Muffs

Muffs were a fashion accessory from the old days. Really, they were. These “nests” or “little barrels”, as they were called, were made of sable or skunk or musquash (aka muskrat) among other materials. First called a snuffkin, skimskyn or snoskyn in England, they kept the hands of fine ladies cozy from as early as the 15th century. Sometimes these charming hand warmers did double duty and carried a latchkey, a tiny dog, or a pistol (at least in novels and movies, they did).

Renowned costumer Jean Louis had a penchant for muffs and designed a number of them for various actresses, Kim Novak among them. In addition to the fuchsia muff she wore in Bell, Book and Candle (1957), opera gloves of the same colour accented a deep burgundy dress. A hooded cape of matching velvet flashed a shiny fuchsia lining when she walked in the snow coming home from the mysterious Zodiac Club. An enchanting look for a beguiling witch.

From the Dictionary of Fashion History: “A covering for both hands as a protection against cold, though also used as an elegant accessory. Tubular or flat, varying greatly in size; made of fur, feathers, fine fabrics, and padded within. In the 18th century a woman’s muff and tippet were usually made to match.”

Tippet? What's that, you say? The short answer is: "A piece of clothing worn over the shoulders in the shape of a cape or a scarf." Jean Louis may have designed a few tippets for his stars but muffs and evening gloves were some of his favourite accessories for the gorgeous cinematic outfits he dreamt up.

Rita Hayworth in Tonight and Every Night (1945) sports a muff that had purpose beyond its style – it was one of many props and/or costumes that hid Rita’s pregnancy.

A year later, he gave her opera gloves for the famous black silk gown he designed for the striptease number in Gilda (1946). There’s no muff in sight for this dance/song number - and no pun in sight either: the black opera gloves were all that got removed before Rita’s troubled heroine was escorted from the stage.

Jean Louis designed a number of famous wiggle dresses for Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959). But, in a career full of amazing frocks, wiggle and otherwise, a standout was his creation of Marilyn Monroe’s rhinestone encrusted Happy-Birthday-Mr-President gown. She had to be sewn into this stunning garment just before singing to JFK in 1962 in front of an audience of 15,000.

JL had been creating similar costumes for Marlene Deitrich's stage shows in Vegas. He called them "Illusion Gowns" for the way they suggested that one was seeing actual flesh just beneath the see-through fabric that was dotted with rhinestones and/or beads.

MM's dress was also the one a certain celeb squeezed into (and by all accounts ruined) for a Met Gala. This garment had been fashioned specifically for Monroe, it looked best on her, and it needs preservation not celebrity ballyhoo beyond its inaugural performance.

Nominated for an Academy Award 13 times, Jean Louis won once. It was for Judy Holliday’s chic threads in The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956). He also did her costumes for Born Yesterday (1950). Her ensembles in that flick match her character's brash beauty and flamboyant gestures, right down to the gin rummy game she plays with her fiance (Broderick Crawford) - high comedy in elegant togs.

In the 50s, JL designed outfits for Loretta Young for her TV Show. Muffs - as a fashion accessory - were a thing of the past by then, but Loretta's swirly gowns were one of the big attractions that the viewing public tuned in for every week. In 1993, Jean Louis married Loretta Young. He was 85 and she was 80. They remained married until his death at age 89.

Thanks for reading!