Costume Designer Edith Head once said “If it’s a Paramount film I probably designed it.” She doesn’t even have to pretend to be humble. Her influence continues — immortalized both as a character in Pixar’s The Incredibles, and today, as a Google Doodle tribute in honor of her 116th birthday.
Head, who used forged sketches in her interview for her job at Paramount, has become one of the most revered and idolized costume designers in cinema history. In her five decade career, she won eight Oscars; defined the legendary styles of Hitchcock’s iciest blondes, Tippi Hedren and Grace Kelly; and added the quirk to Audrey Hepburn’s most-replicated, classic all-American looks from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sabrina, and Roman Holiday. And that’s just the short list of her accomplishments. Name a classic film starring a female legend from the golden age of cinema, and she’s likely felt the cool embrace of Edith Head’s tape measure. Click through our slideshow of 30 of her most fantastic costumes from film — and get some inspiration for your Netflix queue.
View
1/30Photos
Grace Kelly in promo photos for Hitchock's
To Catch a Thief, 1955Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2012 Silver Screen Collection
Ginger Rogers in
Lady in the Dark, 1944Photo: Hulton Archive
Audrey Hepburn in
Sabrina, 1954Photo: Archive Photos/2010 Getty Images
Dorothy Lamour in
The Hurricane, 1937Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2011 Silver Screen Collection
Natalie Wood in
The Great Race, 1965Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2013 Getty Images
Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby in
White Christmas, 1954Photo: Hulton Archive
Hedy Lamarr in
Samson and Delilah, 1949Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2012 Silver Screen Collection
Natalie Wood in
This Property Is Condemned, 1966Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2012 Silver Screen Collection
Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in
Notorious, 1946Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Barbara Stanwyck in
The Lady Eve, 1941Photo: John Kobal Foundation
Ann Robinson and Gene Barry in
War of the Worlds, 1953Photo: John Kobal Foundation
Natalie Wood in
Sex and the Single Girl, 1964Photo: Silver Screen Collection/2012 Silver Screen Collection
Barbara Stanwyck
Double Indemnity, 1944Photo: John Kobal Foundation
Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper in
Ball of Fire, 1941Photo: George Hurrell
Grace Kelly in
Rear Window, 1954Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Mae West in
She Done Him Wrong, 1933Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Bette Davis and Gary Merrill in
All About Eve, 1950Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Veronica Lake in
Sullivan's Travels, 1941Photo: John Kobal Foundation
Paulette Goddard in
The Cat and the Canary, 1939Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Kim Novak in
Vertigo, 1958Photo: Silver Screen Collection
Jane Wyman and Charlton Heston in
Lucy Gallant, 1955Photo: Paramount Pictures
This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:
Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)
This password will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.
You’re in!
As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime.
