Doris, Tippi, and the White Dress

In the 1959 comedy “Pillow Talk” from Universal, Doris Day makes quite an impression in this dress designed by Jean Louis. From the accompanying photo caption:

SMART — Doris Day poses for the cameraman in one of the 24 ultra smart costumes created by noted fashion designer, Jean Louis, especially for her role of a successful interior decorator in her new picture, “Pillow Talk.” This spicy Universal-International-Arwin comedy was filmed in color and CinemaScope with Rock Hudson, Miss Day, Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter in the starring roles.



Doris is elegance personified in this dazzling creation of white, which her character wears for an elegant party, given by one of her clients. Besides looking good, the outfit had to be able to move, as in the next scene, Doris dances the rhumba with Nick Adams.

Nick plays the son of Doris’ client, a horny fraternity boy who is drunk off his rocker and has only one goal for the evening: get Doris in bed. Good luck!



Five years later, for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie,” another film shot at Universal, Tippi Hedren wore an equally stunning ensemble designed by Edith Head. I would hazard a guess that the set department used the same staircase for both movies.



There is even less skin showing with this outfit, but the way it hugs every curve makes it just as sexy. Hedren’s character is a frigid kleptomaniac who uses her charms (albeit very covered) to dazzle her employer(s) while she raids their vaults. Head designed the outfit perfectly to suit the character.



Head’s costume sketch is seen below, showing that it has the same neckline as Jean Louis’, until you see the back. Tippi’s is all about coverage…



Doris’ plunges down. Waaaaaay down.



The cut of Doris’ dress was much more important for movement, as the camera cuts in close to her hips which move suggestively to the music, necessary to catch the attention of Rock Hudson’s character.



Doris’ dress was so memorable that Mattel released a set of Barbie dolls in 2011 that immortalized the scene in vinyl:



Which dress do you prefer?

See more photos at my main website.