The world of film has a symbiotic relationship with the gurus of the fashion world. Both revolve around their own political systems of creators and financiers, and place a high premium on physical appearance. As trends develop on the runway, they also seep into the year’s movie releases. Similarly, the costumes in a big film can creep into the sub-consciousness of the public and the designers who dress them.
This fall marks a substantial shift from the “more is more” attitude about accessories and apparel that has driven the last few seasons towards a more conservative, formal and classically feminine approach. Unsurprisingly, recent films reflect and follow this movement, and Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is a prime example.
The costumes of this animated film reflect the 19th century Victorian-era time period of the story. The high collars on female characters, along with puff sleeves and tapered waists, have found their way into couture salons as well as trend-marketing stores like Urban Outfitters and H&M. At the Venice Film Festival, actress Helena Bonham Carter dressed a few decades earlier in a Georgian-era white gown, complete with the high empire waist that is really the number one fashion staple for this fall. While dressing in line with her film’s theme, Carter also showed her awareness of current trends. The soon-to-be-released film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will once again instill in audiences an affinity for these high waists, as this film is also set in Georgian England.
Since borrowing from the past is a tireless fashion strategy, the world of designers has taken a major leap this fall with late Renaissance-inspired detailing and themes. This fall’s epic The New World, about the Jamestown colonial settlement of 1607, features colonial costumes resembling those of Shakespeare In Love. You may think that there is no way contemporary fashion could ever tap into that, but this fall’s Neiman Marcus catalogue paints scenes of fairytale princes and princesses, billowing chest-hair-baring shirts on men and velvet, brocade, feminine accessories and apparel for women.
These generalizations and leaps of logic may seem questionable. But when the fashion-conscious audience member watches the film, marvels at the wardrobe and then finds a pair of velvet pumps in a store that look just like the ones Pocahontas wears in England, she will not be able to resist them.
