Cinema Style File--Doris Day Makes a Statement in 1959's PILLOW TALK

1959's Pillow Talk is one of the most influential movies to me from the standpoint of style.  For those who now know me well, this will come as no surprise as you scroll through the images below.  The sophisticated costumes were designed by the great Jean Louis, who many know for Rita Hayworth's wardrobe in Gilda and its iconic black strapless "Put the Blame on Mame" gown.  He is also known for another iconic gown...the nude shimmering stunner that Marilyn Monroe wore when singing "Happy Birthday" to President Kennedy.  

Jean's Pillow Talk wardrobe is just as sexy, but it's demonstrated and delivered in a different way.  Doris Day plays interior designer Jan Morrow, a career gal who proves that a work wardrobe need not suffer in the style department.  As she does in every one of her movies, Doris carries off each costume with the grace of a runway model and the body of an athlete.  Her seemingly innocent persona often obscures just how sexy she was, but this wardrobe reminds us again and again...nearly every outfit shows off her fantastic figure.  Less overt perhaps in its sexuality, but much like the wardrobe of a Hitchcock Heroine you can sense it simmering just beneath the surface.

Pillow Talk presents a wardrobe that is very reminiscent of those by my hero Helen Rose, who was head costume designer at MGM while Jean was at Columbia.  I can see a lot of her influence in his bold color combinations, which are one of the reasons I turn to this movie again and again.  In a couple cases, colors come from the statement jewelry that he integrates in each of the outfits.  Jean also incorporates luxurious fabrics like fur to evoke a little glamour...coats, capelets, hats, and hand warmers all appear as accessories to the dresses.  And all of Doris' dresses are fit to perfection.  The sex appeal of the garments exists largely because of their tailored and body conscious silhouettes.  Watching her walk around, it's easy to understand why the 50s and 60s  "wiggle" dress was cited as the sexiest dress by several fashion magazines yet again this year. 

These classic clothes are timeless.  Doris' statement coats in their rich colors and textures and the overall ladylike dressing shown in Pillow Talk may be on trend this Fall and Winter, but these are looks that will always be in style.  It's a wardrobe that has continued to inspire fashion designers over the years.  One such designer is Michael Kors, who cited this movie as an influence on his collections when he and other designers were invited to be Guest Programmers on Turner Classic Movies. 

November will be the "Battle of the Blondes" on TCM and of course Doris is included in that luminous list.  Unfortunately, Pillow Talk is not among the movies highlighted next month, so I include it here because it really should be.  After all, this is the first teaming of Doris with perfect partner and good friend Rock Hudson and they really set a standard for romantic comedies with this picture.  I believe that the chemistry of the two together and their onscreen style were never better than they were in Pillow Talk.  Take a look for yourself.

Doris (Jan) makes her entrance in a black coat with a mandarin collar 

accessorized with both a black fur hat and hand warmer

Jan's navy "suit," a sheath dress topped with a cropped boxy coat,
taught me that black and blue are indeed colors that can be paired together

This belted cream wiggle dress paired with red accessories is one of my personal favorites

Look at the divine red silk lining of her matching cream coat--

a detail referenced by Michael Kors in one of his earlier collections

All buttoned up, Jan even coordinates a red tote (below left) with her outfit

Jan attends the party of one of her wealthy clients in this 

white column gown, white fur shrug, and opera length gloves

Jan reluctantly agrees to a dance with her client's college-age son,
not realizing that her party line foe (Rock Hudson) is just behind her

Brad Allen (Rock Hudson) sees and meets Jan for the first time at this club

Adversarial on the phone, Brad must pretend to be someone else in order to see Jan again

A perfect end to Jan's evening--the promise of another date with Brad aka "Tex"

Another favorite color combination that I learned from this movie--

emerald green coat and gown accessorized with turquoise jewelry

Out on the town

Another clever use of the split screen in Pillow Talk

Even Jean Louis' robes for Jan are regal

Lessons in tone on tone--green longsleeve sweater paired with a darker high-waisted wool skirt
and hat along with a mink handwarmer

Plans for another evening out, this time in a burgundy velvet coat and dress

Brad's scheme has been found out by his best friend Jonathan (Tony Randall),

so he arranges to take Jan to his place in Connecticut

Passion by fire light

Jan celebrates being in love in a cozy cream belted knit dress

When Brad goes out for more firewood, Jan gets more than just a chill...

she discovers his true identity by playing one of his songs

Furious, Jan throws on her own fur trimmed coat and heads heartbroken for home in the city

In a rage, Jan looks incredible in red accessorized with a leopard hat and hand warmer

Jan's revenge?  To redecorate Brad's apartment the worst way she knows how

She's all business in a black velvet suit trimmed in satin and

accessorized with a brooch at her waist

Brad somehow manages to see how much Jan really loves him by his "redecorated" apartment,

and carries her back to the scene of the crime

Of course what Jan has really managed to makeover is this confirmed bachelor

and they live happily ever after