Hair + BeautyHair was part of the outfit
Exhibition Room I
The Glamour
of 1962.
As a transition year, 1962 stood at a fascinating crossroads in fashion history: it retained the structural, figure-enhancing tailoring of the late 1950s while introducing the cleaner, more relaxed lines of the early 1960s.
Tap or click a portrait to open the styling notes.
Portrait I · Spirited
The Formal Cocktail
If a floor-length gown is not for you, a calf-length dress can still work for James Bond Night. What keeps it within black tie is the quality of the fabric, the structure of the dress and the way it is finished. Brocade is a good choice because it gives a shorter dress enough richness for evening.
Neckline
Look for a wide portrait neckline. It opens the collarbone and creates a horizontal line across the shoulders, making the fitted waist beneath it appear smaller.
Shape
Princess seams shape the bodice without breaking its clean line. For this look, the waist should sit at or just above the natural waist before opening into a full calf-length skirt. When choosing a modern dress, pay attention to where that waist seam falls—it can change the entire proportion.
Hair
The important thing here is not whether the hair is short or long, but that the neckline remains visible. A short brushed crop is one option; longer hair can be pinned up and away from the shoulders.
Finish
Ivory gloves were a popular choice for formal dressing in the early 1960s. A small satin evening bag and pointed pumps complete the outfit.
Exhibition Room II
LE Vintage ParlourDressing Room
The shape and details of a dress can suggest an era, but it is the styling that completes the story. Hair, gloves, jewellery, the evening bag and shoes were considered as part of the whole outfit. This is where a modern dress begins to feel like 1962.
The finishing touchGloves, jewellery, bag and shoes
Select a detail
Open the notes to explore the hair and accessories that give the look its finishing touch.
At the mirror
Modern
vs 1962
The dress itself does not have to be vintage. Change the hair, gloves, jewellery, bag and shoes, and the same dress can move much closer to 1962.
Worn with loose hair, minimal jewellery and no gloves, the black dress reads as contemporary eveningwear.
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Bond began in Jamaica
Watch Dr. No
through a fashion lens
Dr. No was filmed in Jamaica in 1962 and became the first James Bond film. It placed the island at the very beginning of the Bond story.
If Jamaica had been dressing her own leading lady for the evening, I imagine a slim column or softly draped Grecian gown, with the waist sitting just above the natural line. Her hair would have been carefully dressed, and ivory gloves, pointed heels, jewellery and a small evening bag would have finished the look.
The film will be screened under the stars during James Bond Night. As you watch, look beyond the plot and notice how the hair, eyeliner, silhouettes and accessories place each woman firmly in 1962.
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Take the exhibition with you
The Lady E Guide to 1962 Evening Glamour
Save the full guide and keep it with you while planning your look for James Bond Night. It brings together the dress shapes, hair, makeup and accessories that give early-1960s eveningwear its character.
A private styling service for ladies who adore timeless glamour and want to feel magical in what they wear. Drawing on her knowledge of an era when elegance was quintessential, Lady E builds the complete look—from the right silhouette and accessories to hair direction and every finishing touch—making the entire look feel extra special.
Styling enquiriesStep Into the Golden Age of Glamour This December
December brings festive dinners, cocktail parties and occasions worth dressing for. If you admire the drama, elegance and impeccable tailoring of Old Hollywood glamour, you do not have to settle for modern mass production.
Lady E Vintage is proud to introduce an exclusive collection of hand-picked, vintage-inspired eveningwear available for December pre-order.
Pre-order the collectionJoin us at The Liguanea Club for Back Where Bond Began: The Dr. No Experience, an all-inclusive black-tie evening of cocktails, dining, casino-style games, cinema, music and dancing.
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