IN FIRST PLACE....
"Hearts and arrows", from Carefree
The day dress every Ginger-loving girl wants... and some of the guys too!! Somehow this dress manages to be elegant, alluring, demure and rather cutely kitsch all in one go! Combined with the Oscar worthy "dream", "snarling" and escapades involving a huge pane of glass and kicking a police officer, this number is the very best of Ginger. Down to earth, witty and so darn attractive!
In a close second...
"It's a cape!"
A slow starter on the voting front, this Swing time number soon climbed to the top of the pack. Timelessly classy, this white gown is elevated by Ginger's superb facial expressions following "the kiss" (possibly my favourite Ginger moment ever!), not to mention the sublime song and dance of "Never Gonna Dance". And doesn't it just move divinely?
In a well deserved third "Feathers"
Despite Fred's claim thet Ginger "looked like a chicken being attacked by a coyote", this dress is stunning. The way it moves, the way it clings in all the right places, and the fact that Ginger designed the dress herself (and fought hard for it) make it an unforgettable ensemble. "I had designed the dres, and I WAS GOING to wear it" You tell 'em Miss Rogers!
Tied in fourth "the "Jenny Dress", "Continental" and "Station Spectacular" from Lady in the Dark, The Gay Divorcee and The Major and the Minor respectively.
"Mink and Sequins" made what is, according to Ginger, a very heavy dress... but she never showed an iota of strain. Apart from being dazzling and in keeping with the surreal cicus, we get a solo song and dance from Ginger, and a good view of those legs... the best of all time? Entirely possible!
"Contrast Couture" is a stunning number, benefiting from its stunning monnochrome art deco set, but divine in its own right. We get the second Ginger solo song of the Astaire Rogers partnership, plus a twenty minute visual extravaganza with some wonderful moves. Altogether, a heavenly package.
"Station Spectacular" is perhaps the simplest of the outfits listed, and perhaps this is why we love it. This was the outfit that proved that Ginger didnt need sequins or feathers to blow us away. The white hat and coat, the simplicity... it demonstrates that the girl next door is just as beautiful as the stage personality. Plus, I love the hat!
"The Fur Blouse" of Star of Midnight deserves a mention, just because I'm not convinced anyone else has ever worn... and definitely not pulled of a fur blouse before. I mean the very idea is very strange. I love it however, and as Lauren noted... it's a truly extraordinary piece of tailoring!
Next weeks poll is a simple one of two options, but far less simple in the choosing... which I'l post later tonight.... the ultimate Ginger Rogers hair colour.... (check out jwalkers post on Ginger's brunette phase at "Gingerology")
The internal turmoil has left me (as yet) undecided....
Beth xx
Nice review, Beth! This one was pretty tough, but I figured 'Ol Amanda whats-her-name' would ultimately win out! "IT'S COOPER! AMANDA COOPER!!!" There was really no way to go wrong on this one, tho... Man - 'Station Spectactular' may well be the reason I did the 'brunette' post in the first place! Speaking of which, thanks for the 'shout-out' - hope I can keep different topics going on there...
ReplyDeleteOne thing (remember, I am a 'newbie' blogger...) - is putting pix into a post REALLY supposed to be that tough? I just couldn't get anything to 'move' where I wanted it to be! I really wanted to put at least twice as many pix in there, but gave up after those three, which are honestly the only color ones I have with 'Ginger Brunette'... the first two seem to be somewhat 'candid' photos, definitely not publicity stills - but I like them. Of course the third one is a bit more 'calculated', and of course very nice - I think I have already mentioned somewhere about 'Ginger-on-Green' being my fave, so there you go.
...OK - I think I figured out where the 'alternate' Heart with Arrows dress idea I had came from... I just happened to be over at my Mom's last weekend, and she JUST happened to be playing the 'Ginger/Fred - Partners in Rhythm' - biography disc which was included in the 'Ultimate A/R Collection'...and they showed a lot of stills from each movie (some pretty cool ones, BTW...) - and one of them had her in the 'Heart/Arrows' dress, but it was bright RED with White Heart/Arrows! I really think that was 'changed' for that particular photo... cause it is definitely black in the movie, no??? Anyway...hope that makes things as clear as like, whatever... :-}
ReplyDeleteJust discovered this site - what a loving tribute! I can't decide either. I mean the Feathers dress is classic, the Swing Time dress - amazing the way it moves. I think Ive found the attraction to the "Station Spectacular" while I was watching "TMATM" last night. Its that gorgeous smile Ginger flashes that gorgeous smile after they kiss and Phillip says "Sue-Sue!"
ReplyDeleteI just thought of another one! How about Ginger's "grown up dress" she wears when she goes to meet Phillip after the dance to tell him that shes not 12 and runs into Pamela. I almost called it the "pink sparkly dress"...not sure why I think its pink - but I wouldnt be surprised!
ReplyDeleteThe dress in this picture http://www.classicmontgomery.com/blog-files/ray-milland/major-minor.jpg
Why is she referred to as a redhead in Swingtime??? It happens twice!
ReplyDeleteIn "The Major and the Minor," Ginger's pigtails don't quite absolve Ray Milland from the charge of pedophilia. She is so beautiful and alluring in that film, really, that it winds up making pedophiles of all of us male fans.
ReplyDelete