In the realm of chick flick & tear jerkers, the 1989 film Steel Magnolias reigns supreme. The film is about the bond among a group of women from a small town in Louisiana. The movie is based on a 1987 play Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, which Harling wrote in order to deal with the death of his sister. The film stars Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley McClaine, Darryl Hannah, and Olympia Dukakis. The title of the film comes from the idea that the women look soft and gentle like magnolia flowers, but in reality are as tough as steel.
The styling of Steel Magnolias represents the life of a group of southern belles, of all different ages, living in the 1980s. They bond over doing little things like gossip, getting their hair & nails done at the same salon, dealing with their relationships and children. They share their hopes, dreams and fears.
All of the women's styles are very feminine, somewhat over the top with big hair and shoulder pads. Some are more over the top than others. Dolly Parton is in this movie after all. She basically solidifies the idea of "the bigger the better".
As tragedy strikes their tightknit circle, the women stick together to prove that though they might be in frilly floral dresses, high heels and big hair, they are as strong as can be.
Here are some examples of how the southern belle look is portrayed in fashion currently:
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