In Audrey Hepburn‘s third film, the British comedy LAUGHTER IN PARADISE (1951), she played the part of “Cigarette Girl” She was cute and memorable in a role that gave her multiple scenes and lines. Costuming showed less faith than casting. They treated her body as something to be made more stereotypically sexy, so they padded and pointed her chest. She fared no better during her London revue days.
Two years earlier she was starting to make a name for herself on the stage, but as you can see in the photo above, the costuming plan was corrective again. Her long legs are shown off, but it’s obvious the rest of her body is viewed as problematic. Her hips are made to look fuller by tacking on a partial skirt onto the leotard, giving the illusion of more nipped waist. Her bust line is obscured by an asymmetric neckline and shoulder. Worst of all, her elegant “swan neck” is shortened by a clownish, ruffled collar.
Her gamine figure was not yet garbed in the tailored looks best suited to it. Audrey’s impact on style and acceptable body types would come after better and bigger roles. Along the way she would meet a young fashion designer named Hubert de Givenchy. They would become friends and collaborators, and together they would create iconic looks onscreen and off.
Thanks to Terence Pepper for allowing me to reblog his photo and the thoughts it inspired!
