Showing posts with label costume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label costume. Show all posts

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Swagger and Inspiration From Clothing in "The Gentlemen"

If you're a fan of British bespoke tailoring and appreciate exaggeration of traditional English clothing as well as the social class it might represent, you'll definitely want to put "The Gentlemen" on your "Movies to See" list. You'll see clothing styles adopted by wealthy drug-lords, nouveau riche mafia bosses, street gangs, and council estate boys. The ladies? They don't really figure here, except for Michelle Dockery's character, Rosalind Pearson, who exudes her own power and charm from atop Christian Louboutin 5-inch black stilettos while running a women-only auto garage.



In fact, near the beginning of the movie, there is a discussion between Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) and Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong) where they discuss their suits at a dinner party. “Oh, I like to make a splash whenever possible,” says Matthew Berger. It would be so easy to say that the clothing stands as shorthand for each character, but that is wrong. Rather, the clothing become tribal threads and second skins.

But the real style that is exuded is Colin Farrell and his team of "good lads." Every time they entered a scene, I could not take my eyes off them! Custom suiting, check! Matched plaids, check! Exquisite tailoring, check!

It is over-the-top street style, and in interviews with the costumer, Michael Wilkinson, you see how exaggerating a traditional fabric and design can really create a bold style statement. Wilkinson explained that they used designs based on classic English suiting fabrics, which we enlarged, brightened and printed onto a modern quilted technical fabric.

Incidentally, if you're looking for more costuming by Wilkinson, check out "Seberg," starring Kristin Stewart.



If Colin Farrell and his "Toddlers" have you aching to pull out that bright plaid in your stash, you can check this blog post by McCall's for ideas and links to fancy zippers and rib knit to match or contrast that can add incredible flair to your project!

Monday, September 3, 2018

Halloween Costume Consulting Service - Sunday, September 9 at the Pohick Regional Public Library





The Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Sewing Guild is partnering with the Fairfax County Public Library for National Sewing Month

*** Halloween Costume Consulting Service ***
Have a great idea for a costume but need help sewing it?
Learn basic stitches that take you from concept to reality!
Have a costume but it doesn't fit?
Learn how to lengthen or shorten sleeves, pants, or dresses.
Have a costume, but it needs embellishment to bring it back to life?
Learn how to securely sew on decorations with minimal effort and maximum effect!

The expert sewists of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Sewing Guild are ready to help you have a ghoulishly good time practicing sewing skills to take your costume from an ordinary get-up to sartorial splendor suitable for any Halloween Ball!

BONUS! You'll learn techniques that will last longer than the Halloween candy in your secret stash.

Details: Sunday, September 9, 2018 from 1-5pm at the Pohick Regional Public Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Rd, Burke, VA

What to bring: Your costumes or even regular garments that need hemming, buttons, or repairs! If you have sewing tools or notions, please feel free to bring them and we'll help you learn to use them better.