Trailer for Amelia Touches Down: Radical fashions of 1920s-30s

Judging by this trailer for Amelia, Mira Nair’s dramatisation of female aviator Amelia Earhart’s extraordinary life starring Hilary Swank, vintage fashion fans are in for a serious treat.

The costumes look accurate and, most important of all, not overdone. Amelia Earhart was known for her practical and modernistic sense of style throughout the 1920s – early 1930s. Yet she still retained femininity by reappropriating rather than flat out rejecting trends of the time. She was a radical, not a revolutionist.

In addition to the ubiquitous leather flying jacket and fur-topped leather trench, expect (deep breath) dropped waist just-below-the-knee dresses with relaxed bodices, short hair, short pants, day slacks, jodhpurs, plain prints with contrasting colours, loose silk scarves, functional and decorative button sweaters, crisp white shirts, black neckties, Coco Chanel and Jean Patou inspired sportswear including cardigans, sleeveless tennis sweaters, possibly sailor frocks, and, of course, a dash of comfortable jersey cotton.

In short just about everything that foreran, was inspired by, and derived from ‘le garçonne’ look of the 1920s. Can’t wait. Breathe again.

Amelia is released on 23rd October.