Bert & Morty

Spotted: Gorgeously gowned Marlene Dietrich and Frank Sinatra split a pizza at the Villa Capri in L.A. (September 1955)

Source: Gals, Guys and Gossip, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sep 12 1955, Page 3
Photo: Fashion’s Most Wanted

I think accessories spoil many dresses that are basically good. Women are inclined to wear too many clips. They put clips all over a dress,until you can’t see it. As for me, I never wear much jewelry. With a low-necked dress, perhaps a necklace. But clips – never!

- Marlene Dietrich when asked what the most common fashion mistake was

Source: Marlene is Named Best-Dressed Woman of 20th Century, St Joseph News-Press, Oct 25 1957, Page 6
Photo: Popieces

In 1957 Marlene Dietrich was named the best-dressed woman of the 2oth Century by the Philadelphia fashion group in recognition of her continuing impact on fashion through the years. They held a “brilliant crystal ball” in her honor at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. To accept the award, Marlene Dietrich wore a tailored Jean Louis evening dress made of white and gold brocade sari silk, that looked like a suit.

Dietrich was asked to explain why her style made women all over the world copy her clothes for 25 years. This is what she had to say:

I think I’ve always dressed about the same way. When I came to America from Germany in 1931, I wore a grey suit. I still wear grey suits. I never wear colors – just black or white for evening, gray or blond for daytime. I don’t mind having the same dress copied year after year. In fact I often do. Hats, too. I always wear about the same kind of casual brimmed hat, and have it copied over and over. I like my clothes to be either concealing or revealing – not a combination of both. For instance, the dress I’m wearing to the crystal ball looks like a suit, but the jacket doesn’t come off to show a low-cut dress. I like things definitely one way or the other. I believe in dressing simply. I always feel that the fewer things there are on a dress, the better it is. I don’t like trimmings, or ruffles or frills.

Source: Marlene is Named Best-Dressed Woman of 20th Century, St Joseph News-Press, Oct 25 1957, Page 6
Photo: Flickr

Veronica Lake was originally cast in Marlene Dietrich’s iconic role in Blonde Venus.

Source: Veronica Lake Named Star of Blonde Venus, LA Times Archives, April 3 1941, Page A14
Photo: Blow-up Archive

Marlene Dietrich, tireless entertainer of G.I’s arrived in New York early today from Paris in an A.T.C. plane after an 11 month USO tour of Europe. As she stepped from the plane the 40-year-old actress saw her husband, Rudolph E. Sieber, and dropped her luggage in her rush to greet him. Customs officials temporarily confiscated several souvenirs of her tour – two Luger pistols and three other German guns.

Source: The Desert News, Aug 7 1946, Page 27