Gloria Swanson — How I Choose My Costumes (1921) 🇺🇸
When I first saw Gloria Swanson after her arrival in New York, amazement and incredulity took the place of mere surprise. That this little bit of a thing could be the same regal beauty who had queened it over others in her pictures was quite unbelievable.
as told to Joan Grayson
by Gloria Swanson
Then I learned. There are two Gloria Swansons — the tall, queenly person of the screen, and the petite, vivacious girl of real life.
“How is it done?” I gasped. “Clothes,” she smiled. I must have appeared blank for she went on, “You see for street and home wear, I rather emphasize my smallness, while in the pictures my directors insist that I appear distinctively tall.
“Being just a tiny bit over five feet makes it rather difficult. In contrast with the other feminine members of the cast, it is essential I appear taller. This is because my roles are of serious nature. For some reason, as yet unexplained, people still insist that an emotional role must be portrayed by a tall person, or at least one who looks that way. Because of this my clothes must be so fashioned as to give the impression of height.
“Added to this comes the question of harmonizing the costume with the character to be portrayed. For instance, when I am called upon for the simulation of unaffected girlishness, as in the first part of “The Great Moment,” my frocks are simply designed, yet retain a heightening effect achieved through the nature of the materials used, such as stripes — or narrow pieces of a contrasting color in length wise strips.
“If the character is of exotic nature, height is retained through the utilization of barbaric designs. Thus — the eye is so occupied with this gorgeous array — that it is unconcerned with the question of height.
“With my suits the same method prevails. Simple lines always, with the line of the coat being barely distinguishable. When I am supposed to give the illusion of a woman of the world, such as I become in the latter part of The Great Moment, the impression to be given then is rather one of poise and coldness. Again the gown helps, the designer achieving her impression of height through the medium of strands of pearls draped round to an extreme effect at the feet, effect at the feet.
“The principle element I avoid is the use of lace or fluffy materials. Opaque materials are always most to be desired, as they tend to emphasize, if used in elongated effects, the essentials of a dignified costume. With my street costumes quite another effect is striven for.
“Outside the studio, I invariably costume myself as a tiny person should.”
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Collection: Pantomime Magazine, September 1921