THE GOWNS THAT SCREEN STARS WEAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17346, 10 May 1924, Page 20

THE GOWNS THAT SCREEN STARS WEAR.

'Fh<3 question has often been asked among motion picture fans: “What happens to all the gowns that are used ill pictures?” E. W. Wingart. in Paramount Overseas Magazine.” writes as follows on the subject A fairy godmother to scores of mod era Cinderellas is the role often as sumed by the wardrobe mistress of a motion picture studio, who lias the cus tody of the gowns that at one time shimmered in the spotlight on ths lithesome form of a kinema star. These dresses that the stars wear in picture often give delight to extra wo xnen, stenographers and laboratory girls, for it is a custom in some studios to sell many of the dresses after the/ have served their original purpose. dress that Gloria Swanson wears, for instance, in but one scene may find itself in the wardrobe of one of the studio stenographers before its style has vanished. But this chance is only for the girls who know r the studio, and there is. never a bargain sale sign hung on the door : f the wardrobe department of a pictur s studio. It is only when there is danger that, the dresses which repose in the huge closets will become out of dat_* that the wardrobe mistress can be coaxed into parting with them. Then the outside girls get their chance, but tli i general public is never let in. Such a condition mav be cruel to the girls who would just die to wear one of Miss Swanson’s gowns, but. it is the unwritten law in the studio that these gowns are not to be offered to the public. As long as the dresses can be used to clothe extra girls in ultra-fashion able scenes, they are kept in stock. The wardrobe department of the Paramount Long Island studio has 500 01more gowns carefully put away for future use. Most of these dresses have w one time or another been worn by and leading players. When the gowns are sold, they usually go at a bargain, and it is not uncommon for the girl with a small nay envelope to get a oOOdol dress for a song, as they say. No star or leading woman in picture* ever wears a gown a second time. No matter how costly the dress, it goes into stock as soon as the star is

WHERE DO THEY GO TO?

through with it. The next time it appears in a picture, it may be worn by some actress who is playing a bit or b\ an extra worman who takes a place in the background with the ” atmosphere.” Even before this happens, the clothes are usually altered so as to give them a different appearance. The stars are not any keener about being surrounded bv the ghosts of former gowns than, they are ot wearing the sum© clothes in more than one picture. Sometimes leading women who have gorgeous clothes furnished them lor their parts in pictures buy the clothes for their personal wardrobe. This is usually done by actresses who are freelancing and who wish to accumulate a varied wardrobe. If a star becomes at tached to a particular gown that she wears, she had the privilege of purchasing it. This is a rare occurrence, but it, sometimes happens. Many times the foundation of bizarre costumes is used as the basis of ne.v gowns ot a different style. W hen this is the ca3e, the new gown is not worn by the star, however, but by one of the minor part actresses. Period costumes that are designed for stars always go into stock after they are used At some future time, however, they may be altered to fit a later or earlier period. When dresses are worn or soiled dur - ing the making of a picture, the good silk or satin that remains is usually used for fancy pillow covers, etc. There is never any waste, in spite of the apparent profligate use of fine clothes iri pi ©sent--day motion pictures. The wardrobe departmenst of East ern studios do not carry as large a stock of evening clothes, negligees an 1 other dresses as those in Hollywood, because it is easier to get gowns quickly in the East. Although most extra girls are sup posed to furnish their own evening clothes for a ball-room scene, many of the studios insist on dressing them for fashionable scenes so that there will be no mistake about the clothes being ot the latest fashion. At the Laskystudio in Hollywood the wardrobe stock of feminine clothing consists of thousand? 01 gowns of different types, because it i* the practice of th© Western studios to dress the ensemble.