“A designer is only as good as the star who wears her clothes”-Edith Head-

Today’s opening of Google lead me to squeal in excitement as I saw that the Google Doodle was dedicated to one of my favorite costume designers… “Edith Head“. High Five Google!

Edith Head-Costume Designer Extraordinaire!

Lets take a look at some of the amazing designs this 8 time Academy Award winning designer created during her very long career in Hollywood.

As the chief designer at Paramount for forty years, Head’s penchant for onscreen glamour produced some of the most formidable images in Hollywood history. Head understood the overarching importance of costuming; her most iconic looks balance the external demands of a film (lighting, set design, camera angles,) with the internal (the script, character arcs) to render a fully realized character.

Side note: Edith was actually nominated for 35 Academy Awards including every year from 1948 to 1966. WOW! (Ten Things you should know about Edith Head)

The Fashion Designer Herself-Edith Head

Edith Head Dresses

Grace Kelly–Rear Window (1954). A cocktail dress with an off-the-shoulder velvet bodice and a layered organza skirt. 

Grace Kelly-Oscar dress 1955. Grace’s mint green studio created gown cost $4,000 to make.

Mary Martin-in Love Thy Neighbor. Look at the matching purse! Drool!

Dress for the 1944 movie “Here Come the Waves“.

Barbara Stanwyck, in a suit by Edith Head for the 1940 film “Remember the Night”.

Barbara Stanwyck in a stunning & elegant Edith Head Dress.

Bettie Davis in “All about Eve”.

A costume design image from “All About Eve”, featuring Bette Davis in the black dress above.

Source: Mutual Art

Madeleine Carroll Publicity Photo from the 1930s.

“Printed wool is high fashion this fall and winter.  Edith Head has created this charming dinner dress of black imported wool covered with a pale blue bluebell print.

Following Madeleine’s favorite “basic” silhouette for dinner clothes, the designer has used a high-waisted, Empire line with a V decolletage, short sleeves and graceful back fullness in the bias skirt.” (Source).

Elizabeth Taylor in a pink peignoir set for the movie “Elephant Walk”-1954.

Love what you have seen? Want some style tips for Edith herself? Then pick up her book “How to Dress for Success” from 1967.

“You can do anything you want in life if you dress for it,” -Edith Head-

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in my love of Edith Head designs with me. These images are really only a small portion of the giant collection of clothes she created. I encourage you to do your own research to discover her designs and maybe you will find some new favorites in the process. If you do, I would LOVE to see what you have found.

Further Reading:

• Vintage Fashion Designers (Archived Blog Posts)
• Vintage Fashion 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)

Liz 🙂