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look book
August 20, 2012

The Elizabeth Taylor Look Book

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Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive

There was nothing subtle about Elizabeth Taylor’s ample cleavage, deep tan, and big violet eyes, and her fashion sense was just as bold. A fan of plunging necklines and big hair, she got more and more fearless with age. In her forties and fifties, she embraced sparkly miniskirts, towering headpieces, and feather boas, layering on the eye shadow and the glitter. Her astonishing jewelry collection, which was regularly supplemented by on-again, off-again husband Richard Burton, made her outfits even more spectacular. She won a Lifetime of Glamour Award from the CFDA in 1997, which she collected in a stately white gown studded with silver sequins; when Christie’s auctioned off her estate following her death last year, her jewels alone raised over $115 million. Enjoy our look back at her fashion evolution over the years.

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1 / 124 Photos
1943 Where: In National Velvet.  Photo: Archive Photos/Moviepix
Circa 1945 Where: At her desk. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive
Circa 1946 Where: Signing autographs for her fans at a nightclub. Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
Circa 1947  Photo: Bob Landry/TIME & LIFE Images
1947 Where: With William Powell in Life With Father. Photo: Everett
June 1, 1947 Where: With her mother, at home in Los Angeles. Photo: Earl Theisen Collection/Archive Photos
September 9, 1947 Where: Returning to England on the Queen Mary. Photo: New York Daily News
Circa 1948 Where: With Roddy McDowall.  Photo: Murray Garrett/Archive Photos
1948 Where: With Jane Powell in A Date with Judy. Photo: Archive Photos/Moviepix
Circa 1948 Where: With Robert Stack at the premiere of A Date with Judy, in Los Angeles. Photo: M. Garrett/Archive Photos
Circa 1948 Where: At her home in Los Angeles. Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive
Circa 1948  Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
Circa 1948 Where: Reading Look magazine. Photo: Archive Photos
October 29, 1948  Photo: C. Woods/Hulton Archive
October 31, 1948 Where: In Trafalgar Square in London. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive
October 31, 1948 Where: In London. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive
December 6, 1948 Where: With Robert Taylor at the Royal Command Film Show. Photo: Walter Bellamy/Hulton Archive
December 31, 1948 Where: With her fiance, Conrad Hilton, Jr. on the beach.  Photo: Archive Photos
1949 Where: With June Allyson in Little Women. Photo: c
1949 Where: With Honor Blackman in Conspirator. Photo: Hulton Archive
March 24, 1949 Where: With William Gordon at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. Photo: AP/Corbis
May 6, 1950 Where: On her wedding day to Conrad Hilton Jr., in Beverly Hills.  Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive
May 6, 1950 Where: With her husband Conrad Hilton Jr., after their wedding. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive
June 14, 1950 Where: With husband, Conrad Hilton Jr., at the Savoy Hotel in London. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive
August 22, 1950 Where: With husband, Conrad Hilton Jr. Photo: New York Daily News
Circa 1950 Where: With first husband Conrad Hilton Jr., on a wharf in Lido, Venice.  Photo: Archivio Cameraphoto/Hulton Archive
Circa 1950 Where: With first husband, Conrad Hilton Jr. Photo: Apic/Hulton Archive
Circa 1950 Where: Sewing with artificial flowers. Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix
Circa 1950 Where: On a film set. Photo: API/Gamma-Rapho
1950 Where: With Spencer Tracy in Father of the Bride. Photo: Archive Photos/Moviepix
Circa 1950  Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix
Circa 1950  Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Images Entertainment
Circa 1951 Where: With Robert Taylor at the premiere after-party for Quo Vadis, in Los Angeles. Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix
1951 Where: In A Place in the Sun. Photo: Hulton Archive/Moviepix
Circa 1951 Where: With Montgomery Clift on the set of A Place in the Sun. Photo: Hulton Archive
Circa 1952 Where: In a promotional portrait.  Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
1952 Where: In Ivanhoe.  Photo: Archive Photos/Moviepix
February 18, 1952 Where: At LaGuardia Field, on her way to London.  Photo: New York Daily News
February 20, 1952 Where: With husband Michael Wilding, the day before their wedding at Caxton Hall. Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
February 21, 1952 Where: With Michael Wilding, just after their wedding.  Photo: Ron Burton/Hulton Archive
June 13, 1952 Where: With husband, Michael Wilding at the premiere of Ivanhoe at the Empire, Leicester Square, London.  Photo: Monty Fresco... June 13, 1952 Where: With husband, Michael Wilding at the premiere of Ivanhoe at the Empire, Leicester Square, London.  Photo: Monty Fresco/Hulton Archive
June 16, 1952 Where: With her pets in New York City. Photo: New York Daily News
October 16, 1952 Where: In Los Angeles, California. Photo: Bettmann/CORBIS
1953 Where: With William Powell in The Girl Who Had Everything. Photo: Everett
Circa 1953 Where: On the set of The Girl Who Had Everything.  Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
Circa 1953 Where: Holding her son, Michael Howard Wilding Jr. Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
October 3, 1953 Where: With husband Michael Wilding and their son Michael Wilding Jr., in Copenhagen. Photo: Fox Photos/Hulton Archive
1954 Where: With Stewart Granger in Beau Brummell. Photo: Everett
1954 Where: In Elephant Walk. Photo: Everett
September 10, 1954 Where: With husband Michael Wilding. Photo: New York Daily News
Circa 1955 Where: In a studio portrait.  Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix
Circa 1955 Where: Carrying her son Michael Howard Wilding Jr. at London Airport. Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
Circa 1956 Where: With Mike Todd at the premiere of Lust for Life. Photo: Darlene Hammond/Archive Photos
Circa 1956 Where: On the set of Giant.  Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive
Circa 1956 Where: With Rock Hudson in the line for lunch on the set of Giant. Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive
Circa 1956 Where: On the set of Giant. Photo: Frank Worth/Hulton Archive
1956 Where: In Giant. Photo: GAB Archive/Redferns
November 15, 1956 Where: With Mike Todd, arriving in New York City. Photo: New York Daily News
February 28, 1957 Where: With husband, Mike Todd and Debbie Reynolds at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Awards dinner, in Los Angeles. Ph... February 28, 1957 Where: With husband, Mike Todd and Debbie Reynolds at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Awards dinner, in Los Angeles. Photo: Darlene Hammond/Archive Photos
February 28, 1957 Where: With husband, Mike Todd at the Golden Globe Awards.  Photo: Hulton Archive
June 5, 1957 Where: With husband Mike Todd, Eddie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds, at Derby Day at Epsom.  Photo: Douglas Miller/Hulton Archive
August 19, 1957 Where: Leaving Columbia Presbyterian Hospital with husband, Michael Todd. Photo: New York Daily News
1958 Where: With Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Photo: Everett
January 16, 1958 Where: At a press reception at the Dorchester Hotel, held for her and husband, Mike Todd. Photo: Edward Miller/Hulton Archive
August 28, 1958 Where: Arriving at London Airport with husband, Eddie Fisher, and her children. Photo: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone
1959 Where: In Suddenly Last Summer. Photo: Everett
July 4, 1959 Where: With Eddie Fisher in London, England. Photo: Bettmann/CORBIS
September 12, 1959 Where: With husband Eddie Fisher at International Airport, in New York City.  Photo: New York Daily News
1960 Where: In Butterfield 8. Photo: Bettmann/CORBIS
Circa 1960  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1960  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1960 Where: With Richard Burton.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1960 Where: With Richard Burton.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1960 Where: With Eddie Fisher.  Photo: Archive Photos
January 3, 1962 Where: With husband Eddie Fisher, leaving a club after New Year's celebrations. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive
July 27, 1962 Where: With Richard Burton, leaving Tre Scalini restaurant, in the Piazza Navona in Rome. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive
1963 Where: With Louis Jourdan in The V.I.P.s. Photo: Everett
1963 Where: With Richard Burton in Cleopatra. Photo: Everett
Circa 1963 Where: Posing for a portrait session. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
February 21, 1963 Where: With Richard Burton, standing at the bar of the Saville Theatre in London.  Photo: Kaye/Hulton Archive
May 21, 1963 Where: With Richard Burton, walking in London. Photo: Aubrey Hart/Hulton Archive
June 21, 1963 Where: With Richard Burton in London.  Photo: Jeff Snyder/FilmMagic
August 7, 1963 Where: With Richard Burton on the set of Becket, at Shepperton Studios in Middlesex, England.  Photo: Harry Dempster/Hulton ... August 7, 1963 Where: With Richard Burton on the set of Becket, at Shepperton Studios in Middlesex, England.  Photo: Harry Dempster/Hulton Archive
March 15, 1964 Where: With Richard Burton at their first wedding. Photo: William Lovelace/Hulton Archive
Circa 1965 Where: With Richard Burton.  Photo: Hulton Archive
Circa 1965 Where: With Richard Burton, filming The Sandpipers in Big Sur, California.  Photo: Fotos International/Archive Photos
Circa 1966 Where: With George Segal and Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Photo: Everett
Circa 1967 Where: In The Taming of the Shrew. Photo: Everett
November 12, 1967 Where: Attending a party for Pearl Bailey, at the Tower Suite in New York City.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection... November 12, 1967 Where: Attending a party for Pearl Bailey, at the Tower Suite in New York City.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1968 Where: On the set of  Boom!, in Sardinia. Photo: Gered Mankowitz/Redferns
June 15, 1968 Where: With husband Richard Burton and Noel Coward. Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
October 6, 1968 Where: With Guy de Rothschild and Marie-Helene de Rothschild at Prix de l'Arc Triomphe, at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Photo: ... October 6, 1968 Where: With Guy de Rothschild and Marie-Helene de Rothschild at Prix de l'Arc Triomphe, at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1970 Where: With Richard Burton in Havre, France. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
1972 Where: In Under Milk Wood.  Photo: Keith Hamshere/Moviepix
Circa 1975 Where: With Henry Wynberg.  Photo: Hulton Archive/Archive Photos
November 10, 1975 Where: With Richard Burton, arriving at Heathrow Airport in London. Photo: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive
August 10, 1976 Where: At New York Theatre. Photo: Tom Wargacki/WireImage
Circa Late 1970s Where: With John Warner.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
1980 Where: In The Mirror Crack'd. Photo: Everett
November 17, 1980 Where: With athletes John Curry and Peggy Fleming at the U.S. Olympic Committee "Superskates" benefit, at Madison Squ... November 17, 1980 Where: With athletes John Curry and Peggy Fleming at the U.S. Olympic Committee "Superskates" benefit, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1982 Where: In New York City. Photo: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection
June 2, 1983 Where: At the Drama Desk Awards, at Rainbow Room in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
June 23, 1983 Where: With Richard Burton.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1985 Where: At the Deauville American Film Festival in France. Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Images Entertainment
January 26, 1985 Where: With Liza Minnelli and Rock Hudson at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galell... January 26, 1985 Where: With Liza Minnelli and Rock Hudson at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
May 5, 1986 Where: With George Hamilton at the Film Society cocktail party held in her honor, at Tavern on the Green in New York City. Photo: Ron... May 5, 1986 Where: With George Hamilton at the Film Society cocktail party held in her honor, at Tavern on the Green in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
Circa 1987 Where: With George Hamilton in Paris. Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Images Entertainment
January 14, 1987 Where: At a press conference for "Passion Perfume," at the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/... January 14, 1987 Where: At a press conference for "Passion Perfume," at the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
April 11, 1987 Where: At the "Beauty Ball" to benefit March of Dimes. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
May 28, 1987 Where: With Malcolm Forbes during Forbes magazine's 70th anniversary celebration, at Timberland Estate in Far Hills, New Jersey. Pho... May 28, 1987 Where: With Malcolm Forbes during Forbes magazine's 70th anniversary celebration, at Timberland Estate in Far Hills, New Jersey. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
September 16, 1987 Where: With Malcolm Forbes, during a "Passion Perfume" promotion at Sotheby's in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/R... September 16, 1987 Where: With Malcolm Forbes, during a "Passion Perfume" promotion at Sotheby's in New York City. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
October 26, 1990 Where: With Larry Fortensky at the "Carousel of Hope Ball," at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Photo: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella... October 26, 1990 Where: With Larry Fortensky at the "Carousel of Hope Ball," at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Photo: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection
September 11, 1991 Where: At a press conference for her "White Diamonds," fragrance.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
March 30, 1992 Where: With Paul Newman at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection
October 2, 1992 Where: At the "Carousel of Hope Ball," in Beverly Hills, California.  Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
January 25, 1993 Where: With Michael Jackson at the American Music Awards. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection
March 29, 1993 Where: At the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection
February 16, 1997 Where: With Michael Jackson at "Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Taylor: A Celebration of Life." Photo: SGranitz/WireImage
February 28, 1998 Where: At "The CFDA Awards Honors Elizabeth Taylor," in New York City. Photo: KMazur/WireImage
April 15, 2000 Where: At the GLAAD Media Awards.  Photo: SGranitz/WireImage
December 8, 2002 Where: At the Kennedy Center Honors.  Photo: Jeff Snyder/FilmMagic
March 19, 2003 Where: With Sharon Osbourne at "Sharon Osbourne and Sir Elton John Join Forces to Raise Funds for Colon Cancer and HIV/AIDS.&... March 19, 2003 Where: With Sharon Osbourne at "Sharon Osbourne and Sir Elton John Join Forces to Raise Funds for Colon Cancer and HIV/AIDS." Photo: KMazur/WireImage
February 27, 2007 Where: At her 75th birthday party, at the Ritz-Carlton in Las Vegas. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
June 26, 2009 Where: With Michael Jackson at the "Elizabeth Taylor Tribute Concert," at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: Daniel ... June 26, 2009 Where: With Michael Jackson at the "Elizabeth Taylor Tribute Concert," at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: Daniel Christian/FilmMagic
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Tags:

  • elizabeth taylor
  • look book
  • fame
  • its vintage

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