Super Model Scouts: period costume

Showing posts with label period costume. Show all posts

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Susannah Buxton - Downton's Costume Designer

Designing for Downton - Costume Designer Susannah Buxton chats about choosing the wardrobe for Downton Abbey

"On Downton, about a third of everything the actors wear is made from scratch. There was press criticism that some of the wardrobe was hired, but it would be insanely expensive to make every item, as some fabrics don’t even exist anymore – but you can find them in an original dress. I refashioned a £5,000 gown made for Nicole Kidman in a feature film 10 years ago to fit Michelle Dockery [Mary]. I couldn’t possibly have made that dress – we couldn’t afford the jet beading."

[read entire article]

Recycled Costumes has posted a few examples of outfits worn for Downton Abbey previously seen other period dramas, in this case, A Room with a View.

See also:

Michelle Dockery's dress worn in Finding Neverland

Michelle Dockery's necklace worn previously

[Thought I'd already posted this but it got lost in my drafts of posts.]

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Video: Costume Design for Dolley Madison

Fans of period costume, check out this video! We get a glimpse behind the scenes with costume designer Candice Donnelly showing some of the gorgeous historical gowns created for Dolley Madison, America's 'first' First Lady, which previously aired on PBS' American Experience in 2010.

MTA - Just finished watching the broadcast of Dolley Madison which I had someone record for me on VHS last year! I found it thoroughly engaging and loved learning about this impressive woman I knew nothing of, and more of that time in American history since it was never part of my Canadian curriculum.

Features Eve Best in the role of Dolley Madison.
She also portrayed Wallis Simpson in The King's Speech.

Exhibit of Dolley's costumes
June 15, 2011 - March 31, 2012
James Madison's Montpelier, Virginia

Friday, June 3, 2011

Gallery of Period Costumes to be sold in largest auction ever

What an astounding collection!

It is a shame that these outfits and memorabilia lovingly acquired over 4 decades by actress Debbie Reynolds are now to be sold individually at auction. Many of us would have loved to see a museum created to house these period pieces but sadly that did not happen and not for lack of trying on Reynold's part!

However, since they're now up for auction, it gives us a chance to see them! Here I've posted just a sample of the period costumes in the catalogue for Profiles in History!

Shown on left: Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Ascot dress from My Fair Lady (1964) designed by legendary costume designer Cecil Beaton. (listed at $200,000 to $300,000)

See results of items sold at auction June 18, 2011

The Virgin Queen (1955)
1. Bette Davis “Queen Elizabeth I” golden yellow brocade royal gown
2. Joan Collins “Beth Throgmorton” rose brocade gown
3. Bette Davis “Queen Elizabeth I” rose-colored silk royal gown

The Sound of Music (1965)
Three dresses worn by Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp (The brown jumper worn by Maria as she sang Do-Re-Mi, is listed at $30,000-60,000 while the green dress is listed for $6-8,000 and the beige peasant dress is listed at $30-50,000)

The Sound of Music (1965)
"Drapery" costumes worn by Debbie Turner “Marta” and Kym Karath “Gretl”

Marie Antoinette (1938)
1. Norma Shearer “Marie Antoinette” umber silk velvet two-piece dress
(Also worn by Lucille Ball as “Madame Du Barry” in Du Barry Was A Lady)
2. Norma Shearer “Marie Antoinette” ivory with black velvet two-piece gown

Marie Antoinette (1938)
1. John Barrymore “King Louis XV” peach silk brocade jacket
2. Joseph Schildkraut “Duke d’Orleans” wine velvet period coat

Pride and Prejudice (1940)
1. Laurence Olivier “Mr. Darcy” green wool tailcoat
2. Ann Rutherford “Lydia Bennet” Green wool dress
3. Melville Cooper “Mr. Collins” grey wool tailcoat

Raintree County (1957)
Dresses worn by Elizabeth Taylor as “Susanna Drake”

Mary of Scotland (1936)
1. Florence Eldridge “Elizabeth Tudor” green velvet gown
2. Katharine Hepburn red period gown
3. Florence Eldridge “Elizabeth Tudor” black, red and silver gown

Little Women (1949) Designed by Walter Plunkett
1. Edna May Oliver “Aunt March” burgundy dress
2. Elizabeth Taylor “Amy March” lavender dress
3. Katharine Hepburn “Jo” brown dress

Little Women (1949)
Worn by Janet Leigh (Meg) and June Allyson (Jo)

Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
1. Olivia de Havilland “Lady Penelope Gray”
2. Worn by a Lady of the Court

Diane (1956)
1. Lana Turner “Diane de Poitiers” champagne velvet pearl-encrusted court gown
2. Marisa Pavan “Catherine de Medici” rose velvet court gown

Diane (1956)
1. Lana Turner “Diane de Poitiers – Countess de Breze” black satin gown
2. Marisa Pavan “Catherine de Medici” green velvet and satin court gown

Desirée (1954)
1. Marlon Brando “Napoleon Bonaparte” coronation costume
2. Merle Oberon “Empress Josephine” Coronation gown

Desirée (1954)
Pair of ivory satin Coronation gowns worn by Napoleon's sisters

How the West Was Won (1962)
1. Debbie Reynolds “Lilith Prescott” pleated silk gown with lace overlay
2. Debbie Reynolds “Lilith Prescott” silk floral gown
3. Thelma Ritter “Agatha Clegg” blue silk gown

Romeo and Juliet (1936)
1. Leslie Howard “Romeo Montague” black-velvet doublet and pants
2. Norma Shearer “Juliet Capulet” purple velvet embroidered dress

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1953)
3 court gowns worn by extras

Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
1. Hermione Baddeley “Buttercup Grogan” peach silk floral gown
2. Debbie Reynolds “Molly Brown” signature lavender lace gown

Young Bess (1953)
1. Jean Simmons “Queen Elizabeth I” beige silk gown
2. Deborah Kerr “Catherine Parr” blue and gray damask gown

The Swan (1956)
1. Jessie Royce Landis “Princess Beatrix” beaded silk gown and
2. Grace Kelly “Princess Alexandra” ivory silk chiffon evening gown
3. Estelle Winwood “Symphorosa” red silk beaded gown

Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
1. Dolores Costello “Isabel Amberson” aubergine silk-velvet and lace robe
2. Agnes Moorehead “Fanny Minafer silver satin floral pattern ball gown

Mrs. Parkington (1944)
1. Greer Garson “Susie ‘Sparrow’ Parkington ivory lace gown
2. Greer Garson “Mrs. Parkington” portrait

1. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) worn by Judy Garland “Esther Smith”

2. Anna Karenina (1935) worn by Greta Garbo “Anna Karenina”

3. Beau Brummel (1954) Elizabeth Taylor “Lady Patricia”

1. Gigi (1958) worn by Eva Gabor “Liane d’Exelmans”
2. The Three Musketeers (1948) worn by Angela Lansbury “Queen Anne”
3. Gaslight (1944) worn by Ingrid Bergman “Paula Alquist”

1. Desirée (1954) worn by Jean Simmons “Desirée Clary”
2. Salome (1953) worn by Rita Hayworth “Princess Salome”

View more of the collection
(I've uploaded 100+ photos to photobucket)

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Dorothy's shoes in The Wizard of Oz

Some interesting and iconic film costumes are about to go on auction from actress Debbie Reynold's extensive collection including the shoes that were originally worn by Judy Garland. I was surprised to see the style that was initially chosen and after seeing them, I am glad that they decided to go another route!

From the Wall Street Journal:
"These ruby slippers were used during the first 2 weeks of filming 'The Wizard of Oz' but then rejected in favour of the less Aladdin-reminiscent ones now indelibly inscribed in the American imagination. The early footage had to be reshot."

Photo: Garry McLeod

Items in the auction set for June 18th of this year include Audrey Hepburn's ascot gown in 'My Fair Lady', Charlie Chaplin's bowler hat, Vivien Leigh's 'drapery hat' in 'Gone with the Wind', and Marilyn Monroe's halter-neck dress from 'The Seven Year Itch' which is expected to sell for over $1million. Debbie Reynolds has taken four decades to amass this collection of thousands of items and has decided to sell them after failing to find a place to house all of it. It's unfortunate since it sounds to me like her collection would have made a museum worth a visit!

Full article at Wall Street Journal

Barbara Streisand's dress from 'Hello Dolly'

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Period Drama Weddings

How could I post about Weddings from the Past and not include Period Films?
Spoiler Alert: Since many weddings are at the conclusion of the drama, you will see plot developments ahead of time, if you've not seen these films already...

Here are a selection of weddings as seen in period dramas
followed by the name of the actresses that portrayed the bride.

Cranford (Kimberly Nixon as Sophy)
I love the scene where Miss Matty gives the muslin to Sophy for her wedding dress and of course the fact that Dr. Harrison overcame his "engagements" to Augusta and Mrs. Rose. Awesome series. Sweet couple.