Clothes on Film

The study of costume design in cinema and television. Featuring exclusive articles, news, interviews, videos, podcasts, essays and competitions.

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  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Guys in Films

    The Lighthouse: All Hail a High Waist Trouser

    4 Feb ’20 /

    The higher the waist, the closer to god.

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    Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Costume Round Up: Part 1

    22 Jun ’12

    Oz the Great and Powerful: Costume Interview with Gary Jones

    5 Jul ’13

    Exclusive Costume Featurette for My Cousin Rachel

    31 May ’17
  • Clothes from 1940s,  Girls in Films,  Girls on TV

    The Star Wattage of Mildred Pierce (1945)

    6 Mar ’17 /

    The 1945 cinematic adaptation of Mildred Pierce, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring, of course, Joan Crawford, is a very different beast to the 2011 HBO mini-series starring Kate Winslet. In all honestly it is not as good, but more significantly it is very different in terms of costume. Interestingly enough the mini-series, which is evidently a period piece, is closer in terms of historical accuracy than the near contemporary set Crawford version. This is not the be all and end all, because while Winslet’s Pierce may feel more real in terms of costume and setting, Crawford’s is arguably more fun. If for no other reason than to exemplify how…

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    His Girl Friday: Rosalind Russell’s Chevron Striped Coat

    18 Jun ’09

    To Catch a Thief: Grace Kelly’s Beach Wear

    5 Apr ’11

    Costuming The Dressmaker

    9 Nov ’15
  • Clothes from Fantasy & Sci-fi,  Guys on TV,  Premium

    Doctor Who: A Contemporary Costume Evolution

    21 Aug ’14 /

    Doctor Who, the quirky British sci-fi television series about a time travelling alien and his friends, premiered in 1963. Since then there have been twelve Doctors (and a War Doctor), each with their own unique looks to match their unique and often eccentric personalities. With the debut of the Twelfth Doctor fast approaching, this post takes a look back at the three Doctors we’ve seen so far (not including the War Doctor) on Doctor Who since it was rebooted in 2005 (or New Who, as some like to call it) and guesses at what we can expect from Doctor number twelve. The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) arrived on our screens…

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    Tron Legacy: Light Suit Costume – Part 2

    16 Nov ’10

    A Colourful Tale: The Costume Canvas of Dick Tracy

    27 Feb ’15

    Review: Avengers Assemble

    20 Apr ’12
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  News,  Premium

    Recreating the Levi’s Spring Bottom Pants Advert from 1905

    4 Jun ’14 /

    Levi’s® Spring Bottom pants are a most fascinating garment. Introduced in 1889 they are essentially jean trousers intended for Victorian (and later Edwardian) gentlemen. This is the first time Levi’s had focused their products on such an audience. Previously their stock in trade was miners and loggers, but this was a very early attempt by the company to branch out. Spring Bottom pants are a classic item of denim history, yet most folk have probably never heard of them. With this in mind we contacted costume designer Jenny Beavan recently and asked if she would consider putting them in the next Sherlock Holmes film. No-one was paying us to do…

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    Oz the Great and Powerful: Costume Interview with Gary Jones

    5 Jul ’13

    Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Costume Round Up: Part 1

    22 Jun ’12

    Review: The Woman in Black

    10 Feb ’12
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Clothes from 1920s,  Clothes from 1930s,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films

    Status and Signifiers: Costume in There Will Be Blood

    1 Apr ’14 /

    Costume designer Mark Bridges described There Will Be Blood (2007) as his most challenging film, referring to the difficulties he faced in transporting costumes to the remote location in West Texas, after director Paul Thomas Anderson called for a new concept three days before a re-shoot. However these challenges seem to channel the themes of the film itself: hardship, isolation, and the determination to overcome any obstacle to fulfil a goal. Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a turn-of-the-century prospector, who receives a tip about a giant oil deposit under a family farm in California. The family includes Eli Sunday, a zealous preacher and faith healer who wants the money from…

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    Review: The Woman in Black

    10 Feb ’12

    Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Costume Trailer Arrives

    14 Jul ’11

    True Grit: Full Trailer Moseys Along

    5 Oct ’10
  • Clothes from 1980s,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    The Bloody Sartorialist: Christian Bale in American Psycho

    16 Jan ’14 /

    American Psycho (2000, costume designer Isis Mussenden) is a late 1980s set film that highlights the importance placed on external appearance and the disparity that can lie between this and the true nature of a person. The ‘Psycho’ of the title, Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale) is outwardly flawless. He has an extreme and involved personal beauty regime, consisting of special shampoos, body washes, face masks and scrubs, complemented by a strict diet and exercise plan that he completes daily and without fail. He believes in looking after himself – or at least his external self. Beneath this perfectly glossy exterior is emptiness – a lack of humanity, of…

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    Get on Up: Sharen Davis Shares Costume Design Sketches

    9 Dec ’14

    Back to the Future Nikes go on Sale: You Can’t Afford Them

    9 Sep ’11

    The Fashionable Style of Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone

    1 Jan ’20
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Clothes from 1920s,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    Dress like a Peaky Blinder

    13 Sep ’13 /

    Let’s get this straight: Peaky Blinders is not Boardwalk Empire. It’s a post World War I gangster drama, during roughly the same time period (1919 as opposed to the early 20’s), it’s gritty, features loyal yet warring brothers, is as cool as ice chips and doesn’t pull any punches. However Boardwalk Empire is set in the attractive seaside landscape of Atlantic City, USA, while Peaky Blinders is set in Birmingham. The whole palette is different too. Boardwalk is colourful and vibrant, Peaky is dark and dingy. Evidently this extends to the clothes. You wouldn’t have got far walking around Birmingham in an orange silk shirt and camel coat; this was…

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    Dark Shadows Trailer: Campy, Period Blending Costume Fun

    16 Mar ’12

    Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Costume Round Up: Part 2

    9 Jul ’12

    Recreating the Levi’s Spring Bottom Pants Advert from 1905

    4 Jun ’14
  • Clothes from now,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Premium

    National Treasure 2: Diane Kruger’s Costume Quest

    26 Apr ’11 /

    Judianna Makovsky demonstrates that contemporary fashion with a plot is far more fun than a flick through Vogue.

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    Michael Kaplan Talks Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

    20 Dec ’11

    Colleen Goes Contemporary: First Official Pic from The Tourist

    14 Jun ’10

    New Burlesque Trailer? Corset Is

    21 Oct ’10
  • Clothes from 1980s,  Clothes from now,  Guys in Films,  News

    Arthur: Trailer No. 2. Brace Yourself

    3 Mar ’11 /

    A second trailer for Arthur starring Russell Brand in a top hat has arrived. Can the film possibly be as likeable as this footage implies?

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    Brigbsy Bear: Interview with Costume Designer Sarah Mae Burton

    14 Aug ’17

    The Gumshoe Chic of Mickey Rourke in Angel Heart (1987)

    29 Nov ’19

    Awesome Lack of Taste: Style Lessons from Hot Tub Time Machine

    11 May ’10
  • Clothes from 1920s,  Guys on TV,  Premium

    Boardwalk Empire: Why Men Should Embrace the Dandy Man

    31 Jan ’11 /

    Boardwalk Empire heralds the return of the dandy man.

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    Dress like a Peaky Blinder

    13 Sep ’13

    The Artist: Interview with Mark Bridges

    22 Nov ’11

    HBO Sessions Video: Clothes on Film Discuss Boardwalk Empire

    3 Jan ’12
  • Bond on film,  Clothes from 1960s,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    Sean Connery in Dr. No: The Template For 007

    10 Dec ’10 /

    Matt Spaiser, creator of The Suits of James Bond blog, analyses the style of 007 in the film that started it all - Dr. No.

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    Live and Let Die: Yaphet Kotto’s Brown Suede Trench Coat

    26 Feb ’10

    Oscars 2020: Red Carpet Livestream

    8 Feb ’20

    Roger Moore’s Plaid Jacket in The Man with the Golden Gun

    5 Oct ’11
  • Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  News

    Ice Cold Movie Posters Inspired by Male Costume

    7 Oct ’10 /

    Moxy Creative has designed a super cool collection of movie posters based on iconic male costume.

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    Steamy Sucker Punch Trailer Hits

    5 Nov ’10

    Film Review: Knight and Day

    5 Aug ’10

    Some Pics From Toy Story 3: Safari Ken

    25 May ’10
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