Continuing on from part one of the best costumes in film of all time.
Six: Dumb and Dumber
The greatest suits of all time? I think so. Who can forget this priceless moment in Dumb and Dumber, Harry and Lloyd have come into some money, or should I say ‘loaned’ some money yet choose to turn up at a fancy pubic event in the brightest, most ridiculous suits you have ever seen. Of course they are brilliant which causes quite a reaction amongst guests unsurprisingly due to the luminous orange/sky blue tuxedos with matching bow ties, top hats and canes. Costume designer Mary Zophres has definitely gone down in comedy film history with these costumes, especially with the interest in hiring replicas for special occasions, like school prom, stag nights, amongst many others … you have to love them. Oh and with the news of a Dumb and Dumber sequel who knows what eccentric costumes Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels will be in!
Seven: Titanic
In 1998, Titanic won an Oscar for Best Costume Design as a result of costume designer Deborah L. Scott creating some spectacular costumes for the film. This dress was worn at a formal dinner with Rose (Kate Winslet), her family and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) but in the scene pictured above, Rose is letting her hair down and showing Jack that she isn’t just a rich girl, but somebody that likes to have fun despite her mum’s disapproval. The beaded evening gown is very luxurious with a lot of hard work and detail going into the process – the dress distinguished which class Rose was in, especially compared to the threads third-class Jack is wearing. The heavy orange under-skirt and delicate beading on the dress meant Rose required help from maids dressing/undressing which was common amongst women in the early 1900s, especially as many changed four or fives times a day, well those who acquired wealth.
Eight: The Devil Wears Prada
Oh my god, I just LOVE this scene when Andrea (Anne Hathaway) walks in to the office draped in designer clothing much to her co-worker Emily’s (Emily Blunt) dismay – “Are those the … the Chanel boots?” Why yes they are THE Chanel boots, what a moment. Based in a fashion magazine in the centre of New York, who better to be the costume designer than the lady behind the Sex and the City costumes, Patricia Field. Many designers were used in the film to dress the cast including Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Valentino, Jimmy Choo, Hermes, Prada and of course Chanel, who were determined to dress Anna Hathaway for the role. Andrea is a writer, she’s not too interested in fashion despite applying for a job at a fashion magazine but has an obvious transformation from not knowing how to spell [Dolce and] Gabanna, to only wearing designer labeled clothes.
Nine: Clueless
Alicia Silverstone’s character Cher Horowitz in Clueless is the perfect example of a 90s high school teenager who appreciates fashion. Costume designer Mona May caught her big break with this film and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much plaid in a film before – there are countless outfit combinations of mini skirts, knee-high socks and mary-jane’s which is commonly known as ‘preppy.’ When Cher’s very own fashion doll Tai (Brittany Murphy) lands on the screen, she is embracing another popular 90s trend – grunge, wearing a baggy band t-shirt and oversized plaid shirt which is very dark and not feminine in the slightest. She is transformed into a double of Cher but if you watch closely, she subtly shows her inner-grunge with cut off denim shorts, Dr. Marten boots and converse trainers but teamed with crop tops and girly blouses therefore still remaining in the fashion conscious Cher clan.
Ten: Batman: The Dark Knight
Another iconic costume in film which is very distinct and easily recognisable is the Joker (Heath Ledger) in The Dark Knight. Costume designer Lindy Hemming took inspiration from images of the Joker in past comic books/graphic novels/films which isn’t surprising yet also looked into punk rock clothing. Wanting to make the costume more contemporary to previous works of the Joker, she looked into fashion, mostly eccentric clothing worn by the Sex Pistols, mainly vocalist Johnny Rotten to make the character more realistic, not an amateur costume that would be put on and taken off throughout the film but the practicality that somebody actually dresses like it. Lindy created 25 of these coats for various stages in the film which were altered in the costume-break down department to reflect these stages and the fact that these are the only clothes he owns, therefore needing to look ‘lived in.’
Part three coming soon.
Filed under: Batman: The Dark Knight, Clueless, Dumb and Dumber, The Devil Wears Prada, Titanic Tagged: 1900s, 90s high school fashion, Alicia Silverstone, Andrea, Anne Hathaway, Batman: The Dark Knight, Beaded evening gown, Best Costume Design, Brittany Murphy, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Cher Horowitz, Clueless, Comedy, Comic book, Converse, Costume, Costume break down department, Deborah L. Scott, Dolce & Gabanna, Donna Karan, Dr. Martens, Dumb and Dumber, Eccentric, Emily, Emily Blunt, First Class, Graphic novel, Grunge, Harry and Lloyd, Heath Ledger, Hermes, Jack and Rose, Jeff Daniels, Jim Carrey, Jimmy Choo, Johnny Rotten, Kate Winslet, Knee-high socks, Leonardo Dicaprio, Lindy Hemming, Mary Zophres, Mary-Jane's, Meryl Streep, Mini skirts, Mona May, New York magazine, Oscar, Patricia Field, Plaid, Prada, Preppy, Purple coat, Sex and the City, Sex Pistols, Suits, The Devil Wears Prada, Third Class, Titanic, Tuxedos, Valentino, Wealth
