The Doughgirls (Warner Bros.) (1944)

MILO ANDERSON AND GOOD GROOMING Camera poise, like all other manifestations of self-assurance, is achieved, not inherited. And one of the most important contributing factors in this direction comes from proper grooming—the right dress worn with that studied carelessness so hard to emulate, so pleasant to behold. Milo Anderson, one of Hollywood’s busiest designers, and an authority on dressing the stars, claims he is able to pick potential star material simply by the way a girl wears her clothes, the care she shows in her wardrobe. In the years he has spent in designing for films, Milo has predicted—in advance—the stardom of such players as Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino and many others. But in case you think his wisdom is heaven-sent, it isn’t. It is earned by good hard work. Just recently, for example, he accomplished a task which, to a less indomitable artist, might seem Herculean. The young expert (he is only thirty now) is responsible for the luscious display of feminine finery worn by four of Hollywood’s most beautiful glamor girls in Warner Bros.’ current comedy hit, “The Doughgirls.” The stars—Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Jane Wyman and Irene Manning—each strikingly beautiful in her own right, presented a twofold problem to the designer. First, it was necessary for him to dress each star to suit her own personality and natural endowments; second, it was imperative to avoid the pitfalls of jealousy among the girls. In effect, each costume had to be the ultimate in fashion and, at the same time, had to be completely the star’s own. It was no mean job, as any designer will testify. But the result seems effortless, is successfully eye-filling, in truest Hollywood form. How the miracle is performed can be learned by studying the accompanying photographs which give some idea of the unglamorous work that goes on behind the scenes in every case where glamor parades in breathtaking beauty before the cameras. In the Wardrobe Department at Warner Bros., one finds hundreds of figures such as these which are used to fit clothes for the stars, thereby saving them long and arduous hours of fitting, pinning, etc. Each one is the exact model of stars like Ann Sheridan, Bette Davis, Alexis Smith, Jane Wyman, etc. Fapric shortages have made designers particularly yardage conscious. Special rulings like the one that limits the width of a wool skirt to 72” or less, are carefully adhered to. Here Milo Anderson measures off some of the fabric used for an Irene Manning outfit in “The Doughgirls.” To avoid careless pinning, the dummy form is laid on the worktable, seams are carefully inspected to insure smoothness, to avoid gaps. Later the form is placed upright to make sure the dress hangs properly. Sequins, rhinestones and other hard-toget trimmings have been replaced in screen outfits by embroidery. Here the Warner designer consults the embroidery man for suggestions in trimming a costume to be worn by Ann Sheridan. Once the pattern is cut, fitted and pinned, the prosaic but important job of sewing the garment together begins. This job is done by dozens of competent seamstresses, capable of turning out the most flawless work. Metal shortages, however, make sewing-machine needles precious these days. So the order of the day in the Wardrobe Department is to sew by hand all tough fabrice or otherwise difficult sewing in order to avoid broken sewingmachine needles, All sewing finished, once more the dress is tried on the model for final inspection. Details of seams, hand finishing, etc., are carefully checked and all errors are promptly remedied. Only after the costume is as perfect as the finest dress in the finest shop, is it turned over to the star to wear, Four excellent examples of the perfect blending of ‘the designer’s art with the practical side of dressmaking, as practiced in Warners’ Wardrobe Department. From left to right: Ann Sheridan, Irene Manning, Jane Wyman and Alexis Smith, wearing specially designed Milo Anderson creations. ORDER this interesting 5-Column feature mat, 75c, for use in general feature sections, Sunday supplements or on women’s pages, from Warner Bros.’ Campaign Plan Editor, 321 W. 44 St., New York 18, N. Y. 13