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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

14 Jun

It’s been a week of several award shows and more Emmy related roundtable discussions and some of these have already been covered here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and feature fantastic looks. As always there are no real rules to this weekly column and it is a snapshot of what I have been watching (and looking at online) and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good.

Winner: Dr. du Maurier on Hannibal “Releves” 

photoThe costuming and set design on Hannibal has been consistently brilliant with the use of red and pink tones being particularly noticeable. In this scene with Gillian Anderson’s Dr. du Maurier Jack attempts to get information regarding her discussions with Hannibal, du Maurier gives Jack very little showing that her loyalty is with her colleague and patient. We know that du Maurier was attacked by a patient, a former patient of Hannibal’s who she claims swallowed his tongue and that’s why he didn’t kill her. Later on she discusses both the visit from Jack and the attack with Hannibal and it would seem like Hannibal was involved in the attacker swallowing his tongue (the who/why/how is still very unclear).

With this latter meeting du Maurier is wearing neutral colors and almost blends in with her surroundings, it’s a very different statement from the fuchsia pink blouse in the above shot where she clearly controls the conversation with Jack and has all the power in the scene. This is not the case with Hannibal and he has some hold over her, as he does with most people as he manipulates the situation to his advantage. Why does Hannibal do this? As Hannibal tells Abigail he does things because he is “curious what would happen”, Hannibal is an observer, but he also interferes to make things happen. It looks like Abigail isn’t long for this world.

Runner Up: Sally Draper and Julie on Mad Men “Favors”

MM_611_JT_0315_0444Sally Draper didn’t have a great week on Mad Men and her friend Julie could be blamed for Sally’s despair; Julie took the note that they had written about Mitchell and posted it under the Rosen’s door, but what followed isn’t Julie’s fault but Don’s as he can’t seem to keep it in his pants. The above shot is at the very awkward dinner as Julie and Megan are both oblivious to the real reason behind Sally’s anger at her father. While both girls think that they can handle themselves in the city and with boys they are still very much children and their costumes reflect this. Together these dresses clash in both pattern and color and their hairstyles are both childlike but very different; bows and headbands/up and down.

Throughout the episode we see that Julie and Sally don’t have all that much in common besides an interest in Mitchell; Sally thinks that being smart matters, whereas Julie believes she has the art of flirting down. By the end Sally has had the more adult experience, an unfortunate one where she finds out that her father isn’t the hero she thought he was. Don attempts to spin a tale to Sally but she is old enough to know when a lie is just that. We’ve seen Sally adopt the ’60s mini skirt style as favored by Megan so will she start acting out further in teenage rebellion when it comes to her clothes as a result of this incident?

Runner Up: Comedy Actors Hollywood Reporter Emmy Roundtable 

THR comedy actorsRegular visitors to TV Ate My Wardrobe know how much we enjoy a pre-Emmys roundtable and the comedy ones this year have been particularly entertaining. Matthew Perry. Jake Johnson, Adam Scott, Fred Armisen, Eric Stonestreet and Jim Parsons are the participants in the comedy actors panel (you can watch it here) and they have been styled as if they are on vacation – in the video some of them mention how the no socks aspect is not something they usually go with. Variations of blue and an array of pastel colors have been chosen for the composition and Fred Armisen’s green jacket is something I’d quite like for myself. The conversation covers a variety of topics about their current shows and past experiences, though the highlight is when it takes a surreal turn about the word “penal.”

What is your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

7 Jun

There has been a couple of award shows this week with both the CFDA and Glamour magazine hosting glitzy affairs and the pre-Emmy nomination roundtables are in full swing. Some of these have already been covered here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and have featured some really fantastic looks. As always there are no real rules to this weekly feature and as always it is a snapshot of what I have been watching (and looking at online) and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good.

Winner: Megan Draper on Mad Men “A Tale of Two Cities”

Megan hippie lookWhile the Megan Draper theories have gone from slightly crazy to Don Draper hallucinating crazy the costuming for Megan this season has shown why Janie Bryant is so revered. Megan’s closet is huge and it needs to be as she has alternates between glamorous fashion forward pieces to her more relaxed look at home that wouldn’t look out of place in 2013. In Don’s drug induced hallucination he sees Megan in hippie attire, which matches the general look of the Hollywood party they are attending. This is the most relaxed Megan has looked all season though it’s not really Megan, but Don’s projection of the perfect version of Megan; she has quit her job and she is pregnant. The thing that drew Don to Megan in the first place was how she was with his children and California is the place where he cemented their relationship from a casual fling to fiancé. They have recently discussed the state of their relationship and even though they seem better than they have been for the entire year there is still distance (and not just the physical kind) between them. Is Megan actually pregnant or is this just wishful thinking on Don’s part?

Runner Up: Adam Scott and Amy Poehler in The Greatest Event in Television History

adam scott hart to hartLast night Adult Swim aired Adam Scott’s second “Greatest Event in Television History” and this time he teamed up with Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler to recreate the opening title sequence of Hart to Hart. Both look like they are having a ball with the late ’70s/early ’80s look and if I didn’t know any better I would think that this was a Ben and Leslie fantasy sequence – though that would probably involve either Game of Thrones or political faces throughout history.

Runner Up: Ellie Kemper at The Hollywood Reporter Supporting Actor Photo Shoot

Kemper

Ellie Kemper looked stunning at the CFDA Fashion Awards earlier this week and even though The Office has finished this doesn’t mean that this is the last we have seen of Kemper talking about her role on this show as she takes part in both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter’s Emmy discussions. Kemper talks about her experience coming onto The Office in season 5 when it was already a big hit and dealing with it finishing saying “the most emotional moment was when we filmed The Office finale. I was crying and crying, which is actually unusual for me.” I hadn’t watched The Office for two seasons but that final episode had me balling (one of these moments was when Joan Cusack revealed that she was Erin’s mother). As I said earlier in the week I really hope that Kemper gets to play roles beyond the standard girlfriend and funny best friend parts as she is a really terrific comedic actress.

What was your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

31 May

It’s been a Mad Men heavy week here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and this continues with today’s edition of “Look of the Week.” There are no real rules to this weekly feature and as always it is a snapshot of what I have been watching (and looking at online) and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. One person who would have been included is Diane Kruger but her street style was discussed in an earlier post and with The Bridge nearing its premiere date expect to see more Kruger on here (and hopefully more Joshua Jackson).

Winner: Bob Benson on Mad Men “The Better Half”

Bob Benson Wears Short ShortsThere could only be one winner really and it’s Bob Benson in his short shorts as he prepares to spend the day at the beach with Joan and her son Kevin. It’s a hard look to pull off and James Wolk does just that as he moves about with ease in Joan’s apartment, he even manages to look not too awkward when Roger drops by unannounced. This week has been a big one for Mad Men conspiracy theories (for more on Megan’s t-shirt head here) and Bob is at the center of these as his intentions are still unclear; is he a good guy trying to get his career going or is there something more nefarious going on? It’s been a fun game to play so far and I’m glad that even in the warm weather and a trip to the beach Bob still has his cup of coffee from Anthora. Bob doesn’t need an amphetamine laced injection as long as he has a cup of coffee then he has boundless energy.

Runner Up: Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington in The Hollywood Reporter Magazine

HR_ROUND_TABLE_SHOT_02_029_v6_B_a_p HR_ROUND_TABLE_SHOT_11_004_v5_B_a_pThis is the second week in a row that Elisabeth Moss has appeared in a non Mad Men related capacity (last week was all about her new haircut) and this photo is part of The Hollywood Reporter’drama actress roundtable. There is a variety of styling on this front cover ranging from casual to fancy; Scandal’s Kerry Washington looks relaxed and chic in black vest and white trousers (with a stripe of black to add to the monochromatic theme) and Elisabeth Moss could rock up to a cocktail party in this black and white dress and towering heels. This shoot is much better than last year’s all gown theme and they’ve picked styles that suit each actress. The hair and make-up is similar enough without looking like they’ve matched everyone in a Stepford Wives manner (and I’ve started a lipstick treasure hunt to find out Elisabeth Moss’ shade/brand. There will be updates).

Runner Up: Dr Alana Bloom on Hannibal “Trou Normand”

Dr Bloom, Hannibal, Will

Dr Bloom

First of all I want to say how happy I am that Hannibal has been renewed for a second season as I was starting to worry about the fate of the show and now I can get back to worrying about the fate of Dr. Alana Bloom. These photos are from last week’s episode and I wanted to feature this colorful costuming that stands out amongst the dark attire of all around her. The skirt is a deep red and paired with the patterned red blouse Dr Bloom is a striking figure in the gloom. It’s a pretty good representation of how Alana fits into the shows narrative as she has become a figure of light for Will as their relationship has developed – a kiss occurred in the previous episode and Alana admitted that she has feelings for Will but she can’t act on them yet while he is unstable. Alana is also the character who is the most in the dark when it comes to Abigail Hobbs; Jack rightly doesn’t trust Abigail and Will has figured out that Abigail is a killer. Alana implicitly trusts Hannibal and this could be her downfall as she tells Jack “He has no reason to lie about any of this.” The audience knows this isn’t the case and I’m going to spend the rest of the season worrying about what will happen to Dr Bloom. She does provide balance and reason to the team and her costuming is functional but still fashionable; wrap around dresses are a favorite. It’s this balance that I hope will keep this character around for season 2 (it’s so nice to write that knowing there is going to be a season 2).

Who was your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

24 May

As a lot of the shows have ended for the season and the summer ones are yet to begin this edition of “Look of the Week” will include a variety of appearances including Mad Men (standard), a late night talk show and a music video. There are no real rules to this weekly feature and as always it is a snapshot of what I have been watching (and looking at online) and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good.

Winner: Stan Rizzo on Mad Men “The Crash”

MM_608_JA_0212_0554This is the second time that Stan has featured on this list (and I’d include him every week if I could) and it’s partly because of his fantastic beard (for all your Stan beard needs check out this wonderful Tumblr). Mad Men was pretty divisive this week as half of the office received an “energy boosting” injection from a doctor and it resulted in the most overt drug episode that this show has done so far. Stan is pretty much always on drugs and he revealed why his uptake has increased this season – his cousin who we met at Don’s birthday party last season was killed in Vietnam. Stan also featured in some moments of levity, including the race above (and he’s looking pretty athletic leaping over the table) and his attempt at becoming William Tell (or most likely a nod to this Esquire cover).

It led to his encounter with Peggy (Mad Men isn’t necessarily a shipping show but I’m all about these two getting together). Stan didn’t hook up with Peggy as she told him not to use sex and drugs to mask the pain, advice he didn’t take. Peggy told Stan that “You’re lucky I don’t like beards” and I’m pretty sure half the audience (myself included) yelled at their screen. Their conversation ends flirtatiously with Stan telling Peggy that she has “a great ass” and a thousand fanfics were created from this moment (coming soon to a Kindle near you?).

Runner Up: Elisabeth Moss on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Moss and FallonYou can tell that Mad Men has just finished shooting because Elisabeth Moss has ditched both her Peggy Olson brunette color and length, opting for a short and choppy blonde look instead. It’s a drastic change, but it really suits Moss and I’m sure it is a welcome relief after filming a season of Mad Men. Moss had it cut backstage before her appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday and as I mentioned last week I am a fan of chopping all your hair off (as Mindy did in the season finale) and it instantly changes your appearance. Peggy is a character who dresses from a functional point of view, we’ll never see her in the more fashion forward pieces that Megan wears and she is often dressing as someone who needs to show she has authority in the office. This is a complete shift for Moss and it instantly makes her look more vibrant and youthful than the character we see her play.

Runner Up: Zooey Deschanel in the She & Him video “I Could’ve Been Your Girl”

She & Him videoI wrote about this Zooey Deschanel directed She & Him video earlier this week and the 60s inspired styling. The reason why I wanted to talk about it again is thanks to Deschanel’s footwear. Yellow is very much on trend this season and my favourite pair of yellow flats (that feature on my Twitter background) are about to fall apart as I’ve worn them so much, I’m basically going to be on the lookout for the perfect pair and these ones fit the bill. They work well with the hot pink dress/blue petticoat ensemble and the theme of the video. It counters the bored looking Deschanel who is in black and white stripes at the end of the video. This video and styling will draw equal amounts of eye rolls and praise depending on how you feel about Deschanel. No need to ask which camp I fall into.


Who would be your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

17 May

It’s that time of year when most shows are ending the season and so this edition of “Look of the Week” is focusing on the season finales of three shows. As always this is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. Narrowly missing a place on this week’s list is Mad Men which featured the stunning costuming that we expect from this show, but it didn’t fit in with the finale theme. After last week’s foray into set design this week is returning to the clothes that people wear, but don’t be surprised if locations pop up again (particularly from a show like Hannibal).

Winner: Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project “Take Me With You”

Mindy short hairI wrote earlier in the week about The Mindy Project producing stronger episodes over the second half of the season and a lot of this is thanks to Mindy’s friendship with Danny; Mindy Kaling and Chris Messina have terrific chemistry. The last scene in the finale pushes them further into the ‘will they/won’t they territory’ which will certainly change their dynamic on the show. This comes directly after Danny pulls the old playground move by telling Mindy how much he dislikes her new hair (and he notes that they are now matching). What follows is a moment that made me hold my breath as he took of her glasses to clean them (I have short hair and wear glasses so this scene is extra swoon worthy). Mindy has made no attempt to hide that she cares about how she looks and so cutting her hair off (which I know is a wig really, but she looks cute) is her grand romantic gesture for Casey and it works. Mindy also shows off her professional skills (the inclusion of M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” echo the pilot) and some of this season’s best moments have been when Mindy is using her medical expertise (“Teen Patient” springs to mind). Mindy is a someone whose wardrobe I tend to covert, but it’s this drastic haircut that works as Mindy’s boombox over the head and gives Mindy the number one spot this week.

Runner Up: Cece on New Girl “Elaine’s Big Day”

NewGirl-Ep255_ElaineBigDay-Sc26_00409Cece managed to get rid of her accidental henna beard and unsurprisingly she looked stunning as she walked down the aisle in a lehenga choli (a traditional Indian wedding gown). New Girl costume designer Deb McGuire tells InStyle this was one of four options and when Hannah Simone put this one on first “it took our breath away. We didn’t even attempt to consider the others!” This is a very colorful wedding and New Girl tends to have a very bright color palette; Jess’ blue sari (which you can see here) fits in with this motif and allowed her to stand out against the orange backdrop. Bonus points go to Nick Miller for carrying Jess’ pink purse and being comfortable with this look.

Runner Up: Caroline Forbes, Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett on The Vampire Diaries “Graduation”

TVD graduationIt’s not easy to graduate from high school in a town that is full of supernatural beings and Caroline, Elena and Bonnie successfully manage this achievement on the season 4 finale of The Vampire Diaries. The main snag is that all three are dead in one way or another; Caroline and Elena are both vampires and Bonnie is now a ghost. Caroline and Elena are blissfully unaware of Bonnie’s demise and thanks to some nifty magic Bonnie has the appearance of someone who is very much alive. Considering how much these three women have been through this season it was good to have this moment of happiness together, even if it is tinged with sadness (the Olivia Broadfield track “Gone” that accompanied the ceremony reminds me of a more melancholy “Sway” by Bic Runga) and the screen got a little blurry. This episode also demonstrated that a mortarboard can be more than just as a graduation accessory as Klaus made a rather dramatic and deadly entrance using one. It was pretty awesome.

What is your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

10 May

It’s been a month since TV Ate My Wardrobe launched and so before I get to the “Look of the Week” I just want to say thanks to everyone who has stopped by. To the “Look of the Week” and as always this is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. I’m already missing the wigs and 80s styling on The Americans and the April Ludgate clothes I covet on Parks and Recreation (but so happy that Parks got picked up for season 6 yesterday). This week’s winner is slightly different than normal as it is a place rather than a person.

Winner: The Bathroom in Hannibal “Sorbet”

Hannibal bathroomThis is the first time that a location has been given “Look of the Week” and once again the costuming on Hannibal was exceptional (as was the discussion about Hannibal wearing a “person suit”) but it feels like a good time to shine a light on Hannibal’s fantastic sets. If you follow Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller on Twitter (and you really should) you will already know that the above image is a reference to Room Number 237 in The Shining. This isn’t the first set that is an homage to the Stanley Kubrick film as the pilot’s red bathroom was also a nod to the Overlook. Here is a confession; I have never seen The Shining the whole way through (I did read the book a few months ago) and this is something that I will rectify soon. Even without the knowledge of where the look of this set comes from I was still very drawn to the chaos of the tiles particularly when Will is sat in front of them; it feels like the chaos in his mind as Jack pushes him closer to the edge.

Hannibal is visually stunning from the costuming to the set design and if it doesn’t get renewed by NBC then we will be losing a show that is outstanding on every level.

Runner Up: Jess Day on New Girl “Winston’s Birthday”

NG_ep224-sc23_09C8338This outfit in “Winston’s Birthday” is typically Jess; a pretty dress and cardigan combo. The reason why I have chosen it is thanks to the rising number of sites that tell us where you can buy something you have seen on a show (and because it’s something that I would wear). This started in 2000 when ASOS.com launched and was called As Seen on Screen and they sold clothes that featured in films and TV shows (or cheaper alternatives). Now instead of a site that sells the clothes there are blogs that tell you where you can buy these outfits from. InStyle also has a “Found It” column and often features clothing from New Girl that tells you what brand the clothing is. The combination of the mint green (Jessica Simpson) dress and yellow (Kate Spade) cardigan has a calming influence, something that Jess needs as she tries to juggle multiple things at once in this episode.

Runner Up: Megan Draper on Mad Men “For Immediate Release”

MM_606_MY_0116_0632Megan is a divisive character on Mad Man but I am firmly on Team Zou Bisou Bisou. Initially this comes from her main introduction when she comforted Sally after she had fallen in the middle of the SCDP office in the season 4 episode “The Beautiful Girls.” The other reason is because Megan gets to wear all of the high end, really fashionable (for the 1960s) clothes because she is the most fashion forward character. Janie Bryant has done a terrific job of finding really stunning pieces and as the patterns get bolder so does Megan’s style. This is a different twist on last week which saw Megan in a dress that could have been inspired by I Dream of Jeannie; instead this metallic dress evokes the space travel obsession of this era. There are earlier complaints in the episode that rockets are all anyone wants in advertising but the same can also be said for fashion at this time. You can’t see it from the above photo but this is also the shortest hemline we have seen Megan in as she takes her mother’s advice and gets her husband to think about seeing her as more than just a wife.

Runner Up: Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak on Arrow “Darkness on the Edge of Town”

ArrowIt’s the penultimate episode of Arrow and this first season has been a fun ride; “Darkness on the Edge of Town” featured a sequence that was so slick and enjoyable that I thought I was watching a White Collar heist. This is compliment as one thing White Collar excels at is getting Neal Caffrey in and out of dangerous situations. Back to Arrow and the Oliver, Diggle, Felicity team has been reunited and nothing says “Let’s celebrate” like messing with a computer in a highly guarded building. Costuming wise Oliver gets to look great in a suit (standard), Diggle plays security guard and Felicity is a delivery girl. The pairing of Oliver and Felicity exposes an Arrow weakness and that is the lack of chemistry between Oliver and Laurel, who are meant to be the central love story. Instead it is Oliver and Felicity that have a great rapport and this has me rooting against the couple I’m meant to be rooting for. Felicity is wonderfully awkward in the scene where she has to hang onto Oliver as when he tells her to “Hold on to me tight” she responds with “I imagined you saying that under different circumstances. Very platonic circumstances.” 

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

3 May

It’s “Look of the Week” time! Once again there has been a rich amount of different costumes across various shows this week. This is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. This week we take a look at a couple of season finales and it is an all female edition. Near misses include the many flashback looks of New Girl and the return of Bert Macklin on Parks and Recreation.

Winner: Alicia Florrick on The Good Wife “What’s in the Box?”

The Good Wife finaleThe costume design on The Good Wife is flawless; from Diane’s epic statement jewellery to the tailored perfection of Alicia’s courtroom suits. Daniel Lawson who is the man behind these pieces writes an episode-by-episode column for InStyle and explains how he alters certain outfits and discusses the reasons behind his costume choices. Color is really important on The Good Wife and we have seen red used on multiple occasions to express how Alicia is feeling and this can impact the mood of the scene. Lawson explains that this Antonio Berardi dress was chosen because “Julianna and I didn’t want her to look like the typical candidate’s wife.” It’s a simple black dress with a twist and this is indicative of this final moment where it looks like Alicia is meeting Will, but instead she is making a huge move in regards to her career.  Bonus points go to the bold lip color (which I now really want – no surprise there). This was an excellent way to end the season and I cannot wait to see what the costume department brings us with all the change that is coming in season 5.

Runner Up: Megan Draper and Peggy Olson on Mad Men “The Flood”

MM_605_MY_1219_0624Every week I could simply write Janie Bryant is a genius as she continues to work her costume magic on Mad Men. In this scene Megan and Peggy are at an awards ceremony and both are in bold patterns that the late 60s is famous for. This isn’t a period for a wallflower when it comes to fashion and even Peggy is embracing the trend. Peggy’s dress is not as fashion forward as Megan’s and she is still playing it safe with bows and flowers. Megan is an actress after all (even though she is up for an advertising award) and so she is wearing the most flamboyant dress of all the female characters we see. It has an I Dream of Jeannie feel and even though these two women clash in both pattern and color there is warmth to this scene and between these two characters. I would love to see more interaction between Peggy and Megan as they could both benefit from a close friendship. The costuming in this moment contrasts with the rest of the episode after the news of Martin Luther King, Jr’s death is announced and the far away place the Megan’s dress evokes is just a fantasy.

Runner Up: Elizabeth Jennings on The Americans “The Colonel”

The Americans ElizabethThis is the third week in a row that Elizabeth Jennings from The Americans has featured on the list, but as it is the season 1 finale it felt appropriate for the show with the best wigs and disguises on TV to appear once again. This look is pretty similar to how Elizabeth usually appears, her hair is blonder and those aviators are not something Elizabeth would wear but other than that it’s not an elaborate disguise. It’s on this occasion that Elizabeth is closest to being caught by the FBI and if she had been apprehended it wouldn’t have taken Stan very long to ID her. It’s also fun to see how quick Elizabeth and Philip can shed their disguises and hopefully in season 2 they will show the process of how they become someone else. The Americans is so much more than wigs and costumes, but these aspects add a layer of fun to this spy drama.

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

26 Apr

It’s “Look of the Week” time! Once again there has been a rich amount of different costumes across various shows this week. This is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. I’m mixing it up with this edition as I’m including a look from the red carpet. Near misses included the Pat Benatar-like girl and her epically high waisted jeans on The Americans and Stan’s amazing fringe jacket (plus his beard) on Mad Men.

Winner: Elizabeth Jennings and Claudia/Grannie on The Americans “The Oath”

The Americans weddingThis is the second week that Elizabeth Jennings has been included on this list and thanks to the many costume changes and wigs that The Americans showcases this isn’t a surprise. In this scene Elizabeth and her handler Claudia (who she despises and doesn’t trust) are attending the wedding of “Clark” posing as his mother and sister. “Clark” is of course Philip Jennings and this wedding to Martha is just so he can manipulate her into getting more information on the FBI. It’s a real wedding involving a fake character and it turns out that his marriage to Elizabeth could be considered even more of a sham as they never actually had a wedding.

The scene begins in an amusing way thanks to all of these contradictions but this quickly turns into something sad; Elizabeth is finally realizing what her relationship with Philip means and it’s clear that Martha is going to get her heart broken (or something much worse will befall her). They really do look like they could be mother and sister in this scene in wedding attire that features a similar washed out color palette and those oh so amazing big glasses. Also how does all of Elizabeth’s incredible hair fit in that wig?

Runner Up: Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham in Hannibal “Potage” 

Hannibal 1.03

So this is technically from last week, but I haven’t seen the newest episode yet and so I’m including this one instead (the rules of “Look of the Week” are flexible) and I really wanted to mention the costuming in Hannibal as it has been excellent so far. I also resisted the urge to include Will in his bedtime wear of t-shirt and boxers. Hannibal’s costuming is particularly intriguing as there has been a lot of power clashing; plaid jackets with patterned ties being a signature look. This demonstrates Hannibal’s sophistication and because his clothes look expensive it shows that he is good at his job as people probably pay a lot for his service. Whereas Will’s style is a more muted, it’s as if he wants to blend into the background. In the scene above he takes off his glasses (if anyone knows what brand they are can they let me know, thanks) to make himself seem more approachable perhaps, a hard task in this moment as he has just been referred to as “insane.” There’s a clear difference in how there two characters operate and their costuming is a constant reminder of this.

Runner Up: Kiernan Shipka at The Paley Center Mad Men Presentation 

Paley eventKiernan Shipka who plays Sally Draper has long been serving up red carpet hits (which as a statement sounds weird because she’s only 13 years old) over the past six seasons of Mad Men red carpet events. Shipka always wears age appropriate outfits on the red carpet and this can be something hard to navigate when you’re going from childhood to teendom in the public eye. This is a slightly more mature look for Shipka and her heels are adding inches as she gets older, but it’s still a fun outfit and is a perfect for a Mad Men event as it captures the essence of the 60s without looking like she’s come straight from set. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Sally on Mad Men this season as we got a glimpse of a brattier Sally in the premiere and I’m intrigued as to how Betty will deal with the perils of having a teenage daughter.

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

19 Apr

It’s “Look of the Week” time! Once again there has been a rich amount of different costumes across various shows this week. This is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. Or because it is funny.

Winner: Elena Gilbert in The Vampire Diaries “Pictures of You”

Pictures of You

It’s Senior Prom on The Vampire Diaries this week and there were a lot of beautiful gowns on display. It’s not surprising that Nina Dobrev looks incredible as Elena in this dress, but the reason why I have picked this as the “Look of the Week” is thanks to the circumstances in which she ended up in this attire. Elena is currently a very different character to the one that we have seen over the past four seasons as she has no humanity at the moment. This version of Elena is a bitch who mean girls her former BFF’s with cruel jibes and she steals the dress that she helped pick out for Caroline (it’s ok Caroline still manages to find a stunning alternative). How long Elena is going to remain like this is unclear and as the season is nearing the end this would suggest not for long, but she’s been entertaining to watch and it has given Nina Dobrev another chance to shine playing yet another variation of this character.

Runner Up: Ron Swanson and April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation “Article Two”

Ron and April hats

It’s the second week that April has featured and originally I was going to just focus on Ron, but the pair of them having to endure a management teaching seminar was too good to not include both of them. Really this is all about the way both of them have such disdain for the hat that Chris is making them to wear.

P.S. I really want April’s shirt.

Runner Up: Joan Harris in Mad Men “The Collaborators”

MM_RJ_603_1119_0739

Joan hasn’t featured too heavily in this new season of Mad Men (and really I hope that changes with the next episode), but in her limited screen time she managed to remain strong and focused in front of the man who she was essentially sold to last season (Joan also managed to get in one excellent dig “I know there’s part of you that you haven’t seen in years”). Joan keeps her cool and only lets this facade drop when she goes into Don’s office and pours herself a big glass of vodka. This strong blue and red outfit gives the impression of strength and it is something that Joan exudes in her brief moment in this episode.

Runner Up: Elizabeth Jennings in The Americans “Covert War”

Elizabeth Jennings

It’s not uncommon for an episode of The Americans to feature multiple looks for lead characters Elizabeth and Philip Jennings and “Covert War” included several; Elizabeth-centric flashbacks showed her in 1964, 1971 and 1976, Philip appeared as “Clark” and there is a new look for the pair as they went off book with a mission that is incredible personal for Elizabeth. We have seen Elizabeth in an array of seductress costumes (starting with the opening scene of the pilot) and this time she opts for a crossword loving, scarred beauty. The endless supplies of wigs that this pair have access to is fascinating and I’d really love to see the person who hooks them up with these disguises (if I had to work as part of a spy agency I would like to work in the costume department). I do still have wig fear that in a romantic moment one of their wigs will accidentally come off (Martha and “Clark” seems like the obvious choice for this).

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

12 Apr

This is a new feature where I pick some of my favourite looks from this week of television. There isn’t a set list of requirements when it comes to picking a winner; it might be because I appreciate how a characters costuming reflects a storyline or simply down to how striking it is. This week’s inaugural picks are for a variety of reasons and the winner is a character whose costuming I admire on a weekly basis (if you’ve ever read my Twitter feed when I’m watching Parks and Recreation this will be very clear).

Winner: April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation “Animal Control”

April look of the weekApril Ludgate is still the dry, sardonic character that we met at the start of Parks and Recreation but it would be boring if this was all she is and this character has come far since her intern days. April prefers animals to people (“I hate people”) and so the decision to utilize this into her career progression is a smart move as we still get to see the April who gives Jamm a threat to “train a crow to fly up your butt.” The eye rolls are still there, but they have a clear purpose now. April’s clothes have also undertaken change as we have been seeing more shirts and skirt combos this season; they’re still not the pantsuits that Leslie favours (“I don’t know who Ann Taylor is but I hate her and want to kill her”). My favourite mustard hoodie still makes regular appearances and April is on the more casual end of office wear; but her evolution in terms of costuming and April’s importance to the success of their department is enough to warm the heart of even a “dark tortured genius.”

Runner Up: Nick Miller in New Girl “Bachelorette Party”

NG_ep221_sc1_0613Nick decided to his dead dad pass on New Girl this week which meant that he spent the entire episode in this wonderful orange tracksuit that belonged to his recently deceased father. Schmidt said he looked like a “homeless pencil” but that was not enough to deter him from wearing it. This is the guy who spent a whole episode wearing a woman’s coat. It might not be as alluring as his suit from last week, but he still somehow manages to pull it off.

Runner Up: Stan Rizzo in Mad Men “The Doorway”

Stan's beardOne of the most stylish shows on TV returned this week so it would be remiss to not mention Mad Men and particularly Stan and his new amazing beard. Stan has competition on the facial hair front (Ginsberg and Abe have moustaches, Harry and Pete have sideburns) but nothing beats this grizzly look. Stan is as far removed from his predecessor Sal in terms of styling as you can imagine (we still miss you Sal).

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

 

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