The Glass Darkly

A 1990s fashion moment - Gwyneth Paltrow's Calvin Klein, Ariel's sparkle

Cut on the bias, the simplicity of this 1996 slip dress says something about the mid-nineties fashion mood.

As worn by Gwyneth Paltrow to the Academy Awards, Calvin Klein said: "When Gwyneth came here she went right over to the bolts of fabric and picked out a pale charmeuse. I knew she was my kind of girl."

 Inspired by lingerie, the dress emphasises the old adage, 'less is more'.

As Klein has been quoted saying: "...I always designed for what clothing revealed, not what it covered. It's all about knowing how to make fabric fall against a body so that we see the woman and not the dress."

In his wonderful book, 100 Unforgetable Dresses, Hal Rubenstein says:

"Paltrow's arrival sent out an almost-deafening message about the sensual sway of simplicity and of the command you can possess when you aren't upstaged by your clothes. She did have one thing on her arm though - her trim and tieless beau, Brad Pitt...So, who needs diamonds?"

If I dare, this number can be compared with Ariel's sparkle dress from the last scene in The Little Mermaid.

 

The Disney film was made in 1989, and maybe in a sign of the times, foreshadowed the taste for bias-cut dresses. I remember the spaghetti straps and sparkle that pervaded Topshop throughout the late nineties and into the noughties.

 

Edward Scissorhands' suburban princess: Kim Boggs

Compelled to re-watch some of my favourite films over the Christmas break, I really enjoyed Edward Scissorhands again. 

In part, because of  teeny-bopper Kim Boggs (Winona Ryder) and her white dancing dress.

Subtle, ironic and delicate, the dress reminds me of something my Barbie wore in the late 1980s. I think it's the large bow and the fact it's off-the-shoulder.

I'm not sure what Tim Burton wanted to express with his Kim Boggs character. She's not complicated or quirky at all, just a slightly two-dimensional American teen beauty. She becomes purer and gentler, the closer gets to Edward and the end of the movie approaches. I guess falling for the 'beast' proves she's not as shallow as you think.

Regardless of the way her dress is supposed to be read, it's a memorable costume, and one that has stayed with me. I think it just has to be white, though. 

 

 

Ode to ruby shoes

My favourite childhood films centred around magical red footwear; these shoes still seem really dramatic!

Scarlet shoes against snowy white tulle...truly the stuff of fairy tales.

Paired with a white or blue dress, they're super-kitsch.

Virginal white cotillion-wear

The Debut

Re-watching The O.C. this summer has made me nostalgic for the noughties (if that's possible yet!)

It's nearly ten years since the California-set teen drama burst onto our screens, making a name for the beautiful Mischa Barton and her co-stars.

The first season feels like ethereal pop art. The story's so engaging, the characters so colourful yet edgy. Yes, we all want to be California Girls if it means we can look like Marissa Cooper.
 

One of my favourite episodes (and the one that sold me on the series back in 2004) is The Debut. The fairytale wonderland of Newport society has its teenagers 'debut' into 'society' at a formal black tie event. The girls wear untouchable white, and they're 'given away' by their fathers to their dates at this elegant event.

To me, this dress is all about innocence and excitement. The way that you sometimes felt in your teens - life's about to start.

   

Snow White's wardrobe

With all the buzz about Snow White and the Huntsman, I've been thinking about Mirror Mirror again. Granted, it's a bit naff, but there's Julia Roberts. And some wonderful dresses.

My particular favourite...

...is an ironic nod to Disney's Snow White, whilst still remaining whimsical and romantic.

The visual effects and wardrobe play a key role in this movie. In fact, although it's not a great film (in my opinion) it's worth a watch to see the costumes in movement.

Notably Swarovski had a hand in the costumes, bringing crystals and fairytales together once more. With this movie, I can't help but indulge myself.

Cinderella's pink gown

With Valentine's Day approaching, I wanted to share a favourite romantic memory.

As a child of the 1980s, The Slipper and the Rose was certainly on my radar.

Cinderella being the ultimate fairytale to me as a child, this film seemed like a more complicated, grown up version of the story. A 1970s musical, it's very whimsical with lots of soft focus scenes and heavy emphasis on costume.

Re-watching it again over the festive season reminded me how wonderful the costumes are. Even though it's a far from perfect film, the dresses are sublime. And it's just pure escapsim - something I never tire of.

Here's some trivia from IMDB:

• The scene where Cinderella is seen swinging on a chair surrounded by climbing flowers while she is in exile is a direct reference to the well-known painting "The Swing" by Jean-Honore Fragonard, a famous French artist who was praised for his use of color. Every detail of Cinderella's costume and setting are identical to Fragonard's painting, right down to the color of her dress, the style of her hat, and the climbing flowers on her swing. 

• Over 300 costumes were made for this film. 

• Ironically received its most publicity in recent decades by being spotlighted in the film 'Frost/Nixon' as the real movie whose premiere producer David Frost is attending (while his problems with the Nixon interviews are escalating). 
• Over 800 girls were considered for the part of Cinderella, and around 150 were interviewed before Gemma Craven was picked. 
  

The memorable swing scene; my ultimate romantic fashion fantasy:

 

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Magical Red Riding Hood,1998

As a teenager in the '90s, this advert made me want to buy Chanel no. 5. Even though I was definitely a Ralph Lauren Romance girl...

There's something so utterly magical and exciting about this film. It takes me back in time to Christmases past!

 

I don't think there's a more festive dress than this one! Vermilion strappy satin, with a heavy petticoat skirt. Worn with vertiginous heels, the dress makes Estella Warren a coquettish Red Riding Hood.

I really remember that '90s fashion for wearing your hair up, with very deliberate loose strands. I don't think many people made it look as good as this model, though...

One of my favourite ad campaigns of all time - the lone wolf howl at the end makes my spine tingle a little!

-Sarah Diana

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