Take a Walk Down Memory Lane of Old Hollywood with "Dressing Marilyn" by Andrew Hansford

A half century after her tragic death, Marilyn Monroe's legacy continues to thrive. The late actress/entertainer was portrayed by Michelle Williams in the 2011 film My Week With Marilyn, she was recently featured in artwork by Maurice Bennett and John Seward Johnson II, and is the subject of the recently released book, Dressing Marilyn: How a Hollywood icon was styled by William Travilla (Applause Books). Author Andrew Hansford, with Karen Homer, focus on the relationship between Monroe and Travilla, who designed clothes for many of her films, including the red dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the pink dress from Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend and the purple dress from How to Marry a Millionaire.

Marilyn Monroe is pictured extensively throughout the book in rare photographs from the salad days of her film career, while the text is focused more on Travilla and his designs that fit Monroe so perfectly. The author provides in-depth information about the construction of Travilla's designs, his relationship, both business and personal, with Monroe, and also provides interesting information about the stars of Old Hollywood, including Jane Russell, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. I found it interesting to learn about the push and pull between actress and designer and how often Marilyn got what she wanted from Travilla, despite his protestations. They somehow developed a perfect chemistry that cannot be constructed, it simply exists or it does not.

The aforementioned iconic dresses receive their own chapters, complete with countless photos, design specifications and behind the scenes information. Other chapters center on William Travilla's biography and the personal dresses he designed for Monroe. In addition, a note from actress Linda Gray ("Dallas") and an interview with Andrew Hansford serve as a perfect starting point for readers. Dressing Marilyn is a must read for costume designers, film buffs and fans of Travilla and Monroe, who will marvel at the craftsmanship of the designs, as well as the amazing assortment of photographs that are featured throughout.