Styled On

Dorothy Dandridge's career began at an early age performing with her sister in the traveling act The Wonder Kids which later became the singing group, The Dandridge Sisters. After disbanding, Dorothy set her sights on acting. Following bit parts in various films, her big starring role in the 1954 classic Carmen Jones, garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, the first nomination ever for an African American actress.

Despite many pitfalls, setbacks, and an unfortunate early passing, Dorothy's career inspired a number of today's prominent actresses, most notably Halle Berry. In 1999, Halle both produced and starred in the biopic "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" for which she won an Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of the late actress. A few years later, she won Best Actress Academy Award, dedicating part of her winning moment to none other than Dorothy.

With a look that can be described as ultra feminine, Dorothy's style was reminiscent of the 50s and 60s - a time of effortless glamour. Through figure-hugging, well tailored silhouettes and clean-cut dresses and seperates, Dorothy created a look both prim and proper that is still timeless today. The most noteworthy aspect of her look are off-the-shoulder or strapless pieces. Minimal accessories such as a simple belt, subtle necklace, or earrings finished the look aiding in accentuating features, not overpowering them.

Modern alternatives can be seen in the Fall/Winter 2012 collections from Alice + Olivia, Dsquared2, Monique Lhuillier and of course, the Mad Men collection sold at Banana Republic.

How would you recreate Dorothy's look today?