I'm terminally superficial, so the most important thing to me about a movie -- or about anything -- is what they wore. And sometimes what they wore is so dazzling that it creates a legend of its own while putting an imprint on the collective consciousness for all time. Here, in my stylish opinion, are the 10 most iconic outfits in femme film history, ranked in order, starting at the top.
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1) Audrey Hepburn's black dress, jeweled necklace, tiara, elbow-length black gloves, and shades in Breakfast at Tiffany's, courtesy of Givenchy, with help from Edith Head. (1961) She looked so elegant you forgot she was playing a whore!
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2) Marilyn Monroe's flying dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955). It was white and flowing, perfectly wrapped around her pendulous jugs. And when Marilyn stood over that grating and it blew upwards, so many people started drooling that a simple dress ended up destroying a marriage.
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3) Vivien Leigh's green velvet curtain dress in Gone With The Wind (1939). It was lusciously practical--especially the way the cord became a wonderful belt. I loved when Carol Burnett parodied the outfit on her TV variety show and used the curtain rod too!
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4) Marlene Dietrich's tuxedo in Morocco (1930). This was extra shocking back then, especially since Marlene seduced two men (while dressed as a man) and smooched a female audience member. Hot stuff.
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5) Diane Keaton's men's attire in Annie Hall (1977). Similarly, Diane casually sported a man's shirt, tie, vest, and hat in this classically neurotic romantic comedy. Woody must have felt extra emasculated.
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6) Faye Dunaway's ensemble in Bonnie and Clyde (1967). The one with the ribbed, golden top, paisley-patterned ascot, and beige beret. Pretty chic for a mass murderer.
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7) Cate Blanchett's outfits in Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) Any of the costumes in either of those films (designed by the Oscar winning Alexandra Byrne) rank with the most opulently eye catching of all time. Cate sported ornate collars, hanging necklaces, and lots of funky stuff in the hair, all around the crown. What a queen!
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8) Natalie Portman's black tutu, with feathered breastplates, plus swanlike eye makeup and tiara for The Black Swan. (2010) Her stand-in looked good in it too.
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9) Bette Davis's babydoll outfit in What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962) As gay people know, Bette wore an intricately frilly white dress with a sash, as well as curly locks and white pancake. It was the ultimate in creepy chic.
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10) Divine's red dress with taffeta bottom in Pink Flamingos (1972). When you added mile-high eyebrows and ratted out bleached blond hair that started halfway across Divvy's head, you had to admit this getup was iconic, particularly after midnight.
Special shout outs to Liz Taylor's sexy white slip in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Diana Ross's fierce kimono in Mahogany, Liza Minnelli's Dietrich-esque chanteuse-wear in Cabaret, Bette Davis's transformation in Now Voyager, Doris Day's sparkly blue gown with feathery bottom in Love Me or Leave Me, Lana Turner's deceptively white outfit in The Postman Always Rings Twice, Judy Garland's gingham goddess look in The Wizard of Oz, plus Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, Cher, Meryl, and on and on. Thank you, Hollywood. Thank you, designers. Thank you, world.
1) Audrey Hepburn's black dress, jeweled necklace, tiara, elbow-length black gloves, and shades in Breakfast at Tiffany's, courtesy of Givenchy, with help from Edith Head. (1961) She looked so elegant you forgot she was playing a whore!
2) Marilyn Monroe's flying dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955). It was white and flowing, perfectly wrapped around her pendulous jugs. And when Marilyn stood over that grating and it blew upwards, so many people started drooling that a simple dress ended up destroying a marriage.
3) Vivien Leigh's green velvet curtain dress in Gone With The Wind (1939). It was lusciously practical--especially the way the cord became a wonderful belt. I loved when Carol Burnett parodied the outfit on her TV variety show and used the curtain rod too!
4) Marlene Dietrich's tuxedo in Morocco (1930). This was extra shocking back then, especially since Marlene seduced two men (while dressed as a man) and smooched a female audience member. Hot stuff.
5) Diane Keaton's men's attire in Annie Hall (1977). Similarly, Diane casually sported a man's shirt, tie, vest, and hat in this classically neurotic romantic comedy. Woody must have felt extra emasculated.
6) Faye Dunaway's ensemble in Bonnie and Clyde (1967). The one with the ribbed, golden top, paisley-patterned ascot, and beige beret. Pretty chic for a mass murderer.
7) Cate Blanchett's outfits in Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) Any of the costumes in either of those films (designed by the Oscar winning Alexandra Byrne) rank with the most opulently eye catching of all time. Cate sported ornate collars, hanging necklaces, and lots of funky stuff in the hair, all around the crown. What a queen!
8) Natalie Portman's black tutu, with feathered breastplates, plus swanlike eye makeup and tiara for The Black Swan. (2010) Her stand-in looked good in it too. 
9) Bette Davis's babydoll outfit in What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962) As gay people know, Bette wore an intricately frilly white dress with a sash, as well as curly locks and white pancake. It was the ultimate in creepy chic.
10) Divine's red dress with taffeta bottom in Pink Flamingos (1972). When you added mile-high eyebrows and ratted out bleached blond hair that started halfway across Divvy's head, you had to admit this getup was iconic, particularly after midnight.Special shout outs to Liz Taylor's sexy white slip in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Diana Ross's fierce kimono in Mahogany, Liza Minnelli's Dietrich-esque chanteuse-wear in Cabaret, Bette Davis's transformation in Now Voyager, Doris Day's sparkly blue gown with feathery bottom in Love Me or Leave Me, Lana Turner's deceptively white outfit in The Postman Always Rings Twice, Judy Garland's gingham goddess look in The Wizard of Oz, plus Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, Cher, Meryl, and on and on. Thank you, Hollywood. Thank you, designers. Thank you, world.
