Costume designer Bob Mackie, who began his career creating elaborate showgirl ensembles, is probably best known for his work dressing Cher, as well as his work on The Carol Burnett Show. Mackie created many memorable costumes over the show’s eleven-year run (including the now famous “Went With the Wind” gown, curtain rod, and all). 

Mackie designed this pink gown for Madeline Kahn. The costume, though not an accurate depiction of 18th-century fashion, at least seems to be inspired by it. The gown utilizes panniers at the sides and has a row of bows along the front (échelle). The gown was used again several years later by Dixie Carter as Julia Sugarbaker in the episode of Designing Women called Blast from the Past. Interestingly, the gown was worn on the show with a hoop skirt instead of panniers to make it look more like the gown of a southern belle. 

CBS produced both The Carol Burnett Show and Designing Women, so it is most likely that Mackie’s creations from The Carol Burnett Show went on to be used in other CBS productions over the years. 

To see the sketch in which this gown appears on The Carol Burnett Show, click here. To see Julia Sugarbaker’s hilarious speech while dressed in this gown in Designing Women, click here.