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 1950s,  Clothes in Films,  Film Reviews,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    Phantom Thread: An Insight into Autism and Relationships

    23 Mar ’18 /

    SPOILERS If you’ve heard anything about Phantom Thread (2017, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson), you are bound to uncover a multitude of thoughts on the astounding Academy Award winning costume work of Mark Bridges or the retirement role of Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock, 1950s fashion house couturier. But one of the key components to Reynolds is missing from the discussion: Autism. Phantom Thread opens with Reynolds (Day-Lewis) getting dressed to formalities of the era. Polished shoes, ironed trousers, a fresh button-down shirt, with the addition of long magenta socks to introduce the notion of creativity, or perhaps particularities to the character. The scene moves to breakfast, which quietly adds…

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    Anna Karenina: Jacqueline Durran Talks Jewellery & Costume

    11 Jan ’13

    Rear Window: Grace Kelly’s Paris Dress

    5 May ’09

    New Shutter Island Trailer Debuts: Serious Fifties Costumes

    3 Oct ’09
  • 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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    The Catwalk of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

    15 Nov ’13

    Film Review: Iron Man 2

    3 May ’10

    First Look at Captain America: The Winter Soldier Costume

    12 Jun ’13
  • Clothes from 2000-10,  Clothes from now,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    About Time to Dress Upper Middle Class

    9 May ’14 /

    SPOILERS Despite all the hoo-ha over films such as Blue Jasmine and Stoker contemporary is still pretty much overlooked as a form of costume design. If it’s invisible, well, nobody notices it, and if it’s designer it becomes all about ‘the fashion’ (OMG TOTES WANT THOSE SHOES). We are currently in an age when costume design means period and sci-fi. It comes to the extent that if a costumer wants to tell a story through contemporary attire, he/she needs either a director with a key grasp of semiotics, or one that doesn’t care less about semiotics and offers a degree of autonomy. Watching About Time we presume that Richard Curtis…

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    Beautiful Oppression: Tilda Swinton in I am Love

    5 Jun ’15

    The September Issue: Director Talks Final Cut

    24 Sep ’09

    National Treasure: Diane Kruger, a Dress for Action

    27 Nov ’09
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Premium

    Peaky Blinders: Q&A with Costume Designer Stephanie Collie

    15 Oct ’13 /

    If you’re not watching BBC 2’s gangster western Peaky Blinders, stop reading now and seek it out on iPlayer – there’s still one episode left so you have time to join the party. Peaky Blinders is the slow burning tale of a volatile, family led criminal gang, headed by calculating brother Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), and their rise to power in post-World War I Birmingham. It does not sound glamorous and it isn’t, yet is all the more compelling for embracing the filthy side of what many considered to be the cusp of the ‘Roaring Twenties’. Not in Birmingham it wasn’t. Thankfully Peaky Blinders had costume designer Stephanie Collie (Lock,…

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    Review: Django Unchained

    28 Dec ’12

    War Horse: Interview with Costume Designer Joanna Johnston

    27 Apr ’12

    The Lone Ranger: Never take off the Mask

    30 Jul ’13
  • Clothes from 1970s,  Clothes from 1980s,  Premium

    Argo: Interview with Costume Designer Jacqueline West

    16 Feb ’13 /

    Costume designer Jacqueline West talks exclusively to Clothes on Film about her period recreation work on Ben Affleck’s Oscar favourite Argo.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 8 Comments

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    Jane Fonda and the Costumes of Klute (1971)

    19 Aug ’19

    Film Review: Freebie and the Bean

    25 Jul ’09

    Stockard Channing’s Yellow Dress in The Girl Most Likely To

    23 Nov ’10
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Pre-Victorian,  Premium

    Sharen Davis Costume Interview: Django Unchained

    1 Jan ’13 /

    Django Unchained costume designer Sharen Davis exclusively explains her work on the film.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 9 Comments

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    Anna Karenina Coming to Banana Republic: Costume Fashion?

    30 Jun ’12

    Bright Star Trailer Online: 19th Century Costumes Afoot

    9 Oct ’09

    Dual Analysis: The Young Victoria – Chris’ Thoughts

    28 Jul ’10
  • Clothes from 1970s,  Clothes from 1980s,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Premium

    Argo Buy a Sports Jacket: The Thinking Man’s Hero Attire

    16 Nov ’12 /

    Ben Affleck’s pseudo-cowboy costume in Argo harks back to the golden age of the sports jacket.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 11 Comments

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    Behind the Candelabra: Wearing Liberace On Stage and Off

    31 May ’13

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

    26 Feb ’10

    Win a Limited Edition Scarface Blu-Ray + Scarf & Money Clip

    1 Sep ’11
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Premium

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

    9 Jul ’12 /

    Second and final part of Clothes on Film’s sartorial run-through of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, with exclusive input from costume designer Jenny Beavan.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 4 Comments

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    Dress like a Peaky Blinder

    13 Sep ’13

    Sherlock Holmes Costume Guide Part 2: Tweed Suits and Ulsters

    20 May ’10

    Status and Signifiers: Costume in There Will Be Blood

    1 Apr ’14
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Premium

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

    22 Jun ’12 /

    First of Clothes on Film’s two part sartorial run-through of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, with exclusive input from costume designer Jenny Beavan.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 6 Comments

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    Costume Designer Anaïs Romand Discusses House of Tolerance

    7 Sep ’12

    Sherlock Holmes Costume Guide Part 1: Frock Coats & Bustles

    17 May ’10

    Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

    4 Mar ’13
  • Clothes from 1970s,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Interviews,  Premium

    The Conversation: Gene Hackman’s Raincoat

    13 Mar ’12 /

    With exclusive insight from costume designer Aggie Guerard Rodgers, we investigate the story behind Harry Caul’s distinctive plastic raincoat.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 4 Comments

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    Dual Analysis: The Big Lebowski – KB’s Thoughts

    7 Jun ’10

    Deena Appel on the Costume Design of Austin Powers: Goldmember

    9 Oct ’18

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

    5 Oct ’11
  • Clothes from 1837-1919,  Film Reviews,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films

    Review: The Woman in Black

    10 Feb ’12 /

    Proving that frock coats and heavy lace dresses really are terrifying.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 1 Comment

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    War Horse: Interview with Costume Designer Joanna Johnston

    27 Apr ’12

    The Young Victoria: Costume Designer Interview

    14 Jan ’10

    Sherlock Holmes Costume Guide Part 1: Frock Coats & Bustles

    17 May ’10
  • Clothes from 1920s,  Clothes from now,  Girls in Films,  Guys in Films,  Premium

    Midnight in Paris: Nostalgia Fashion

    3 Feb ’12 /

    Sonia Grande’s costume design for Midnight in Paris offers everything we expect of 1920s Paris and the contemporary nouveau riche.

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    Lord Christopher Laverty 4 Comments

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    Of Money and Sex: Fitzgerald, Luhrmann, and Clothing in The Great Gatsby

    19 Apr ’13

    Review: Hugo – With Exclusive Insight From Sandy Powell

    23 Dec ’11

    Exclusive Boardwalk Empire Costume Design Clip

    5 Jan ’12
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