One of the more popular movie styles during the 1930’s was the sophisticated comedy. These and other films were all about glamour and living the good life. They gave viewers caught in the Great Depression years an escape from reality by dreaming and fantasizing about riches and luxury, if only for a few moments. No other movie demonstrated this any better than “The Thin Man” series, which ran from the 1930’s into the 40’s. The first installment, made in 1934 and titled “The Thin Man” introduces us to glamour, raucous comedy and mystery. Myrna Loy and William Powell play the fantastic Nick and Nora Charles, him being a famous detective and her as a wealthy socialite. Nominated for best picture, best actor, best director and best writing adaption screenplay, we are drawn into their world as they solve a murder mystery.
With a wardrobe designed by one of England’s leading stage designers in the 20’s, Dolly Tree, she became one of Hollywood’s most important screen designers. With Myrna Loy’s character, she had the perfect vehicle to highlight the new conservative yet feminine styles that included empire waistlines, angular shoulders, butterflied and puffed sleeves in bias cuts that draped to show off curve lines. Though these movies were in black and white, the striking couture of Nora’s character stand out as one of the highlights we all remember.
In the opening scene, Nora, who is being pulled by her dog Astra, wears a luxurious coat outlined with a fur collar along with fur cuffed sleeves and a black hat. The coat frames a white ruffled blouse, giving her a sophisticated up-town look that screams success.
Perhaps one of her most famous and copied looks from the movie is Myrna’s striped, cascading and ruffled evening grown. With its spaghetti straps and close-fitting bias cut, stipes on the dress and the ruffles go in opposite directions. This creates a hint of a checked pattern as she moves across the room.
In the 30’s beach pajamas and loungewear were what we call jumpsuits today. Jumpsuits today are worn everywhere while in the 1930’s they were normally worn only at beach resorts and at home as loungewear. Myrna represents this style trend with her Nora character. Her outfit has an elaborate ruffled neckline with puffed sleeves and a solid colored jumpsuit.
A tailored suite inspired by the English countryside gives Myrna Loy’s character Nora a more conservative yet extremely stylish look. Its plaid skirt, bow and statement hat is accented by a smaller belted waistline adorning a jacket with prominent buttons on the front and sleeves.
If there is a statement piece in the movie, it is Nora’s pleated and starched day-wear outfit. As she lounges in a chair, her beautiful face is framed by a large dark angular collar and horizontal, starched pleats that seem to jut out from underneath the jacket. The sleeves are accented with large matching buttons and pleats that match the collar. Altogether, it creates a dramatic look everyone would like to achieve.
The final scene finds Nick and Nora hosting a dinner party that is both funny and dramatic as the murderer is revealed at last. Myrna Loy sports a black halter, form-fitting satin evening gown that turns every head in the room. Her dress also has a statement diamond-studded broach and bracelet that brings the outfit together.
“The Thin Man” and its sequels captured the style and sophistication of the 1930’s as they diverted viewers attention from their bleak circumstances. The films feature constant comedic banter between Nora and Nick and costumes that are “to die for”.
