1. PANDORA'S BOX (1929)
Louise Brooks once said, "A well dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty, can conquer the world." That could have ben the motto of Lulu, the role that made her a fashion icon for the ages. Brooks had been wearing her famous Buster Brown haircut and dressing in the height of flapper fashion for years, as had many other actresses, but her sleek hairdo and half-naked beaded gowns were such a perfect match for the amoral charmer in PANDORA'S BOX they remain one of the screen's most enduring images. The look would prove just as lucky for Cyd Charisse and Melanie Griffith, who copied it for their star-making roles in "Singin' in the Rain" and "Something Wild," respectively. And in many countries the severe black bob that led critic Kenneth Tynan to call Brooks "The Girl in the Black Helmet" is still referred to as "the Lulu."
2. LETTY LINTON (1932)
Joan Crawford and the designer Adrian were a match made in fashion heaven. The young designer helped shape the images of such MGM queens as Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow, but it was his work on this 1932 romance about a woman fleeing a disastrous love affair that showed Hollywood just how much influence it had on the way women dressed. His designs were tailored to show off each star's personality and her best physical features. For Crawford he created a no-nonsense look that, while maintaining her femininity, accentuated her athletic shoulders. When he put her Letty in a white organdy dress with shoulder ruffles, official copies and knock-offs sold to more than a million women. And the broad-shouldered power suits he designed for Crawford created a national rage for shoulder pads that would be forever associated with the star. Little wonder Edith Head once called LETTY LYNTON the greatest influence on fashion in film history.
3. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)
The King gave, and the King took away--at least where men's clothiers were concerned--in this classic screwball comedy. When Clark Gable had trouble keeping up the pace while removing his undershirt in the famous "Walls of Jericho" scene, director Frank Capra suggested he just remove his shirt to reveal a bare chest. The scene was so sexy, men stopped buying undershirts, leading to a rumor that one underwear manufacturer had tried to sue Columbia Pictures. As if to make up for it, the clothes he did wear in the film--Norfolk jacket, V-neck sweater and trench coat--rose in popularity as men around the nation imitated Gable. After the film took off at the box office, Gable decided that trench coats were his good luck charm and wore them in any film he could.
4. PAT AND MIKE (1952)
There really isn't a single Katharine Hepburn film that established her impact on fashion, but this 1952 comedy about an athletic coach breaking into pro sports is the perfect embodiment of her liberating image. From her arrival in Hollywood, Hepburn defied convention and, for some, morality by dressing like a man, claiming her high-waisted trousers, pantsuits, men's shirts and loafers were simply more comfortable. The look fit the feisty, independent characters she played to perfection, revolutionizing fashion by freeing women for more active lives with a greater range of choices. So great was her influence, that in 1986 the Council of Fashion Designers of America honored her with a special award. Never one to take herself too seriously, she accepted with a quip, "We're in a pretty serious spot when the original bag lady wins a prize for the way she looks."
5. REAR WINDOW (1954)
The meeting of clotheshorse Grace Kelly and legendary designer Edith Head was sure to produce fashion magic. This Alfred Hitchcock classic established the Grace Kelly look--understated elegance in stark contrast to the florid, oversexed Hollywood designs of the '50s. With Kelly perfectly cast as a fashionable socialite, Head was able to create haute couture designs that didn't seem out of place for everyday wear. From a pale green skirt suit with unfitted jacket to the floral print dress with multiple crinolines that highlighted Kelly's vulnerability at the film's climax, they taught '50s working women how to be chic, and a new fashion icon was born. Kelly's little square overnight bag even prefigured the "Kelly Bag" that Hermès would eventually name for her.
6. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)
Fashion would have been the furthest thing from Jim Stark's (James Dean) mind when he donned a t-shirt and red jacket for a night of trouble. Thanks to Dean's smoldering presence in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, however, the two items became essential items for any self-styled rebel. Dean's growing popularity convinced Warner Bros. to shoot the film to color, rather than black and white. Director Nicholas Ray and costumer Moss Mabry decided that a red jacket, not brown, would help the character stand out (some sources credit Dean with the idea). Whoever thought it up, this piece of clothing became, as Variety editor Robert Hofler has described it, the symbol of "a generation's despair."
7. AND GOD CREATED WOMAN... (1956)
When Brigitte Bardot sunbathed wearing neither clothes nor the slightest hint of self-consciousness in AND GOD CREATED WOMAN. . ., a new kind of sex symbol was born. Her totally innocent, super-charged sensuality launched her career as the "sex kitten," a sexual rebel whose free-wheeling approach to romance anticipated the hippie era of free love. And when she wore clothes, she had the wardrobe to match. The bikini had been around for years, but didn't become an international sensation until she wore one in this film. The ballet flats and open necklines (the latter dubbed "the Bardot neckline") that captured her sense of abandon on screen were soon the rage. And her tousled up-swept hair, dubbed choucroute (sauerkraut), remains the height of casual elegance.
8. AUNTIE MAME (1958)
When John Galliano debuted his new line for 2009 the combination of zany colors, exaggerated silhouettes and exposed undergarments had many commentators crediting Madonna as his inspiration, but the New York Times' Sameer Reddy placed the influence earlier--on Rosalind Russell's over-the-top costumes in the 1958 AUNTIE MAME. After decades of making some of the screen's greatest stars look fabulous, designer Orry-Kelly was ready to find the glamour in Mame's bohemian lifestyle. Russell's Mame Dennis lives and breathes fashion (some commentators have suggested the character resembles Vogue editor Diana Vreeland), and her wardobe continues to influence collections and inspire young people to take up careers in design . Ironically, Orry-Kelly's costumes weren't as influential in their time. In fact, back in 1958, the Australian-born designer didn't even score an Oscar nomination for what is now considered one of '50s Hollywood's most innovative wardrobes.
9. BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961)
When Audrey Hepburn ate a Danish while gazing at Tiffany’s windows, the little black dress she wore became the crown jewel in any woman's wardrobe. Created by her favorite designer, Givenchy, it highlighted her slight figure with simple, straight lines. That wasn't the only fashion influence exerted by this classic 1961 comedy, one of the last films made with a sense of old Hollywood glamour. As ticket sales soared, so did sales of triple strand pearl necklaces, sleeveless dresses and oversized sunglasses. Fans even flocked to pet stores in search of orange tabbies like party girl Holly Golightly's beloved feline, Cat. The dress that was considered the height of elegance would continue to work magic even today: the original costume was recently auctioned off for over $900,000.
When Audrey Hepburn ate a Danish while gazing at Tiffany’s windows, the little black dress she wore became the crown jewel in any woman's wardrobe. Created by her favorite designer, Givenchy, it highlighted her slight figure with simple, straight lines. That wasn't the only fashion influence exerted by this classic 1961 comedy, one of the last films made with a sense of old Hollywood glamour. As ticket sales soared, so did sales of triple strand pearl necklaces, sleeveless dresses and oversized sunglasses. Fans even flocked to pet stores in search of orange tabbies like party girl Holly Golightly's beloved feline, Cat. The dress that was considered the height of elegance would continue to work magic even today: the original costume was recently auctioned off for over $900,000.
10. BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
Initially, Faye Dunaway wanted to wear slacks in BONNIE AND CLYDE, arguing that she'd need mobility for the getaway scenes. When she got a look at Theodora van Runkle's assembly of printed scarves, pencil skirts, knitted sweaters and bias-cut dresses, she not only changed her mind--the one-time model changed her entire approach to fashion. "… until I met Theodora, clothes...had just been part of the job," Dunaway once said. "She taught me how much fun it can be." That lesson reached everyday women, too, as the "gun moll look" took off, triggering a resurgence of retro chic. Even the lowly beret--once the sole property of Frenchmen and struggling poets--became a hot fashion item. Thanks to BONNIE AND CLYDE, the '30s look became a key element of 1970s fashion.
Initially, Faye Dunaway wanted to wear slacks in BONNIE AND CLYDE, arguing that she'd need mobility for the getaway scenes. When she got a look at Theodora van Runkle's assembly of printed scarves, pencil skirts, knitted sweaters and bias-cut dresses, she not only changed her mind--the one-time model changed her entire approach to fashion. "… until I met Theodora, clothes...had just been part of the job," Dunaway once said. "She taught me how much fun it can be." That lesson reached everyday women, too, as the "gun moll look" took off, triggering a resurgence of retro chic. Even the lowly beret--once the sole property of Frenchmen and struggling poets--became a hot fashion item. Thanks to BONNIE AND CLYDE, the '30s look became a key element of 1970s fashion.
11. THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968)
When Steve McQueen doffed his usual casual duds for tailored suits in this sexy 1968 caper film, the British Invasion hit U.S. menswear in a big way. The film's costume team turned to one of England's top tailors, Douglas Hayward, for an assemblage of three-piece suits with two-button jackets and suppressed waists that captured the character's affluence and set off the star's lean frame to perfection. Even the accessories--from his $2,250 Patek Philippe pocket watch to the blue-lensed tortoise shell Persol sunglasses--were meticulously chosen to create a timeless image of opulence. Although British menswear had already been showcased in films like "Goldfinger" and "Alfie," it was THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR that brought it to American stores and continues to inspire designers like Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford.
12. SHAFT (1971)
How do you let troublemakers know you're "the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?" By dressing like John Shaft, of course. Considered the first "blaxploitation film," SHAFT, mirrored the rise of urban chic among young working class African-Americans with former model Richard Roundtree. His wardrobe in the film captured the sleekness and empowerment behind the new styles. Three-quarter-length leather jackets and leather pants combined with turtlenecks and other tight knits made him a fashion icon, the ultimate "sex machine to all the chicks." Almost thirty years later Giorgio Armani would draw on the Shaft look with a collection inspired by the release of the 2000 remake, with Roundtree back as the original John Shaft and Samuel L. Jackson starring as his nephew.
13. ANNIE HALL (1977)
Diane Keaton didn't have to go far to help create a look that changed women's fashion in this Oscar-winning comedy: it originated in her own closet. Her eclectic style--mis-matched pieces of oversized men's wear, from floppy hats to baggy chinos, with a Ralph Lauren tie as the coup de gras--sent women running not to boutiques but to the neighborhood thrift shop. It also triggered the renewed popularity of women's slacks on a par with the craze created in the '30s by Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn Designer Ruth Morley was not sold on the idea initially and tried to nix it. When Keaton showed up for shooting it was director Woody Allen who insisted, "She's a genius. Let's just leave her alone; let her wear what she wants."
Diane Keaton didn't have to go far to help create a look that changed women's fashion in this Oscar-winning comedy: it originated in her own closet. Her eclectic style--mis-matched pieces of oversized men's wear, from floppy hats to baggy chinos, with a Ralph Lauren tie as the coup de gras--sent women running not to boutiques but to the neighborhood thrift shop. It also triggered the renewed popularity of women's slacks on a par with the craze created in the '30s by Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn Designer Ruth Morley was not sold on the idea initially and tried to nix it. When Keaton showed up for shooting it was director Woody Allen who insisted, "She's a genius. Let's just leave her alone; let her wear what she wants."
14. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977)
The ultimate fashion icon of the '70s was not of some charismatic actress or famous model. It was John Travolta in his white disco suit, pointing to the heavens in the poster for SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. He originally wanted a black leisure suit until designer Patrizia von Brandenstein explained that white would catch the disco lights and help him stand out from the crowd. Stand out he did, and for one of the few times in fashion history, men came to the fore. The film inspired a flock of polyestered peacocks in form-fitting posing clothes with electric colors, open collars and a medallion dangling between carefully burnished pecs. Throw in a pair of platform shoes and a generous application of styling mousse, and you had a new type of glamour designed for working class kids who blew off steam at the local dance club and spent most of their income on ways to look good doing it.
The ultimate fashion icon of the '70s was not of some charismatic actress or famous model. It was John Travolta in his white disco suit, pointing to the heavens in the poster for SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. He originally wanted a black leisure suit until designer Patrizia von Brandenstein explained that white would catch the disco lights and help him stand out from the crowd. Stand out he did, and for one of the few times in fashion history, men came to the fore. The film inspired a flock of polyestered peacocks in form-fitting posing clothes with electric colors, open collars and a medallion dangling between carefully burnished pecs. Throw in a pair of platform shoes and a generous application of styling mousse, and you had a new type of glamour designed for working class kids who blew off steam at the local dance club and spent most of their income on ways to look good doing it.
15. FLASHDANCE (1983)
When the sweatshirt Jennifer Beals wanted to wear as welder-by-day/ dancer-by-night Alex Owens shrunk in the wash, a fashion craze was born. Designer Michael Kaplan had to cut off the top just to get it over her head, and the image it created on the film's poster swept the nation. Activewear was in, but not the kind worn on the playing field. Combining torn sweatshirts (specially cut by manufacturers) with leg warmers, spandex pants, headbands and hi-tops, FLASHDANCE fashion made young women everywhere feel as if they were headed to the nearest dance studio. And the feeling is coming back today as the '80s revival has generated new interest in the film, its leading lady and her trend-setting look.
When the sweatshirt Jennifer Beals wanted to wear as welder-by-day/ dancer-by-night Alex Owens shrunk in the wash, a fashion craze was born. Designer Michael Kaplan had to cut off the top just to get it over her head, and the image it created on the film's poster swept the nation. Activewear was in, but not the kind worn on the playing field. Combining torn sweatshirts (specially cut by manufacturers) with leg warmers, spandex pants, headbands and hi-tops, FLASHDANCE fashion made young women everywhere feel as if they were headed to the nearest dance studio. And the feeling is coming back today as the '80s revival has generated new interest in the film, its leading lady and her trend-setting look.
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