Debbie Harry: Style Icon
With her platinum blonde hair and razor-sharp cheekbones, Debbie Harry was the first fierce woman in punk rock and…
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Film has the capacity to make not just a star of its actresses, but a fashion icon too. From Hepburn and Kelly to Roberts and Knightley, via Farrow and Deneuve, some of Hollywood's most successful stars owe a lot to their on-screen style. But what of the stories behind these inspiring and award-winning wardrobes? Whether you're a cinephile or fashion fan, brush up on your trivia with our favourite iconic looks from the movies - each paired with a fun and interesting fact about the style on show in the film.
What's your favourite fashionable film? Is there a big screen style icon we've overlooked? Share your views in the comments section below.
The image of Anita Ekberg emerging from the Trevi… More details
The image of Anita Ekberg emerging from the Trevi fountain in a black dress is one of the most memorable scenes in film history.
FACT: Few knew how much La Dolce Vita was inspired by fashion - director Fellini claimed that Balenciaga's sack dress, with its dramatic silhouette (which flutters like Anita's black ballgown), inspired the film.
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It may have erred on the schmaltzy side, but Love… More details
It may have erred on the schmaltzy side, but Love Storywas redeemed by Ali Macgraw's preppy wardrobe of woolly bobble hats, pea coats and stripey college attire.
FACT: This film's fashion icon status was cemented when designer Calvin Klein stated "she [Ali] exemplified this great American style”.
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The eccentric, menswear-inspired outfits in Annie… More details
The eccentric, menswear-inspired outfits in Annie Hall - vintage men's clothing, baggy trousers and fedora hats - caught on, with pantsuits and men's clothing becoming a major trend for women after the film's release.
FACT: Many of the items worn in the film actually came from Diane Keaton's own wardrobe.
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This emerald green silk dress from the infamous… More details
This emerald green silk dress from the infamous library scene in Atonement sparked high street copycats the world over, and also contributed to costume designer Jacqueline Durran being nominated for an Academy Award.
FACT: Whilst Durran lost out on the Academy Award, the dress was voted the best costume of all time by Sky Movies.
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Breakfast at Tiffany's may be the Audrey Hepburn… More details
Breakfast at Tiffany's may be the Audrey Hepburn film most often cited as people's favourite, but her chic fifties outfits in Roman Holiday are just as iconic - think skipping around Rome in a dirndl skirt and espadrilles.
FACT: The film inspired a true fashion fairytale - at the end of production, Paramount gave Audrey the entire wardrobe from the film, including her hats, shoes, handbags and jewellery.
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What to wear on the streets of LA in 2019? A fur… More details
What to wear on the streets of LA in 2019? A fur coat and pompadour haircut, obviously. Ridley Scott's Blade Runner became a cult hit for the weird and wonderful costumes - a mix of the futuristic and film noir.
FACT: Despite a tense atmosphere on set (thanks to director Ridley Scott) actress Sean Young (pictured) had "fond memories" of costume designer Charles Knode, who let her keep this fur coat after the film wrapped. He then went on to create the costumes for Braveheart.
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Jane Fonda's futristic costumes summed up the… More details
Jane Fonda's futristic costumes summed up the sixities style - kitsch, playful and more than a little sex kitten-ish.
FACT: The costumes in Barbarella are credited to the legendary sixties designer Paco Rabanne, though most were actually created by Jacques Fonteray, and influenced by Jean-Claude Forest, who originally created the character.
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As a sexually-frustrated housewife who turns to… More details
As a sexually-frustrated housewife who turns to prostitution for satisfaction, Catherine Deneuve's wardrobe in Belle Du Jour was sixties-prim with a dash of sexuality - think figure-hugging pencil skirts, silk blouses and stiletto heels.
FACT: Yves Saint Laurent was hired to design the wardrobe for Deneuve in the Buñuel film, and the pair developed a lifelong friendship - so much so that Deneuve insisted on wearing his designs in her future films.
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Probably one of the most famous film makeovers of… More details
Probably one of the most famous film makeovers of all time, in the scene pictured Charlotte Vale (played by Bette Davis) steps off a cruise ship, transformed from a dowdy spinster with underplucked eyebrows, to a complete glamour-puss.
FACT: Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik was so taken aback by this scene he created a whole collection inspired by Charlotte's 'spectator shoes' in the 1970s.
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Stealing money has never looked this stylish.… More details
Stealing money has never looked this stylish. Although set in the 1930s, the Bonnie's wardrobe has a seventies feel, with its berets, tweed and fine knits.
FACT: Kate Moss and the Mulleavy sisters of designer label Rodarte have named Bonnie and Clyde as their favourite film.
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In Brigitte Bardot's breakout film, she was… More details
In Brigitte Bardot's breakout film, she was styled as the ultimate sex kitten by legendary coutourier Pierre Balmain.
FACT: This iconic scene, where she dances provacatively in a split skirt, led to the film being condemned by the Catholic League of Decency.
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Sharon Stone won an Oscar for her role as Ginger,… More details
Sharon Stone won an Oscar for her role as Ginger, the devious wife of high rolling gambler, but it was her flashy, sequinned Las Vegas wardrobe that stole the show.
FACT: The costume budget for the film was $1 million, and Sharon had 40 costume changes. The white and gold dress pictured weighed a whopping 45 pounds.
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With their Alaia mini-dresses, matchy-matchy… More details
With their Alaia mini-dresses, matchy-matchy suits, knee-length socks and walk-in wardrobes, who didn't want to dress like Cher and Dionne during the 90s?
FACT: There are 53 different kinds of plaid used in Clueless, seven of which are worn by Cher, and twelve by other major characters.
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Elizabeth Taylor's striking wardrobe for the film… More details
Elizabeth Taylor's striking wardrobe for the film Cleopatra didn't just inspire clothing, but also accessories and even make-up trends - notably Alexander McQueen's autumn/winter 2007 collection.
FACT: Taylor's wardrobe costs were a big contributor to the film's record-breaking budget - costing $194,800 and including a dress made from 24-carat gold cloth, it was the highest ever for a single screen actor.
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This 1970s film perfectly captured the flapper… More details
This 1970s film perfectly captured the flapper style of the Jazz Age, with the character Daisy (played by Mia Farrow) dressed almost exclusively in white. The film went on to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design.
FACT: Luckily the 1920s style was drop-waisted - Farrow was pregnant during the shooting and the film had to be shot wearing loose, flowing dresses.
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One of Marlene Dietrich's most iconic film looks,… More details
One of Marlene Dietrich's most iconic film looks, this fur-lined dressing gown was created by designer Travis Banton, who did her first movie costumes at Paramount.
FACT: Banton was credited with creating the "Dietrich style" - a heady mix of exotic glamour, androgynous pieces, and lots of leg.
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This documentary about the eccentric Beale family… More details
This documentary about the eccentric Beale family was as memorable for the fashion as the quirky mother-daughter relationship. Little Edie (pictured) said she dressed "for combat" in old fur coats and with scarves wrapped around her head.
FACT: Little Edie's kooky style was evident at the premier of the film - she wore her red dress backwards, with the zip down the front.
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How to dress if you're in a the cool girl clique… More details
How to dress if you're in a the cool girl clique in a cult 1980s high school movie? In bright, padded blazers, clashing plaids, multi-coloured tights and lots of scrunchies, of course.
FACT: A retro hair accessory, the scrunchy also signifies a turning point in the film when Heather Duke (played by Shannen Doherty) takes her old rival's red scrunchie and wears it, making the statement that she is now the most powerful Heather in the group.
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Jane Russells' chest is often jokingly referred… More details
Jane Russells' chest is often jokingly referred to as the star of The Outlaw. But did you know director Howard Hughes created a breathrough in bra science to ensure Russell's chest looked its best? He had designers create a seamless underwire brassiere, leaving no visible support lines underneath Russell's skimpy shirts. But Russell later said she did not wear the contraption during filming because it was too uncomfortable.
FACT: Brassiere or no, The Outlaw was still contraversail, and was withdrawn from cinemas when the censorship department of The Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America ruled that the film had broken too many decency code, even though Hughes had purposefully cut 37 scenes in which he felt Russell's breasts were overemphasized.
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From her gamine pixie haircut to a wardrobe of … More details
From her gamine pixie haircut to a wardrobe of breton tops, chinos and ballet flats, Jean Seberg's look in French New Wave film Breathless has now become iconic - and often copied.
FACT: There was no costume designer or official costumes for the movie - director Jean-Luc Godard encouraged actors to wear their own clothing and make choices they thought appropriate for each character.
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Joan Crawford was always known for her… More details
Joan Crawford was always known for her strong-shouldered look, a style that was displayed to perfection in Mildred Pierce.
FACT: During filming, director Michael Curtiz fought with the actress over her wardrobe. She was told to buy clothes "off the rack" to look like a working mother. But Joan refused to look dowdy, and had her own dressmaker fit the waists and pad out the shoulders.
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With fashion designer Tom Ford as the director… More details
With fashion designer Tom Ford as the director the wardrobe for A Single Man was always going to wow. He asked legendary Hollywood stylist Arianne Phillips to do the costumes - with Julianne Moore's monochrome house dress the standout piece.
FACT: Phillips has als designed movie outfits for Madonna and Cameron Diaz.
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The film caused controversy when released for… More details
The film caused controversy when released for Jodie Foster's character Iris, a Lolita-esque child prostitute dressed in hot pants, floppy hats and platforms. The then 13 year old Foster said at the time, “I spent four hours with a shrink trying to prove I was normal enough to play a hooker. Does that make sense?”
FACT: To keep the look authentic, Jodie was advised on her wardrobe by an actual young prostitute, who appears in the film.
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Despite playing a prostitue, many of Julia… More details
Despite playing a prostitue, many of Julia Roberts' looks from Pretty Woman became iconic - particularly brown polka dot ensemble, complete with hat and matching gloves, from the polo scene.
FACT: Roberts admitted she kept the dress to keep on eye on her figure - and can still fit into it.
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Dr Zhivago elevated Julie Christie to star… More details
Dr Zhivago elevated Julie Christie to star status, and her breathtaking wardrobe of fur coats, hats and romantic white gowns was used to illustrate social change in a Russia torn apart by war, revolution and ideological upheaval.
FACT: The film won five Oscars, including Best Costume Design.
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Katharine Hepburn's dramamtic Victorian look in… More details
Katharine Hepburn's dramamtic Victorian look in The African Queen was designed by Doris Langley Moore, who created the Museum of Costume in Bath. Katharine said that the designer, was "a charmer" and knew just what to wear because she had been brought up in Africa herself. She also said the director was "fascinated" by the underwear Doris brought in.
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Based on the novel of the same name, Stanley… More details
Based on the novel of the same name, Stanley Kuberick's 1962 adaptation faced controversey with its theme of the sexualisation of a young girl. So powerful wass the story that the term 'Lolita' quickly came into use in relation to grown women adopting a child-like style, and has prompted an entire style movement in Japan.
FACT: The famous heart-shaped sunglasses that Lolita wears appear only in the publicity photos - she actually wears cat eye sunglasses in the movie.
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As a silent movie, the costumes in Pandora's Box… More details
As a silent movie, the costumes in Pandora's Box had to work extra hard. That they did, with star Louise Brooks dazzling in a string of innocent yet sexual outfits (much like her character), designed by Jean Patou.
FACT: Following the film's release, Brooks' bobbed hairstyle became the widely copied and has since become synonomous with the 1920s.
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The director took a chance on Madonna in lead… More details
The director took a chance on Madonna in lead role because of the pop star's personal style. The gamble paid off - the film brought Madonna's signature look to the mainstream in the 1980s, with its eclectic jumble of thrift store finds and wacky accessories.
FACT: The thrift store where the two Susan's go shopping actually exists - it's called "Love Saves the Day" and is in Greenwich Village in New York City.
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Margot's offbeat wardrobe of Lacoste tennis… More details
Margot's offbeat wardrobe of Lacoste tennis dresses, fur coats, vintage bags and barrattes showed Gwyneth Paltrow in a whole new light.
FACT: Director Wes Anderson wanted to make the Tenenbaums appear "trapped in the era of their heyday", so made sure all clothes were from the 1970s and characters stayed in the same or similar outfits throughout the movie.
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This infamous shot of Marilyn Monroe's halterneck… More details
This infamous shot of Marilyn Monroe's halterneck white dress blowing up around her legs as she stands over a subway grating was originally shot on Manhattan's Lexington Avenue. Onlookers whistled and cheered through take after take as Marilyn repeatedly missed her lines - and eventually the scene had to be reshot in a studio.
FACT: The dress recently sold at auction for $4.6 million.
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In Working Girl, Melanie Griffiths plays dowdy… More details
In Working Girl, Melanie Griffiths plays dowdy employee Tess, who is given a makeover by her power-suit-wearing boss Katherine, played by Signourney Weaver. Weaver paraphrased Coco Chanel in the film, telling Tess, "dress shabbily and they notice the dress; dress impeccably and they notice the woman."
FACT: Griffiths' character's new look came at a price - the dress Tess borrows from Katharine for the cocktail party cost $6000.
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Meryl Streep's colonial and safari style wardrobe… More details
Meryl Streep's colonial and safari style wardrobe in the film was effortlessly elegant. Director Stephen Grimes sent the film's costume designer Milena Canonero colour copies of the paintings he did whilst in Kenya in order for her to match the colour palette of the wardrobe to those on-set.
FACT: Streep ran into a spot of bother on set when a huge beetle crawled into her high-collard shirt, and got trapped during a scene. Like a true professional Streep carried on - then ripped her jacket off after the take.
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Mia Farrow's wardrobe in this 1968 film mirrors… More details
Mia Farrow's wardrobe in this 1968 film mirrors the actress's own sixities style, featuring plenty of A-line dresses, Peter Pan collars and eye-popping colours.
FACT: Style also plays a symbolic role in Rosemary's Baby. Costumier Anthea Sylbert shortened Rosemary’s hemlines deliberately during the film as the character gains more and more independence. Her severe hair cut was also an act of rebellion, and was created by legendary hairdresser Vidal Sassoon.
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Jean Paul Gaultier created the futuristic… More details
Jean Paul Gaultier created the futuristic costumes for this sci-fi film, including the legendary bondage-inspired outfits, donned by supermodel Milla Jovovich.
FACT: Gaultier designer 954 costumes for the film, and was present on set each day of filming to ensure the outfits were as he envisaged them.
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As the title suggests, the pink prom dress… More details
As the title suggests, the pink prom dress created by Molly Ringwald's character Andie is one of the stars of this coming-of-age prom film.
FACT: The vintage-cum-hand-me-down creation was actually designed by Marilyn Vance, who was behind the wardrobes for all of John Hughes' Brat Pack films.
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Although only appearing as a supporting actress,… More details
Although only appearing as a supporting actress, all five of Grace Kelly's costumes in Rear Window are classic Kelly - full-swish skirts, fitted tops, elbow length gloves, pearls and that Hermés bag.
Paramount's costume designer Edith Head was nominated for 35 Oscars, and won eight times (including for Grace Kelly’s stunning gowns in Rear Window). She also wrote the bestseller How to Dress for Success.
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In Gilda, Rita Hayworth performs a striptease in… More details
In Gilda, Rita Hayworth performs a striptease in a black dress - and it became the most iconic example of a femme fatale in film.
FACT: The dress was created by American costume designer Jean Louis, who collaborated with Rita on nine films and was responsible for cultivating her glamorous image.
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In the original novel, Dorothy wore silver shoes,… More details
In the original novel, Dorothy wore silver shoes, but her ruby slippers in the film are now among the most treasured and valuable of film memorabilia.
FACT: A number of pairs were made for the film (though no one knows exactly how many) and five pairs are known to have survived - one of these was stolen in 2005 and never found again.
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Olivia Newton John's development from 'good… More details
Olivia Newton John's development from 'good Sandy' to 'bad Sandy' is one of film's most iconic transformations - her character's wholesome 1950s full skirts, fitted sweaters and cheearleader pom-poms were replaced by killer red mules and a skin-tight black catsuit for the infamous final scene.
FACT: When we say skin-tight, we mean it - Newton John was famously sewn in to the outfit on-set.
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The sheer scale of 1939's Gone With The Wind was… More details
The sheer scale of 1939's Gone With The Wind was reflected in the 19th century outfits - over 5,000 individal items of clothing were crated by the film's costume designer, Walter Plunkett.
FACT: The memorable green dress pictured was made from a pair of old curtains in the film - Scarlett wanted to look perfect for Rhett Butler's return, and show she could still look elegant despite the hardships of the Civil War.
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Sharon Stone's all-white outift in this… More details
Sharon Stone's all-white outift in this unforgettable scene was made infamous by her character's absence of underwear.
FACT: The white dress was created from scratch by costume designer Ellen Mirojnick. Ellen stated in Clothes on Film she wanted to make the character of Catherine look like "the icy blonde, similar to a Hitchcockian character".
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Whilst the 2004 remake starring Nicole Kidman… More details
Whilst the 2004 remake starring Nicole Kidman featured prim 1950s styling, the original Stepford Wives was 1970s through and through, including high-waisted, wide-leg trousers, tonal colours and free-flowing hair.
FACT: The supermarket scene, in which lead character Joanna appears to have become 'robotic' like the other wives, could have looked a lot raunchier. Screenwriter Goldman wanted the wives to dress like provocative models, but after Nannette Newman was cast in the lead role, Goldman decided the wives should look dowdier - hence the Victorian-inspired maxi dresses.
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Hitchcock controlled every aspect of his films,… More details
Hitchcock controlled every aspect of his films, even down to the colour of Tippi Hedren's clothes. He specified she should wear a green dress during the infamous crow chase scene, so designer Edith Head created a wardrobe of only blue and green designs throughout the film.
FACT: In 2009, Mattel released a limited-edition Barbie doll based on the scene in The Birds when Hedren gets attacked to celebrate the films 45th anniversary.
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Probably the most famous example of swimwear on… More details
Probably the most famous example of swimwear on screen (save Daniel Craig's trunks in Casino Royal) Ursula Andress became the quintiessential Bond Girl when she emerged from the Caribbean sea in that belted bikini.
FACT: The iconic bikini sold for £35,000 at auction in 2001.
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