'Ahead of its time': How Olivia Newton-John's latest Grease outfit became a cultural phenomenon

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 Newton-John as Sandy Olsson in the final scene of his seminal 1978 film Grease. Dressed in skin-tight black pants, a black off-the-shoulder top, red mules and a biker jacket, her hair brushed up and a cigarette in her hand, she gazes into her co-star John Travolta's eyes in the role of Danny Zuko.

< p class="dcr-139bh9t">Released almost 45 years ago and set in the 1950s, Grease stays with the times - with the makeover Newton-John's now infamous and his final outfit at the heart of it. 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 has changed" after seeing it. The outfit is so recognizable that it is a popular choice for costume parties. Celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, Jessica Simpson and Hailey Bieber have been Sandy for Halloween in recent years.

The continued impact is partly due to the outfit's place in the film. In the final scene, Sandy – previously painted as a square in the cute poodle skirts and pastel colors of the 1950s — is transformed into a 'bad girl' in skintight black and leather." He seems to have a way of representing [everyone's] dreams ", says Oliver Gruner, who edited the 2019 book Grease is the Word. "[Sandy] transforms from a shrinking purple... [It's an example of] becoming totally different...