Fashion and Flim: Sabrina and Sabrina

One of my favorite movies of all times is Sabrina. I adore both the 1954 version starring Audrey Hepburn and the 1995 version starring Julia Ormond. Each has bits that I like better than the same bit in the other version and  I never can decide which one I like better so I just love them both. I had planned on doing a comparison type post but, alas, photos from the 1995 version are scarce so it's more of a hodge podge than anything else today.

Ah, cooking school in France! Juila works in Paris in the fashion industry, which makes her transformation a bit more logical but who would just absorb fashion and poise living in Paris!

 Post-Paris in a sharp 90s suit and hat!

 

Post-Paris in a great black suit and hat and puppy! I want Audrey's  hat so bad!

I love Audrey's boating outfit! She so great because she can rock a plaid button up shirt and shorts just as easily as the ballgown of your day dreams.

I'll take these earrings too!

 

One thing I dislike about the 1954 version is that it's in black and white and I so want to know what color all of the costumes are in! I was super excited to stumble upon the boating outfit in color!

Julia rocking another suit. And Harrison Ford-yummy! I love him so much more as Linus than Humphrey Bogart (especially after I learned that Bogart did not like Hepburn.).

And one can't talk about Sabrina without this dress! Divine! Casey of Elegant Musings made a blue and black version of this dress and it's gorgeous!

I never can decide if I like this hat or not. Oh, to see it in real life!

I love Julia's short, curly do!

Hepburn and Bogart backstage. I love candid shots. I made a version of this dress.

Fashion and Film: Holiday Inn

White Christmas is my all time favorite old Christmas movie, but I also adore Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn (1942) stars Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Marjorie Reynolds. Jim (Crosby) is an entertainer who is fed up with always having to work on the holidays so he decides to become a farmer so he can take all of the holidays off. Needless to say, that idea doesn't last long. Instead, he opens the Holiday Inn which is only open on the holidays (The Holiday Inn hotel chain is named after this movie). Astaire stars as Ted, Jim's dancing friend and Reynolds is Linda, the blonde beauty they both fall for. Filled with holiday festivities, music and, of course, dancing, Holiday Inn is a fun film for any holiday. This is also the first film to feature the song "White Christmas", which was the #1 best selling music single until 1997.

 

Look at these lovely evening gowns!

What a cute Valentine's outfit.

 

 Easter!

 What a dazzling gold gown!

Fred's fancy feet.

There is a black face number, so if that bothers you, catch this film on tv as they cut it out. This movie is definitely not as P.C. with respect to race as a modern audience would expect.

Green and Plaid Perfection

One of my all time favorite old movies is On the Town. I just adored the green and plaid combo of the Prehistoric Man dress so when I spied it on Heart My Closet, I had to snatch it up.

I got this last January, but when Mrs. Amber Apple posted about hers a while ago, I realized that I'd never blogged about it! What a shame!

It really is just ridiculously fun to wear. The skirt is full and swishy and it's fully lined in the plaid fabric- warm and fun!

While I do already have a Christmas dress, I couldn't help but snap some cute Christmas shots with my little tree!



I also did a little tutorial for the make up look I'm wearing. The eyeshadow didn't show up to great on camera but it looks lovely in person.

Fashion and Film: Happy Go Lovely

Today I caught a lovely Vera-Ellen flick called Happy Go Lovely (1951). I love Vera-Ellen. She's so adorable and an amazing dancer and performer!

This is the story of Janet Jones, a chorus dancer in a dance company with financial difficulties. Her dreams of being a star seem far off until a rumor gets started that she is the fiance of B. G. Bruno, a single millionaire. People around Janet start seeing dollar signs and begin to curry her favor. Once informed of the rumor, Bruno decides to investigate, but Janet mistakes him for a newspaper reporter named Paul Tracy. Janet tries to keep up the facade of dating Bruno while falling for "Paul". Interspersed in the drama are lovely dance and song numbers.

Vera-Ellen has many cute ensembles including this evening gown.

This yellow dance costume!

The same costume. I love the tap pants.

She has loads of other cute things but photos are, alas, scarce.

On the bright side, this is on Netflix so those of you that have it can check out this film!

Fashion and Film: Oklahoma!

I adore musicals! I'm not entirely sure why. My mom loathes them. My dad enjoyed some classic musicals but about all mom could stand was White Christmas and a Muppet Christmas Carol once a year. I do remember my first real experience with musicals. My 3rd grade class watched Oklahoma! and The King and I back to back in music class. Needless to say, I love Rodgers and Hammerstein! (Which you probably now if you saw my State Fair review). I don't actually own any R&H films but Oklahoma was on tv today.

Now you may be wondering what sort of fashion inspiration I can get out of this film being that it is a) set in a time period I don't care for and b) a Western, which is something I ordinarily can't stand. But a while ago, I read on a historical costuming blog (sorry, can't remember which one) that often times hair, makeup and even costumes (to some extent) reflect the values of the period the movie was made in, rather than set in, which makes sense as beauty standards change over time and many practices would be ridiculous to modern viewers. So being that this film is from 1955, we can glean some tidbits of 50s fabulousness.

Gingham is always adorable! I could totally see this as a 50s day dress just shorter and with a few more crinolines!

I'm always on the lookout for hats and this film was no disappointment.

More gingham, more hats!

This white party number was dreamy.

The guys sported some fab plaids too!

Plus the music is pretty great too!

Fashion and Film: The Help

Last night my husband begrudgingly took me to see The Help (2011). It was a good movie (even he said so by the end!) An emotional drama set in the early 60s, The Help tells the story of Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan an aspiring writer who sets out to tell the stories of the African American maids in Jackson Mississippi. With all the forces of a deep routed hierarchical system against her, will she succeed in finding women brave enough to tell their stories? If so, can she find a publisher? If so, what will the cost be to Eugenia and the women in her book? Will it make any difference? But don't worry, there's heaps of comedy to lighten the mood!

Eugenia generally has a more casual wardrobe but she does wear an evening ensemble when the occasion calls for it.

Celia has an adorable fun wardrobe. What is cuter than a yellow romper wit white piping?

She also looks great in pink and frills.

Aibileen and Milly are usually shown in maid uniforms but these girls sure work it when they dress for church!

Hilly is the "evil" character. I do love a devious brunette! It's so anti-stereotypical. And this dress is just darling! As the head of the Jackson it-girl click, she has some fabulous ensembles. Doesn't this dress look like Colette Pattern's Chantilly dress with a couple bows attached?

Yummy! I think I may need to keep my eye out for a nice pink rose print!

Hilly's mom was one of my favorite characters. She is very hilarious and is a bit over the top.

There are tons more late 50s/early 60s style dresses in this film but I couldn't really find very many pictures of them. Guess you'll all just have to go out and watch it!

Fashion and film: Lovely to Look At

Today I caught "Lovely to Look At" (1952). It was a really nice film and it has a Parisian fashion show. Who doesn't adore a film with a Parisian fashion show? It stars Kathryn Grayson (Stephanie) and Marge Champion (Clarisse) as heiresses of a Parisian dress shop that is on the verge of bankruptcy. Co-heir Al (Red Skelton) and pals Tony (Howard Keel) and Jerry (Gower Champion) are film producers and they help scare up some funding for a fashion show. As per usual, romance ensues, but what happens when there are 3 girls and 2 boys? To add to the tension Al's girl friend Bubbles (Ann Miller) arrives from NYC. I'm a fan of Kathryn, Red and Ann so this was a real treat.

Our three leading ladies.

Yummy evening gown.

I loved this little cape!

More fancy ensembles. Purple sparkles!

And the fashion show:

There really were tons and tons of fabulous evening ensembles in this film! If you love evening wear, this is a must see!