Happy New Ye- oh we’ve done that already. Carry on. ‘How Hollywood is ruining a Billion Dollar Industry’ Amber Jane Butchart found this amazing article from 1938 and it is essential, and occasionally shocking, reading. Inside Llewyn Davis Video: Legendary costume designer Mary Zophres shares a few words about ‘uptown and downtown’ style. Ane Crabtree Contributor Kristin Koga talks to the costume designer about her career so far and their shared ethnicity. Cannot recommend this interview enough. Giorgio Armani GA chats to ES about his famous movie suits. Funnily enough he neglects to mention that Marilyn Vance-Straker had to re-tailor all his costumes for The Untouchables because they didn’t fit…

Two weeks of catch up for you. Phillip Boutte Jr. This is something special. Tyranny of Style interview costume illustrator Phillip Boutte Jr. featuring some of his fabulous digital renderings from X-Men: Days of Future Past. Wonder Woman Apparently ‘exclusive’ costume details for the Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie, which is due April 2016. Wonder Woman will look ‘badass’. The Best Movie Sunglasses of ALL TIME So says Vogue. Penny Dreadful Brilliant look at the show’s costume design with insight from Gabriella Pescucci. Love the French impressionists inspiration. Clueless This is kinda cool – clothes retailer Metail have introduced a Cher style style wardrobe selector. We have the…

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.…

Two-part BBC drama The 7.39 could have been your average ‘man meets woman and has an affair’ tale. However, the overall verdict has been one of admiration at not only the amazing acting from its star players but also the script, which took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster throughout its glorious two hours. But again, often overlooked is the costume, in this case contemporary. The story of the female lead, Sally Thorn, played by Sheridan Smith with a wonderful naturalness, is particularly clearly told through what she wears (costume design by Lucinda Wright). Carl Matthews (believably played by David Morrissey) is stuck in a rut. Tired of his job,…

That is the long and the short of it: according to the wise words of this month’s Vogue India, Clothes on Film are one of the leading voices in digital fashion coverage. The exact words of their writer Dal Chodha were ‘game changer’, so we’ll happily run with that. You can read the full Vogue article in THIS PDF. We’re on page 156, the piece begins at p 148. Honestly we are not entirely sure what being bestowed such an honour means, but with names such as Victoria Beckham and Burberry included in the list we must be doing (and saying) something right. It does make Clothes on Film seem…

The teaser trailer for James Bond’s 23rd cinematic outing Skyfall hits and, as you might expect, raises anticipation levels to the stratosphere. From a clothes perspective there are no great reveals here; little more than the drip feed of Tom Ford suit shots we have been fed so far. Costume designer for Skyfall, Jany Temime, is new to the world of Bond but appears to be keeping things traditional. Seeing 007 in a tracksuit is not too devastating (he is jogging), lounge suits are slim and sober harking back to Sean Connery’s reign, there is a tux, and if anyone can wear a ¾ length black overcoat – also see…

Latest and possibly last trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby before its début at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. It mainly focuses on the film’s contemporary soundtrack (which totally works), but there are still of plenty of Catherine Martin’s glamorous costumes to admire. We have already made our thoughts clear on the Catherine Martin/Prada collaboration for The Great Gatsby in THIS ARTICLE. It is worth reiterating however that even though Prada’s name shouts loudly from most overexcited fashion websites as having designed all of Carey Mulligan’s costumes as Daisy Buchanan, in reality Prada only designed one of her costumes from scratch – a party dress. Moreover Ms.…

We may have to eat our words, but as it stands 12 Years a Slave is unlikely to win the Best Costume Design Oscar. It does tick some of the necessary boxes: it’s period (mid 19th century), features both crinolines and cravats, and is part of the popular ballot. Yet being as the protagonist spends most of his time in just an increasingly distressed tunic shirt, the Academy may just feel costume designer Patricia Norris has really not worked hard enough. Flippancy toward the Academy aside, 12 Years a Slave remains a wonderfully rich costume experience. Every fibre leaps off the screen with detail and feeling. The cool weave of…

Without pretending this will be as exhaustive as the Clothes on Film costume guide (parts ONE and TWO) for Sherlock Holmes (2009), here we go with a lighter, though still hopefully informative analysis of its sequel, A Game of Shadows (2011, directed by Guy Ritchie). Again the film’s costume designer has lent a hand, and again Oscar winner Jenny Beavan needs no further introduction. So not pausing for backstory or padding and on the assumption of spoilers ahead, let us begin… John Watson (Jude Law) is introduced first sitting at his desk in a grey herringbone tweed waistcoat, white striped stiff collar shirt and brown patterned necktie. Always in tweed,…

Without pretending this will be as exhaustive as the Clothes on Film costume guide (parts ONE and TWO) for Sherlock Holmes (2009), here we go with a lighter, though still hopefully informative analysis of its sequel, A Game of Shadows (2011, directed by Guy Ritchie). Again the film’s costume designer has lent a hand, and again Oscar winner Jenny Beavan needs no further introduction. So not pausing for backstory or padding and on the assumption of spoilers ahead, let us begin… John Watson (Jude Law) is introduced first sitting at his desk in a grey herringbone tweed waistcoat, white striped stiff collar shirt and brown patterned necktie. Always in tweed,…