Fashion Icons Through The Ages: The Glamourous 30's - Part 1

After taking a little break, we've returned to our Icon series. If you missed the Beginning of Celebrity or The Roaring Twenties then it's worth catching up on some serious fashion stakes! Now, back to one of the most sumptuous decades in fashion:

You'll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't drool over the glamour of the 1930's. Even the most cutting edge fashionista can admire the allure of Old Hollywood. In fact this era is so chok full of glamourpusses that I'll have to split it into two parts!!!

Fay Wray
An original 'Queen Of Scream' Fay's career took off after she starred in a series of horror and thrillers where she put her talent for fearful shrieking to great use. She rose to superstardom after she starred in King Kong in 1933. Fay continued to work right up into her 80's.

Look at these fabulous tights!

Carole Lombard

Carole became the highest paid actress of her time and was considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. Costume departments and designers fought to clothe her. She married one of the biggest actors of the early 30's, William Powell. The marriage didn't last long as they were dramatically different: Carole was young and fiesty whilst Powell was more mature and serious. Carole then married Clarke Gable at a time when he was becoming a huge star and they were madly in love up until her death due to a plane crash at only 33.

Jean Harlow

Known in Hollywood as the Blonde Bombshell or Baby, Jean Harlow was as synonymous for her platinum blonde locks as she was for wearing tight, bias cut silk dresses. She was a hugely popular actress of her time who played both comedic and serious roles. It's hard to believe from all of the fabulous photos we see of Jean Harlow that she was plagued by illness. Her "platinum" hair colour was created in a weekly process using peroxide, ammonia, Clorox, and soap flakes! Not surprisingly it made her hair fall out. Jean starred in so many movies with leading men like Clarke Gable and William Powell that it seems like she had a long career in Hollywood, but sadly, she died at only 26, of Kidney failure, whilst filming Saratoga.

Jean's dress was so tight for the film "Dinner at Eight" that she couldn't sit down and the director had this reclining perch made for her to relax between takes!!!

Marlene Dietrich

The sultry voiced diva with bedroom eyes definitely deserves to be on our fashion icon list. Marlene was no wallflower, she was comfortable with who she was an made no apologies if her behaviour shocked. She even said "no" to the Nazi's who wanted her to campaign for their side. Marlene married once and although it didn't last she never divorced. She had endless male and female lovers and totally rocked the androgynous look. I present to you Ms. Dietrich...

Adrian... Hollywood Designer Extraordinaire!

You may not have heard of him, but believe me you know his designs!

Gilbert Adrian was a major Hollywood costume designer from the 1920's to 40's.

He designed costumes for Rudolph Valentino and Cecil B. Demille, eventually moving to the mega Hollywood Mecca that was MGM.

It was here that he became know as one of the greatest film designers having designed costumes for over 230 films.

Courtesy of Fashion Encylopedia

Fully beaded gown worn by Joan Crawford in The Bride Wore Red

Jean Harlow in Dinner At Eight

Katherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story

Greta Garbo in Inspiration

Hedy Lamarr in Ziegfeld Girl

Courtesy of Pretty Clever Films

Lana Turner in Ziegfeld Girl

The Wizard of Oz

Adrian became a favourite collaborator of icons such as Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Jean Harlow and Lana Turner to name but a few.

He is the man responsible for giving Joan Crawford her legendary strong shouldered silhouette in the 1939 movie The Women.

I recently watched this movie and was blown away by the costumes and in particular the technicolour fashion show in the middle.

He was also the designer on The Wizard of Oz and Philadelphia Story. (Two more personal fav's!)

Unfortunately he never won an Oscar for his work but that was because "costumes" weren't added as a category until after 1948.

Hi costumes were extravagant from angular, crisp, tailored suits to Ostrich plume and crystal embellished gowns. They were just what the depression era audiences were craving. Full-on indulgent glamour!

They actually went crazy for his looks, Macy's sold half a million reproductions of the frothy shouldered gown that Joan Crawford wore in Letty Lynton. A staggering number at that time...and what were all those ladies wearing that dress to???

Joan Crawford in Letty Lynton

As a designer he wasn't afraid to experiment. He used bold colour blocking, unusual prints, elaborate beading and he even showcased some Gothic themes!

 courtesy of My Vintage Vogue

Adrian's most famous legacy the "coat hanger" silhouette became a key look of the 1940's: padded shoulders, a slim jacket with details that emphasised the shoulders and a pencil skirt. Pretty much an inverted pyramid!

So now you know who Adrian was, or at least what he did.

He is one of the reasons we adore watching vintage movies:

Their jaw dropping and extravagant fashion; make us wish we lived in Old Hollywood, a land of make-believe glamour and opulence...

To see a few more instances of his work check out these YouTube videos:

Here

This one is particularly informative:

Adrian

1930's Candellight Satin gowns

Bias cut, slinky candlelight satin gowns epitomize the glamorous heady days of Hollywood in the 1930's. Like today, Hollywood starlets of the time hugely influenced fashion. This style of gown was much copied and adapted by the nimble fingered young bride who wanted to shimmer and shine.

 I have often come across original sewing patterns of this time and indeed a sewing manual belonging to my great grandfather (a tailor in London) has a number of patterns in this style.

 These gowns can be tricky to wear for mere mortals but if you are lucky to be lean and slender they can be totally knock out!

Ginger Rogers

 Carole Lombard

Jean Harlow in "Reckless"

Myrna Loy 1933

A selection of 1930's satin gowns currently in stock in Dirty Fabulous!!

1930's harlequin and rose gown with original belt €960

1930's long sleeved, lace collared satin gown €860

 1930's champagne satin off the shoulder gown €620

 Candlelight satin gown with bustle and train detail €830

1930's ivory satin gown with button back €950

The ones that got away.........(I'm sorry but the next few dress have since been sold!)

To see our full collection of 1930's and 40's candlelight satin wedding gowns call 01 6111842 or email info@dirtyfabulous.com now for your appointment!