White Christmas: THE Black Dress (Rosemary Clooney)

[morganjbritting]

Help friends! I am a sewist hoping to replicate the iconic black dress worn by Rosemary Clooney during the Carousel Club scene of White Christmas” from 1954. I can design the dress by analyzing various photos, but some details have eluded me (What was the lining? Was there a back zip/side zip? WHERE ARE THE CLOSE UP PICS OF THE BROOCH?!$). I have Edith Head’s books and biographies in my resource collection, but unfortunately they have not revealed much.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

 

[joberg]

Help friends! I am a sewist hoping to replicate the iconic black dress worn by Rosemary Clooney during the Carousel Club scene of White Christmas” from 1954. I can design the dress by analyzing various photos, but some details have eluded me (What was the lining? Was there a back zip/side zip? WHERE ARE THE CLOSE UP PICS OF THE BROOCH?!$). I have Edith Head’s books and biographies in my resource collection, but unfortunately they have not revealed much.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

As you know, and I'm sure you've seen many, many pictures on the Web about that dress; it's very complicated to talk about movie costumes, specially for actresses. That dress might have been sewed on Rosemary's body at the time of the shoot. That being said, I thing a left side zipper would be the ticket. Same for the lining...who knows? Again, I think that silk is a good start for that lining IMHO Are you going to use some kind of velour for the dress? It would probably give you a better shape/stay for the straps. You don't want those pointy designs to curl-up.
As for the brooch, as well as her hearings, I don't know of any detailed pics of those item. Good luck with your project!