time, less
I caught “Girl, Interrupted” on television a few weeks back – a movie I disliked the first time I saw it when I was 15, even though it themes should have resonated with me at that age. 12 years down the road, I still find the movie pretty unengaging – I don’t think it’s a bad movie, it’s just not my type of movie.
What I loved then, and still found myself pretty in love with the second time round, is Susanna’s (played by Winona Ryder) clothes. Stripes, slouchy button downs, cropped trousers, prim knits, tailored jackets.
The movie is set in the late 60s, and I don’t know how accurate the styles are for the time, but it works for me because it lacks the kitsch that actual movies from the 60s have – I guess it’s more along the lines of how a person living in the 90s interprets 60s clothing.
It made me think about what makes clothes and styles date. We all think of blue jeans as a classic and yet even that is subject to trends – acid wash from the 80s, flares from the 70s, and some styles unbearably regrettable to modern eyes.
Looking at Susanna’s clothes, and my old magazines, my personal take on what keeps a look timeless is:
- Simple hairstyles - nothing too teased and processed
- Minimal or no make-up.
- Clean lines, no extreme silhouettes – things that follow the natural lines of the body
- Neutral colours (black, white, cream, navy, beige, grey)
- Trousers: neither too skinny nor wide
- Skirts: long, short, or knee-length. Nothing in between
- Slouchy (but not too baggy) things look less dated than super fitted things
- Flat shoes (heel heights and shapes change too much)
Thoughts?
Pictures from imdb, moviepicturedb
P.S - A digression; I found this terrific post called "When does an outfit become a costume" on The Daily Prep by chance, and it perfectly describes my feelings on the subject. And I'm not in anyway a preppy type or an expert on prep.
Comments
I find myself in the Sally Singer camp when it comes to what's timeless and what dates. It's largely about proportion. That's my biggest criticism of minimalism. When all your eye has to look at and analyze is cut and proportion- it's inevitably dating. Sometimes items that are a bit more original are far more difficult to assign a time to.
That being said, some of my favorite designers of all time produced clothing that's incredibly timeless. Take Mme Gres, it's impossible to distinguish when her dresses were designed. They just all look so classic and yet truly relevant.
what a great link, it's made me feel very nostalgic for the time I spend in New England! I especially like the column in which she comments that a costume 'highlights the wearer at the expense of the scene', so true and such an inspired observation.
I'm not a huge fan of Girl, Interrupted either. The subject matter is of great interest to me, and I can recognise that there is good acting in the movie, but personally I feel like it lacks a heart.
minima/maxima, a blog about minimalist style
0000: I agree. Classics are great because they're great on their own but they're also great canvas for expressing style....people build on them and create something new and that's inspiring to see.
joy: I shall check out that movie.
Lindsay K: You're right about minimalism...a clean-edged shift dress from the 60s is very minimal and sleek and yet it looks dated because of the shape. But a tea dress from the 40s can look very modern with updated hair and make-up...
And I agree about Mme Gres. She's modern in a way that's different from the Coco Chanel idea of modern...I can't articulate it but it's just classical and innovative at the same time.
Camille: I haven't seen that movie but I saw pictures on a blog (think it was Her Ribbons and Her Bows) before and I totally agree!
Woody Allen movies usually have great clothes, or at least, my idea of great clothes...even Midnight in Paris was full of great time stuff I want to wear.
Fen: Glad you liked the link....I think it just clarified for me everything that bothers me about how some people dress. Some people look great in theatrical styles but some people just look pretentious...it's hard to describe that feeling but I think the things she listed in the tables to articulate which side of the line a look falls into.
The Waves: Perhaps its the styles that date it, rather than material? I think discreet designs date less...although they may also be less interesting, haha.
I agree with what you say about "Girl, Interrupted", it just didn't move me the way I thought it would.
petrichore: I'm very much in love with Calvin Klein from the 90s as well!
Great post, Lin!
Apparently the "Girl, Interrupted" costume designer also worked on Madonna's new biopic of Wallis Simpson, and it's just a fabulous interview.
http://www.refinery29.com/arianne-phillips-madonna-w-e-costume-designer
arianne philips! she's done so much great work for movies, I still remember Tank Girl, and of course A Single Man, and The People vs Larry Flynt.
editor: Hahah, I've never thought about it that way...I might actually try that the next time.