Sabrina

Audrey Hepburn's fashion in the iconic movie Sabrina is the epitome of class and elegance. But behind the scenes of this film, the real drama resided with costumes designers.

The head costume designer of Paramount was Edith Head. She had worked with the studio since 1927 and in 1952 worked with Audrey Hepburn on Roman Holiday, the movie which won her her fifth Oscar for design. Clearly, she was a master of her craft.

Edith Head

Roman Holiday skyrocketed Audrey Hepburn into stardom. Her next film, Sabrina, followed a young chauffeurs daughter rise into the Parisian socialite scene. Knowing that Sabrina would also become a big hit, Audrey had the idea to have two designers on this film; one for her characters "before" looks and one for her "after." This is where the tension began. 

Hubert de Givenchy was hired to create Sabrinas glamorous new wardrobe. Her most remembered and iconic looks from this film were all created by the young designer. This was met with much resistance from Edith who claimed that Givenchy had stolen her moment to shine.

Givenchy

Edith Heads Designs in Sabrina

Givenchys Designs in Sabrina

Though Edith and Givenchy equally designed the film, his name never appears in the credits for the movie. And on top of that, the Oscars never mentioned his contributions either. When Edith won the Oscar for her work on the film, she failed to mention Givenchy and never publicly gave him credit.

Edith Head Winning the Oscar

Aside from the drama, the designs feature in this movie are a testimony to the talent of the era. It also marked the long friendship between Audrey and Givenchy. After Sabrina, they would go on to do 16 films together.

Stranger Things Season 3

Though I do realize this is a TV series and not a film, I'm making an exception to my own rules to talk about the amazing 80s fashion worn by El and Max this season. What I love about the costumes this season was how they started. El has been wearing her Dads hand-me-downs, so Max takes her to the mall. El says "How do I know what I like?" to which Max brilliantly replies, "You just try things on until you find something that feels like you."

El takes on the rest of the season clad with scrunches, neon prints, suspenders, and high rise pants. Though she is fighting evil Russians and demogorgons, she is dressed in clothes that make her feel strong and confident. She feels empowered through her fashion choices to protect her friends and restore peace to her town.

In an interview with Fashionista.com, costume designer Amy Parris breaks down El's fashion.

"The mall rats of the '80s were wearing these criss-cross belts and accessories were a huge thing. She just gets excited to pile it all on and it's colors and prints that she's not worn before," says Parris about the vibrant looks that catch Eleven's eye at Starcourt. The costume designer used a mix of vintage and rented pieces, but custom-built most of Eleven's shirts because of the need for multiples — you know, thanks to nosebleeds, monster goo and all.

"It was a chance for her to choose her own look and guide her own fashion sense," adds Parris.


I think this sends a wonderful message to viewers of all ages; dress in clothes that make you feel like you.

Carol

Carol is a movie set in the 1950s. It deals with the social constructs that existed back then surrounding gender roles and sexuality. Carol, a housewife, begins an affair with young photographer Therese. Their costumes reflect their age, their influence on each other, and the growth they experience through their time together.

When we are first introduced to the characters, their costumes inform their past. From a outsiders perspective, Carol seems to be a glamorous housewife. She is beautiful, wealthy, and friendly. She wears a mink coat, leather gloves, and a scarf. It wouldn't seem like anything is wrong in her life.

Therese is a young aspiring photographer. Her costumes in the beginning reflect her innocence. She wears headbands, berets, plaid, and collared shirts; a quasi schoolgirl look. Compared to Carol, they look so different it wouldn't seem they have anything in common.

They two couldn't dress more oppositely.

As the characters develop a relationship, their costumes reflect their internal changes. Carol begins to dress a little softer, embracing some plaid accents into her wardrobe. Therese wears more sophisticated clothing such as silk blouses.

But, their relationship can't continue due to the laws of the times, and they must part. During this section of the movie, Carol struggles to cope with her impending divorce and losing custody of her daughter. Her costumes get darker and at some moments she doesn't style her hair. 

Therese goest through a dramatic costume transformation. She cuts her hair into a more mature look and starts to dress very elegantly. Through her relationship with Carol, she has blossomed from a girl into a woman. 

Costume designer Sandy Powell excels in subtly showing the natural growth of human beings after an experience. 

Disney Costumes Inspire Imagination

I’m sure we’ve all had a phase of dressing up in Disney character costume. I know I did. I used to love putting on my Snow White dress or my Minnie Mouse ears and pretending I was in another land far away. My sister would dawn her Cinderella dress and together, we played pretend. Disney movies were always on in our house; I can remember a time when I got my VHS tape of Snow White stuck in the tape player. Though Disney movies today, especially the ones with a Princess as the main character are board line taboo, I challenge any distaste for them. A lot of debate surrounding these movies focuses on the gender stereotypes presented. Yes, I do see the controversy here and I am all for sending a positive message of strong powerful woman who don’t need no man. But, when these characters are embodied through play, any stereotypes that might be associated are tossed at the door. In my own experience of play, I felt nothing but empowerment putting on these costumes. When I put on my Snow White dress, I knew that I could stand up to any evil queen who tried to poison me, welcome any person into my home with a swish of my dress, and care for animals who looked to me for comfort. These costumes allowed me to imagine infinite possibilities. When I dressed up in a costume of a character that I idolized, it become armor.

Moondog: What does "female fashion" really mean?

I recently went to see the movie The Beach Bum in theaters. It just so happened that the director, Harmony Korine, was in attendance. Before the movie started he shyly and awkwardly thanked the audience of 20 for coming out to see his film and he hoped we all enjoyed. An interesting greeting for a interesting movie to say the least.

The Beach Bum tells the tale of Moondog, an over the top rich poet. His nomadic lifestyle is filled with drugs, sex,  and recklessness. Due to Moondog's eclectic and eccentric lifestyle, his outfit choices reflect his behavior accordingly.

After writing most of my blog posts on traditional, societally excepted female fashion choices, I decided that this movie was the perfect opportunity to branch out from this box.

Moondog's fashion choices throughout the movie represent him as a free spirit. He wears what he pleases. Most of what he wears happens to be traditionally "female" clothes. Dresses, one piece bathing-suits, and pink bathrobes with fur.

This got me thinking about how much "gender roles" influence our perception of someone. Just because Moondog identifies as a male, he gets judged and looked at for wearing traditionally female clothes. Though these choices in the movie were more for laughs, The Beach Bum shares a message of challenging the status quo, creating gender diversity, embracing gender queerness.

Nina: Costume Designer

Nina is a rising senior at Fordham LC. She is very involved in fashion, social media, and designing. She recently was the costume designer for the Splinter Group Production of Legally Blonde. Through this interview process Nina and I became friends and have a lot in common. I sat down and asked her a few questions to better understand the designing process.

1. What message were you hoping to share through the choices you made?
The message and vision I had in mind for the Legally Blond costumes was one of nostalgia. I wanted the audience to be transported to the Y2K era Elle Woods lived and breathed. I wanted to keep her aesthetic somewhere between Barbie and Beverly Hills/Paris Hilton. Every other character had their own message and I wanted their costumes to support their stories. Pauline had to be eccentric and the sorority girls had to be clones of one another (lol).

2. Was there a particular theme in the costumes? Did color, texture, design, etc, represent anything?
All the details, patterns, accessories tied back into the 2000s nostalgia aesthetic.

3. How do you think the costume choices influenced the audiences interpretation of character?
I think my costume choices reaffirmed the audiences memories of watching the Legally Blonde movies. I think the costume choices strengthened the connection between audience and characters because it gave them visual representations of the character’s personalities.

4. Where did you draw inspiration in order to get your message across?
 I drew inspiration from the movie itself as well as looking through 90s and 2000s music videos, magazines and tv shows/movies. Also looking at law school culture and “uniforms.”

5. Which character was the most fun to dress?
Pauline and the UPS guys! 

Thank you Nina for answering questions and providing insight into the design process!

Wikipedia Page Check In

As some of you may have seen, I did a blog post on Elizabeth Taylors Wikipedia page. In this post I discuss how I was shocked to find that Elizabeths iconic green dress from the film Suddenly Last Summer did not make it into the section about her style and jewelry; two things she is very well known for.

I edited the post to include the information I found relevant, and gladly, it hasn't been changed since I edited the page. Hopefully other Liz Taylor fans in the world appreciate the new addition!

How To Dress Like Your Favorite Female Movie Characters

Dressing like a movie character is a popular choice for Halloween or a costume party. Here are a few ways you can achieve looking like you favorite movie character. I have included links to the products listed to make recreating these looks easier.

Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums

To achieve this look, all you will need is a brown purse, a fur jacket, a short blonde wig, a red hair clip, and pink gloves.

Winona Ryder in Heathers

To look like Winona Ryders character Veronica in Heathers, all you will need is an off the shoulder grey sweater, a black overall dress, and a shiny broach.

Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction 

This outfit is probably the easiest to recreate. To look like Uma Thurman from Pulp fiction, all you will need is a white button up shirt, a black wig with bangs, and black dress pants. 

I hope this how-to has helped you find some inspiration for you next costume party!

Self-Styled Siren's Blog Post

I was recently scouring the internet for a blog similar to my own. After a few pages in of a Google search, I came across a blog about film. The Self-Styled Siren writes mostly movie reviews on classic films, but a post I came across from 2010 discusses her top 10 greatest moments of costume design. Though it is an older post, The Siren still blogs regularly. I am thrilled to find this post as my blog tends to discuss costumes from more recent films while her post discusses movies from the past. Here are my favorites from her list.

Jean Seberg in Breathless

The birth of the t-shirt and tight pants look. Not only does she look effortless and careless, her attitude reflects it too. 

Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina

This one didn't need to convince me of its merit on this list. Designed but Givenchy, Hepburn exudes glamour, sophistication, and confidence. The Siren exequently states the following: 

 "Sabrina, the lovelorn chaffeur's daughter, has learned poise and confidence, the essential elements of style. Even the least observant visitor to Paris sees that a fashionable Frenchwoman wears chic clothing because she IS self-assured, not because she WANTS to be. This, this is what Paris and a genius designer can do for you!" 

Kay Francis in Mandalay

I had never heard of Kay Francis before or this movie, but I can see why she would make The Sirens list. In her silver dress, she looks eye catching and stunning. Any film buff can see how impactful a dress like that can have on the costume and film industry.

I really enjoyed The Sirens blog post. It has been hard finding other blogs similar to my own, so I am excited to find another blog to keep up with.

The Parent Trap: 1998 vs 1961

In a previous post I made, I wrote how the costumes of The Parent Trap express not only character development of the twins, but symbolizes their newfound family bond.

Since the 1998 version of the movie is a remake, I wanted to find similarities in the costumes from the original 1961 film starring Hayley Mills. The 1998 version echos choices made in the original film. The costumes in both films play on the differences the twins have.

Sharon and Annie

 Sharon is the posh, sophisticated twin with long hair; a element kept in the 1998 version. Annie, though British, is refined and classy. Both girls live with their mother, and arrive at camp in style.

Susan and Hallie

Susan and Hallie are the mirror image of each other. Both raised by their Dad, they are rough and tumble, California girls. They are tomboys, showing up with short hair and feisty attitudes.

Together

When the twins are together, their individual styles are reflected. In both movies, the girls wear individualist pieces while still presenting as a unit. Sharon and Annie present more delicately while Susan and Hallie present stronger. Though each girl still holds her own style, each pair of twins start to look more and more like a cohesive unit.

By the end of the film, the girls are dressing identically or almost identically. This is meant to represent the transition from separate lives into one, familial bond. 

 Both movies, though over 40 years apart, capture the essence of sisterhood, love, and family. These costumes reflect how a family can come together despite many differences.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor is one of the top style icons in film. From her famous purple eyes to her unmatched sex appeal, Liz Taylor topped the charts for fashion inspiration. Upon doing more research about her and her impact on the fashion and film community, I came across her Wikipedia page. There is a whole section dedicated to her style and jewelry legacy. It originally read like this:

Taylor is considered a fashion icon both for her film costumes and personal style.^[87][88][89] At MGM, her costumes were mostly designed by Helen Rose and Edith Head,^[90] and in the 1960s by Irene Sharaff.^[88][91] Her most famous costumes include a white ball gown in A Place in the Sun (1951), a Grecian dress in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and a slip and a fur coat in BUtterfield 8 (1960).^[87][88][89] Her make-up look in Cleopatra (1963) started a trend for "cat-eye" make-up done with black eyeliner.^{[5]:135–136}

Though it doesn't seem like anything is amiss, there was one costume missing from her most iconic looks. When you Google "Liz Taylor famous dress," one of the first results is her iconic green A-line dress from the film Suddenly Last Summer. There are countless recreations of her classic green look; so many people associate a green dress with Liz Taylor. I edited the Wikipedia page to reflect this new information.

^{Taylor is considered a fashion icon both for her film costumes and personal style.[87][88][89] At MGM, her costumes were mostly designed by Helen Rose and Edith Head,[90] and in the 1960s by Irene Sharaff.[88][91] Her most famous costumes include a white ball gown in A Place in the Sun (1951), a Grecian dress in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), a green A-line dress in "Suddenly Last Summer"(1959), and a slip and a fur coat in BUtterfield 8 (1960).[87][88][89] Her make-up look in Cleopatra(1963) started a trend for "cat-eye" make-up done with black eyeliner.[5]:135–136}

This new addition to the Wikipedia page allows for further reading and information about Elizabeth Taylor's classic looks. Her iconic green dress is commonly seen on posters of her and even used as her headshot. Hopefully this addition attracts and excited Liz Taylor fans.

What Costumes Are Really Trying To Say

The costumes in film aren't just to look at. They are as much a part of the story as the dialogue, plot, scenery, and characters. It is truly the hidden art form of cinema. The website Indie Film Hustle described the role of a costume designer perfectly, "Costume Design plays an essential but seemingly quiet role in making a movie memorable and making the characters awesome, whether the character was meant to blend into their environment or stand out from it. Costumes can be described as aids by which film makers tell their stories."  The costume can inform so much of the movie as well connect the audience to the story.

Indie Film Hustle points out some metaphorical connections between costumes and the time period they take place. For example, Gone with the Wind takes place during the American Civil War era. When Scarlett O'Hara's character attempts to make her own dress, she symbolizes the period of Reconstruction that follows the war.

Another example of how costumes can transmit plot details is the costume design of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. While the other characters are dressed to reflect the time period of the late 1800s, Willy Wonka's costume stands out in color and design, showing that he is a person ahead of his time. By making his costume a stark contrast to the rest of the group, Wonka is considered "out of this world," aiding to both the plot line and his personal character development.

When costume design is done right, it quietly and subtly informs the audience about the plot. Without the costumes, big idea moments could not be conveyed discreetly.

Miss Congeniality

Miss Congeniality is one of my favorite films. Loving this movie and its content agrees with an earlier statement I made in which I claimed that RomCom movies always have the best fashion. I still stand by that statement, and this movie supports my hypothesis.  This movie takes the classic tale of a down on her luck, unfashionable woman and turns her into a confident, stylish lady. While I do believe the clothes don't hold all the magic in a "transformation," I do understand how a little closet update can really give someone the confidence boost they need. In this scenario, Sandra Bullocks character is put in an uncomfortable situation of transforming into a pageant winner. But, without going out of her comfort zone, she would not learn and grow as a character; an internal transformation always exceeds any type of external change.  

The following sequence shows how FBI Agent Hart takes on the persona of Gracie Lou Freebush, the winner of the Miss New Jersey Beauty Pageant.

Though Sandra Bullocks' character looks amazing in her new clothes, shedding her old uniform and putting on a new one did not change the core of her personality. By stepping into unfamiliar territory, she opened her heart to new friends. Without this external change, the internal growth would not be possible. 

Pretty Woman

The year is 1990. Julia Roberts is a young fresh face listed next to hot shot actor Richard Gere. Julia plays a sex worker who makes her way into the heart of a stone cold lawyer. The movie follows Julia's character Vivian as she transitions into a lifestyle of luxury, but her costume in the first half of the movie is iconic. 

Julia wears a tie-dye mini skirt that is attached to a white tank top by a silver ring. She starts off wearing a blonde bob wig, but then lets her red hair flow. Costume designer Marilyn Vance created this look, influencing every generation of Julia Roberts wannabes.

This outfit is easily one of the most recognizable costumes around Halloween. Girls of all ages dress as Vivian and catch the eye of many fans of the movie. Even Julia's own niece Emma Roberts dressed as her one year.

This costume has inspired, impressed, and shaped many female generations since the movies release. This movie not only teaches women to be body positive, proud, and tough, but shows that no matter how anyone dresses, the most important thing in life is inner beauty. No matter how this costume is recreated or worn, it represents a strong female role model. 

Costume Designer Sandy Powell

Sandy Powell is one of the most famous costume designers of the 21th century. Her recent work includes-

• The Young Victoria 
• The Favourite 
• Cinderella 
• Carol 
• The Wolf of Wall Street
• Mary Poppins Returns

Though she has designed costumes for films that take place within the last 20 years, she primarily designs costumes for period pieces. The Young Victoria, The Favourite, and Cinderella all take place somewhere around 1750 to 1880. Powell expertly captures the essence of these time periods by taking into consideration class struggle, popular trends, colors, patterns, and political affairs.

Though movies such as Carol, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Mary Poppins Returns take place more recently, Powell continues her great work on designing costumes for these time periods. The costumes seen in these movies also capture the essence of each time period, displaying complicated topics such as the sadness of the depression, the gender roles of the 50s, and the absurd wealth of the 80s and 90s.

Powell has won many awards for her work. Most recently she has won the following awards.

• British Academy Film Awards (2009, 2018)
• Costume Designer Guild Award (2009, 2018)
• Academy Award (2004, 2009)

Sandy Powell will go down in history as one of the most famous female costume designers. Her work is remarkable, respected, and admired. 

4 Films That Influenced Fashion

Here are the top 4 Films that influenced fashion and style!


1. Grease
Although Grease didn't come out until the late 70s, the movie displays popular clothing styles from the 1950s. The ladies wear poodle skirts, cat eye glasses, swing dresses, and of course, leather. This movie makes audiences nostalgic for the fashion of the 50s, thus influencing style with all things retro.

2. Annie Hall

Annie Hall is weird, quirky, and completely individualistic. Her baggy clothing and masculine choices influenced women everywhere. Annie Hall broke the boundaries of gender conforming clothing and showed that women can feel secure in themselves no matter what they wear. 

3. Clueless
The 90s trend of clothing has never been more popular than right now. Clueless is the pinnacle of mastering this trend and provides countless ideas for how to dress like it is 1992. Cher and her friends wear knee high socks, plaid, chunky shoes, and sheer tops. They embody the carefree and easy going schoolgirl look.

4. Desperately Seeking Susan
This movie is a time capsule for 80s fashion. Capris, leggings, bright colors, mesh tops, gloves, hair-bows, studded boots, and bustiers are only a few clothing items that appear in the movie. Along with the teased hair, thick eyeliner, and painted nails, Madonna and Rosanna Arquette defined the rock and roll chick style of the 80s.

These four movies influenced fashion and styling everywhere. People today still look to these movies for inspiration when picking outfits or trying a new look.

Little Black Dress

The little black dress is a staple of Hollywood films. It is the pinnacle of elegance, style, and grace. No matter which actress wears it, what the plot line is, and what design the dress has, it always serves as a  classic and important feature in any film.

Marilyn Monroe

In the film The Asphalt Jungle, Marilyn wears a sexy and form fitting black dress. With her draped against the door, the dress accentuates her beauty. It is one of Monroe's earliest films, setting her up for her amazing career that followed. 

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn made a lifetime impression for her grace, elegance, and wisdom. It is only fitting that the little black dress she wears in the popular film Breakfast At Tiffany's makes the cut. Women everywhere and in every decade try to recreate her iconic look, making her a symbol of style. 

Reese Witherspoon

A modern classic style icon is the ever famous Elle Woods played by Reese Witherspoon. In this film, Elle trades her cushy California life for law school. When hired at a law firm, she trades in her pink clothes for sophisticated black, showing that she can have it all.  

The Parent Trap

Summer Camp 1996. Girls everywhere are clad in tie dye, overalls, baseball caps, and matching track suits.  It is truly the all American girl dream. But, when a Brit comes to town in her penny loafers, suit, and headband and just so happens to look exactly like another camper, the world of Camp Walden changes forever. Penny Rose expertly designs the costumes in The Parent Trap to reflect how girls can simultaneously be rough and tumble but also gentle and sophisticated. She conveys that stepping into someone else’s shoes and trying on their clothes can open ones mind and prevent judgement. She shows the evolution of both main characters Hallie and Annie; as the movie progresses and the two girls begin to understand each other, their differences internally are reflectors by their clothing choices externally. They go from being two contrasting individuals and morph into a family.

Hallie
Hallie is the more free spirited of the twins. Raised by her Dad in California, she reflects a care free aesthetic. She sports denim...











...vintage baseball jackets...





















...and even wears a qipao as a nod to her San Francisco roots and the vast Chinese community who live there.


Annie 
Annie, born and raised in London, is a classy but sassy English girl. Her style reflects her prim and proper outlook on life. When we first see Annie arrive at camp, she is clad in a full suit.











Even when she gets pranked, her PJs keep her looking elegant.









Her fancy dress attire features delicate touches such as a headband and buttons.

Together
Once the girls realize they are in fact twin sisters and put an end to their rivalry, the two quickly learn to love their differences. They teach each other new things and open their minds to understanding the person they once loathed. Their fashion choices soon reflect this, and they can be seen in matching outfits, a symbol of their newfound alliance.