Edith Head

h Head – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

h Head (1907 – 1981) remains Hollywood’s legendary costume designer. This article explores her early life, rise to stardom, philosophy of design, iconic career, unforgettable quotes, and the timeless lessons she offers today.

Introduction

h Head is a name synonymous with glamour, precision, and cinematic storytelling through clothing. As one of the most celebrated costume designers in American film history, she played a defining role in shaping the visual narratives of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her skill in dressing characters—not just actors—earned her a record-setting eight Academy Awards and a lasting legacy in fashion and film. Even today, her wit and wisdom about style, creativity, and self-presentation continue to inspire.

Early Life and Family

h Claire Posener was born on October 28, 1897 in San Bernardino, California, though some public sources have incorrectly cited 1907—a discrepancy likely due to typographical errors in popular biographies.

Her parents were Max Posener, a German immigrant who operated a small haberdashery, and Anna Levy, of Austrian descent.

In 1905, Anna remarried Frank Spare, a mining engineer from Pennsylvania. The family moved frequently due to his work, and young h later recalled sometimes living in Searchlight, Nevada during her earliest years.

Although her birth name was Posener, h later adopted “Head” as her professional name, following her first marriage (which ended in divorce) and maintained it for her entire career.

Youth and Education

From a young age, h exhibited intellectual curiosity and linguistic talent. She pursued higher education at two prestigious Californian institutions:

• In 1919, she earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in letters and sciences, with honors in French, from the University of California, Berkeley.

• The following year, in 1920, she obtained a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Romance languages from Stanford University.

After college, she worked briefly as a language teacher. She taught French at The Bishop's School in La Jolla, then Spanish at the Hollywood School for Girls in Los Angeles.

Though not formally trained in design, h believed in expanding her artistic skillset. She enrolled in evening classes at institutions such as the Otis Art Institute and the Chouinard Art Institute to improve her drawing fundamentals.

Her first marriage was to Charles Head on July 25, 1923. Although they eventually divorced in 1938, she continued to use the surname “Head” professionally. Later, in 1940, she married Wiard Ihnen, an art director; their union lasted until his death in 1979.

Career and Achievements

Entry into Hollywood

Despite her limited formal design background, h broke into the film industry in 1924 as a costume sketch artist at Paramount Pictures.

Over time, she rose through the ranks, first working on silent films and gradually assuming more responsibility. Her first solo costume credit appeared in the early 1930s.

By 1938, h had become Paramount’s head of costume design, after the departure of earlier leading designers.

One of her early signature successes was the sarong she designed for Dorothy Lamour in The Jungle Princess (1936), which became a cultural sensation.

Golden Years and Oscar Dominance

When the Academy Award for Best Costume Design was established in 1948, h was well positioned to make her mark. Over her career, she received 35 nominations—a record for any woman—and won eight times, the most awarded in this category. The Heiress to The Sting.

h was exceptional not just in technical skill but in building deep rapport with actresses. She believed that costume design was a collaborative art: the costumes should serve the character.

She worked with virtually every major female star of her time: Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Ingrid Bergman, and many others.

Her collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock was especially notable. Hitchcock often resisted bright colors unless dictated by the story; h would adapt designs to his cinematic language.

Later Career & Universal Years

In 1967, after 44 years at Paramount, h’s contract was not renewed. She then joined Universal Studios at Hitchcock’s invitation.

At Universal, she continued to design for film and television. She contributed costume work to Bewitched, among others.

Her final Oscar win came for The Sting (1973).

In a surprising turn outside entertainment, h was also commissioned to design female uniforms for the United States Coast Guard, reflecting her stature and design versatility.

Her last film project was Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (released posthumously in 1982), a film noir–styled comedy.

Historical Milestones & Context

• During h’s active years, Hollywood operated under the studio system, where stars and film production were organized rigidly by major studios. The costume department was central to maintaining consistent star images. h’s long tenure at Paramount reflects her ability to thrive within this structure.

• After 1960, filmmaking styles shifted: location shooting, realism, new wave influences, and budget constraints became more common. This posed challenges for designers rooted in studio glamour.

• The women’s movement and changing fashion attitudes also created tension between classic glamour and modern minimalism. h navigated these changes while maintaining her identity and relevance.

• Her influence extended beyond film: she published books on dress and style, and her persona became so iconic that she reportedly inspired the character Edna Mode in Pixar’s The Incredibles.

Legacy and Influence

h Head’s legacy is multifaceted:

1. Record-breaking awards — Her eight Oscars and 35 nominations mark her as one of the top designers in Academy history.

2. Costume as storytelling — She elevated costumes as character tools. Her philosophy that clothes serve the narrative influenced subsequent generations of film and theatre designers.

3. Mentorship & collaboration — Many designers cite her as a role model: she was generous, detail-oriented, and deeply invested in her collaborators.

4. Cultural icon — With her horn-rimmed glasses, understated personal style, and insider Hollywood presence, she became a symbol of creative authority.

5. Fashion wisdom — Her books, The Dress Doctor (1959) and How to Dress for Success (1967), still resonate; her advice about dressing for one’s body, occasion, and life remain instructive.

6. Enduring inspiration — Designers and stylists continue to reference her work. Her insights on proportion, restraint, and character-first design endure in costume and fashion design curricula.

h passed away on October 24, 1981, just shy of her 84th birthday.

Personality and Talents

h was known for her practical elegance: she often dressed plainly, favoring conservative two-piece suits and her signature horn-rimmed (or blue-lensed) glasses.

Despite her quiet personal style, she possessed a sharp wit and keen observational skills. Her studio lore included witty remarks and a no-nonsense approach to design.

She was disciplined, detail-oriented, and unfailingly professional. Her capacity to work across genres—from historical epics to contemporary dramas—demonstrated her versatility.

Her leadership style involved close collaboration: she valued feedback and consulted closely with actresses to shape garments that felt authentic to the wearer.

Famous Quotes of h Head

h was not only a designer but also a witty commentator on fashion, life, and character. Here are some of her enduring sayings:

“A dress should be tight enough to show you’re a woman and loose enough to prove you’re a lady.” “You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” “The subjective actress thinks of clothes only as they apply to her; the objective actress thinks of them only as they affect others, as a tool for the job.” “Many faux pas of fashion can be avoided if you curb your instinctive desire to buy things with your heart instead of your head.” “Even the most beautiful legs — Marlene Dietrich’s, for instance — look better when the kneecap is covered.” “Before you are interviewed for the job you want, try on the complete outfit you intend to wear.” “Fashion is a language. Some know it, some learn it, some never will — like an instinct.” “I assure you that even the most beautiful women are not pretty all over. They have merely learned to use clothes deftly enough to give others the impression that they are.” “The cardinal sin is not being badly dressed, but wearing the right thing in the wrong place.”

These quotes reflect both her technical acumen and her belief that clothing communicates more than beauty—it signals identity, intention, and character.

Lessons from h Head

1. Design with character, not ego
   h believed that costumes should tell the story, not overshadow it. A garment should support the actor and character, not steal the spotlight.

2. Test from all angles
   She advised trying on an outfit from every angle—even seated—before wearing it publicly. This philosophy reminds us to anticipate real-life conditions, not ideal moments.

3. Balance inspiration and restraint
   Her caution against impulse purchases (“buying with your heart”) encourages thoughtful consumption—a lesson still relevant in today’s fast-fashion world.

4. Consistency in simplicity
   Though celebrated for dramatic gowns, h’s personal uniform (suits, minimal ornamentation) underscored the power of a consistent, authentic style.

5. Learn continuously
   She taught herself drawing, adapted to changing cinematic techniques, and remained curious over decades. Her trajectory reminds creators that evolution is essential.

6. Collaborate with empathy
   Her respectful relationships with actresses show that successful creators listen and adapt, not dictate.

Conclusion

h Head’s brilliance lay not only in her glamorous designs, but in her unwavering dedication to narrative, craft, and collaboration. She transcended the role of costume designer to become a cultural icon and a mentor to generations of visual storytellers. Her insights into fashion, character, discipline, and self-presentation remain relevant in film, theatre, and everyday life.

Dive deeper into her world through her books The Dress Doctor and How to Dress for Success, and revisit her legendary film work to see how every seam, fold, and drape helped define cinema’s most unforgettable moments.