"I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men" - Marlene Dietrich
Today's Google Doodle features Marlene Dietrich, who would have turned 116 years old today. Dietrich was born on the 27th of December, 1901 in Berlin to a mother who came from an affluent family and a father who was a police lieutenant. Her career started when she participated as a chorus girl on tour with Guido Thielscher's Girl-Kabarett vaudeville-style entertainment. Later on, her breakthrough in the acting business happened when she landed the Lola Lola role, a cabaret singer who caused the downfall of Hitler in the movie titled Blue Angel released in 1930.
As a result of the international acclaim for the movie, Dietrich moved to the United States under a contract with Paramount Pictures. During her career as an actress she was known to be a woman who defied the fashion standards of her era, she carefully crafted her image and as a result she became a fashion icon who knew very well how to orchestrate each outfit to speak of the specific statement she wanted to make.
Marlene Dietrich was known to dress unconventionally. She pushed boundaries by wearing men's clothing in a time when this was not conceivable. Dietrich was one of the first women to wear a top hat and a men's derby hat, and she was also known for wearing stylish men's suits ensembles. However, her gender fluidity was undeniable when she wore her stylish feminine outfits which included elegant fascinators and berets with beautiful dresses. There is no doubt her style helped revolutionize and push the boundaries that women at her time never thought could happen.
