49 Inspiring Vintage Photos of Extraordinary Women

Like it? Share it!

Facebook

Pinterest

Reddit

Twitter

Google+

The Queen Of The Nile, Elizabeth Taylor (1963)

Dazed Group

One of the greatest female screen legends, Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor truly embodied the queen she portrayed. In 1963, the historical epic Cleopatra was the most expensive film made up to that point, and Elizabeth was paid a then-record-breaking $1 million to play the titular role. The iconic blockbuster’s breathtaking costumes took a good chunk of the filming budget, an incredible $194,800 to be exact, counting the 24-carat gold cape Elizabeth wore that’s designed to look like the wings of a phoenix. Including Cleopatra’s 65 costumes, there was a total of 26,000 outfits designed and created for the film. The exorbitant film did make a significant impact on fashion and style, popularizing the Sphinx Eyes, geometric haircuts, maxi dresses, and various accessories, such as snake rings and arm cuffs. In 2012, Elizabeth’s golden cape, which was intricately assembled from thin strips of gold leather and adorned with thousands of beads and sequins, was auctioned and sold for $59,375.