CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994)

Aesthetically, Wong Kar-wai’s films are always my favorites – they inhabit a strange, ultra-saturated dream world that’s unlike any other. The color palates, the art direction, the cinematography, the editing all layer on top of each other creating a frenzied cinematic universe that almost flaunts its artificiality.

Chungking Express is split into two love stories. The first features Brigitte Lin playing an unnamed drug dealer who has a brief affair with a police officer:

She wears the same uniform throughout the film, navigating the seedy underbelly of the Hong Kong nightlife wearing a tan raincoat and bright red sunglasses (she doesn't know if it will rain or be sunny), pistol stowed neatly in her cream handbag. Her stiff blonde wig is a nod to the titular character in John Cassavetes' Gloria.

The second features Faye Wong as Faye, a young girl working at her family's fast-food restaurant dreaming of California and adventure. (She also has a brief love affair with a police officer).

In comparison, Faye's wardrobe is much brighter (and most of her story takes place during the daytime, unlike the first half of the film). Lots of blues, yellows, and whites reflect a lighter, more youthful energy - perfect for a young dreamer acting out an imaginary love affair with stranger. 

FRANCES HA (2012)

The first time I watched Frances Ha I didn’t like it – it was right on the heels of Girls and I was kind of over the whole hyper-aware, drenched in post-adolescent ennui schtick that pops up in every mumblecore film. (in my defense, how can you not hate something that gives itself a name as dumb as MUMBLECORE on principle). But last year my friend forced me to re-watch it and I actually enjoyed watching it. I’m glad I gave it a second (and third) chance, because on repeat viewings I found myself drawn into this story about a charming, unconventional dancer in New York.

It’s a deceptively simple film with a surprising amount of heart and depth, reflected in the film’s costumes. There’s a realism in the costume choices that isn’t often seen on screen. Unlike a typical, film where characters have an assortment of completely different costumes depending on the scene, Frances has a very specific (and small) wardrobe, consisting of loose dresses, capri leggings, overshirts, and a leather jacket.

The prototypical Frances outfit, she spends the entire film in some variation of this. It's actually a really great example of characterization through clothes. Everything she wears is well-worn, oversized, and a bit sloppy - but she manages to pull it off with surprisingly flair.

The plaid shirt carries from a variety of social situations, from lounging at home, to working at the studio, to dinner out with Sophie (also notice the contrast between Frances and Sophie in the last image - Sophie's rigidly conservative cardigan and pencil skirt and Frances's disheveled appearance.)

Not the best shot, but I love the sweater-around-the-waist (you can see an example of it above with her plaid shirt). Practical and unpolished, that's our girl. 

Her wardrobe does a really subtle shift at the end that's quite brilliant. 

Professional Frances! With glasses!! Her shirt is still wrinkled, but look how much more "grown up" she looks here than the earlier shot of her in the forest with the hoodie-over-dress-over-jeans look. 

Ditto with her outfit that she wore to the opening of her show - very tasteful & adult.

The final scene of the film - compare this with the very first scene (pictured above). Simple and cohesive, reflecting Frances's final coming-to-terms with herself. 

[Original] - MARFA LIGHTS (2015)

marfa lights: an imaginary short film

Last weekend my friends and I went on a road trip to a magical city in the middle of the west Texan desert. We do not live inside of a movie, but if we did, this is what it would look like.

I AM LOVE (2009)

You know that feeling when you randomly stumble on a film and you watch it and you’re just like “THIS IS PERFECT WHERE HAS THIS BEEN FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE.” Because I watched Luca Guadagnino‘s I Am Love this weekend and was blown away by it’s elegant & deceptively simple costumes (and story, but we’re all about the clothes here). I Am Love features my androgynous alien queen Tilda Swinton as Emma, a Russian émigrée turned matriarch of a wealthy Italian family, who spends the film navigating some intense family melodrama while wearing a series of increasingly fierce Jil Sander dresses. (In yet another tragedy, costume design Antonella Cannarozzi was nominated for an Academy Award but lost to Colleen Atwood for Alice in Wonderland.)

I love the subtle progression of colors and textures in Emma’s wardrobe as it reflects her emotional state throughout the film. I think the costume choices speak for themselves:

[Original] - Style Icons: Wes Anderson Heroine Edition

Anyone who’s followed my blog is probably well aware of my deep & undying love for Wes Anderson and the magical, meticulously crafted universes he creates in each of his films. Visual aesthetics can make or break a film for me (I can be unapologetically shallow but like, life is too short for non-stop gritty realism).

Wes Anderson’s films get a lot of criticism for being all style & no substance. While understandable, I feel like they’re overlooking a key component of his artistic POV. For Anderson, style IS the substance – which is exactly why his aesthetic is so instantly recognizable, and why he’s been able to create such enduringly iconic characters.

Uniforms both literal and otherwise are a central part of this aesthetic. Characters, with few exceptions, have a single costume throughout the entire film. There’s a sense that a person’s exterior (clothes, hairstyle, the objects they surround themselves with) are a manifestation of their interior. This is actually a core concept in production design. Ideally, a character’s design should contain elements that are distinguishable and act as shorthand for their characterization BUT no one else manages to pull this off as organically as Wes Anderson (with a little help from costume designers Karen Patch & Milena Canonero of course.)

MARGOT TENENBAUM

The Essentials

• Ennui
• Dark eyeliner
• Blonde bob, hair barrette (red)
• Lacoste tennis dresses (striped)
• Chekhov's "The Seagull"
• Mink coat 
• Birkin, T. Anthony suitcases (red)
• Pink gloves (cashmere, minus ring finger on left hand)
• Illicet feelings for your adopted brother

SUZY BISHOP

The Essentials

Wanderlust ☻

Scooter dresses with Peter Pan collar (pink, yellow) ☻

Françoise Hardy record, battery operated record player ☻

Lace knee socks ☻

Sunday School shoes ☻

Binoculars ☻

Knit beret (red) ☻

Beetle earrings (green, fishhooks optional) ☻

Young adult novels (various, stolen from school library) ☻

AGATHA MOUSTAFA*

The Essentials

• Milkmaid braids (sprig of wheat optional)
• Smock dress with Peter Pan collar
• Porcelain pendant with crossed keys insignia
• Birthmark the shape of Mexico, right cheek
• Camel overcoat
• Blue scarf
• Confectioners sugar
• Romantic Poetry, Vol. 1 (From Z to A)

*I know this is super heteronormative to assume she took Zero’s last name but Wes apparently didn’t think it was important to give her a last name. ): Plus it was the 1930s so, you know.