Dietrich's shocking display of gender fluidity was a direct
challenge to both the military uniform and the exclusive terrain
of class and convention—the gentleman and his riding suit. Turning
the color white into a dare, Banton used Swarovski crystals to keep the cam-
era and Cary Grant's eyes on the star. The utilitarian side stripe was born to cover un-
sightly seams and possible misfortune when dismounting a horse. Banton's crystal side stripes
emphasized Dietrich's long legs and quite possibly contributed to Grant's certain unraveling. She was
as much a man as he and a better woman.
To memorialize this cultural shift Swarovski's Kristallwelten Wattens museum in Austria dedicated a
'Chambers of Wonder' to talent and the costumes worn for iconic performances.
by
Bobi
Garland
43
