The Glass Darkly

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. 

 

 

Dark Victoriana

Being a fan of Halloween, I started thinking about scary films, especially ones set in the Victorian era.

Operatic, bold and atmospheric, Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of Dracula is breathtaking.

The director created a chilling nineteenth-century world, featuring copious amounts of blood, bustle dresses and carnage, as well as moments of beauty.

Dresses of the period created the ultimate hourglass silhouette, which both exposed and repressed the body.

I first watched this film as a teenager at a sleepover in November 1994 and never forgot its atmosphere; the sense of drama still remains 20 years later. 

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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'From Hamlet to Hollywood'

Silver Screen costumes

 

 I went into York to visit the costume exhibition at Barley Hall.

 

 

 Cinematic costumes spanning the Elizabethan era to the early 20th century were on display. They had been worn on famous bodies such as Keira Knightley, Elizabeth Taylor and Colin Firth.

As a fan of costume drama and historical detail in general, I really enjoyed it. There were even dresses that I remembered from The House of Elliot, back in the early 1990s. There was also the opportunity to try on period headwear. I loved the Tudor gable hood (very Anne Boleyn!)

Nicole Kidman's dress (left) from Portrait of a Lady was beautiful - bustles are amazing! Another dress featured in The Duchess and worn by Keira Knightley was my favourite. And it wasn't as tiny as I expected.

Some of the costumes did appear less ornate and detailed in real life. I guess that's the magic of cinema - bringing characters and periods alive. Although the exhibition was very busy, I managed to get a few photos...

 

 

 

 

 

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