Kristin Burke | Clothes on Film

It was late November, 2016 when I visited the set of The Conjuring 2 (directed by James Wan). The reason I never wrote about it for Clothes on Film or anywhere else was because of my official role on the day: I was playing an extra (or background artist if you like) during the film’s Maida Vale pub scene. Specifically this is the moment when real life husband and wife paranormal investigator team, Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) meet with noted experts in their field to discuss the validity of their current case, aka the Enfield poltergeist. I made the finished cut, by the skin of my…

Give us three minutes; we’ll give you the costume world. Amy Adams Current actress of the moment and friend of costume designers everywhere, Amy Adams, is to be honoured at this year’s CDG awards on 22nd February. Totò a colori Satin, peplums, artsy tortoiseshell spectacles and Sophia Loren with unshaven armpits. Superqueen explains exactly why we should all seek out Totò a colori. Game of Thrones Finally someone has realised it is ALL about the embroidery. The Great Gatsby Catherine Martin chats to HitFlix about “colour obsessed” Baz Luhrmann. Easy to Love Engrossing post by Kay Noske at Movie Star Makeover, all about Helen Rose’s fantastic colour combinations for Easy…

What have you missed costume wise this week? Well…. Sandy Powell In conversation with Kinvara Balfour at the Regent Street Apple Store, 18th November. Scandal Lyn Paolo has no intention of becoming a fashion designer. Sleepy Hollow We’re a bit behind with this now but looking forward to a marathon catch up. Here series costume designer Kristin M. Burke answers fan questions posed on Twitter. Bad Grandpa Kristin Burke chats to costume designer Lindsey Kear about working without a script. The Great Gatsby Catherine Martin was initially worried the film would look like “a flapper themed 21st birthday party”. Thor: The Dark World Spoilers abound, but if you’ve seen the…

Mainly TV costume this week. The Good Wife ‘Not strong women dressed as men’ – cice interview with costume designer Daniel Lawson. Scandal Costume designer Lyn Paolo on just how amazing Kerry Washington is going to look in season 3. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talk Video:’Costume is invisible’ – Kristin Burke’s fascinating and fantastic TED Talk. She’s a natural teacher and raconteur. Self-Styled Siren Thought provoking post by Farran Nehme (thanks to Nicola Balkind for the nudge): applying James Laver’s law to cinema costumes. The IT Crowd Rebecca Hywel-Jones muses over those final episode costumes. Masters of Sex Loads more from costume designer Ane Crabtree. The show debuts on UK…

This week’s costume biggies. The Great Race Karen Noske analyses the exceptional work of Edith Head for Natalie Wood. Breaking Bad Emma Fraser looks at Lydia’s blue coat (and her influence on Todd’s clothing) in recent episodes. Downton Abbey Caroline McCall keeps the Downton ladies covered up. Kristin M. Burke The veteran costume designer tackles the increasing problem of internet haters critiquing work they do not understand. Cinema and Clothes By Dal Chodha, with a teeny contribution by yours truly. Rush Much better interview with costume designer Julian Day than the last one we linked to. Masters of Sex Ane Crabtree on her late 1950s designs for the Showtime drama.…

Costume designer Ann Roth’s template for Working Girl (1988, directed by Mike Nichols) is especially astute with regards to the social and geographical make up of its characters. Protagonist Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) is a homely girl raised and living in Staten Island, New York. Currently working as a secretary in Manhattan (not ‘executive assistant’, reflecting vernacular of the time), as is her best friend Cynthia (Joan Cusack). Tess, however, has gained a degree through night school and harbours ambitions to use it for more constructive tasks than answering the telephone and fetching toilet paper for bawdy stockbrokers. After being set up for a ‘date’ that turned out to be…

Read about the clever ‘ordinariness’ of the Paranormal Activity 2’s costume design in an exclusive interview with Kristin M. Burke.

Paranormal Activity 2 does look interesting; not least costume wise. In a very ordinary way.