In 1940, Betty Hutton wasn’t yet the Paramount Pictures powerhouse we remember from Annie Get Your Gun. She was a 19-year-old musical comedy sensation lighting up Broadway in Ethel Merman’s Panama Hattie.
Bonwit Teller, the legendary luxury department store on Fifth Avenue, was known for high-fashion elegance. Casting Betty Hutton, known for her manic energy, “vitamin-enriched” personality, and tendency to swing from chandeliers, was a brilliant bit of counter-programming.
The ice skating ensemble featured a heavily structured, military-inspired jacket with intricate braiding and a flared “skater” skirt. It reflected the pre-war obsession with structured silhouettes mixed with functional sportswear.
Unlike the stiff, mannequin-like poses typical of 1940s fashion spreads, Hutton brought her signature kinetic energy to the ice (or the studio floor standing in for it). The photos captured a blend of high-society glamour and youthful rebellion.
This was the “Golden Age” of figure skating fashion, largely spurred by the massive popularity of Sonja Henie. Every major department store was racing to produce “skating sets” that women could wear both on the ice at Rockefeller Center and as stylish winter street clothes.
This shoot is often cited by fashion historians because it bridged two worlds. Proving that Bonwit Teller could be “fun” and accessible to the younger, vibrant generation. It helped transition her image from a loud band singer (with the Vincent Lopez Orchestra) to a versatile fashion plate capable of carrying a Hollywood film.
Shortly after these types of high-profile modeling and stage stints, Hollywood came calling, and by 1942, she was a household name.
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