Looking for some inspiration for your attire on your Big Day? Take a cue from some of the ultra-mod actresses belonging to the yesteryears. In this blog post, we are going to look at a wedding dress that became more popular than the wearer herself. Yes! We are talking about Sharon Tate wedding dress. Despite being worn in the 60s, the dress is still sought-after. Fashion designers still take inspiration from it, and girls still look out for a Sharon Tate wedding dress replica.
Perhaps Sharon Tate wedding dress will never go out of fashion. But before we delve deeper into details of the beautiful apparel that Sharon Tate wore when she was getting married to Polanski, let us first get into some trivia about this lady.
Who was Sharon Tate?
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Married to Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate’s full name was Sharon Marie Tate Polanski. Sharon was an American actress and model known for movies such as Eye of the Devil (1966) and Valley of the Dolls (1967). She was known for her comedic and dramatic roles. Due to such performances, Tate was considered Hollywood’s most promising newcomer.
Born in Dallas, Texas, she was an American White Caucasian. Her father’s name was Colonel Paul James Tate, and her mother’s name was Doris Gwendolyn (née Willett). She was born on 24th January 1943. Her father was an officer in the United States Army and used to get transferred frequently. She won the ‘Miss Richland’ title and Queen of the Tri-City Autorama in Richland. Next, she wanted to compete for ‘Miss Washington’ but could not because of her father’s change in posting.
Roman Polanski
Sharon Tate met Roman Polanski in London after she finished shooting for Eye of the Devil in 1965. Polanski. Roman, whose full name is Raymond Roman Thierry Polański, is a French and Polish film director and producer. He is also a screenwriter as well as an actor. He was nominated for Academy Awards and BAFTA Awards around that time. Polanski had become quite the sensation. Having been nominated for Academy Awards and BAFTA awards, he was quite a sensation. He was planning his next movie The Fearless Vampire Killers when he met Sharon.
This movie was co-produced by the producer of The Beverly Hillbillies Martin Ransohoff (An American film and television producer). On his suggestion, Polanski cast Tate for the lead role, though he was not very impressed by her. Polanski himself played the role of one of the main characters. While romancing on-screen, they soon started a relationship off-screen as well.
Polanski and Sharon Tate’s Wedding
On 20th January 1968, Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski got married. Just like any celebrity wedding, theirs too got a lot of publicity. They got married at Chelsea Registry. What followed was a star-studded party at the Playboy Club. Some of the popular names on the guest list were Anthony Newley, James Fox, John and Juliet Mills, Barbara Parkins, Joan Collins, Candice Bergen, Laurence Harvey, Michael Caine, and Terry Downes.
Polanski Wedding Ensemble
Both Sharon Tate Wedding Dress and Polanski’s attire were quite symbolic of the Swinging Sixties fashion. Roman wore a dapper Mod suit. A knee-length double-breasted coat, waistcoat, shirt, trousers, and an ascot tie – all of which were styled in the Edwardian fashion.
Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Sharon Tate wore a babydoll wedding dress – a unique concept of that time. Due to her perfectly shaped figure, Sharon Tate wedding dress fitted her beautifully. It was an ivory silk moiré mini dress, the hems of which grazed her upper thighs. Due to the complexity of the process of creating moiré fabric, it is very expensive. And when it comes to celebrities, it has to be nothing but the very best.
The Fabric of Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
The fabric with which her dress was made is moiré, which is a textile with a wavy or watered appearance. It is usually made of silk, but can also be made of wool, rayon, or cotton. Using a finishing technique called calendaring, weavers create the waves or the watered appearance. Sometimes weavers vary the tension in the warp and weft to give this effect or to make different patterns. The moiré effect added to the rich look of the Sharon Tate Wedding Dress. The fluid flow appearance of the fabric plus the elegant color had a synergy effect on the entire dress.
Blue Velvet Ribbons in Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
The babydoll dress had a high collar that fitted Sharon Tate’s slender neck. The collar had 2 layers of baby blue velvet ribbons that complimented both the dress and the bride’s delicate neck. This ribbon formed a bow closure at the back of the neck. The ribbon work was also there in the cuffs of the sleeves. There were bows and trim embellishments on the cuffs for which the designer used the same blue velvet ribbon as used in the high collar.
Juliet Sleeves of Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Long tight sleeves with a puff at the top near the arm, Juliet sleeves can never go out of fashion. They make any dress, top, or blouse look elegant and stylish. While the Sharon Tate Wedding Dress was very modern and flirtatious, the Juliet sleeves made it look royal and refined, just like a classic Disney princess.
Sharon Tate Hairdos, Makeup, and Shoes
Sharon had her hair coiled and decorated with flowers and ribbons tied to her hairstyle for her big day. She was known for her accentuated, crease-defining eyeliner and eyeshadows that gave depth to her eyes. Sharon used mascara, false lashes, and bronzer. She used Chanel No.5 and Guerlain perfumes. And her ‘Jovan Mink & Pearls bath oil beads’ were her favorite bathing indulgence. She completed the look with tights and Mary Jane shoes with kitten heels, mirroring the 60’s preppy fashion.
Who was the Designer of Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
The Sharon Tate Wedding Dress had a raised waistline and fabric-covered button closure to the back. And the dress was designed by the then popular couturier Alba. As Debra Tate (Sharon Tate’s younger sister) had said, “Alba, a custom designer of the Hollywood elite in the 1960s, claimed among her many clients the glamorous Elizabeth Taylor. My equally glamorous sister Sharon sought the services of Alba in advance of a variety of special occasions, including the Golden Globes and, her most important event, her wedding.”
Sharon Tate Wedding Dress Auction
Right from Sharon Tate wedding dress to her eyelashes, to the property from her estate – everything was auctioned by Julien’s Auction. Sharon Tate’s Wedding Dress, which was designed by famous Hollywood fashion designer Alba, was auctioned valued at $25,000–$50,000. And her Betsey Johnson minidresses were valued at $600–$800. Her collection of size 32A Christian Dior bras was valued at $400–$600. The bronzer and face tint she used in her movie Don’t Make Waves (1967) were valued at $400–$600 and so were her eyelashes and Max Factor eyelash adhesive.
Her perfumes were also valued at the same amount. The Revlon eyeliners, which had made her eyes look deeper, were valued at $300–$500. Besides this, other belongings of Tate – like facial steamer was valued at $300–$500, her Jovan Mink & Pearls bath oil beads, and some vintage magazines were valued at $100–$200.
Sharon Tate Wedding Dress – Bought by Zak Bagans
In 2019, when her belongings were up for auction, the Sharon Tate wedding dress was purchased by Zak Bagans for $56,000. He bought it to add to his collection in his ‘Haunted Museum’. Zak Bagans is an American paranormal investigator and has his museum, which has 33 rooms. In these rooms, he displays artifacts that are horrifying or macabre.
After taking it in possession, he did not display the Sharon Tate wedding dress near the various spine-chilling memorabilia of Charles Mason or the Mason Family. This is because on 8th August 1969, when Sharon was more than 8 months pregnant, she and four others were stabbed and killed by the members of the Mason Family in her home around midnight.
The Sharon Tate wedding dress is not a part of the Mason exhibit. This he did out of respect for the departed soul of the actress and her unfortunate murder committed by the infamous Family.
Sharon Tate Wedding Dress as an Inspiration
Even today, a lot of women feel inspired by Sharon Tate Wedding dress. So much so that they want to design or buy something similar for their own weddings. They also copy various elements of the Sharon Tate Wedding dress to create their party wear. Although fashion is an ever-changing game, this style still rules many hearts; kudos to fashion designer Alba.
Sharon Tate Net Worth
Sharon Tate’s net worth was approximately $300,000. Her monthly salary and other earnings were around $20,000. She lived in Los Angeles with Polanski in what she called her ‘love house’.
Besides this, Sharon Tate was loved and appreciated by friends and co-workers. Popular American actress Mia Farrow described her as “sweet and pure a human being as I have ever known”. Another well-known American actress Patty Duke called her ‘a gentle, gentle creature’.
Final Thoughts
Sharon Tate was an actress who could have proved herself as ‘The Star of Tomorrow’ (as nominated in a poll where she was a runner-up). She was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for ‘New Star of the Year’ for her performance in Valley of the Dolls. Probably she had it in her to prove herself as a great actress. But fate was definitely not on her side. Her fairytale life came to an abrupt end that was too soon and too tragic.
But in whatever career she had, she created her own space. Her fans still remember her work and look out for things that belonged to her. The Sharon Tate wedding dress is definitely on top of the list, as it is still serving as an inspiration to many.
