Sally Field's Oscar Dress
If you didn't, upon seeing that gif of Sally Field excitedly accepting her Oscar, say "You like me, you really like me!" I don't believe you.
So let's take a look at this sleek black evening gown Sally Field wore to accept her second Oscar and also explore the night she made the history books, not for her performance or her fashion, but for her acceptance speech.
If you know anything about Sally Field's early career, it's that she got her start on short-lived television shows like Gidget and The Flying Nun, and in her memoir (which is a must-read, in my opinion) In Pieces, she writes that she always felt insecure about her start. She wanted to be a serious actress, up for consideration for serious roles and to earn the respect of her peers and critics for her work, and she didn't feel like she'd ever get it with her campy television roles. She started taking on darker roles, studied at the Actors Studio, and then Norma Rae came out and earned Sally her first Oscar.
With that win, she finally gained credibility as a serious dramatic actress and she ran with it. In 1984, she starred in Places in the Heart, which led to her second Oscar.
I feel like the most famous part of this Oscar win isn't the dress or the fact that Sally Field became a rare two-time winner that night, it's the now iconic, infamous, instantly quotable yet often misquoted speech she gave when accepting from Robert Duvall. Here's the speech in full:
"Oh, Benton, what you did for me; you changed my life, truly. This means so much more to me this time. I don't know why. I think the first time I hardly felt it because it was all so new. I owe a lot to the cast, to my players, to Lindsay and John and Danny and Ed and Amy and my little friends Gennie and Yankton. I owe a lot to my family for holding me together and loving me and having patience with this obsession of me. But I want to say thank you to you. I haven't had an orthodox career and I've wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it, but this time I feel it. And I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me! Thank you."
Personally, not a fan of Places in the Heart (although it's been years since I watched it, so I might be due to update my review), but I am a fan of Sally Field (again, read her memoirs: she's such a wonderful writer and her life has been so fascinating) and this sleek black evening gown she wore to the Oscars in 1985.
Designed by Holly Harp, this strapless black dress achieved what the designer was well-known for: sensuous yet edgy. The tiered skirt and the low belt both give this gown a bit of edgy for Sally, who, despite the character roles she signed on for at that stage of her career, has always been bright and fun. It's understated and interesting, and I think it's a perfection summation for who Sally Field is.
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