What classic films have made an indelible impact on the world of fashion?

Hollywood and fashion are inextricably intertwined. From its birth, the film industry has been obsessed with fashion–both on-screen and off–with moviegoers demanding to be transported to a magical place where everyone is gorgeous and fashionable. With all that influence, movies have played a major role in the world of fashion by contributing to trends and by helping to change fashion mores.

There have been many iconic classic films– too many to list them all here–but some do stand out for their lasting impact on the fashion world. These are the classic films that you can check on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or wherever you watch films.

Most Iconic & Fashionable Classic Films

1. “Morocco” – 1930

Starring Marlene Dietrich, “Morocco” was a romantic drama about a cabaret singer and a love affair gone awry. The film was quite scandalous for its time because of the frank nature of some of the scenes–most notably when Dietrich performs in a man’s suit and kisses another woman. The film and Dietrich herself were so trendsetting that it is now commonplace for women’s fashions to incorporate menswear. In part, we have Marlene Dietrich to thank for that.

2. “The Philadelphia Story” -1940

“The Philadelphia Story” starred the inscrutable Katharine Hepburn, who played a Main Line Philadelphia socialite with a wardrobe to match her wealth and status. Memorable glamorous moments from costume designer Adrian Adolph Greenberg include a toga-inspired bathing suit coverup, another Grecian-inspired engagement gown, and plenty of pencil skirts and smart suits. This film defined 1940s fashion trends–at least for those with disposable income!

3. “Gilda” – 1946

Rita Hayworth stars as a sultry femme fatale singer in 1946’s “Gilda.” This film noir is riveting and full of intrigue, so much so that it might make you forget about the stunning costumes, but not really. Each ensemble is more glamorous than the last, but the piece de resistance is a black strapless satin gown created by costume designer Jean Louis.

4. “Rear Window” – 1954

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, “Rear Window” starred Grace Kelly as a socialite. The renowned Hollywood costume designer Edith Head was the creator of Kelly’s wardrobe for this film. The most iconic look was a black and white dress featuring a deep off-the-shoulder “V” neckline and a Dior “New Look” skirt of chiffon tulle. Hitchcock’s genius was in the details and this dress, as well as the other fashions in the film, all had those little touches of genius.

5. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” – 1953

“Gentleman Prefer Blondes” starred Marilyn Monroe and featured one of the most instantly recognizable dresses from movie history–the shocking pink gown from the Marilyn’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” musical number. The satin strapless dress featured a straight neckline, bare arms and a big bow on the back. It was accessorized with long matching gloves, lots of diamonds, and has often been imitated, most notably in Madonna’s “Material Girl” video.

6. “Seven Year Itch” – 1955

Another Marilyn Monroe film, the “Seven Year Itch” was a 1950s style rom-com. Most remembered for featuring the well-known white halter dress designed by William Travilla, a costume designer who dressed Marilyn Monroe in eight of her films. She famously penned a note to him that said, “Billy Dear, please dress me forever. I love you, Marilyn.”

7. “Sabrina” – 1957

“Sabrina” starred the ingenue Audrey Hepburn in a coming of age story about a young girl who comes back from France a new woman with a new wardrobe to match. Hepburn forged a relationship with designer Hubert de Givenchy, who was just starting out at the time, and her wardrobe was part Givenchy and part Edith Head. The two standout looks are both simple, yet with a subtle sophistication that will come to define Hepburn’s style. They included a black cocktail dress with ties at the shoulders, and a stunning black and white embroidered ball gown.

8. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” – 1961

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was another Audrey Hepburn film with Givenchy and Edith Head collaborating. The most important look was the black gown accessorized with a tiara, a beaded bib necklace, and long black gloves, and which was originally designed by Givenchy and altered for the film by Edith Head.

So, did we miss any important classic films? What do you think are the most fashionable classic films?

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Get out of that movie rut and watch these 3 genre-defining classic movies.

Let’s face it, we don’t necessarily have a lot of time to watch movies and when we do it’s just too easy to watch whatever is the latest on Netflix, iTunes, HuluPlus or your cable provider. When we do that, we are all missing out on on some great classic movies that set the stage for, well, all movies. Not that there aren’t good movies being released today, but there are some real overlooked classic treasures out there.

One reason to look towards films from the past is that by watching only contemporary films we are getting modern culture and society mirrored back to us. When we watch classic movies, we get not just the content but the context as well–the historical and cultural backdrop of when the film was created–and that can help us see things we may not have seen before about our current slice of time.

And there’s such a breadth of classic movies available to us that it’s really impossible to run out of original content to enjoy.

Here are 3 genre-defining classic movies you may have overlooked that you should really add to your queue.

“To Kill A Mockingbird” – 1962 Genre: Courtroom Drama

Based on the classic novel by Harper Lee, “To Kill A Mockingbird” is a powerful film about race, power, justice, family, duty and more. Gregory Peck’s portrayal of the small town lawyer defending a man unjustly accused of a crime is one of the best film performances of all time. The courtroom scenes are among the best of the genre and really set the bar for all other courtroom dramas.

“City Lights” – 1931 Genre: Romantic Comedy

Like romantic comedies? Forget anything with Matthew McConaughey in it and instead watch “City Lights.” Written, produced, directed and acted in by Charlie Chaplin, it’s a real treat. It tells the story of Chaplin’s Tramp falling in love with a blind shop girl. In typical Chaplin fashion lots of hijinks, miscommunication and adventure follow. The ending is one of the most sadly poignant endings of all time and it’s pretty much the measure against which all other films of its genre are based.

“Chinatown” – 1974 Genre: Neo-Noir

“Chinatown” is a riveting neo-noir mystery starring Jack Nicholson. The Roman Polanski film is considered to be one of the best examples of noir and is also featured on many best film lists. It’s pretty much got everything that you could want in a dramatic film: mystery, psychological drama, intrigue, great one-liners and more. It details the corruption of the California Water Wars, which has far reaching implications to this day.

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