Part of the fun of the Oscars is all the hoopla and coverage that comes with it, both old and new media and before and after the show... From Vanity Fair's Hollywood issue, to the Fug Girls live blogging for New York Magazine to Sue's list of Oscar style favorites over at The Zhush, it's fun to look at film and fashion from all angles. I loved Style.com's slide show of "runway ready film moments" , a look at some of the best film fashion through the years. It got me thinking about what films had the biggest impact of me personally from a fashion perspective. The list was LONG... so I tried to edit it a bit, and kept it only to the ones that immediately jumped to mind. So here we go...
Funny Face. Picking a favorite from the Audrey movies is tough, but for me there's no question. Just look at that red dress. Favorite fashion film ever. When I visit the Louvre, I always imagine running down those steps, arms in the air a la Audrey. Fortunately, the number of people crowded around "Winged Victory" make it impossible, for surely I would break my neck.
Paris. Fred Astaire. Audrey. Kay Thompson. Givenchy and Edith Head... no wonder this film (nominated for Best Costume Design) is my favorite. Every costume change is a winner.
Looking through the images, though, what stands out is that the nipped in waste and full skirt silhouette of so many of Givenchy's glorious gowns is echoed by many favorites from my own closet. My guess is this movie made its mark on my personal style...as did my next pick...
Rear Window. Coming up with a fashion-favorite Albert Hitchock movie is almost as tough as choosing an Audrey favorite. But Grace Kelly. She's perfect. The film (nominated for four Academy Awards) didn't rate a Best Costume Design nomination for Edith Head -- she won for Sabrina that same year.
Ten years later, Catherine Deneuve took a star turn in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. While Belle du Jour brought us Ms. Deneuve in Yves St. Laurent and Roger Vivier Pilgrim Pumps, I love Umbrellas for the luscious color.
On Seattle's many rainy days, I never leave the house without my Burberry trench and a cheerful bright umbrella (favorite is a bright pink and orange one with a lucite handle from Marc Jacobs in the Palais Royal in Paris). And my go-to style staple -- a simple cashmere cardigan to throw over any dress.
But 20-something years ago it was a different story....
Desperately Seeking Susan. Somewhere at my parents' house...there is photographic evidence that I once loved nothing more than black lace in my permed hair, little short gloves, stacks of rubber bracelets... and neon. Enough said.
Thank goodness there was Cher in Clueless to get me to trade in the lace bow for wide, stretchy headband...
...and to teach me how to correctly pronounce "Alaїa."
When it comes to period films, The Age of Innocence is like watching a John Singer Sargent portrait come to life.
Works of art in their own right, Gabriella Pescucci's costumes won the 1993 Costume Design Oscar and captured the essence of the Gilded Age.
And watching Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette is like eating brightly colored box of macarons.
Milena Canonero's frothy costumes took home the Oscar in 2006....
...the shoes alone were winners enough for me. But what about movies in the last five years?
It's hard to think of anything more ubiquitous than the blue and white Breton shirt since Coco Before Chanel.
From J.Crew to Jason Wu, Oscar de le Renta, Celine and Stella McCartney, those classic Breton stripes have popped back up just about everywhere--including my closet.
So what about you? What films have had the biggest impact on your closet? And did you watch last night? Who was your best dressed?
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