A BRIEF HISTORY OF

Michelle Rowley takes a look back at some of the movies’ most memorable fashion moments

ABOUT MICHELLE ROWLEY

Michelle is a Content Writer & Dressmaking Tutor at The Sew-Cial Gathering. Follow her on Instagram stitchywhitney and at www.michellerowley.journoportfolio.com

Theda Bara as Cleopatra in Cleopatra

Who hasn’t seen the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn in her elegant little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s? From Marilyn Monroe’s white halter neck dress billowing out in all its glory over a subway grating in The Seven Year Itch to Emma Stone’s canary yellow dress in La La Land, the silver screen has gifted us some incredible fashion moments to enjoy long after the final credits of the film roll. Carefully designed to give a sense of character and to create maximum impact on screen, the thoughtful use of colour, fabric and cut means the costumes not only stand out on film, but also in our memories.

When films were shot in black and white, the costume departments knew that they had extra work to do to make a costume shine on screen. With audiences unable to see the sumptuous colours of the fabrics, it was down to careful fabric choice to show differences in character’s wealth and social standing. Fabrics that shone and glistened helped to hint at luxury and embellishments aided in sending a message to the audience. When Theda Bara starred as Cleopatra in the 1917 film Cleopatra, her embellished costumes were designed to reflect Bara’s mysterious image and to tantalise, with her biographer noting “The Cleopatra costume created quite a stir because it cost $1,000 a yard and Theda seemed to be wearing only ten cents’ worth.”