In many ways Argo is a love letter to the 1970s; through genre, production design, hair and make-up, and especially costume. This is a vivid reconstruction of the era by costume designer Jacqueline West (The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) complete with flares, kipper ties and silk scarves, yet it never strays into parody Anchorman territory. Director and star Ben Affleck’s intelligence agent Tony Mendez is dressed throughout in pseudo cowboy attire: high-waist boot-cut jeans, big buckle belt, Cuban heel boots and sports jacket. He is the enigmatic stranger who strolls into town and solves everybody’s problems and then leaves the lonely hero. Argo’s sartorial standout is…

We cannot cover every costume related story here at Clothes on Film, or even most until we get an army of writers and a faster internet connection. So just in case we have missed anything important here is a head count of costume design articles from around the web this week. Mad Men is tapering off slightly, but there is more and more Great Gatsby out there every day. The Great Gatsby (1974) Costume designer May Routh (The Man Who Fell to Earth, being There) remembers when the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby was released, “For one scene the director decided the extras would all jump in a fountain…

The week, the costume stories. Oldboy Ruth Carter on working with Elizabeth Olsen and co. for Spike Lee’s upcoming remake. Some really fab costume sketches too. Piero Tosi The wonderful costume designer (The Leopard, The Night Porter), now 86, receives an honorary Oscar. Sleepy Hollow Generous costume designer Kristin M. Burke once again answers fan questions on Twitter. We really must catch up with this show. 20 Worst Dressed Movie Characters Don’t agree with half of these but it’s a fun list nonetheless. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Further insight into Trish Sumerville’s creative process. This interview, by Kristen Hohenadel, is one of the best currently doing the rounds. …and…

We’ll put our hands up and say right off the bat that we were not looking forward to this remake of Chan-wook Park’s 2003 South-Korean masterpiece Oldboy. It really seemed like the absolute definition of why not to remake a film: namely that it’s brilliant in the first place and because it’s not in English. Unfortunately this (admittedly earlyish) red-band trailer of director Spike Lee’s 2013 interpretation has done little to change our mind: Lee has again worked with costume designer Ruth E. Carter, who make no mistake is a genius – Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Amistad, these and more are reasons why she is at the top…

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…

Must admit, we kind of saw this one coming. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire costume designer Trish Summerville has teamed up with online fashion retailer Net-a-Porter to produce 16 ready-to-wear outfits, leather goods and jewellery tied into the film. These ensembles will available exclusively at Net-a-Porter while being simultaneously promoted through Lionsgate’s Capital Couture website. Summerville, recently honoured as Costume Designer of the Year at the 10th Annual Style Awards, commented she’s “extremely proud of the designs that we created for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and there’s no partner more appropriate for Capitol Couture than the world’s most cutting-edge luxury retailer”. If anyone can make such a collection work,…

Hats are one of the standout trends from this season’s Fall/Winter Collections. They add elegance and glamour to any outfit for both men and women. Costume Designer Theadora Van Runkle’s Oscar nominated work for Bonnie and Clyde (1967), directed by Arthur Penn and starring Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow and Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker, is a great example of how the simple addition of a hat can say a lot about a character. The function of hats and other forms of headwear are not simply to cover the head and protect it from the elements. Their use has defined social and cultural identity throughout mankind’s history, and they go…

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…

A few costume related stories you may have missed this week. Costume Designers Guild Video: concealing and simulating pregnancy with costume. Last Night Lucie Goulet analyses the use of a very specific navy blue dress worn by Keira Knightley in Last Night. Behind the Candelabra Cannot wait for this one. Ellen Mirojnick opens Liberace’s closet. Game of Thrones Visions of Westeros: Michele Clapton talks about costuming Game of Thrones – “I try to indicate the emotional state of the characters.” Star Trek Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, aka Hello Tailor, analyses all the Star Trek uniforms, including Into Darkness, so you don’t have to. Essential reading. The Great Gatsby My goodness, Vogue can…

This looks fun, like a Ray Harryhausen Sinbad movie crossed with Game of Thrones. Starring Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore and Ben Barnes, Seventh Son is a supernatural fantasy about an ancient evil rising up to annihilate mankind. Filthy looking costume design by Jacqueline West (Argo). A couple of things stand out: firstly that Moore’s character Mother Malkin (wonderful name) appears to be rocking a feathered cape inspired by Snow White and the Huntsman and secondly, ruffs are making a comeback. The trailer is dark so it’s difficult to make out finer details, but it appears West is keeping costume grizzly and medieval without going cutting crazy. It’s either your cup…