The 1945 cinematic adaptation of Mildred Pierce, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring, of course, Joan Crawford, is a very different beast to the 2011 HBO mini-series starring Kate Winslet. In all honestly it is not as good, but more significantly it is very different in terms of costume. Interestingly enough the mini-series, which is evidently a period piece, is closer in terms of historical accuracy than the near contemporary set Crawford version. This is not the be all and end all, because while Winslet’s Pierce may feel more real in terms of costume and setting, Crawford’s is arguably more fun. If for no other reason than to exemplify how……

A brief video dip into the costume design of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. SPOILERS THROUGHOUT Having recently finished a six week, six episode run on the BBC, John le Carré adapted spy drama The Little Drummer Girl was divisive in terms of audience reaction. Some found the plot impossible to follow, others revelled in the cloak and dagger shenanigans of twenty-something Charmain ‘Charlie’ Ross (Florence Pugh), a low level actress drawn into a high stakes mission of infiltrating a Palestinian revolutionary group in 1979. The show’s costume design by Sheena Napier and Stephen Noble inspired equal division. While most enjoyed the eye-popping period ensembles and how they exemplified…

Well, first proper look anyway, here in the still untitled Spider-Man reboot directed by Marc Webb. There is not much to see, though it is a nice shot of star Andrew Garfield in the full outfit, minus mask. (15/02/11): Now first and second look… here is the next teaser image released by Columbia, this time what looks to be an entirely CG pic. At least we get a nice reveal of the web spinners + a title: The Amazing Spider-Man. In this image it does not appear that costume designer Kym Barrett (The Matrix, Eragon) has reworked the classic (or should that be ‘ultimate’?) Spider-Man uniform too heavily. The ‘webbing’…

A young man goes on the lam for supposed sabotage of an aircraft factory in California where he works during the Second World War. Some immediately judge him innocent, others guilty; though there is one point on which they all agree: to be a saboteur you must surely dress like one. The ‘saboteur’ in question is Barry Kane (played by Robert Cummings). Kane spends the entire story chased from West Coast to East Coast by law enforcement officials and, eventually, those responsible for his predicament – the real saboteurs, a shadowy group of mostly high society types who dress in top hat and tails and have friends in very high…

Costume catch up time. Puttin’ on the Glitz Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty will be teaming up with the incomparable Amber Jane Butchart for an exciting talk at the British Library. Man of Steel Michael Wilkinson talks about his design process on the film, plus his overall approach to costuming in general at this LACMA event. For Tyranny of Style, Brianne Gillen records the details. Divergent Carlo Poggioli’s costume sketches and character info. Looks good, but will probably save reading this until after watching. Due 21st. Constantine First look at the trenchcoat wearing, Sting-alike lead character for NBC’s new television series. True Detective Costume designer Jenny Eagan talks about……

Costume designer Ann Roth, arguably one of the greatest of her craft still working in Hollywood, has costumed director Steven Spielberg’s latest The Post, and by the looks of this first trailer we are in for a muted treat: What we have are gentlemen sporting classic collar points with moderate spread, sometimes short sleeve (always with a chest pocket – a very American touch) and medium breadth neckties. The occasional kipper, but this 1971 is a very different world than, say, The Deuce (costume designer Anna Terrazas). The seventies may have ushered in increasingly wide flared trousers and oversized lapels but it’s doubtful we’ll see much of those in The……

A quiet week for costume. Game of Thrones New costume and props exhibition to travel around the world. No dribbling over the embroidery, but you can sit on the Iron Throne. …and check out Daenerys’ ‘hot new dress’ in this video featurette at The Mary Sue. Avengers: Age of Ultron Another day, another superhero story. Possibly a few early clues about freshly cast Paul Pettany’s costume. Silent Witness We’ve just stumbled across this article, probably from the early 2000s, that neatly demonstrates what costume designers have to put up with when stars of popular drama series’ overindulge. The 22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition Actual costumes from…

The final outfit for analysis from To Catch a Thief (1954, directed by Alfred Hitchcock) encompasses and challenges the absolute femininity of Grace Kelly, here playing wilful blueblood Frances Stevens. After suffering an embarrassing verbal defeat by mademoiselle Danielle Foussard (Brigitte Auber), in simply donning a coral pink top and pleated skirt with driving gloves, Frances is back in control. This particular ensemble, or rather the skirt, was a request by Grace to the film’s costume designer Edith Head. Keen at this point in the story to restore what she saw as a more ‘womanly’ inference to Frances, trousers, or even Capri pants, were not considered enough. Yet this is…

We have teamed up with ace movie t-shirt maestros Last Exit to Nowhere to find the coolest dressed character in the movies. As the season of generosity is upon us, we have FIVE t-shirts to give away to FIVE separate winners. That’s an über trendy film t-shirt, of your choice, on your lucky body. Happy Christmas. As we said, what would like to do is find the coolest dressed character in film. Now, what we basically mean by this is whoever, he or she, exudes the most amount of self-assurance on screen. As an example, consider Cousin Eddie (played by Randy Quaid) in the image above from National Lampoon’s Christmas…

Happy New Year everyone! Life Without Zoe, The Canyons Two well researched and well written posts by Superqueen. This site is always worth a scoot around. 12 Years a Slave Costume Designer Patricia Norris is 82 years young. Cancel your retirement. The Most Iconic Costumes of all Time Marilyn’s dress in The Seven Year Itch? No, frankly. Ellen Mirojnick The Costume Cafe podcast with a lady we adore here at Clothes on Film. Inside Llewyn Davis Frocktalk reviews the extraordinary ‘sweaterville’ work of Mary Zophres for the Coens’ latest. Michael Wilkinson For Guise magazine, Joe Kucharski chats to Michael Wilkinson about digital illustration in costume design. Big Screen Style Moments…