Elizabeth Taylor: Jewelry and Style

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BEST IN SHOW

Known for her violet eyes, raven locks and wasp waist, Elizabeth Taylor made a splash early in Hollywood as a strong beauty who favored feminine dresses. A year before her iconic role in Father of the Bride, the 17-year-old presented the 1949 Academy Award for Best Costume in an antebellum-style tiered gown.

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GOOD COMPANY

Flanked by Grace Kelly and Laraine Day, the actress is all-American in a checked dress and little white gloves as she arrives into Los Angeles in 1950.

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BELLE OF THE BALL

With the aptly titled The Girl Who Had Everything in theaters in 1953, Taylor made her way back to the Oscars in another full-skirted gown. The actress would have to wait eight more years before receiving her own statuette.

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WILD CHILD

The actress poses with her son, Michael Wilding Jr., in matching leopard swimsuits in the mid '50s. Taylor would make a little white bathing suit famous a few years later in the movie Suddenly, Last Summer.

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HATS ALL, FOLKS

Taylor gets ready to board a flight to Mexico City with her third husband, Michael Todd, in a sharp suit and an exotic take on the pillbox hat in 1957.

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WINNER'S CIRCLE

Widowed by Todd, Taylor collects her Best Actress Oscar for BUtterfield 8 with fourth husband Eddie Fisher at her side. The star, who was recovering from a tracheotomy, glowed in a floral embroidered Christian Dior gown.

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SHAKE IT OFF

The actress cuts loose with legendary ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev in a swinging '60s feathered dress.

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DIAMOND DAZZLER

Taylor's fifth husband Richard Burton managed to top even the 29-carat diamond ring she received from third husband Michael Todd, purchasing her the 33-carat Krupp diamond, which she recently called "an extraordinary stone."

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LEAFY LADY

Always adapting to the styles of the period, Taylor embraced the colorful patterns and loose shapes of 1969. The actress would become known for her love of caftans in the 1970s, even inspiring parodies by comedians like John Belushi.

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LEG UP

Now that's airport style! With Richard Burton by her side, a well-tanned Taylor adds knee-high boots to her lace hot-pants while making her way through London's Heathrow in 1971.

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FRINGE ELEMENT

Embracing the latest trend, Taylor tries out a Native American-inspired look in 1971.

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TOUGH TIMES

Taylor continued her short-shorts love with this sailor top, studded belt and bouffant hairdo in '71.

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GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

The couple caused an international sensation when Burton purchased a

69-carat diamond for Taylor for more than $1 million as a 40th birthday

present. The actress had it set into a necklace, and the gem was

re-named the "Taylor-Burton" diamond.

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HAIR RAISING

Forget her famous raven locks – Taylor covered it all up with a pearl-encrusted headdress for a ball in 1977.

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SNOW ANGEL

The actress loved her furs almost as much as her diamonds! She bundles up in fuzzy white in 1982.

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PETAL PUSHER

1982 may have marked the end of Taylor's marriage to Sen. John Warner (not pictured), but it also heralded a feminine and sweet style for Liz, like this orange sundress.

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STAYING POWER

While men came and went, the more than 50-carat, pear-shaped La Peregrina Pearl – a gift from Richard Burton – never lost its hold on Taylor. She wore it for the rest of her life, including this appearance in 1992.