In a Glamourous Fashion : The Fabulous Years of Hollywood Costume Design

First published in 1981, In A Glamourous Fashion is not only a fascinating look at film fashion portraying the glamour and glitter of Hollywood’s heyday; but is also an invaluable reference source for any student of the film, of costume, or of the social history. It documents some of the best work of the designers – names like Adrian, Cecil Beaton, Edith Head – but tells the often-dramatic story of their careers and their relationships with legendary stars such as Garbo, Dietrich, Monroe and many more. Here are the stories behind the screen’s most famous costumes: Walter Plunkett’s ‘curtain dress’ for Scarlett O’Hara; the red Jezebel gown Orry-Kelly designed for Bette Davis; the slinky back satin sheath Rita Hayworth wore in Gilda; and the extravagant gown – £ 15, 000 worth of mink – worn by Ginger Rogers in Lady in the Dark. The photographs and original sketches are an essential and decorative complement to the text; there is an index, bibliography, and a full list of Academy Award winners for costume design.