PLUMAGE IN COSTUME

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Plumage in female fashion  and costume has the advantage of serving the androgynous needs of the lavish display of color or silhouette, the inviting softness of duvet, and the strutting virility of the coq.

Through the millenia the display of feathers was reserved for male warriors, chieftains, kings, and emperors. This connection based on the male bird being endowed with colored plumage, and the need to put on displays and dances to impress the female of the species. Then in the mid-18th century,  feathered hats for women became the rage, with varying styles popular through 1920s. But the feathered garment bears no resemblance to a feathered hat, lest they are designed as a pair. Certainly a fur  shares a certain "wildness" with the plumage of a garment. And maybe the feathers are as soft. But all the mean looks on all the models wearing furs that I have ever seen have never been as  intimidating - yet as seductive - as the look on Marlene Dietrich wearing coq feathers in the picture above from Shanghai Express. Those feathers help create that look.

The tremendous textural variety of feathers and their light reflectivity has been a great resource for costume design. Their heyday was during the days of black and white cinematography - great for the use of nearly-black coq feathers or white ostrich and marabou feathers - not so great for capturing the iridescent qualities of colored feathers. Nonetheless, can three more wonderful and glamorous images of the use of feathers in costume be found than the three in black and white here? Even with the hundreds of peacock feathers on Theda Bara in Cleopatra and the hundreds on Hedy Lamarr in Samson and Delilah, these costumes seemed to serve for purposes of astonishment. But then of course the record in the latter category must go to Adrian. His 500 white ostrich plumes worn by Virginia Bruce in The Great Ziegfeld of1936, forming a train that culminated in seven Ziegfeld Girls, just had to be seen in the movie.

Travis Banton designed the costume for Marlene Dietrich to wear in Shanghai Express in 1932. Marlene's handbag and gloves are Hermes.

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The Lady Gaga always entertains and is ceaselessly creative in her costumes. Here she attends in the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards at the Radio City Music Hall. Her costume designer is unkown to me, but the feathers perfectly frame her face - which is further adorned with the gold mask and the hat. Bravo Lady Gaga.

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The beautiful Louise Brooks, "Lulu" as she was known, was photographed here for The Canary Murder Case in 1929. Lulu did several silent films for Paramount, and then left the States to work in Germany for awhile. Her black, short-banged bob was copied (and is still copied) by everyone, and her beauty was intoxicating. The feathers covering her breasts are particularly delicate. Here in feathers she seems to be Venus rising from an eagle's nest. This lovely costume was designed by Travis Banton. Lulu was too original to fit in Hollywood. Later in life she wrote a wonderful book, Lulu in Hollywood.

The contrast provided by the ostrich plumes on Jean Harlow's sleeves - with the silver bugle beads that forms this nightgown provide an intoxicating blend of textures. And of course Jean Harlow's beautiful figure provides the perfect mannequin. Adrian designed the outfit for Dinner at Eight, 1933. These contrasts work on several levels: feather warmth vs glass-bead coolness; volume vs sleekness; and sheen vs opacity. Not related to feathers per se, but the use of bugle beads and their weight made the garment cling to the body, especially in a long-trained example such as this one, especially provacative as she moves. As dramatic costume only, this piece could not have been comfortable to wear. But this image is as striking now as it was when created 77 years ago.

Pity that feathers aren't used as much in costume today, or as masterfully I should say. But then again each one  has to be hand knotted into a garment. Thanks to our film heritage and the costume designers past and present, we can relish these pieces as works of art.