MovieChat Forums > Clue (1985) Discussion > Scarlet's Dress

Scarlet's Dress

posted 11 years ago by sj3059
23 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this movie about a thousand times, and I absolutely love it, but the one thing that gets me is Miss Scarlet's dress. It is so unflattering to her particular curves and I can't help thinking that it will fall off her chest at any moment. It's not seeing her cleavage that disturbs me, it just bugs me so much. Maybe guys liked it, maybe they thought it was hot, but I thought it was horrible.

James Oglethorpe: Philanthropist by day, Philanderer by night

[–] Jessica_Rabbit69 10 years ago

WHAT!!??!? Miss Scarlett's dress unflattering to her curves?? Horrible design? Sleazy?? Tacky??

I must have been watching a different film. I would pay a fortune for that dress. It's absolutely sexy and smoldering.

Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."

[–] reeseslightning 10 years ago

I love Scarlet's dress. Like others here, I loved the sheer wrap and the hood that went with it. So pretty!

Make him do it again - Ilithyia
The voice says I'm almost out of minutes - Cas

[–] OptimumTaurus 10 years ago

I get the idea the people complaining about the dress weren't paying attention to the movie. Scarlet was a 1950's madam from Washington D.C. She's meant to be tacky. It pretty much defines the whole character.
Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment. -Michael Corleone

[–] waytothestars 10 years ago

I think Scarlet's dress was perfect. The wardrobe department knew exactly what they were doing when it came to styling her character. Her look in the film is stunning.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] abajasds 9 years ago

Lesley Ann Warren looked smoking hot in that dress. She had sheer elegances even though her character was a madam, but I guess that's how madams dressed back in the 1950's.

My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather

[–] OptimumTaurus 9 years ago

I imagine, as is used in high fashion all the time, there was probably a liberal amount of double-sided tape in her costume. They use a TON of that stuff in Hollywood to keep costumes in place.

And everyone, consider the character: she's a high-class madam in 1950's Washington D.C. She's supposed to be tacky and gaudy. It's part of the character. Complaining about her dress being tacky is like complaining about a mob film where people kill each other.

Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment. -Michael Corleone

[–] jjdoc78 9 years ago

I read somewhere that Leslie Ann Warren was a last minute replacement (Carrie Fisher went into rehab 4 days before filming was to start. Perhaps she had to wear what was intended for Carrie?

"Say, do I look heavyish to you? I feel heavyish. Put a note on my desk in the morning: 'Think Thin'

[–] CaraMSchec 8 years ago

so I've read/skimmed the responses to this and wish to add my 2 cents.

First off, as others have pointed out, some people seem to have missed 2 rather important points about this movie (and thus the dress). 1: the movie is set in the 1950's, so fashion was very different then what it is now. 2: Miss. Scarlet is a "madam" at a "house of ill repute"... so, yeah a certain look is correct for her.

As to the question of "how it stays up" people have suggested double sided tape. As a costumer I can say that this is sometime used, but what no one seems to have noticed is that the dress isn't entirely... ah-huh... filled at the top, especially at certain times like at dinner. The dress itself is likely stiffened at the top to hold the specific shape, thus it would be impossible for it to fall down.

As to the person who wants to know the color, I'd say it's a blue/green color. I love it and the fabric and would love to make myself (a very different style) dress from the same fabric.