Fashion of the 20th Century: Term Paper

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The only image from the time that we have of the original dress is in the film poster (Image 5), where one can see that the dress showed quite a big of leg, which was considered improper and that is why the film commissioned a tailor to sew up Givenchy's original design, as to not offend anybody in the audience. What a pity, for today, the dress would perhaps be ever-more popular.

In the third image, however, which is the picture of the dress as seen at Christie's, one can see that one of the photos shows the dress with the slit. Yet this discussion of without or without the cut prompts the thought of the fact that these are two dresses, one created by Givenchy, and one a copy created by another designer, a 'knock-off' almost, that together with the original created a phenomenon of epic proportions. Could it be possible that the Givenchy original would have always been preferred, and could the phenomenon grow even higher, faster, if this were to be utilized? As one can see from various film stills, Ms. Hepburn cannot even walk in the movie-version of the dress without holding it up, gathered at her knees. Did the film make a mistake in not using the original?

The answer to all these questions is no, as the real reason why the dress was so popular is because of the medium in which it was placed, as well as the accessories with which it was paired. As one can see from the third and fourth images, the dress is quite striking on its own, but becomes ever-more striking with the embellishments that were so cunningly selected by Givenchy and Hepburn.

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Patterns and Details (Images 6 and 7)

A last image to be included here to truly see the incredible style of the dress, and understand why it has persisted for generations, is a copy of the design, rendered in a contemporary design pattern. One can see form this pattern that the garment itself, as described here, is quite complex, yet also only necessitates one fabric. Of course, the most complex part of the garment is the back, which is the decollete shown in Image 7, as seen also in the pattern, for this is the 'surprise' of the whole outfit, especially when not paired with the film accessories.

Conclusions

This paper has examined an iconic dress as worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The dress has been shown to be just as striking without he accessories added by the designer and the film, in its original version. The dress' minimalist style, as well as its ability to carry itself well through the decades have made it not only one of the most iconic dresses in popular culture, but also one of the most desired. The Givenchy dress has thus affected generations, and has made women strive to be like Audrey Hepburn, in design, and character alike, which can only be a positive attribute. The style of the dress, whether it be feminine or Parisian chic, is sure to be copied for decades to come, as this is such a magnificent piece.

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