A Practical Uniform

 

By the 1930s, the cliche appearance of a classic Hollywood director is one in which he wears high boots, puttees and wields a riding crop. The origin of this uniform starts with Cecil B. DeMille. 

 

While he was making "The Squaw Man" at the barn studio, he lived in

a cabin in the Cahuenga Pass (now the 101 freeway). He rode a horse to work and the citrus groves where the outdoor stages of the studio were located were known to host snakes. 

 

As a well-bred New Englander, DeMille naturally wore puttees when riding. In an act of self defense and practicality, he wore leggings to keep from being snake bit. It became his daily outfit and in time, the expected uniform of the successful Hollywood director.