FILM STYLE CRUSHES

BY: Andy Shoulders

Great fashion isn’t exclusive to films like The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City. There are countless films out there that don’t necessarily put it in the forefront (some do more than others, but still may not be considered “fashion films”). We’ve put together a list of our favorite well-dressed “non-fashion films,” where fashion may not be the focus, but still brings its A-game.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Ok, so this one is definitely more on the fashion-leaning side, but Crazy Rich Asians is more of a complicated love story with a fun fashion montage than it is a fashion film. Mary E. Vogt’s elaborate costuming evoked the feeling of being in a fairy tale, which makes sense considering director Jon M. Chu referenced The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella as influences. The scene that comes to mind (apart from the wedding-prep fashion montage, of course) is when Rachel (Constance Wu) arrives at the wedding in that incredible Marchesa dress. Given Chu’s aforementioned influences, this scene was clearly Rachel’s Cinderella moment. Her ethereal, intricately-detailed gown stood in sharp contrast to Eleanor’s (Michelle Yeoh) stiff, structured Elie Saab dress. In the case of Crazy Rich Asians, the movie is obviously better than the book when it comes to fashion.

 

SHERLOCK HOLMES

The costumes in Guy Ritchie’s re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes were simply magnificent, and costume designer & industry vet Jenny Beavan showed us why she’s the master of her craft. Faced with the daunting task of reinventing Holmes and Watson for the current moviegoer, Beavan created looks that were period-accurate, faithful to the characters, and visually delicious. While Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) seems to be somewhat more mischievous and playful with his looks (i.e. when he is seen wearing the hat of the thug who had just attacked him), Watson (Jude Law) is decidedly more traditional and adheres more closely to convention, giving off the air of someone who means business. We also can’t forget Rachel McAdams’ Irene Adler, whose vibrant dresses & patterns set her apart as a truly different kind of Victorian lady.

ATOMIC BLONDE

If you love 80s-inspired fashion, you’ll love Charlize Theron’s Lorraine Broughton in 2017’s Atomic Blonde. Costume designer Cindy Evans made it a priority to include authentic 80s vintage pieces, particularly for the film’s East Berlin punk kids (the hip hop-inspired track suits were especially great). Theron herself can be seen lounging in a throwback Boy London T-shirt, which was almost like a uniform of that era. Our favorite piece in the film by far is the John Galliano white vinyl trench coat, which just so happens to be Theron’s favorite piece as well. There’s also obviously a lot of Dior (Theron has been a spokesperson for years), but the best use of the brand comes when Lorraine gets herself out of an especially bad situation with the help of a red Dior pump.

 

NINE ½ WEEKS

A boundary-breaking film and true touchstone of the 80s aesthetic, Nine ½ Weeks sent shockwaves through Hollywood before 50 Shades of Grey was even a pipe dream. The story focuses on a steamy, S&M-tinged affair between Elizabeth (Kim Bassinger) and John (Mickey Rourke), and Elizabeth discovers that the more heated the affair becomes, the less she actually knows about John. This film is one to note for its fashion because of the important clues it provides about the characters and storyline. As Elizabeth gets deeper into her affair with John, her fashion gets more provocative as well. Early in the film, we see Elizabeth in oversized, innocent silhouettes (big trench coats and bowler hats), and later on, we literally see her crawling on the floor in a body-con black knit dress, complete with heavy eyeliner and bold red lips. When it comes to using fashion as a direct aid to the storytelling, Nine ½ Weeks stands the test of time for much longer than the title would suggest.

OCEAN’S 8

George Clooney out, Sandra Bullock in. Gary Ross’ Ocean’s 8 is a star-studded and couture-filled tale of female badassery, and costume designer Sarah Edwards had quite a tall order on her hands (the film’s heist takes place at the friggin’ Met Gala!). Edwards masterfully gave each character her own sartorial identity, all while gathering hundreds of Met Gala-worthy gowns. The characters’ wardrobes actually match the actresses who play them perfectly – from Sandra Bullock’s cool, calm, and collected Debbie Ocean, to Cate Blanchett’s effortlessly-cool Lou Miller, to (sorry but true) Anne Hathaway’s snooty Hollywood actress Daphne Kruger. We also have to mention queen-of-the-Met-Gala Rihanna, whose character, computer hacker Nine Ball, favors a baggier silhouette. This is the most apparent departure from the actress-reflects-character theme, but not by much. Rihanna can easily make anything look cool, and she still shows up to the Met Gala (both in the film and in real life) looking like a goddess.

 

 

A SIMPLE FAVOR

Paul Feig’s delightfully insane A Simple Favor features Blake Lively as PR rep Emily and Anna Kendrick as suburban mom Stephanie. The two forge an unlikely bond, and when Emily goes missing, Stephanie sets out to find her incredibly-well-dressed friend. Which is why, in this case, although Kendrick is superb, we have to focus on Lively and her numerous fashion moments in this film. Lively’s Emily is the kind of gal who doesn’t let the elements affect her fashion choices, as we see when she picks up her son from school wearing a navy three-piece suit and six-inch heels…in the pouring rain. Let’s also not forget about arguably one of the most memorable scenes in the film, where Emily strips off her dickey while mixing early-afternoon martinis, to the shock of Kendrick’s Stephanie. The scene was inspired by another iconic fashion moment in film – when Jennifer Beals strips off her tuxedo jacket to reveal a dickey in Flashdance.

KNIVES OUT

For the 2019 whodunit Knives Out, director Rian Johnson and costume designer Jenny Eagan set out to make each character’s look as specific to them as they are to the characters of Clue. Even though each member of the Thrombey family has a very specific style, they are a family after all, so there are similar tones throughout the film, the most obvious of which is their love of money. Eldest daughter Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis) favored bold, monochromatic ensembles in the vein of “understated badass,” which in turn influenced what her husband Richard (Don Johnson) wore. As Linda is clearly the breadwinner of the entire family, it’s almost as if she’s the one who buys Richard’s clothes for him. Still elegant yes, but not the star. And then there’s THAT sweater – the cream-colored cable-knit sweater worn by Chris Evans’ Hugh Ransom Thrombey. For some reason, that one non-descript sweater became the most buzzed-about piece of the film, and I admittedly want it in every color. It’s too bad really, considering Great-Nana (K Callan) was the true unsung hero and sartorial star of the film, and she didn’t utter a single word.

 

THE GENTLEMEN

Guy Ritchie’s second entry on this list, this year’s The Gentlemen is easily an early contender for the most stylish film of 2020. An under-appreciated theme in all of Ritchie’s films is his honest attention to the characters’ wardrobes, and this film is no exception. Actually, it’s more than simply “no exception.” The Gentlemen proudly thrusts its sartorial style to the forefront – a risk that pays off. This is the kind of movie that makes the viewer believe in Saville Row again, which ends up being quite timely during these current months of locked-down fashion uncertainty. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson, who is best known for his work in the DC Extended Universe, focused on meticulous details, such Coach’s (Colin Farrell) glasses, suits made exclusively for the film by on-set tailor Sheikh Ali, and those amazing leopard-skin Christian Louboutin loafers worn by Henry Golding’s super-villain Dry Eye.

 

Check out these amazing films for fabulous fashion moments that you may have missed. Any films with under-the-radar great fashion we may have missed? Sound off in the comment section!