Frida

Frida is a 2002 biographical film which depicts the professional and private life of the surrealist Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. It stars Salma Hayek in her Academy Award nominated portrayal as Kahlo and Alfred Molina as her husband, Diego Rivera.

Since Frida is one of the most popular and beloved artists in the world, creating a movie about her life was no easy task. However, everything about this film seemed to be extremely accurate and truly paid the right amount of respect to Kahlo and contributes to her legacy. Kahlo's style is very well known and not exactly easy to duplicate. Salma Hayek does a marvelous job recreating Frida's signature look. Kahlo seemed to be a walking work of art. Never dull on the eyes, an extremely colorful creature.

Frida's fashion sense in the film (and in real life) was representative of her outstanding and creative brain. An artist's brain never stops and Frida dressed herself like she was dressing a painting. Whether it was a bunch of flowers in her hair, piled on bright beaded jewelry, a big shawl or long black dress, Frida remained true to her vision in every way possible. Vibrant, feminine, strong, colorful, eye-catching and memorable are words that symbolize Frida Kahlo's appearance.

Here are examples of Frida's look in fashion:

Here is my styling interpretation:

Camilla and Marc maxi dress, $620
H M leather flat, 15 GBP
Dsquared metallic clutch, 490 EUR
Kenneth Jay Lane drop earring, $150
Tarina Tarantino flower brooch, $42
Beaded necklace, $40
NARS NARS Bronzing Powder, $33

almost famous

Almost Famous is a 2000 film written and directed by Cameron Crowe. It tells the fictional story of a teenage journalist William Miller (played by Patrick Fugit) writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the fictitious rock band Stillwater, and his efforts to get his first cover story published. The film is semi-autobiographical, as Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone. It also follows how William comes of age as a man an falls in love for the first time with the free spirited and beautiful 'band aid' (a nice way of saying 'groupie') Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson)

This is one of my favorite movies in so many ways. The storyline, the soundtrack, the styling, the dialogue, everything. It's an all around great movie. Set in the late 1960's/early 1970s, taking place in a bohemian yet fast paced rock & roll lifestyle where free love seemed to be everywhere but it was more complicated than it sounded. Penny Lane is the ideal hippy girl wandering through life trying to love, be loved and most of all..enjoy her life and enjoy music. Penny Lane's styling is dead on with loose and natural clothing, piled on accessories, paisleys & earth tones, loose and free curly hair and little to no make up. Glammed up when she needs to be but on the whole, she's Penny Lane. She just needs to be herself because that's what everyone loves to see.

There's an air of confidence about the character but as you see throughout the movie, her look is often deceiving. She's a lot more complicated than what she allows people to see through her appearance.

Almost Famous' styling is a perfect way of depicting the early 1970's era where free love and 'hippy-dom' was still existing but the era of free love, rock and roll and hope for peace was coming to a close.

Designers have emulated Penny Lane's bohemian look season after season:

Alberta Ferretti
Anna Sui

Etro

Here is my styling take on Penny Lane's look:

Sheer top, 95 GBP
Citizens of Humanity mid rise jeans
ASOS ankle sandal, $81
Leather handbag, $76
DAY Birger et Mikkelsen tribal jewelry, 145 EUR
In God We Trust owl jewelry, $60
Feather hair accessory, 240 GBP

Manhattan

Diane Keaton is one of my favorite (if not absolute favorite) film/fashion stars. Pretty much every film she is in is beautifully styled in every single way. My favorite era of hers is the late 70's/early 80's where she piles on the layers, the neurosis and walks the line of frumpiness and glamour. Her looks are always attainable, comfortable and relatable. It would be a given to reference Annie Hall and how much that had an impact on fashion, but the movie I want to discuss is Manhattan.

Manhattan is a 1979 American romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen. It follows a twice-divorced 42 year old guy who dates younger women before falling in love with his best friend's mistress named Mary (played by Keaton). The film is typical of Woody Allen, filled with intelligent humor, negative mindsets, romantic problems with New York City as one of the main co-stars.

I don't know what it is about Keaton's characters that really draws me, and so many other women in. She is always likable but imperfect and her wardrobe always represents something you want to emulate even if it's 30 years later. The overall styling of Keaton's character Mary is classic and bits of it are still seen in the runway and on the streets of Manhattan today. There is a feel of being very functional and basic yet chic, finished off with a touch of menswear. Mary wears structured blazers with button down shirts or billowing blouses tucked into trousers or jeans, with no fuss hair and beautiful camel coats.

Mary depicts the busy New York woman on the go, just trying to figure out life and get to place-to-place, worrying about everything and trying to maintain her appearance but not as much as she tries to maintain her mind. Womenswear styling in movies from 20+ years ago is refreshing because it's more realistic and down to earth than the styling that goes on in showbusiness now. Currently, styling in Hollywood is more about advertising and PR. Promoting different designers and promoting this glittery, hard to reach lifestyle, while in the past it was truly just about representing a character.

Woody Allen's female characters (specifically Keaton) are some of my all time favorite characters, so I will be posting about various Allen movies from time to time.

A similar look being shown on a woman in 2010, captured by Garance Dore.

A photo shoot featured in Vogue Paris capturing the essence of the Keaton style

Here is my styling take on Keaton's Mary character in Manhattan.

3 1 Phillip Lim blazer top, $375
H m blazer
Alice + Olivia crepe pants, $200
Lillybee loafer shoes, $168
J W Hulme bucket bag, $550
Burberry leather jewelry, 250 GBP
Best Nude Lipstick & Lip Gloss, $105
Sensuous (EDP, 30ml), 33 GBP

the virgin suicides

Another fantastic and visually stimulating film by Sofia Coppola is the Virgin Suicides. This is by far one of my favorite films by her (if not my favorite) and is a perfect example of Coppola's dreamy, vintage-y, moody and pretty aesthetic.

The film (released in 1999) follows a group of male friends who become obsessed with the beautiful and mysterious young Lisbon family sisters. The sisters keep to themselves but put off this energy that attracts everyone around them. One of them unfortunately commits suicide in the beginning of the film, forcing their strict religious parents to shelter the remaining four sisters. It's a dark but beautiful film depicting these young women being restricted from the world, like pretty little birds in a cage unable to fly free.

Set in 1970's middle America suburbia, the entire feel of the film is dreary but with little bursts of light and hope brought on by the Lisbon sisters appearances and energies. Lux Lisbon (played by Kirsten Dunst), in particular, is a ray of light that brings in all sorts of attention. She is the bird that tries her best to break free but in the end, is just as held back as the others.

The styling in The Virgin Suicides is absolutely on point. Completely perfect for the era and also for the story line, while still remaining consistent with Coppola's vision. The Lisbon sisters' wardrobe is a dream wardrobe that girls in the 70s and right now would love to own. It represents youth, the need for adventure and curiosity.

The sisters are all things pretty and sweet, with their silky blonde hair and milky skin but their circumstances are anything but sweet and pretty. Toward the end of the film, their existence simply consists of being held up in their bedroom like princesses locked in a tower. With nothing but their records, their clothing and each other to keep them busy. Taking such a dark story and turning it into a gorgeous portrayal of these sisters' lives is something that Coppola and her crew are extremely successful in doing.

Here are some examples of the Lisbon sisters' style on the runways and editorials:

Marc Jacobs floral frock.

Christopher Kane Summer/Spring 2010

Chloe Spring 2010

Rodarte x Opening Ceremony Spring 2011

The Spring/Summer issue of Dujour (a bi-monthly indie fashion/lifestyle magazine) was titled "the Virgin Issue" inspired by the Coppola film.

Here is my styling interpretation of the Lisbon sister's style:

Floral print dress, $98
Cotton dress, $84
Dorothy Perkins floral dress, 30 GBP
Designers Remix blue dress, 130 EUR
Cacharel platform high heels, $635
Giuseppe Zanotti platform high heels, $750
ASOS platform heels, $83
Chloë Sevigny For Opening Ceremony platform heels, 380 GBP

Taxi Driver

When one thinks about the 1976 film 'Taxi Driver", the last thing that comes to mind is 'fashion'. However, the main purpose of this blog is to explore how all things visual are related. What's a movie without fashion? That's the question I have wanted to explore. Fashion and styling is the silent director of a film. A shirt, a dress, an overall look of a character is the finishing touch on the character's lasting impression. So 'fashion' shouldn't be the last thing from someone's mind when thinking about any film because fashion is what keeps the ball rolling in movies. It plays a huge role in how a story is presented to the viewer's eye.

With that said, let's start to explore. Taxi Driver is a classic and dark Martin Scorcese film that explores the lower part of life. It follows a mentally unstable New York City taxi driver named Travis Bickle (played by Robert DeNiro). As he cruises around the city at all hours of the day, he's exposed to all walks of life especially those who are living less than decent lifestyles. Travis becomes obsessed with the morally corrupt part of life and decides he needs to 'do his part' to end it. He violently lashes out at society while trying to save a young teen prostitute named Iris (played by Jodie Foster)

Now, exploring Travis Bickle's wardrobe can absolutely be done (grungy army green jacket, infamous shaved mohawk, dirty white tank top, combat boots, etc.) but to be honest, Iris' is the most interesting. She's still a child, yet is working on the streets in not only an adult world, but a horribly corrupt adult world. Day after day, she's exposed to the worst, just like Travis Bickle seems to be. The two find peace in eachother, yet Travis uses anything but peace to try to save her. His intentions are good but his actions are violent. Iris seems aloof to all things that children should be afraid of. Her soul has somewhat been tarnished because of her lifestyle, and her style walks the line between woman and young girl. Playful but provocative, just like her character.

Here are different examples of how Iris' style has been translated on the runways/fashion editorials:

Jeffrey Campbell playful and sexy red platforms

Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2011 collection was reported to have been inspired by Iris' style.
Rachel Antonoff heart hot pants

Here is my styling take on Iris:

Paprika crop top
Short short, $143
Bebe red high heels, $150
D G quilted shoulder bag, $850
Earring, 95 GBP
Beanie hat, $17
Estee Lauder 'Pure Color' Long Lasting Lipstick, $22

steel magnolias

In the realm of chick flick & tear jerkers, the 1989 film Steel Magnolias reigns supreme. The film is about the bond among a group of women from a small town in Louisiana. The movie is based on a 1987 play Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, which Harling wrote in order to deal with the death of his sister. The film stars Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley McClaine, Darryl Hannah, and Olympia Dukakis. The title of the film comes from the idea that the women look soft and gentle like magnolia flowers, but in reality are as tough as steel.

The styling of Steel Magnolias represents the life of a group of southern belles, of all different ages, living in the 1980s. They bond over doing little things like gossip, getting their hair & nails done at the same salon, dealing with their relationships and children. They share their hopes, dreams and fears.

All of the women's styles are very feminine, somewhat over the top with big hair and shoulder pads. Some are more over the top than others. Dolly Parton is in this movie after all. She basically solidifies the idea of "the bigger the better".

As tragedy strikes their tightknit circle, the women stick together to prove that though they might be in frilly floral dresses, high heels and big hair, they are as strong as can be.

Here are some examples of how the southern belle look is portrayed in fashion currently:

Here is my styling interpretation:

Moschino Cheap amp Chic print dress, 297 GBP
Rockport shoes, $120
Antik Batik python handbag, 295 EUR
Jessica Simpson sun hat, $38
H m sunglass, 4.99 GBP
philosophy 'fresh peaches with cream' shampoo, shower gel & bubble..., $16
Lancome Hypnose Drama Waterproof Mascara, $25