Hitchcock Blonde

Alfred Hitchcock was known for hiring blonde actresses to play his quintessential damsel in distress; the lovely archetype of all things delicate and fragile. A woman who could not dirty up her image with anything less than Platinum Cool #2. Grace Kelly, Tippi Hedren, Kim Novak, and Eva Marie Saint were just a few of the women to play the part and live up to what forever will be, Hitchcock blonde.

Here are a few of my fashionable favorites from several Hitchcock films including The Birds, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and Vertigo.

I love how her green palette is also copied into the landscape of the movie here. She is formally beautiful, juxtaposed with the attacking bird.

Grace Kelly's coral pink sweater shell with the chiffon scarf is marvelous for this scene. It plays up the whole French Riviera with Mr. Cary Grant very well. It also looks beautiful with the bright ocean blue scenery. Hitchcock always made sure to dress up his ladies with a purpose, giving them style, as as always grace.

Kim Novak as Madeleine in Vertigo staring at the picture of her great-grandmother Carlotta with the bouquet of rosettes next to her. Her grey suit dress is subtle, yet classic as a backdrop in this quiet scene.

Classic beauty Grace Kelly wearing Edith Head's design in Rear Window. Edith Head was a famous costume designer who worked with Hitchcock, among many star makers of that time, to create the images we see here. Head is credited as working on all four of these films, The Birds, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window, and Vertigo.

"I like your nurse's uniform, guy." "These are O.R. scrubs." "O, R they?"

I love Wes Anderson. He is by far one of my favorite directors. His films appear like doorways into his imagination, a place I would love to venture to like a Bed and Breakfast, filled with a menagerie of interesting characters and places alive in his mind and on-screen. My favorite film is The Royal Tenenbaums. But all of his films have touched my fantasies of what a children's Golden Book might look life if it bloomed into life, complete with a cast of friends who regularly come together in almost every film as a family, ready to jump aboard the Wes Anderson express, or at least the Darjeeling Limited.

His influence on fashion, now more evident especially with Halloween around the corner, has always inspired me and I have always wished I had more friends willing to participate in a group dress costume get-up of the entire Tenenbaum family. I really adore Margot and Richie, not to mention Royal himself. Here are a few visuals from his films that have brought wonderment and smiles to me throughout the years. I hope you enjoy them and maybe find some inspiration for yourself either through these films or through these images.

"I like your nurse's uniform, guy." "These are O.R. scrubs." "O, R they?"

Fashionably Conscious

I recently viewed the documentary Schmatta on HBO the other day and I was really moved by how the fashion industry has been diminished by American greed over the past few decades. Schmatta in Yiddish simply means rags.

Whether we recognize it or not, we all contribute to this industry. Mark Twain once famously said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” Naked people in society are often found going to jail due to indecency.

We need to wear clothes and we have the choice on what we put on our bodies. All clothes serve a purpose: to keep us warm, to protect us, to make us feel attractive, to make us professional, to help us work, etc.

According to Schmatta, Americans are now buying approximately 5% of clothing made in the United States. Immigrants who built their foundations in this country by working in jobs to create clothes for you and me are slowly becoming extinct. Now, most of our clothing is outsourced and made in Third World countries that have poor working conditions, use child labor, and they make our clothes cheaply so that we can buy them from our Wal-Marts and our Old Navys.

I am just as guilty. The recession has hit me, though not as hard as many Americans. I am fortunate to still have a job. Everything cost more and we are making less or nothing at all. But still, when I go and buy my clothes and necessities, I am saddened that I am no longer contributing to our economy so that I can save a few dollars, and indirectly, I am contributing to inhumane labor and putting hard working people out of business.

Many people outside of Manhattan may not care that the once lively Garment District is turning into a graveyard of empty building that once housed workers that made clothing for us. I do not live in New York City. I have never stepped foot in the Garment District and I’m afraid that if I ever do get there, it will be gone. It’s not so much the impact of this neighborhood disappearing. I have seen neighborhoods vanish before my eyes living in St. Louis. St. Louis is now a skeleton of the vibrant city that it once was. What saddens me is what this represents. The American Dream is dying.

click here to find out more: http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/schmatta/index.html

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Thou Shalt Not Worship Freddy Krueger

Lindsay Lohan might have more problems than the whole Betty Ford clinic, but most the time she is at least wearing something fashion forward and pretty (minus the whole leggings nonsense of 2007 - I can't believe she is starting her own line, stop the insanity already). Speaking of stopping the insanity already, is Lilo's BFF/quasi-lover DJ Samantha Ronson who somewhat resembles Susan Powter, trying to start the Freddy Kreuger clothing movement? Horizontal stripes, eh, not super horrible. Mix it with Ronson/Kreuger's signature black hat and viola...instant Fredrica Krueger. Now Lilo is starting to go the way of many zebras before her. Careful Lilo, we don't want to see you in any stripes, the kind that resemble vertical bars, or horizontal ones around your twins.

Marc Jacobs Bats An Eyelash at Stanley Kubrick

Marc by Marc Jacobs has always fascinated me. He manages to carve out an American-style that doesn't scream preppy nightmare via polo shirts. Not that a good black polo shouldn't be in every person's wardrobe, but do we need them in every skittles color? No. Instead, lets embrace pattern and color in fun ways. In his Spring 2008 Ready-To-Wear collection, he once again utilizes a sense of whimsy without going over the edge. One particular dress worn by Laragh McCann stood out as a wearable and classic blue number, but it was interestingly familiar. Then it hit me. Clockwork Orange. Sure it's all-over navy blue, but that one-sided eyelash looking embellishment reminded me so much of Malcolm McDowell's iconic image in the film. I looked at the rest of the collection. Slightly utilitarian, slightly 70's British button-up chic, kinda makes wonder if Marc was a bit influences by a bit the the old ultra-violence himself. It works. Made me nostalgic for Kubrick. I'm singing in the rain for this one.

Jumpsuits

Jumpsuits usually conjure up images of Freddie Mercury, that guy from Dexys Midnight Runners in “Come on Eileen” or someone jumping out of a plane. Do they have a place in today’s fashion world; outside anything Victoria “Posh” Beckham would find a suitable dinner outfit? Yes and no. Our brave fashionista heroine, SJP, shows a classic cut black number on the Late Show with David Letterman while plugging for Sex and The City. Here’s where Sarah Jessica Parker gets it right. Classic, black, no frills, no crazy embellishments, just classy all around. But, the flip side of that coin is a scary spring floral piece by Stella McCartney that broke my heart. Normally I love her innovation, but this is just too much. This regurgitated flowery tablecloth from the 70’s clothing hangover spun into a jumpsuit makes me simply want to jump out a plane. Angie Harmon….better luck next time.