The death of Olivia Newton-John this week was followed by an avalanche of tributes from celebrities and fans on social media. And the image accompanying most of the posts of was Newton-John as Sandy Olsson in the last scene of her signature 1978 film, Grease. Wearing tight black trousers, an off-the-shoulder black top, red mules and biker jacket, with her hair teased and a cigarette in hand, she gazes into the eyes of co-star John Travolta as Danny Zuko.
Released nearly 45 years ago and set in the 1950s, Grease remains part of the zeitgeist – with Newton-John’s now-infamous makeover and final outfit central to that. Fans paid tribute on Twitter, with one writing that the outfit “has shaped my fashion style since I was about three” and another saying “the world changed” after seeing it. The get-up is so recognisable that it is a popular choice for costume parties. Celebrities including Gigi Hadid, Jessica Simpson and Hailey Bieber have been Sandy for Halloween in recent years.
