Clothes on film

Clothes from films set during 1940s Examining the shirt collars of all the gentleman in 1941 noir classic, The Maltese Falcon. Author Caroline Young has just released a fascinating new book entitled Hitchcock’s Heroines (published by Insight Editions). It celebrates and studies the women in Hitchcock movies; their influence, semblance and iconography. What’s more, Young also examines the role costume design plays with these women, both the characters and the actresses who played them, and how they can be interpreted as far more than just ‘icy blondes’. Here we have an extract of the book exclusively for Clothes on Film: Kim Novak’s grey suit the colour of San Francisco fog…

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) is the perfect mid-sixties set fashion movie. As Rosemary, Mia Farrow wears racks of cute outfits throughout. These are mainly shift dresses with Peter Pan collars, though she also dons a sumptuous plaid skirt at one point for a curled up read on the sofa. Her co-star John Cassavetes sports some stylish threads of his own, including colourful turtlenecks, sports jackets and even a cool blue Penguin polo shirt. Yet, unsurprisingly, all the best outfits belong to Mia – and the chiffon trouser suit in stunning red is one of her best. Costumer Anthea Sylbert designed Mia’s wardrobe herself – assumedly easier than finding three year old…

Jacqueline West is one of the most interesting costume designers we have featured at Clothes on Film. Her credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network and most recently Argo directed by Ben Affleck for which she is CDG nominated (Excellence in Period Film). Yet West did not set out to be a costume designer, instead forging a career in fashion during the 1970s. It was not until director Philip Kaufman hired her to assistant costume Henry & June in 1989 that she tentatively entered the profession and then continued to shine, essentially self-taught from books by the one costume designer she had heard of – Edith…

Hark, children, upon the breeze comes a glorious sound. Nay, ’tis not the sweet melody of birdsong, but instead the pained cries of a thousand apoplectic Twitter-gammon lurching from theatres with their testicles firmly nestled in their abdomen. There are few people in this world I’d give up my breakfast for but having delightedly squealed my way through Birds of Prey at a suburban matinée last Friday, costume designer Erin Benach is now one of them. What she, and the female-centric hub of talent behind BoP have achieved, is something as necessary as it is refreshing and endearing: zero fucks, character driven wardrobes that work for the women inhabiting them.…

Clothes from films set during 1960s This is part 2 (part 1 HERE) of an expanded article Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty wrote for men’s style resource MR PORTER analysing Michael Caine’s suits in The Italian Job. This post covers all the costumes he wore during the film. We rejoin Charlie and his ragtag crew at the big meeting when the gang are all introduced to each other. It had to be a Doug Hayward moment and thankfully does not disappoint. In actual fact it is probably Michael Caine’s best fitting suit in the whole movie: Dark blue worsted wool suit; double breasted jacket, wide peaked lapels, 6 on…

Two weeks of costume stories. Sheena Napier DTSFT cover this prolific costume designer’s chat at the V&A. And if you’ve not heard of Ms Napier we’ll just say: Backbeat, Poirot, Enchanted April. Sandy Powell Nice rundown of Ms. Powell’s Young Victoria event at the Getty Center. Lauren Fonville guest posts for Frocktalk. Wendy Benstead The costumer for stage and screen talks to Guise about her career so far, from sewing on her old Bernina to dressing Paloma Faith. We’ve met Wendy and she’s lovely. Debbie Reynolds Auction The Finale. Still time to sell your car, house, spouse. 14 Worst Movie Trainers Actually like most of these. Captain America: The Winter…

When you are costuming the biggest franchise release of the year and creating a capsule range to run alongside it for a major online retailer, it is clear a normal approach to the task is not going to work. Ex-stylist and one time assistant for Michael Kaplan, Trish Summerville, one of the fastest rising names in the industry, has purposely sought out what many costume designers shy away from: co-collaborations with new and established fashion designers and, in several cases, pulling clothes directly from the runway. Summerville is smart and savvy with a feel for contemporary trends, though by not designing and making key items for The Hunger Games: Catching…

The first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of War Horse gallops online and it looks sumptuous. Lord Christopher Laverty Comments Off on Spielberg’s War Horse: First Trailer Arrives 3 Jun ’11 20 Jan ’14 14 Jan ’10

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…

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…