Carmen Miranda as Rosita Rivas in 'Weekend in Havana' Designed by Gwen Wakeling

Thee piece costume, red and white stripe short cropped top, puffed cap sleeve. wide self rubble around neckline, ornamented with green wood berries at front; hip hugging long skirt with horizonal bands of hot pink, white, yellow and green, overlaid with long white long fringe over some of the bands, hot pink net inserts at hip; elaborate basked headdress ornamented with red glass berries, ribbons, leaves and butterflies.

"The Hollywood Musical," Clive Hirschhorn, Crown Publishers In., New York, 1981, pg. 198 (photo).

Portuguese actress Carmen Miranda was a samba singer, dancer and Broadway actress who would become the “Brazilian Bombshell,” “The Girl in the Tutti-Frutti Hat” and the highest paid woman in the United States in 1945. At a time when Americans were fascinated in anything south of the border, she personified the boundless energy and essence of Latin culture. Her appearances in films were sometimes short but they always left the audiences wanting more. The Brazilian bimbo image was one that she later became to resent and tried somewhat unsuccessfully to break away from.

Gwen Wakeling was the head costume designer at 20th Century Fox starting in 1933 and dressed some of the most memorable actresses at the studio, even though her costume she designed for Barbra Eden in the TV series “I Dream of Jeannie” is probably the most recognizable. Her designs for Carmen Miranda were always colorful, exposed just enough skin to pass the sensors and were designed with extremely high platform heels and over the top headpieces to compensate for the actress’s five foot frame.