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It’s safe to say that there are very few women out there that wouldn’t class Dirty Dancing as one of their favourite movies of all time, and with this in mind here at MSL we thought we’d take a closer look at Baby’s iconic floaty pink dress to see just why it has had such an impact on women and children of all ages.
Dirty Dancing as a movie is magnificently iconic with taglines, songs and scenes all becoming tantamount to the film’s success. Though when it comes to fashion and the role it plays in a movies success, costume designer Hilary Rosenfeld manages to magically encapsulate not only the essence of the era but also Frances (baby) Houseman’s tumultuous ascent into womanhood through subtle 60’s style.
The tale of the ‘Dirty Dancing dress’ cannot be told without first setting the scene. For most the story is on par with folklore and fairy tales however for the purposes of the article here goes! The summer of 1963 see’s Frances (baby) Houseman embark upon the ‘time of her life’. The story details the emotional tribulations that Baby faces as she transforms from a young naïve teenager into a powerful confident woman. The magical combination of passion, dance and secrecy see’s Baby fall for dance instructor Johnny Castle and through their relationship both Baby and Johnny discover the true meaning of life and love.
Fashion plays a very significant role in the movie and none more so than Baby’s ever-changing wardrobe, which beautifully denotes her changing thoughts and feelings throughout the film. The arrival of the final scene comes after many tribulations and what turns out to be a major rite of passage in baby’s young life. From frumpy frocks and cardigans to denim hot pants and crop tops, Baby’s complete physical and emotional transformation is vividly apparent through the beautifully iconic dusty pink dress. The audience see’s Baby as a fully-fledged young woman and in the final scenes of the movie the angelic ballerina-esque dress beautifully represents her pure feelings of love, life and freedom.
The memorable final scene from the timeless romantic movie sets the backdrop of any young girls hope and dreams. We all pray to meet our very own Johnny Castle and embark upon a perfect love story; we wish that our ‘first dance’ could resemble just an iota of the passion they shared and most importantly we hope to find a dress that could make us look and feel just half as stunning as Baby Houseman looked in that iconic Hilary Rosenfeld creation.
Jenna Jones
