1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Filmed in the Saxony region of Germany The Grand Budapest charms us right from the beginning, with it’s magnificent 180 degree shots, subtle pastel palette, symmetry and book-like narrative delivered by the eloquent, soothing voice of Judd Law. As if that weren’t enough, Wes Anderson’s wardrobe choice tops it all of by making this film one hell of a visual treat.
Mr Gustave’s Suit…
This purple tuxedo blazer worn by Ralph Fiennes character Gustave H. stands out almost as much as his peculiar, charming personality. The striking colour catches our eye and adequately represents Mr Gustave’s flamboyant, colourful side, without going overboard.
Agatha’s powder blues, pastel pinks & cream coat…
Saoirse Ronan truly is a pastel princess in this film. Not only does her sense of style reflect the film’s chosen palette, it matches incredibly with the colour scheme of Mendl’s patisserie where she creates her marvellous cakes. Her look is fresh and summery, simple and subtle. The pastel hues, she pulls of with assistance from her pale Irish skin tone and ashy blonde hair.
2. Her
Her, a romantic and touching film that explores the complex nature of love was released in 2013. Directed and written by Spike Jonze, the very same man behind Jackass. The story is set in the not-so-distant future where technology has advanced to the state that individuals can own the worlds first artificially intelligent operating system. This operating system has it’s own consciousness and speaks how a human would. When Joaquin Phoenix character, Theodore purchases this operating system we watch as he slowly falls in love with it, which isn’t surprising considering that it’s voiced the lovely Scarlett Johansson.
High-waisted trousers…
People say trends recycle and it seems like Spike Jonze and costume designer Casey Storm think so too. This entire film has a retro-futuristic feel to it; the furniture, the wooden encased computer screens and the colour scheme. The wardrobe is no different. These tweed high-waisted trousers look like something your grandfather might wear, yet they somehow work perfectly on Joaquin Phoenix. Even Chris Pratt rocks a pair in this film, although I don’t know if he does so as well as Joaquin:
Shirts for days…
Clearly Theodore loves his shirts. He wears one in practically every scene. His shirts are never boldly coloured. Everyone of them is subdued but stylish. He wears colours that correspond terrifically with the films’ palette. This use of soft, soothing colours help give the movie that retro feel I mentioned earlier. His shirts are so wearable and stunning in their normalcy that any man could wear them.
3. Annie Hall
Of course I couldn’t make a list about iconic clothing without including this Woody Allen masterpiece. Filmed in 1977 it is still, to this day the greatest romantic comedy of all time. Set in New York it follows the lives of Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and his girlfriend Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) as they go through the ups and downs that any relationship is sure to have. It’s surreal qualities, unique structure and quirky sense of humour make it one for the history books. On top of that, Diane Keaton wears some memorable garments in this film that can not be overlooked.
The beige khakis, white shirt, waistcoat and felt hat…
This adorable outfit worn by Annie in the famous meet-cute scene goes so well with her somewhat awkward and peculiar vibe. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCe1wQeXA0&t=2s). For something that looks like it was picked out of a menswear department it is given a feminine touch with this massive woven bag, black felt hat and darling Diane Keaton smile. Even Alvy has to compliment her on the speckled Ralph Lauren tie she received as a gift from grammie Hall. There’s no doubt that this iconic get-up is still influencing fashion to this day. Just look at Alexa Chung (http://www.instyle.com/celebrity/alexa-chung-channels-annie-hall-40th-anniversary)
These thick-framed glasses, plaid shirt, black blazer, belt and green khaki pants are worn in the scene where Alvy is trying to get Annie to buy novels about death, a subject he obsesses about. This outfit gives off a hipster-girl vibe, in a time way before hipsters were even a thing. This look is very inspirational to this day and has been replicated time and time again.
4. La La Land
It would be impossible to resist not including this modern day classic. This film is a post-modern masterpiece. The first time I saw this movie I was in absolute awe of it’s outstanding visuals and beautiful soundtrack. It is a film about two people trying to achieve their dreams in LA. Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, aspires to save jazz in his own small way, by opening a jazz club. Mia, played by Emma Stone, attends audition after audition in the hopes of becoming a famous Hollywood actress one day. When the two meet they fall in love and support one another’s dreams in making it big. Another great aspect of La La Land is it’s remarkable wardrobe choices.
The green dress…
This emerald green dress is very retro-inspired. It looks fantastic against Mia’s pale complexion and auburn hair. I would even go as far as saying that there could be a small bit of Irish influence in this look. The dress’ simple design and elegance make it a garment any girl could wear. I love how it doesn’t go over the top like many dresses have in older classical musicals, showing how post-modern this film really is. Costume designer Mary Zophres created this dress herself with the intention of making audience members think it was something they could pick up at any old vintage store.
The yellow dress…
This bright, summary yellow dress is stunning in it’s simplicity. It looks gorgeous in this scene against the dark blue night sky and dazzling stars that overlook LA’s city lights. The dress flows beautifully as Mia and Seb dance and sing the night away. No wonder every single yellow dress sold out in Topshop, Oxford St. London just a few days after the film’s release.
Written by: Lisa Sexton.
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