In the classic 1951 movie, A Place in the Sun, then-17-year-old Elizabeth Taylor wowed in an iconic white dress that became one of the most talked-about pieces of fashion in modern film history. Liz Taylor’s gown from A Place in the Sun has been called the most beautiful dress of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as one of the most copied dresses of the era. Here’s the story behind the dress.
A Place in the Sun marked Elizabeth Taylor’s transition from childish roles to mature, feminine, glamorous roles. In the film, she played the role of Angela Vickers, a beautiful socialite on the cusp of her debutante who becomes embroiled in a deadly love triangle. Montgomery Cliff and Shelley Winters also star in the movie.
The character of Angela is a wealthy society girl. In part of the movie, she is a debutante at her coming-out for the producers wanted her to wear a memorable gown. They turned to legendary costume designer, Edith Head. Head was well-known for her work in Hollywood during the golden age of cinema and was the costume designer for over a thousand films in her career. She set about working her costume magic.
The first thing Edith Head did was to study the character of Angela. Since she was a debutante, Edith decided that her dress had to be white. She met with Elizabeth Taylor, who was proud of her tiny waist and wanted to accentuate it. Next, Edith decided on the silhouette she wanted for the gown. Two years earlier, designer Christian Dior introduced his New Look Collection that featured small waists and full skirts. In the years since World War II ended, Americans were returning to a time of prosperity. Once again, women could devote yards of fabric to their skirts. Edith decided on this look for Elizabeth Taylor.
The dress she created featured a form-fitting bodice of ruched tulle over taffeta. The bodice was sculpted to mold to Elizabeth’s slim, youthful figure. Edith left the lower portion of the bodice unadorned to show off Elizabeth’s physique. The bust of the bodice, however, was embellished with clusters of tiny flowerets. The gown’s full taffeta skirt was overlaid with several layers of tulle fabric, dotted here and there with the same flowerets from the bodice.
Elizabeth Taylor’s white dress from A Day in the Sun has become an iconic representation of the actress’s beauty, grace, and elegance. Audiences were so wowed by the dress that soon, the style was copied by other starlets, as well as teenage girls. This dress style was the go-to look for prom dresses throughout the 1950s, thanks to Edith Head and Elizabeth Taylor. Edith later noted, “the dress was mass-produced to hang in every department store in the country.”
The white dress has also been featured in numerous other films and television shows. It has been copied by countless fashion designers and even inspired a line of clothing by designer, Vera Wang. It is also a reminder of the timeless fashion designs of Edith Head, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest costume designers in film history. In fact, Edith Head won a Best Costume Design Oscar at the 1952 Academy Awards presentation for Elizabeth Taylor’s dress in A Place in the Sun.
It is easy to see why Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic white dress in the classic movie, A Place in the Sun, designed by legendary costume designer, Edith Head, has been called the most beautiful dress of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It is a timeless symbol of both Taylor’s beauty and Head’s skill as a costume designer.