelly's clothes in To Catch a Thief and in Rear Window. I remember loving the costumes in Night and Day (the Cole Ported biopic starring Cary Grant)– there's a pool party scene where I just love everyone's swimsuits. I'm sure there are other films– I just can't think of what they are. But, now you'v got me thinking!

  16. VickyM
    February 20, 2010 at 10:15 pm (14 years ago)

    >I adore Deborah Kerr's outfits in An Affair to Remember – especially her lovely floaty evening dress on the boat and the dress and hat that she wears to meet Cary grants grandmother in. I also love Laren Bacall's outfits in How to Marry a Millionaire, so sharp and elegant.

  17. Charlotte
    February 21, 2010 at 3:13 am (14 years ago)

    >There are ADORABLE clothes in "On The Town" (and adorable guys too…. Yay Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra!)Also, I think Ginger Rogers is wonderful. I have the whole Fred and Ginger collection on DVD, I watch them all the time. =]

  18. Moni
    February 22, 2010 at 1:35 pm (14 years ago)

    >I adore the costumes in the Dolly Sisters. Pure fantasy!

  20. Porcelina
    February 27, 2010 at 5:46 pm (14 years ago)

    >I had to add a comment to this, forgive me for being a week late but I'm new to this blogging world and it's taken me a while to catch up with the blogs I've started following as they're all so good! I'm amazed that most of my favourite films for costumes have been mentioned by the ladies here, particularly The Lady Eve and Rear Window! You can add me to the waiting list of people who'd like a hearts and arrows dress too.. I'm going to have to add my top movie outfit wishlist to my blog right now!www.vintageburlesque.blogspot.com

  21. Adele
    April 17, 2010 at 7:52 am (14 years ago)

    >Probably at no other time of the year other than Halloween do they get to experience for themselves the full process of selection, purchase and adornment. Ladies fancy dress costumes are fabulous and once their men see the ritual that has to be undergone each and every time that a woman gets dressed he would do well to remember it for the rest of the year. Visit Fancy Dress to get more information about this.

  22. Posies for Lulu
    November 8, 2010 at 5:24 pm (13 years ago)

    >Howard Greer designed Ginger Rogers dresses in "Carefree". I own one!!! I found it in Memphis, TN at a tiny thrift store in the back of a coffee shop!It doesn't fit me so I have it listed on Etsy.com:) posiesforlulu.etsy.com

  23. Posies for Lulu
    November 8, 2010 at 5:24 pm (13 years ago)

    >Howard Greer designed Ginger Rogers dresses in "Carefree". I own one!!! I found it in Memphis, TN at a tiny thrift store in the back of a coffee shop!It doesn't fit me so I have it listed on Etsy.com:) posiesforlulu.etsy.com

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