As a new feature for Clothes on Film, we will uploading regular videos (say every couple of weeks) to YouTube examining the costume design of new and classic movies, plus selected television and trailers. This is mainly because Clothes on Film’s creator and editor Christopher Laverty (waves) has been busy on other projects (ahem, buy the book) and has not had the opportunity to update the site as much as he’d like. Returning to more regular posting, it felt like a change was needed as there are already over 400 articles currently on here. Hence the idea of video. There will be some written articles added, but for the most……

Ben Affleck’s pseudo-cowboy costume in Argo harks back to the golden age of the sports jacket. Christmas comes early for anyone looking forward to The Dark Knight Rises, as Warner Bros. has just released a full trailer. Costume designer Carloine Harris has recreates the vibrant look of the 1970s.

In honour of The Times’ film critic Kevin Maher’s list of iconic movie rebels, we take a look at what it truly takes to make a tough guy in cinema. What constitutes a tough guy, as in ‘man’, on film is usually a traditional interpretation of masculinity. There is always room for the sensitive hero in a sweater and slacks, but for those who watch movies as ingrained wish fulfilment, the sexy and sweaty man’s man needs suitable attire to reflect his personality. But it is not just about the garments themselves. A jacket is a jacket, but a leather jacket is a symbol. A wax jacket on the other…

In the season 3 episode ‘Souvenir’, Betty Draper (January Jones) undergoes a dramatic style transformation. Following an impromptu trip to Rome, she temporarily drops the pinched, pretty; near-outmoded late fifties style dresses to instead don the very latest in European chic, specifically a colourful maxi dress that belongs in sleepy Ossining just about as much as she does. Betty accompanying Don (Jon Hamm) on his business trip likely had two intentions: to run away from her feelings for Henry Francis and to rekindle desire with her husband. In such a romantic setting, away from the kids and free to role play, the latter prevails – at least in the short…

A few costume design links on this fine day. Orange is the New Black Jenn Rogien talks about this season’s costumes. Colleen Atwood She’s making handbags now, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, look a bit like a cross between Fendi and Hermès. Jem and the Holograms Soyon An is the stylist tasked with bringing the best dressed cartoon of all time to life. The Women Kay Noske nails it again with this post about Adrian’s brilliant and totally bonkers costumes. Pretty Little Liars Video: Even if you haven’t seen the show (it’s huge in the US), this interview with uber cool costume designer Mandi Line is well worth four minutes of your……

MINOR SPOILERS At a pivotal juncture during the Fathers & Sons episode of Godless (2017), the camera tracks into a pink ribbon tied on the back of young woman’s hair; a woman who is suffering from the onset symptoms of smallpox and unlikely to find recovery. Later in the episode we pan across dozens of freshly dug but unnamed graves each with it’s own crucifix. We don’t see the woman again, but on one of the crucifixes is tied a pink ribbon. Such is the power of even the slightest costume and accessory details in Godless, the narrative is informed by their very presence. Costume designer for Godless was Betsy……

In honour of The Times’ film critic Kevin Maher’s list of iconic movie rebels, we take a look at what it truly takes to make a tough guy in cinema. What constitutes a tough guy, as in ‘man’, on film is usually a traditional interpretation of masculinity. There is always room for the sensitive hero in a sweater and slacks, but for those who watch movies as ingrained wish fulfilment, the sexy and sweaty man’s man needs suitable attire to reflect his personality. But it is not just about the garments themselves. A jacket is a jacket, but a leather jacket is a symbol. A wax jacket on the other…

Amongst staggering aural and visual assault, perhaps one of the quietest aspects of Dunkirk (2017, directed by Christopher Nolan) are its costumes – and this is to its credit. Dunkirk is the type of film that requires you to engage quickly with everything you see on screen. Jeffrey Kurland’s costume design is masterful in this regard. A sea of subtly differentiated green and brown with the pop of naval uniforms and briefly glimpsed civilian wear. This is 1940 at its most spare and rudimentary. Here, Jeffrey Kurland chats exclusively to Clothes on Film about his process for creating the world of Dunkirk: SPOILERS THROUGHOUT Clothes on Film: How did you……

For a big budget movie about a lone astronaut who gets stranded on Mars, the spacesuits in The Martian are surprisingly sober in terms of design. There is an attempt here to make everything seem as plausible as possible, costume design especially. Director Ridley Scott’s regular costumer Janty Yates has created possibly the sexiest spacesuits ever seen on screen, and what’s more they are functional. To paraphrase a line in the film, she had to “science the shit out of them”. Yates collaborated with NASA looking specifically at their Z1 and Z2 prototypes to create an EVA (‘Extravehicular Activity’ – any time the crew must go outside) suit and surface…

A brief glimpse at the costume world Mark Bridges created for Joker. Lord Christopher Laverty Comments Off on The Costuming of Joaquin Phoenix in Joker 1 Nov ’13 22 Jul ’11 19 Oct ’10