cinematic fashion: I'm Not There

I'm Not There is a 2007 biographical musical film directed by Todd Haynes, inspired by iconic American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Six actors depict different facets of Dylan's life and public persona: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw.

At the start of the film, a caption reads: "Inspired by the music and the many lives of Bob Dylan". Besides song credits, this is the only time Dylan's name appears in the film. The look of the entire film is extremely inspired and related to Bob Dylan's signature style and life. The messy hair, black Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses, all black form fitting suits. Each actor in the movie (loosely) portrayed Dylan at some point in his life using all different styles. Cate Blanchett, the only woman to portray Dylan, does a remarkable job walking the gender line.

Women have been following an androgynous look in fashion for years and Bob Dylan's look has inspired countless womenswear looks on the runways and in closets across the globe. "Im Not There" is a good style representation of the idea of women wearing men's clothing. The film also shows how style can symbolize different phases of one person's life. "Im Not There" also proves the point that though appearances and overall style can be completely different from one another but the inner core of a person can be similar. Fashion can be a symbol of who the person is but it can also just be a shell. Fashion can mean nothing. It can go both ways.