We all know Carmen Miranda as the famously exotic lady in the tutti-frutti hat, complete with stacked platform shoes and fabulously ruffled costumes, but she didn’t always have this colourful image. Back in the 1930s she was a lot more understated and looked completely different, take a look, you’ll be surprised!
If you’re not sure what she looked like in her heydey, there’s a great picture of her at the bottom of the page with Abbot and Costello…

A signed postcard of Carmen Miranda from 1930, when she was just 21 years old

Carmen Miranda in 1935

Carmen Miranda in 1935

Carmen Miranda with her sister Aurora photographed in 1936

Carmen Miranda wearing her signature-look with Abbot and Costello in 1939
Image source and copyright: 1, 2, 4,This photo, movie or sound finished before January 1, 1937 (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days) is public domain both in Brazil and United States because it was first published in Brazil and entered the public domain 60 years after creation. 3, This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. 5, This work is in the public domain in that it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 and without a copyright notice.
Thank you for posting these lovely photos. I was kind of obsessed with her when I was a kid – she was just so fun and funny and glamourous. It’s nice seeing her before she was a fruit hat lady *lol*.
I only knew her as the fruit hat lady too – I always thought she was fabulously glam. It’s nice to see her looking ‘normal’ before she found her signature look isn’t it 🙂
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