One Iconic Look
August 26, 2020 8:58 AM Subscribe
Tom and Lorenzo discuss - A black dress with pearls. A yellow plaid suit. A blue checked pinafore. What makes these outfits so striking, so Halloween-costumable, so iconic?
Including such discussions as -- the deliberate framing of aesthetic and literal whiteness in Gone With the Wind -- the technical and symbolic challenges of green costuming -- and the differences and similarities of a pink shirtdress with marabou pen, a baby-pink satin prom dress, and a shocking-pink taffeta gown.
Previously in Tom and Lorenzo Costume Discussion on Metafilter.
Including such discussions as -- the deliberate framing of aesthetic and literal whiteness in Gone With the Wind -- the technical and symbolic challenges of green costuming -- and the differences and similarities of a pink shirtdress with marabou pen, a baby-pink satin prom dress, and a shocking-pink taffeta gown.
Previously in Tom and Lorenzo Costume Discussion on Metafilter.
I've just come from reading the ones for Marilyn's "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" dress, Scarlett O'Hara's white frilly thing, Princess Leia's dress, Shug Avery's "Miss Celie's Blues" dress, and the "Breakfast At Tiffany's" dress, and can concur. There is a lot of in-depth commentary on the films themselves as well as the costumes that we see here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:39 AM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:39 AM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
Thanks so much for posting these, Hypatia. I was a big T&L fan back when they started up the long form reviews of MadMen costuming, and lost interest when the new site started mostly featuring quicky hot takes of paparazzi style celebrity pics. Glad to see they've got some in depth content again; I devoured the Shug Avery dress post-- the symbolism and layers about that dress-- and looking forward to others.
And also loved the Redefining the Hero post, so thanks for posting that originally and linking to it again.
posted by winesong at 9:56 AM on August 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
And also loved the Redefining the Hero post, so thanks for posting that originally and linking to it again.
posted by winesong at 9:56 AM on August 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
Wow, what a story in the Dorothy essay:
The fact that a gay man stole the ruby slippers and then sold them years later to pay for his AIDS treatment before dying is just about the most poignant goddamn thing anyone could say about an iconic film costume. Judy was always there for the gays and vice versa, unto death – and beyond it.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:41 AM on August 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
The fact that a gay man stole the ruby slippers and then sold them years later to pay for his AIDS treatment before dying is just about the most poignant goddamn thing anyone could say about an iconic film costume. Judy was always there for the gays and vice versa, unto death – and beyond it.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:41 AM on August 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
These are great - thanks for posting! So far I've read the Carrie prom dress and the Chanel outfit from The Devil Wears Prada. Excellent commentary and I love the analysis and the inside scoops. Once I finish work I plan to dig in to more of these.
posted by sundrop at 11:28 AM on August 26, 2020
posted by sundrop at 11:28 AM on August 26, 2020
I'm glad you posted this. I've been meaning to post them here myself, and I just didn't get around to doing it. I definitely think they're worth sharing with a wider audience, especially one that doesn't read fashion blogs.
posted by sardonyx at 11:32 AM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by sardonyx at 11:32 AM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I definitely think they're worth sharing with a wider audience, especially one that doesn't read fashion blogs.
Everyone watching Lovecraft Country needs to read their analyses of the costuming. Their whole blog is like 50% red carpet coverage and 50% advanced semiotics + queer and POC history. It rules.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:51 AM on August 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Everyone watching Lovecraft Country needs to read their analyses of the costuming. Their whole blog is like 50% red carpet coverage and 50% advanced semiotics + queer and POC history. It rules.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:51 AM on August 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Well, a yellow plaid suit means Spike Jones and his City Slickers are in town.
A simple black dress and a simple string of pearls? ~does the kiss-the-fingers-to-indicate-perfection thing~
posted by Thorzdad at 11:59 AM on August 26, 2020
A simple black dress and a simple string of pearls? ~does the kiss-the-fingers-to-indicate-perfection thing~
posted by Thorzdad at 11:59 AM on August 26, 2020
I was scrolling though the list being super annoyed that the way the photos are framed (at least on mobile) means you can't see most of the costumes without clicking and I got to the one about Gone With the Wind and thought "Wait? *That*dress? Really? Not the green curtains? Not the red dress? Not the bbq dress she nearly has to be vacuum packed into? Wtf?!"
And then I clicked into it and saw the opening the paragraph:
"We know what you’re thinking. “This one?” “Of all the iconic dresses in Gone with the Wind, you’re spending time talking about the least important one in the film?” “Where’s the red gown? The draperies gown? The green-and-white barbecue dress?”"
posted by jacquilynne at 12:02 PM on August 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
And then I clicked into it and saw the opening the paragraph:
"We know what you’re thinking. “This one?” “Of all the iconic dresses in Gone with the Wind, you’re spending time talking about the least important one in the film?” “Where’s the red gown? The draperies gown? The green-and-white barbecue dress?”"
posted by jacquilynne at 12:02 PM on August 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
The Pfeiffer Catwoman costume essay is really good. Great discussion of how it was sexy but also scary.
I remember seeing her in that movie and being confused, petrified, delighted and angry (that she died at the end) but never, ever bored with her. Devito was ok, Keaton was fine, but Pfeiffer owned that movie.
posted by emjaybee at 12:16 PM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I remember seeing her in that movie and being confused, petrified, delighted and angry (that she died at the end) but never, ever bored with her. Devito was ok, Keaton was fine, but Pfeiffer owned that movie.
posted by emjaybee at 12:16 PM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
These are fantastic. I especially enjoyed their study of Gabrielle Union’s “Clovers” uniform in Bring It On!
posted by armeowda at 1:47 PM on August 26, 2020
posted by armeowda at 1:47 PM on August 26, 2020
I am greatly enjoying these, though I disagree with the "Dorothy defeats Hitler" argument for Wizard of Oz - that's a *whole lot* of hindsight-based projection at work.
(Dorothy being on par with Frodo and Luke as one of the greatest "Hero's Journey" roles on film is absolutely true though.)
posted by tzikeh at 2:13 PM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
(Dorothy being on par with Frodo and Luke as one of the greatest "Hero's Journey" roles on film is absolutely true though.)
posted by tzikeh at 2:13 PM on August 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
Oh I love Tom and Lorenzo! They do such smart clothing commentary. I particularly like their recaps of television costuming as well.
posted by hepta at 5:40 PM on August 26, 2020
posted by hepta at 5:40 PM on August 26, 2020
Interestingly, the Franklin Mint must have agreed with Tom & Lorenzo, because Facebook marketplace has been showing me a Franklin Mint Scarlett O'Hara figurine in ads all day, and she is wearing the white ruffles.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:41 PM on September 3, 2020
posted by jacquilynne at 5:41 PM on September 3, 2020
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posted by showbiz_liz at 9:32 AM on August 26, 2020 [3 favorites]