The original design for the actress to wear to sing “Diamonds Are Girl’s Best Friend” was very different from the one that eventually found its way onto the screen. In his first sketches William Travilla created a dream costume for one of the most sensuous women he had ever known. The base of the design was a fishnet body stocking that would travel up her body as far as her breasts, which would be covered in nude fabric. An incredibly ornate necklace of diamonds started across her shoulders and cascaded down into a huge brooch just below her breasts. The bottom was a velvet virtual harness with very large hooks that kept it in place on her hips. Finally, four strands of giant stones traveled around her hips to the front, then flowed down into more jewels. At the back the dress pulled into five floor-length pieces of velvet covered in diamonds to represent a tail plunging down. The headdress was more diamonds, a tiara with a black bird of paradise and black gloves. This original costume was incredibly ornate and cost close to $4,000. A local jeweler secured the jewels directly onto the dress as Marilyn wore it. This took hours but was very important as the stones had to be placed perfectly so they would not turn and catch on the fishnet hose.
Sadly, this incredible dress was never to grace the silver screen or, at least not with Marilyn wearing it.
(Source: mostlymarilynmonroe, via elleryqueen)
