Out of the Box: Look of the Week

Out of the Box is focusing on the costume design pieces that caught our eye this week. We’ve already talked about the striking looks on Mad Men, festival style from the Parks and Recreation season finale, Alicia Florrick’s wine cardigan and Elizabeth Jennings’ shoulder pads on The Americans, so here is a quick roundup of everything else that has been on our mind. We’re also offering a look at a couple of costumes we can’t wait to see on Hannibal tonight.

On Orphan Black only Alison would go to a funeral dressed as Holly Golightly and then drink herself into oblivion, because well she kinda did have a hand in Aynsley’s death, well that and Aynsley’s scarf. There is no explanation for this Breakfast at Tiffany’s homage and all that’s missing is a cigarette holder. Alison is the clone I find the most enthralling as she tries to balance her quest for suburban perfection while spiraling thanks to the crazy her clone status brings. She’s so wonderfully uptight and her lack of filter is why she is best when she is around Felix. This is also the part where I really forget it is Tatiana Maslany playing everyone.

Felix looks like he’s stepped out of a movie and from the same decade as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, this one tinged with Andy Warhol and experimentalism. It’s also worth noting that both Alison and Felix are wearing versions of the costuming they have on in the season two poster they share (with Donnie) which suggests the Felix/Alison story is not over. Now I know Felix and Sarah are brother and sister, but it’s the Felix and Alison pairing that brings me the most joy as they neck tiny bottles of vodka together. So, while he has abandoned her for now, as Alison falls deeper into a pit of despair hopefully she can count on her friends to come through for her. With an outfit like this Felix would totally fit in with Margot Verger (see the Hannibal entry below).

If you had to describe an outfit Jess would wear on New Girl it would probably look a lot like this one from “Dance” – Peter Pan collar and a-line skirt (polka dots optional) – and I love it. I am partial to twee and my feelings about polka dots are blasted on the top of this and every TV Ate My Wardrobe page; the skirt is French Connection (another favorite) and the ‘Porla’ Peter Pan collar plum sweater is currently more than half off at Alice + Olivia.

So here’s a little of what we can expect styling wise from Mason Verger on tonight’s episode of Hannibal and I pretty much screamed in joy at the sight of this extravagant coat and the sneer of contempt across his face is perfect. Those look like mink lapels and Mason’s cruelty extends to the animals he wears. This is probably the most conservative of all of Margot’s costumes so far – I’m currently working on a much longer Margot piece – and the high neck coupled with the buttoned up jacket suggests how unsafe she feels around her brother; we already know she wants to kill him so this doesn’t come as a surprise. The horse shoe accessory, braid and general styling suggest she’s been riding and even though Margot claims she is worth nothing, her attire since we have met her indicates otherwise. There is a flamboyance to the Verger’s and their costuming is theatrical in its opulence.

In contrast to the first shot of Margot from “Naka-choko” this is a much more relaxed posture as she reclines in Hannibal’s office. The gold flecked blazer is in line with her previous visits to Hannibal with puffed up sleeves, but it’s a lot more provocative than her previous dramatic attire. What has made her suddenly so comfortable around Hannibal? Is it her chat with Will last week? Whatever it is, I can definitely state that this eye-catching jacket is on the covet list.

Tags: Hannibal, Jordan Gavaris, Katharine Isabelle, Michael Pitt, New Girl, Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany, Zooey Deschanel