Watch HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM: FILM NOIR AND FANTASY on Vimeo!

Last night many fans of film and fashion came together online to celebrate Film Noir and Fantasy for the third event in my History of Fashion in Film 1920s-1980s series! We discussed the costume designers and style icons of the 1940s - Rosalind Russell, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, and Ava Gardner.

The Style Essentials featured in this event:

My Girl Friday (1940)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Woman of the Year (1942)

Now, Voyager (1942)

This Gun for Hire (1942)

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Mildred Pierce (1945)

Gilda (1946)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

The Killers (1946)

If you could not join us live, you can now watch the event on demand! You can either view the video on Vimeo or click "Watch Now" in the player below. 
All of my past events (since 2020) can be viewed on demand on Vimeo.
The next event in the History of Fashion in Film series will be celebrating the 1950s and how the decade loved how Opposites Attract on Sunday, September 18 - you can get more information and register on Zoom. 
See you then!

The sweetheart neckline was very popular in the 1940s, including in film noir,

so I chose a modern minimal interpretation with my red Dress the Population dress

See you in September!

You're Invited! HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s: Film Noir and Fantasy Online Event 8/21

August 21 will be the next event in my 7-part online series on the History of Fashion in Film. It features what I consider The Style Essentials - films with iconic costume design from the 1920s to the 1980s that immediately impacted fashion and continue to influence fashion today.

HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM: Film Noir and Fantasy

Sunday, August 21

4 pm - 5:30 pm PT (7 pm - 8:30 pm ET)

Tickets $20 - register on Zoom

The third event Film Noir and Fantasy focuses on the costume designers from the 1940s and the stars they helped create - Katharine Hepburn, Rosalind Russell, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Veronica Lake, Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, and Lana Turner.

The Style Essentials featured in this event:

His Girl Friday (1940)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Woman of the Year (1942)

Now, Voyager (1942)

This Gun for Hire (1942)

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Mildred Pierce (1945)

Gilda (1946)

The Killers (1946)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

Each presentation will include stills from the movies along with images from today's fashion accompanied by a conversation about the history, costume and fashion designers, and backstories of the stars.

In case you missed the 1930s event live, you can view Art Deco Elegance on demand on Vimeo.

Visit the GlamAmor Events page for details on upcoming events.

GlamAmor-ous Holidays - Janet Leigh Glows in Understated Howard Greer in 1949's HOLIDAY AFFAIR

It's fascinating how many of the films we now consider Christmas classics came from the 1940s. The decade began with the romances Remember the Night (1940) and The Shop Around the Corner (1940) as well as the witty The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942). But as the decade went on, World War II started to weave into the storylines in some way. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) may have been set at the turn of the century, but the lyrics of Judy Garland's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" touched audiences torn apart by war. Frank Capra tapped into some of the angst of the post-war years with It's a Wonderful Life (1946). It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) showed soldiers trying to find shelter and work after the war. And the Civil War-era Little Women, remade in 1949 starring Janet Leigh, connected with families still struggling from World War II. 

Holiday Affair premiered on Christmas Eve that same year and also explored some of the emotional aftermath of the war. Set in New York during the holidays, Leigh plays Connie Ennis, a war widow who's working as a comparative shopper to make ends meet. She runs into Robert Mitchum as Steve Mason, a veteran who dreams of building sailboats in Southern California, but temporarily works as a clerk at Crowley's department store. It's there that Steve catches Connie making an obvious purchase to take back to a rival store. But things really go awry when her son Timmy confuses her work purchase - an expensive train set - with a gift he expects under their Christmas tree. Because of that train, Steve eases into their life and finds himself falling for Connie. However, she already has a boyfriend (Wendell Corey) who has been working very hard (unsuccessfully) to get Connie to let go of the memory of her late husband and marry him.

Holiday Affair's backstory is as interesting as the film itself. In between the films noir Out of the Past (1947) and The Big Steal (1949) - both co-starring Jane Greer - Robert Mitchum was arrested for possession of marijuana. In September 1948, he and Lila Leeds were victims of a sting operation designed to capture Hollywood's hard partiers (you may know Lila as the shapely blonde secretary in the 1947 Christmas noir Lady in the Lake). By January of 1949, he was found guilty and spent 43 days in a Castaic prison farm. He was released at the end of March convinced his acting career was over. However, RKO head Howard Hughes had other ideas and cast Robert in Holiday Affair as a way to restore his bad boy image.

Robert Mitchum conversing with his attorney (above)

and standing before the judge with actress Lila Leeds

In contrast, Janet Leigh's image needed no revamping. Holiday Affair was part of her ascendance as a star. The origins of her film career are now a part of Hollywood legend. In 1946, Norma Shearer was vacationing at a ski resort in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Because Janet's parents worked there, a picture of the 19-year-old (then known as Jeannette Morrison) was among several taken by the ski club photographer. The smile of the girl in the photo - taken at Christmas time, no less - piqued the interest of the former Queen of MGM. Shearer immediately took Leigh under her wing and worked with agent Lew Wasserman to get the teenager a contract at her old home studio. Janet started working almost instantly, appearing in her first film The Romance of Rosy Ridge in 1947. Her performance in the 1948 noir Act of Violence was particularly well received and led into a pivotal year for the starlet. In 1949 she really started to shine, appearing in 5 films including Little Women and Holiday Affair.

The 1945 photo that captured Norma Shearer's attention (above)

and Norma with Janet at the premiere of The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947)

Leigh was loaned to RKO for Holiday Affair rather than shooting it at MGM, and this allowed her to be in the hands of costume designer Howard Greer. Greer is one of the greats of Old Hollywood, best known for being the Chief Designer at Paramount during the 1920s. Like so many from this time who are celebrated for costume design, Howard started his career in the world of couture. In 1916, before America entered World War I, he worked at the international couturier Lucile in both Chicago and New York. He was drafted in 1917, and after the war designed for a time at Molyneux and Paul Poiret in Paris. Greer returned to America in 1919 and worked once again with Lucile's head Lady Duff-Gordon. 

In 1922, Howard succeeded Clare West as head of costume design at Famous Players-Lasky, which would soon become Paramount. Travis Banton, his former colleague at Lucile, joined him in 1925 and their sophisticated designs would contribute to what was known as "Paramount Polish." By 1927, Greer decided to depart the studio to open his own boutique where he created couture for clients ranging from Ruby Keeler to Greta Garbo. However, he never really quit costume design and continued to freelance into the early 1950s. Some of his best work during this time includes Hell's Angels (1930) for Jean Harlow, Bringing Up Baby (1938) for Katharine Hepburn, Carefree (1938) for Ginger Rogers, and My Favorite Wife (1940) for Irene Dunne. His costumes can also be seen in the Deanna Durbin holiday film Lady on a Train (1945). 

Howard Greer designed costumes for many films even after he left Paramount,

including this highly influential dress in the 1938 Ginger Rogers-Fred Astaire picture Carefree

Holiday Affair shows a distinctly different side of Howard Greer. It reveals nothing of the overtly glamorous, often over-the-top, wardrobes he was known for in Hollywood. Instead, it is a stunning character study. Though the movie premiered in December of 1949, nearly three years into the New Look, there is very little in the film to reflect the hyper feminine, frequent fit-and-flare, silhouette that would dominate the 1950s. Instead the costumes in Holiday Affair hold onto the austerity of the war years. You can still see signature 1940s style in the sharp shoulders of Janet's costumes as well as the relative lack of ornamentation and embellishment. Precious little in her clothes even show the softened details of the New Look, such as rounded jacket lapels.

There is little doubt that Greer found a reason for his design choices in the character of Connie Ennis. After all, she is a war widow who is hanging onto the memory of her beloved late husband. It only makes sense from a psychological standpoint that she would also hang onto the clothes she wore during their happy marriage. Further, it's clear that finances are an issue for the single mother. All her love goes to her son, and all of her spending likely follows. She doesn't appear to shop for herself; there are only a couple pieces of clothing that suggest post-war fashion. One is her longer pencil skirt. During the war, knee-length pencil skirts emerged as a style to conserve fabric. So Connie's longer skirt is likely an inexpensive way she could update her wardrobe. Another example of post-war style is the jacket we see Connie wear when working. Its peplum hints at the late 1940s, so it's likely she bought it to appear more professional while shopping at rival department stores. These are the kinds of decisions and details that are often overlooked by audiences, but great costume designers like Greer knew were important when working in film.

Though Holiday Affair does not really showcase what I would consider true Greer style - and I encourage you to seek out his other movies - I love the opportunity to shine a light on his career. This film also happens to represent some of the last of his work in Hollywood. And despite the understated wardrobe, Janet Leigh is still stunningly beautiful and her natural talent is on full display. 

I hope you enjoy both Janet Leigh and Howard Greer in this holiday classic. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Janet Leigh plays Connie Ennis, a war widow who works as a commercial spy

who gets caught by Crowley's clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum)

Though not completely embracing the exacting fit of the New Look,

the peplum in Connie's jacket shows the evolution of 1940s style

Connie wears a snug short-sleeve sweater and pencil skirt under her jacket -

the longer length of the skirt definitely speaks to post-war style

This dress of Connie's does have some elements of post-war fashion - 

such as the rounded lapels and longer skirt length - but it's still decidedly 1940s style

Elizabeth Taylor joins Janet and Robert on set

Fur coats like this were extremely popular during the 1940s

and likely something that Connie has kept in her closet for a while

The style of Connie's Christmas robe is classic 1940s style,

particularly its strong shoulders and relative minimalism 

The subtle sweetheart neckline in Connie's date night dress 

also suggests more of the style of the World War II era rather than the New Look

This fitted dress with its sharp shoulders and lack of adornment seems straight out of film noir,

especially with Robert Mitchum standing by her side

For more on the history of the 1940s and the evolution of fashion during the decade,

be sure to read my book Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s!

FILM NOIR STYLE: THE KILLER 1940s On Sale October 2020

I'm very excited to share the working cover of my book Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s! 

Film Noir Style is a deep dive into the dark side of 1940s style - celebrating some of the genre's most influential films and stars while also examining the historical context of the time. As the cover shows - in a couple ways - The Killers (1946) is one of the 20 films featured in this beautiful coffee table book. Film Noir Style will be on shelves October 2020, which perfectly coordinates with Fall fashion collections that so frequently reference noir. It's also just in time for the holidays. Pre-orders are available on Amazon.

Many thanks to my editors at GoodKnight Books, a publishing house run by the talented Mary Rothhaar, who have been so supportive of this project. I'm very proud to be an author for a company that's run by a woman and one that also makes it a priority to print in the United States. You can see some of their other great Hollywood titles below.

I have just submitted all the copy for the book and we're now selecting the many stunning photos that will be featured in Film Noir Style. I can't wait to share with you all!

GlamAmor-ous Holidays - Classic Style of 1947's IT HAPPENED ON FIFTH AVENUE

Happy holidays! I realize I have been a bit quiet online because of my Pre-Code screening series The Style of Sin and working on my book Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s. The book will be on sale Fall 2020 and I'm very excited about it. Because copy is due by the end of the year, I've been buried in research and feverishly typing away. But I wanted to celebrate this special time of year, so I've gone into the GlamAmor Archive and pulled one of my favorite holiday films It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947). I hope you enjoy my look at its classic style.

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Every year at this time I enjoy looking at style in movies that celebrate the holidays. In the past, this has included The Thin Man (1934), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), and White Christmas (1954). Anyone who knows me knows how much I love film noir, so I have also looked at 1947's Lady in the Lake. This Christmas I have chosen to cover a holiday film that I've come to know and love in the past few years - 1947's It Happened on Fifth Avenue.

It Happened on Fifth Avenue is centered on a homeless man named Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore) who takes over a vacant mansion in New York each winter. This Christmas he helps Army veteran Jim Bullock (Don DeFore) and his friends who struggle with their own housing. What makes the movie such fun is that - unbeknownst to anyone - the actual owners of the mansion become part of the ragtag group that now inhabits the house. Some of the charm of the story stems from watching this wealthy family evolve through the experience. For a lesser known picture, these characters are played by an incredible cast and are well known to classic film fans. The movie is led by Moore, who many love in the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical Swing Time. The affluent O'Connor family (who pose as anything but) is made up of Charlie Ruggles, Ann Harding, and Gale Storm. And other character actors include the always good Alan Hale, Jr., Grant Mitchell, and Edward Brophy.

This period of time is one of my favorites for film - the reason being that it is right after World War II. I love movies that look at these post-war years and the challenges that servicemen faced when returning to America. William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives probably did this best of all. It Happened on Fifth Avenue's own storyline starts with Bullock being kicked out of an apartment and then welcomed into McKeever's creative housing solution. Several of Bullock's war buddies soon enter the picture with their families - all with housing challenges of their own.

The post-World War II storyline extends to the costumes as well. For those who don't know, much of 1940s style came as the result of rationing that happened during the war. This is the reason for the functional and rather austere feel of much of the era's clothing. You simply weren't allowed to use a great deal of fabric. The length and circumference of skirts, for instance, were dictated by a government regulation. Though It Happened on Fifth Avenue was made after rationing had ended, styles had not changed that much. That seismic shift came in February 1947 courtesy of Christian Dior and his "New Look," a collection that featured longer fuller skirts and ushered in the over-the-top femininity of the 1950s. It Happened on Fifth Avenue premiered in April of that year, but was in production well before that date and its costumes still reflect much of World War II style.

This leads to one of the reasons I wanted to share It Happened on Fifth Avenue - its costume designer Lorraine MacLean. Clearly she is not as well known as someone like Edith Head, and it's important to remember that the Hollywood studio system was filled with many unsung heroes such as herself. Lorraine is interesting because she started her career as an actress, similar to costume designers Irene and Orry-Kelly. She actually went further as an actress than those two and appeared in movies like Love Shy (1928) and Fools for Scandal (1938) with Carole Lombard. After her time on screen, Lorraine moved behind the camera to the makeup department and then onto costume design. She eventually became the studio stylist for Monogram Pictures and Allied Artists. It Happened on Fifth Avenue was the first production from Allied Artists, the unit that Monogram built for bigger and better productions from the "Poverty Row" studio. You'll see that Lorraine stepped up to the challenge with her costume design. Gale Storm's wardrobe, in particular, is filled with plenty of winter coat inspiration - including fabulous Willard George furs - and classic pieces that would still be stylish today.

It Happened on Fifth Avenue is such a perfect holiday movie. It has lovely messages about family - both those that are blood-related and those people we choose to be in our lives. It also has great inspiration about entrepreneurship and designing your own destiny. Of course it also has plenty of romance and a sweet fairy tale feel to the movie that just makes you feel good. It's become a classic that I must see every holiday and hope you enjoy it, too. Merry Christmas!

Home sweet home -

the O'Connor mansion is the winter residence of Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore)

Jim Bullock (Don DeFore) and McKeever 

catch late night prowler Trudy O'Connor (Gale Storm) "stealing" a fur coat and more

Bullock takes back what Trudy has been "stealing"

Trudy overhears why these two strangers are in her home and plays along

as they allow her to stay while she's "down on her luck"

Trudy gets a job at a music store

We see that Trudy is already falling for Bullock

I love this coat of Trudy's with a hood attached that continues the front plaid trim

Bullock's war buddies - and their families - are also allowed join the McKeever household

Trudy wants to see if this nearly strapless gown will turn Bullock's head

I say nearly strapless because the vine-like "strap" is more decorative than functional

Looks like Trudy may have accomplished her mission

Love Trudy's fur-trimmed wrap coat with coordinated fur hat

that she wears when she bumps into her father Michael J. O'Connor (Charles Ruggles)

This leopard coat and hat is another great ensemble from Trudy's wardrobe

A "chance" meeting in Central Park with down-on-his-luck "Mike"

Mike is invited to join all the others and

sees the transformation of the O'Connor mansion

Costume designers put just as much care into robes as they did in coats or gowns -

you can see the careful construction in the shoulders and embroidery in this robe

Trudy pays a visit to her mother Mary O'Connor (Ann Harding)

who is currently separated from her father

Here's a great example of costume establishing a character -

Mary simply exudes wealth and style with her dress, fur coat, hat, and jewelry

Trudy in yet another great coordinated ensemble - double-breasted coat, hat, and gloves -

as she plots to bring Mary into the McKeever household to meet new love Bullock

Mary joins the household - dressed to appear down on her luck as well -

and becomes the cook much to Mike's chagrin

Bullock play referee between Mike and Mary,

not realizing that they're Trudy's separated parents

Christmas comes to the McKeever household

Bullock has fallen for Trudy and vows to prove himself

Trudy's holiday dress would still be perfect today

Bullock gives Trudy a coat for Christmas so she doesn't have to "borrow" any more -

it's more special to her than all of her furs

The last dinner of this extended family

with toasts for the future of the two happy couples and Aloysius McKeever

Merry Christmas!