Fashion Friday - Dracula

Not many people think about the fashion involved in horror films.  I personally think the fashion is an integral part of these gems.  They set the mood for the wonderful scenes in the film.  Who doesn't look at the suave Bela Lugosi and think Dracula?  There is conflicting information about who created the iconic look, but Bela Lugosi is largely credited with popularizing the tuxedo and cape look.  While actor Raymond Huntley apparently was the first to use this look in the 1924 London stage adaptation, not many people know it [1].

Vintage Inspiration - Sally on Saturday

Sally Eillers models Vera West fashion

Vera West was a costume designer with over 300 credits to her name.  Some of the well-known films she designed for were:  Shadow of a Doubt, the Sherlock Holmes film series with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, W.C. Fields films like The Bank Dick, Destry Rides Again, and horror film classics like The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and Dracula.

Links of the Week

Susan Hayward as "Messalina" in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)

Vintage Film Costume Collector has an amazing post with fantastic photographs of Susan Hayward's costume as "Messalina" in the film Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954).  I've never seen the film, but the scenes look fantastic, and Hayward's costume couldn't be better.  So glamorous, yet fits in the film.  Amazing!


Need an amazing hair accessory?  Bobby Pin blog has a great how-to for a Christmas Poinsettia Hair Accessory.  It looks adorable, and I think I'll give it a try.

How to Tie a Perfect Sash Bow [Source: Sew Beautiful Blog]

When I tie a bow, it often seems just a bit off, so I was really excited to see Sew Beautiful's How-to about Sash Bows.  The steps were clear, the pictures were good, so I am excited to give the process a try.  After all, Christmas seems to be the season of bows.


Books are a great gift.  I am giving several as presents.  As everyone knows, I adore books, so I heartily endorse books as presents.  Imagination Soup has a great Christmas gift guide of the best books of the year for kids and teens.

Edith Head and Elizabeth Taylor

The Glamorous Housewife is spreading the glamour love with a great post featuring lessons from costume goddess Edith Head.  Ms. Head certainly knows about glamour.  Her costumes are wonderful.

I love blog Big Old Houses's home tours.  There is another one up featuring a Vanderbilt home in Florida.  Gorgeous!


Jessica over at Chronically Vintage always has amazing posts.  Literally, I could link to every post on her blog.  It is a rarity that I don't find something valuable in her posts.  Two I particularly enjoyed this week was her weekly dose of Saturday Snapshots and Ten Cold Weather Vintage Wardrobe Staples.  The cold weather staples basically is my vintage wardrobe wishlist while the Saturday Snapshots post really made me think.  

Gone With the Wind Costumes

Sketch of Scarlett's Bedroom Dress

Gone With the Wind has to be one of my favorite films of all time.  It's the first classic film I remember viewing, aside from The Wizard of Oz.  I remember when it was on local TV once a year and I would stay up with my mom and sister, we would make a huge batch of popcorn, pull out the couch-bed and stay up watching it.  A treat, mixed in with all the years of hardship.  I'm convinced it's why I love classic films today.

Scarlett's Infamous Curtain Dress

And not only that, I fell in love with the book.  Beginning in sixth grade, I decided I was going to read Gone With the Wind.  It was daunting, but I loved it.  From then on, I made a point of reading it once a year.  I haven't done it lately, but for a good ten years I did it.

Scarlett's Red Dress

So I am so pleased that these beautiful costumes have been preserved.  They are so gorgeous.  I would love to see them in person some day.  My favorite is the red dress, but who can beat the iconic Curtain Dress?  

Scarlett's Wedding Dress

Sheree Suits Up

Sheree North getting in costume for How to be Very, Very Popular; March 1955

From Sketch to Costume - Delilah

Edith Head's Sketch

Edith Head created "The Peacock Costume" for Hedy Lamarr to wear in 1949's Samson and Delilah.   

Gorgeous Hedy Lamarr in the Costume

Edith Head and crew won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Color

The Peacock Costume today

The gorgeous dress was sold in 2011 for $12,000.00

Peacock detail up close

Unfortunately, parts of the dress have disintegrated and have been replaced with material to simulate the feel of the original dress.