cinematic fashion: Cruel Intentions

Cruel Intentions is the 1999 drama following a wealthy stepbrother & stepsister that find pleasure in other people's misery. Living in New York City, going to prep schools, having everything they have ever wanted, Kathryn (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (played by Ryan Phillipe) eventually grow bored of torturing their usual suspects. The two plan a challenge regarding a new girl named Annete (played by Reese Witherspoon). Annette is a good girl, a virgin and lives a life totally different than Kathryn's & Sebastian's.

Kathryn makes a bet that Sebastian won't be able to bed Annette. If he loses the challenge, Kathryn gets Sebastian's jaguar. If he wins, he gets Kathryn. It's a sick and twisted game that eventually goes awry after Sebastian develops real feelings for Annette. The fight between right and wrong and honesty and dishonesty is a fight that Sebastian has to face and it's not easy. Kathryn doesn't make anything easy for anyone.

From a fashion perspective, the whole movie is completely chic. The styling encompasses prep school, wealthy New Yorker, upper crust society in a perfect way. Each of the characters have a wardrobe to absolutely drool over, especially Kathryn. Although she's supposed to be just a teenager in this film, Kathryn's style is classic preppy school girl, very New York and very sexy. Her character oozes sex appeal and her clothing goes right along with that.

Kathryn is a drug addicted, manipulative and troubled girl which serves as a really good contrast to Annette's good girl persona. Their personalities could not be any more different and for two girls attending the same schools with the same amount of money, their styles are polar opposites. Annette's style is filled with innocent silhouettes, pretty and lighthearted color schemes while Kathryn exudes intimidation with her all black, slick and clean fashions.