Dorothy’s famous ruby red slippers are on their way over the rainbow. Actually, they are on their way over the Atlantic Ocean to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum as part of a huge exhibition called Hollywood Costume. It will include “over 100 of the most iconic and unforgettable film characters from a century of Hollywood filmmaking, 1912–2012,” according to the V&A website. This is the first time that Dorothy’s slippers have left American soil (with the exception of Oz, of course.)
The slippers will be reunited with their famous blue and white dress for the first time since production of the Wizard of Oz wrapped in 1938, unless you count the masses that have dressed as Dorothy for Halloween over the last 70 years. The dress that is on loan is one of few surviving dresses from the original production, although there is no word yet if the dress also comes with the accompanying white blouse.
If you are not in London, and are located near Beverly Hills, CA., head over to Julien’s Auction House from November 5-9, and take a look at one of the last surviving complete Dorothy costumes, featuring both pinafore dress and white blouse, before it goes up for auction.
The costume is expected to go for anywhere from $400,000-$600,000 and is being sold in an auction block devoted to Hollywood memorabilia. Some other items being sold include: Elizabeth Taylor’s Golden Globe from Suddenly, Last Summer, a piece of wedding cake from the Royal Wedding of 1981 between Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe’s personal make-up and beauty items, and an 8mm film reel of President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 birthday party featuring footage of Marilyn Monroe.
You can watch the Today Show coverage of the auction here.
