Posted by Chris Laverty on June 1, 2009 While still alluring, as practically anything is on Grace Kelly, this is perhaps her least successful outfit overall from Rear Window (1954, as Lisa Fremont). The jacket seems slightly too long and loose for the slenderness of the skirt; it doesn’t fit Kelly’s figure as comfortably as it might. However even with its faults the suit still reflects a vital side of Lisa’s complex personality: her professional, tailored femininity. More…

Posted by Chris Laverty on July 8, 2009 This is the last outfit Grace Kelly wore for Rear Window (1954), during the very last shot in fact. This is complex as opposed to absolute Kelly womanliness, though no less appealing for it: Red casual men’s shirt with button-down collar and pushed up sleeves. Tails are held together with a scarf ring to form a decorative side sash on the waist. More…

Posted by Chris Laverty on July 8, 2009 This is the last outfit Grace Kelly wore for Rear Window (1954), during the very last shot in fact. This is complex as opposed to absolute Kelly womanliness, though no less appealing for it: Red casual men’s shirt with button-down collar and pushed up sleeves. Tails are held together with a scarf ring to form a decorative side sash on the waist. More…

Posted by Chris Laverty on July 8, 2009 This is the last outfit Grace Kelly wore for Rear Window (1954), during the very last shot in fact. This is complex as opposed to absolute Kelly womanliness, though no less appealing for it: Red casual men’s shirt with button-down collar and pushed up sleeves. Tails are held together with a scarf ring to form a decorative side sash on the waist. More…

Posted by Chris Laverty on July 8, 2009 This is the last outfit Grace Kelly wore for Rear Window (1954), during the very last shot in fact. This is complex as opposed to absolute Kelly womanliness, though no less appealing for it: Red casual men’s shirt with button-down collar and pushed up sleeves. Tails are held together with a scarf ring to form a decorative side sash on the waist. Grace Kelly was known for her love of scarves so this might have been her own decorative touch. It definitely adds a hint of ‘womanliness’ to what is essentially a male item of clothing. Slim indigo denim jeans with turned…

Posted by Chris Laverty on May 26, 2009 Swing Time (1936) is full of lovely outfits, and all very luxurious thirties to lull cinemagoers out of their economic depression. Fred is near permanently attired in full evening suit – bar an immaculate fur collared overcoat and silk scarf for the snow sequence, while Ginger dons costume designer Bernard Newman’s flowing gowns for dancing and Chanel style suits and fox fur for day wear. Among all this luxury is a plain, yet deliciously feminine black dress worn for the ‘Pick Yourself Up’ waltz. This is a classic example of 1930s praise for a curvy female form. Post Hays code, dresses displayed…

Posted by Chris Laverty on November 7, 2009 Glasgow born fashion designer Holly Fulton is to contribute ten outfits for Sarah Jessica Parker in the Sex and the City sequel. Not bad going as the film is likely to be a ninety minute catwalk with occasional rudies. For Fashion East, Holly Fulton’s outfits are delicious vintage inspired soup with a garnish of insanity. Maybe not what one would immediately expect for the glitzy ra-ra world of SATC. Fulton herself, though, would disagree. More… Posted by Chris Laverty on November 6, 2009 Of course Rear Window (1954) wasn’t all about Grace Kelly… Just a quick mention then for Miss Lonelyheart played…

Posted by Chris Laverty on May 23, 2009 Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood Directed by: McG The terminator, as represented first and best by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is an obvious signifier for brutish masculinity on film: black leather biker jacket, muscular build, modest dialogue. The irony being, of course, that he is a machine. In Terminator Salvation (2009) this iconic manifestation stays in place, but the clothes and actor change. Not for the first time this has occurred (Schwarzenegger isn’t the only actor to play a terminator after all), but in this film his replacement looks more or less the same. After the slim-framed T-1000 (Robert Patrick) and the…

Posted by Chris Laverty on September 24, 2009 Natalie Portman’s behind the scenes movie site MakingOf are running an exclusive interview with The September Issue director R.J. Cutler. He discusses the challenges he experienced making the piece and his thoughts on its main star, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The September Issue is a documentary following all the work that goes into producing an issue of monthly fashion bible Vogue. The film focuses specifically on the September ‘07 edition, which was the single biggest issue (840 pages) of a magazine, any magazine, ever produced. Chiefly though The September Issue is about renowned (infamous or famous, depending on your point of view)…

Posted by Chris Laverty on October 13, 2009 Featuring couture as cool and disaffecting its protagonist, Belle de Jour (1967, directed by Luis Buñuel) has much to say through its ambiguous antiplot narrative and can be read effectively through costume. Catherine Deneuve plays Séverine, a bourgeois housewife unable to commit sexually to her husband Pierre (Jean Sorel). Instead she fulfils her sadomasochistic fantasies by becoming prostitute ‘Belle de jour’ at an intimately run brothel. More…