Cyd Charisse as Jane Ashton in 'Brigadoon' Designed by Irene Sharaff

Wheat colored raw silk period dance dress, corseted bodice, long sleeves, stand up scoop collar, extremely full skirt pulled up at PL side; multi-layer orange petticoat constructed of orange silk and cotton with under layer of tulle and horsehair.

"Gotta Sing Gotta Dance A Pictorial History of Film Musicals," John Kobal, Hamlyn, 1972, pgs. 234 (photo). "Hollywood Musicals," Ted Sennett, Harry Abrams. Inc., 1981, pg. 277 (photo). "MGM, When the Lion Roars," Peter Hay, Turner Publishing Inc., 1991, pg. 293 (photo).

After suffering from polio as a child, Cyd Charisse started dancing lessons and went on to become one of the prominent dancers in Hollywood films. She is most remembered for her partnering with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. After Hollywood musicals fell out of favor with the public, Charisse retired from dancing but continued to act in films, television and stage through the 1990’s.

The CinemaScope musical was based on the successful Broadway musical by Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe which deals with two Americans that stumble upon a Scottish village that appears for one day every one hundred years. But this does not stop Gene Kelley from falling in love with one of the village’s lasses and dancing his heart out. Much of the musical numbers were cut from the original Broadway version to showcase the dancing abilities of the stars

Designer, Irene Sharaff, was a prolific costume and set designer and often designed the costumes for the stage and film versions of Broadway musicals. Because of her knowledge of costuming for ballet, she created beautiful costumes that stood up to the rigors of and moved with dancing.