RETURN OF GOLDEN AGE GLAMOUR
...and it’s down to La La Land, f lesh-f lashing D-listers and (don’t laugh) the rise of Trump
GLITTERING frocks that hinted at, rather than revealed, womanly curves. Impeccable tailoring with full skirts, diva capes, diamonds and (hurrah!) long sleeves.
There was Gatsby-esque hair and make-up that oozed sex appeal. This year’s Oscars ceremony was a glorious return to the golden age of Hollywood glamour.
After years of plunging dresses and over-exposure, the A-listers have harked back to the sophisticated and magnetic styles of the Forties, Fifties and Sixties, when actresses such as Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe ruled the red carpet.
Why? There are three main reasons. First is the much-hyped movie La la Land, which shows off Fifties-style Hollywood fashions.
Designers have long taken their cues from film, and have tapped into the La La Land excitement by subtly paying homage to it — perhaps in the hope that some of its glory would rub off on them.
Second, fashion tends to return to glamour in uncertain times. And there’s no doubt the election of President Trump and Brexit have caused consternation and dismay in the world of showbusiness luvvies.
Third, the A-list are returning to a classier look because of the rise of social media.
Thanks to every D-lister flaunting their flesh in an effort to attract online coverage, the real stars are finally covering up — showing the world that they are too famous to need internet attention.
The result? A glorious return to a simpler, more sophisticated time. And long may it smoulder.
La La Land star Emma Stone wore a Forties-style beaded frock set off with Veronica Lake waves and bright red lips, while Charlize Theron opted for a Fifties-style plunging dress worthy of Marilyn Monroe.
KATE BOSWORTH did Grace Kelly justice in a duck egg blue dress that could have stepped from the silver screen of a bygone age.
It was a homage to the golden era of Hollywood, when people could escape the poverty of the post-war years and dream of glamour and glitz for the cost of a cinema ticket.
The stars of that time played into the illusion, flaunting their wealth and femininity on the red carpet through couture frocks that weren’t afraid to flaunt sex appeal, without compromising the star’s modesty.
It’s no coincidence that this was also when the designer fashion industry — particularly in France — started to boom.
In the Fifties, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Balmain all discovered the value of dressing Hollywood’s elite, allowing them to use spectacular gowns as an advertisement of their craftsmanship, highend materials and refined cuts.
William Banks-Blaney, an expert in 20th-century fashion, says: ‘2017 was the most beautiful Oscar red carpet for many years.
‘In times of uncertainty there is often a move toward more intelligent, glamorous design — and we saw this coming through in silver and gold, and sharply detailed embroidery.’