THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE (2003)

I swear I will get off this nostalgia kick soon - but after making the life-changing discovery that Disney has all of the episodes of National Treasure Lizzie McGuire available online (link for the lazy), I spent a solid few days diving into one of my most formative influences. So many hours spent trying to Get the Lizzie Look at Limited Too. So many inaccurate assumptions about studying abroad in Italy. So many metallics and synthetic fibers. So, so glorious.

SLEEPOVER (2004)

A friend had a 2000s themed party this weekend (because I guess that's a Party Theme, onward rolls the unrelenting wheel of time, etc.) and as a result, I fell down the rabbit hole of mid-2000s teen comedies for sartorial inspiration. I am so, so, so ready for the inevitable resurgence of oughties fashion in 5 - 10 years.

And so, as a time capsule of the height of teen fashion in 2004, let's take a moment to celebrate the unexpected beauty of Sleepover.

POISON FOR THE FAIRIES (1984)

Sometimes it's easy to look at the costumes of a film analytically and determine exactly how the choices are working to build chacterization visually, or how specific costumes relate to a character's emotional arc.... and sometimes it might just be looking at pretty clothes. Poison For The Fairies falls into the latter for me - if there's a significant subtext to the costumes, I'm not picking up on it. You could probably work and angle on the contrast between the brightly colored, girlishly innocent visuals and the darker thematic elements of the script, but I don't know if there's enough of a conscious effort to make that argument. For me, you don't always need a ton of hidden meaning to validate and aesthetic choice. Sometimes it's okay to be pretty for the sake of being pretty.

Um, enough pontificating - Poison For The Fairies is super pretty, let's celebrate that:

DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL (2015)

This film was a really lovely surprise for me. I was initially super skeeved out by the whole "teenager having a sexual relationship with her mother's boyfriend" thing but watching it play out on screen, I felt that the film was able to tackle a really unhealthy dynamic in an honest way without exploiting Minnie's character. It's also really refreshing to see a filmmaker willing to start a dialogue about the fact that sex isn't always healthy or enjoyable... maybe "refreshing" isn't the right word but it was so interesting to see someone tackle the uncomfortable areas of sexuality in today's environment of sex positivity. 

ALSO like, the clothes. The costumes hit that sweet spot of being recognizably authentic to the time period without screaming THIS IS A COSTUME FROM THE 70s!! I've talked about that before and that kind of subtlety always gives an edge to a film. Diary of a Teenage Girl is a really beautiful film - there's a dreamy, film-like aesthetic that complement Minnie's character journal perfectly. 

2016 OSCARS

In case you’ve been hiding under an internet-rock, the 2016 Oscar noms were announced today THEREFORE I’m gonna talk about my favorite category - Costume Design.

The rest of the categories aside because lol academy, I'm incredibly excited about the costume nominations this year. (I'm a bit sad that Brooklyn didn't make the cut, but it was probably too similar to Carol?) Overall - what a fantastic lineup! Very strong competition this year. For the first time in a while, I would be genuinely happy to see any of these films. In an ideal world, Jenny Beavan would win for Fury Road (my top pick) but if I were a betting woman, I'd go with The Danish Girl.

Anyway, more thoughts:

[MOVIE CLUB] - BEGINNINGS

I get asked for movie recommendations all the time and decided to start actively compiling lists of films that I love For Reference Purposes. Each month of 2016, I will select a different theme. 

January 2016:

BEGINNINGS

a list of debut films

[Original] - THE FASHIONABLE CHRISTMAS FILM

What better way to celebrate than with a good movie? (Or two or three or seven?) I present, a list of unconventional Christmas films to inspire your holiday aesthetic:

LOVE STORY

Considered one of the most romantic films of all time (by AFI), with a wonderfully timeless costume design - very classic preppy North Eastern vibes. Inspired Roger Ebert to coin Ali MacGraw Disease, in which "the only symptom is that the patient grows more beautiful until finally dying." Features a higher than average number of fantastic winter coats.

TANGERINE

Surprisingly poignant storyline makes Tangerine a solid contender for one of the best films of 2015. Remarkably shot using an iPhone 5s, which gives the film a beautiful intimacy with its characters. Vibrant colors and vampy wardrobe add a wonderful visual dimension to the side of Los Angeles not often shown on screen.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

(Okay this one isn't so unconventional) An old holiday standard from the 50's featuring lots of showtunes and increasingly gaudy costume choices. The hyper-feminine color palette is an interesting departure for a holiday film.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

NOT included on AFI's "100 GREATEST LOVE STORIES OF ALL TIME" because they are terrible fuck ups, obviously. Easily one of Tim Burton and Colleen Atwoods strongest collaborations - the cotton candy pastel wonderland Edward invades makes this movie something I could watch forever. 

ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME

Are there any movies that conjure up the Spirit of Christmas(TM) better than made-for-TV vehicles that pop-up at non-prime-time hours during December? No. No, there is not. Eloise is the best of these obviously - it features the eponymous Eloise, a 6 year old who lives in the penthouse suite of the Plaza hotel in NYC with a pug, a turtle, a British nanny, and an apparently endless bankroll. Heavily features adorable pinafores and the color pink.

EYES WIDE SHUT

For all your erotic Christmas needs. Detached, surreal, and clinically sexual as any other Kubrick film. Notably features Tom and Nicole while they were still married (pre iconic #freenicole divorce settlement). Features tons of really lovely lingerie moments and people wearing capes and masks.