The awards shows they keep on coming and the Critics’ Choice celebration continued the Mr Robot hot streak. Plus plenty of amazing red carpet looks from those who attended last weekend’s Golden Globes and a whole host of different faces (including many beloved by TV Ate My Wardrobe).
Combing one of the big trends from the Golden Globes (sparkles) with perfect for shimmying pleats; Krysten Ritter’s excellent Zuhair Murad track record continues. At the Netflix TCA panel it was announced that Jessica Jones has been renewed for a second season and I cannot wait.
Aya Cash stakes an early claim on #LadySuitWatch2016 in this excellent tux and gold tipped pumps.
A clutch close up because Aya Cash’s Les Petits Joueurs should be seen in all its “AAH!” glory and last time we saw one of these fabulous Lego bags was from another award season shindig.
Judith Light continues to work the red (blue) carpet like no other slaying in a turtleneck and jacket casually slung over her shoulders finishing it all off with a floor length (and pocketed) skirt.
More #LadySuitWatch2016 with Master of None’s Lena Waithe (posing with co-star Kelvin Yu) delivering polka dot perfection in a fun twist on this look and continuing pattern shirt dominance.
The You’re the Worst cast maybe went home empty handed, but they killed it on the red carpet. Every detail right down to the pocket square on Chris Geere’s Ted Baker ensemble is incredible.
Another amazing maroon dress and Rachel McAdams stands out in an Elie Saab frock which manages to make me love sheer (on this very special occasion). Love the delicate chain straps, tousled hair and bold lip color.
More lipstick yes from another winner and Kirsten Dunst does delicate tiered sparkles in this very 20s/30s Chanel Couture frock.
Icy blue was a big trend on the Critics’ Choice blue carpet with Constance Wu leading the pack in this ethereal Peter Langner number.
More sequin delights and Sarah Paulson’s Naeem Khan dress has a fun silk neckline and sleeve cap spin adding that extra something something.
Another recent repeat awards best dressed and another take on cornflower blue from Saoirse Ronan in Antonio Berardi. The sleeve detail is spectacular.
The Middle’s Eden Sher kills it in Rubin Singer and I’m so here for this fun play on black and white stripes.I love Constance Zimmer’s striped Tracy Reese dress as much as I love her reaction to winning (which I love a lot).
Another speech/winner I adore is Carrie Coon and she’s bringing the bold in blonde and a whole lot of yellow.
Pattern clashing at its best from Zoe Kazan and her take on the red carpet experience is worth reading in this love letter of sorts – in three parts found here, here and here – to her stylist and friend Leith Clark.
Ditching delicate for fun and I am always partial to a bit of Mary Katrantzou; Alicia Vikander is the ideal person to pull this look off.
Looking fabulous in floral sleeved Randi Rahm and Tracee Ellis Ross demonstrates how to make a black dress stand out.As does Bryce Dallas Howard in plunging Balmain and as with her Jenny Packham frock at the Golden Globes last week she bought this off the rack (this time from Forward by Elyse Walker).
Posing in front of a superb piece of fan art capturing the amazing Helen dancing in her spanx scene from The Affair is Maura Tierney working a Max Mara skirt and top with super casual fancy aplomb.
Ditching the tie once again, but sticking with Dior is winner Rami Malek posing with co-star Portia Doubleday (whose dress I like when you can’t tell just how sheer it is *shakes fist at this trend*) in front of the Mr Robot fan art mural.
In my head they are comparing the amount of desperation, sadness, confusion and sweat levels in both of their amazing performances.
Welcome to TV Ate My Wardrobe’s “Best of 2015” costuming series and rather than doing a straightforward countdown we’re going to do a variety of posts that look at which costumes and shows have made a huge impact this year. From items we want in our own wardrobe to pieces that got everyone talking; we want to celebrate the work of television’s best costume designers.
Now is the turn of a huge range of shows we have been watching this year from network, cable and streaming with comedy, drama and all those other hard to categorize scripted offerings. There has been so many fantastic individual moments that we have had to split this post into two otherwise the scrolling would be endless.
Here is Part 1 of the standout costuming moments in 2015.
Most On Point Accessorizing
What better way to appease the dragon that has done a runner than wear a necklace bearing a very familiar image and this comes in particularly handy for Daenerys in “The Dance of Dragons” when Drogon makes a very timely entrance. The influence of Daenerys’ heritage has been visible throughout the texture of her costuming which at times has been scaly in appearance. Yunus & Eliza designed this stunning piece (click here for a closer look) and it really is fit for a queen.
The Leather Jacket Award
As with last year there have been a whole slew of leather jacket wearing stunners, but there is one lady who takes wearing this garment to every outfit level and that is Jessica Jones. Not pictured are the very 90s looking jeans that are also glued to her body pretty much all of the time and this signature look makes sense when the show takes a deep dive into her backstory.
Who Rocks a Lot of Polka Dots
Cookie Lyon has gone through a style evolution since she was released from prison going from matching animal prints to high end garments as she has caught up with trends and got accustomed to her wealth. One of my favorites is this Dolce & Gabbana polka dot blouse; perfect for a dramatic exit and a fun take on the tablecloth party trick. Cookie’s always going to eat.
Best Mustache – 1980s Edition
Not only did Oscar Isaac take dancing in dad jeans to Bruce Springsteen to new levels, but he also worked this mustache in ways I did not think possible in Show Me a Hero. The mini-series from David Simon is terrific and devastating and not just for the 80s fashion. And even several months after watching it still makes my heart ache when I think about Oscar Isaac’s performance.
Best Mustache – 1970s Edition
Of all the Mad Men characters who would embrace a new decade with some additional facial hair it really makes sense that it would be Roger Sterling. It could easily be kinda skeezy (and of course Roger has entered this territory on more than one occasion), but there’s also something elder statesmen about it and that’s what he is. And I would happily watch an endless loop of Roger and Peggy hanging out in their now deserted office.
Top Hat Placement and Male Nudity on Cable
Alleviating the awkward of the first time with cute top hat parlor tricks is Bertie on The Knick and it is all around adorable. While this is the most of Michael Angarano that we get to see, cable has embraced male nudity this season on a level we haven’t previously seen with both The Leftovers and The Affair showing far more dudes naked than women this year. Game of Thrones you have some catching up to do.
#LadySuitWatch2015 Shorts Winner
My response to seeing Abbi as Val for the first time is pretty much the same as Ilana’s jaw on the floor expression:
Ladysuits of the shorts variety are classic cabaret attire and I am so here for this Judy Garland/Liza Minnelli style and singing mashup inspiration.
#LadySuitWatch2015 Patterned Shirt Winner
Denise is not only stylish as hell as demonstrated by her movie premiere ladysuit wearing ways, but she is also one of the best things about Aziz Ansari’s excellent Master of None helping make a citizen’s arrest in the stellar “Ladies and Gentleman” and offering up sound dating advice (even if she ends up ignoring it).
The Outwear and Boots Crime Fighting Title
Season 3 of The Bridge (Broen/Bron) lost one of its main stars, but didn’t lose any of its quality introducing a new partner for Saga who turned out to be just as compelling (if not even more so than his predecessor – sorry Martin). Style wise the pair complement each other rather well favoring classic coats and boots for their crime fighting attire; Saga is still all about the olive leather pants and Henrik also tucks his trousers into his boots because who wants those flapping in the wind while running after a suspect.
Best Reason to Invest in a Big Warm Coat
Fortitude is part X-Files like mystery, part exploration of the human condition in an extreme and isolated environment. It is also a very good advert for furry hoods and big coats; yes I even invested in my own.
Red Lipstick Queen
There is plenty to love about Peggy Carter and season 2 is just a couple of weeks away! Agent Carter also gets added to the How TV Ate My Wardrobe list in the makeup department as I invested in Peggy’s Besame 1946 lipstick and there is also the bonus of beautiful packaging along with fantastic red lips.
Denim Dream
1981 was a great year for denim and there is a residual 70s influence on fashion in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp with high waisted flares and dungaree delights. Also pairing anything with short shorts is fair game.
Best Future April Ludgate
2015 saw the end of Parks and Recreationprompting plenty of finale tears. This also means saying goodbye to one of TV Ate My Wardrobe’s biggest style influences and I am happy to report that future April Ludgate is still very much in our sartorial good graces.
What to Wear on Your European Vacation
Traveling across Europe with Hannibal Lecter means packing your finest threads and Bedelia is up for that challenge with this blue 1940s spy looking ensemble even if this is the opposite of staying incognito.
Sunglasses I Need in my Life
Yes I am still highly coveting Gretchen’s round opal yellow Wayfarer sunglasses for the second year in a row.
Most On Point Accessorizing Part 2
Gina is not just the TV Ate My Wardrobe Sweater Queen (her turtleneck game has been strong all season), but she’s also the reason why I yell “Wolfie” at the screen whenever any of the direwolves pop up on Game of Thrones. So when Gina appeared on screen in the episode “Beach House,” which kicked off the new year for Brooklyn Nine-Nine in this hat/scarf/glove combo it also caused me to yell “Wolfie” on this occasion too.
Festive Relationship Goals
Looking is almost over (*sob*) and before its one final outing in the form of a TV movie next year, let us bask in Eddie’s Santa outfit and how Agustín went from loathsome narcissist to the dude (and ship) I was heavily invested in by the end of season 2. Good character development, show.
Costumes are not the only thing we are celebrating from this year in television and there have been plenty of incredible music infused moments. A lot of these have come in the final minutes of an episode with a song nailing the emotional pitch of a last scene. One such striking track use comes in the third episode of Orange is the New Blackwith the Dum Dum Girls “Coming Down” playing over one character’s devastating descent; further adding to the despair felt by these character and the glassy eye reaction from me.
HBO shows tend to be experts at the end credit music choices with Girls, Looking, Togethernessand The Leftovers (Simon & Garfunkel featured here as well as in hotel karaoke) delivering fantastic selections. This includes both songs I already hold close to me – “This is the Day” by The The – and ones I had never heard before like Lily & Madeleine; Spotify tells me they are one of my most listened to bands this year and that is all because of Togetherness. There is also my favorite end credits sing along moment that came courtesy of Mad Men and the use of “Space Oddity.”
There is one show that consistently had me reaching for the rewind button and my phone to Shazam the end track week in, week out and that is You’re the Worst. Sometimes it would be after I stopped laughing, but more often than not I had to wait to stop crying and uncurl myself from the ball I found myself in. Yep this season has still been hilarious, but it also did some incredible things on an entirely different emotional level and quite often these came in the closing moments. The first indicator that all is not well comes at the end of episode 4 as Gretchen drives off in the night to destinations unknown (at this point), but the manner in which she does it and Torres’ “New Skin” point to something much bigger. At the time I referred to it as a gut punch of a moment and it still remains this way; knowing where Gretchen was going only adds to this sentiment and it is one of the most emotionally affecting scenes on television this year.
When we discover where Gretchen has been going – to cry in her car while playing Snake – and Jimmy responds with relief that she’s not cheating on him the song by Still Corners is a dreamy like affair as he walks away smiling and she returns to sobbing. It is somewhat emotionally surreal and wouldn’t sound out of place on a Sofia Coppola soundtrack.
By episode 9 Gretchen’s depression has hit new levels and Jimmy is so oblivious to her Claire Danes level of scrunched up face despair his dialogue gets slowly muffled as the music gets louder; like an alternate less murdery take on Simon & Garfunkel’s “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night.” What about when Jimmy stays? In between my sobs which mirror Gretchen’s and then my laughter that immediately follows Lindsay’s utterance of “farts” this Siskiyou track feels like a joyous warm blanket.
Sadly there is no “New Phone Who Dis?” on either Spotify or the end credits, but this is also one of my TV music highlights of the year. I am also waiting for the perfect time to respond to a text with this line.
So thank you You’re the Worst for all the new bands you have introduced me to and for ending each episode in ways which deliver such an emotional response. I’m sure regular TV Ate My Wardrobe readers will know how much I relish a good misty eye moment.
And for your listening enjoyment here is a complete playlist of the You’re the Worst season 2 end credits music.
Lots of behind the scenes love included in this week’s TV Insta selection. Plus big hair, knitwear, grocery tips and some leftover Thanksgiving fun. Enjoy!
The Leftoverscontinues to be one of the best things on TV this year and the Meg-centric penultimate episode gave this character depth that was maybe missing last season. Here is Liv Tyler taking in the wonderful sites of Jarden, Texas (or probably Austin) in a super cute outfit.
Happy You’re the Worst Day! And while we’re on the subject of penultimate episodes here is another and I just remembered what Jimmy did at the end of the last one. Oh, Jimmy.
Confession – I am still at the same point with Jessica Jones as I was when I wrote this column last week (episode 5) and it is not because I don’t want to watch more, but more like time has got away from me. Regardless, I am still all in on this pairing and photos like this only make me want to marathon the rest of those episodes.
A lot has been written about the amazing collection of wigs on The Americans, but the hair department also needs a shout out for this major volume and waves magic on Poor Martha herself. I love that Alison Wright has also adopted this name for her character.
While we’re on the subject of The Americans and hair; here is Holly Taylor showing off her own impressive wavy locks (it runs in this spy family) and like Gretchen Wieners she keeps her secrets in her hair. From the look on her face in this shot it doesn’t look like things are getting any easier for Paige Jennings in season 4.
Getting a different perspective on Jane the Virgin and it can’t be long before Petra is ready to give birth to her twins if this is any indicator. The way this season has dealt with the passage of time has been beneficial so far and avoids the repetition of some story points (there are some that can’t be avoided it would seem when it comes to the central love triangle).
A Good Wife group shot from this week’s episode and I am still very much all about Lucca Quinn’s styling. Now to find more out about her character and whether there will be more than dancing with Cary.
Knitwear and the ladies from Girls. I would love to see more from them as a group this season instead of their own separate adventures; however I’m not so sure it would make that much sense for them to be hanging out by now.
Grocery shopping tips from Jenny Slate and not only does this all sound delicious, but the notebook and handwriting make it extra appealing (you should see my scrawled mess of a lists – my stationary is always top notch though).
Rounding things off with a like mother, like daughter onscreen edition and the images chosen by January Jones and Kiernan Shipka to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Welcome to another “Behind the Insta-Scenes” and this week we have Looking treats, amazing set decorations, some early holiday cheer and an Americans plot suggestion.
Sarah Steele gives excellent skeptical face and I am always thrilled when she comes to play on The Good Wife. Will Marissa be happy with her father’s mental state of mind this time?
Now all I want is for Paige to pull a Taylor Swift and spill all her secrets in the form of catchy pop songs. Working album title “They’re Russians.” Clues includes in the liner notes. Might spell out ‘Maple Latte’
Annet Mahendru goes on her own top secret mission scouting out Dupont Circle Travel and all their personal touches. The set dressing detail on The Americans is fantastic as is their collection of family photos.
On You’re the Worst last week Jimmy oh so delicately named Gretchen’s almost Halloween costume (and Aya Cash’s IRL one) as the “saddest girl at the rave.” This dressing up attire consisted of a pair of orange and gold angel wings sending nostalgic pangs to a time when it didn’t even have to be Halloween or a rave to wear something like this. In a bid to recreate Romeo + Juliet and thereby extending Claire Danes’ influence on my wardrobe choices beyond Angela Chase, I invested not in a pair of stunning white wings, but in a pink set resembling the ones from You’re the Worst.
What I wanted them to look like (complete with fireworks and post dreamy kiss sighs):
Not as outlandish as Juliet’s pair, but easier to work with some flared jeans and a vest/dress worn over the top. Or if it was a very special night my black wraparound skirt. Pulling out the big guns there.
Juliet wasn’t the only famous 90s wing wearer and at my first Glastonbury festival in the summer of 1999, Courtney Love took to the stage in this all pink getup including some wings. Once again they are more spectacular than the pair I owned, but nearer in color and style.
This is when “Celebrity Skin” was pretty much a staple in the stack of CDs in constant rotation during this period and this performance was made even more special when Courtney Love got a whole bunch of the crowd on stage including a girl I was camping with. She then proceeded to give my camping buddy her guitar (not the one in the picture above) at the end of the set and I am so annoyed that I can’t find the photo* even if I look a mess (it was taken on the day we traveled home and it had been a long weekend/I’d just got soaked in the rain). This was a huge fucking deal and it extended my wing affection long after the R+J trend (I did also have a Hawaiian shirt because of this movie).
*I will post it when I do – the problem with random shoe boxing storing of old photos is I haven’t kept them in any order so high school is completely mixed in with university. I’m kinda glad that things like Facebook didn’t exist back then (old person ahoy), but it makes finding stuff a little more of a challenge. Relying on memory here.
Update! Found the photo and the cringe levels are high. Why does my rain coat look like a snuggie?
Now I’m not saying bring back the wings even if everything 90s is new again; however I am happy I kept hold of them as they proved useful for Christmas dress up a couple of years ago. I even used the never really worn before halo that came in the pack.
You can take the girl out of the 90s…
So thank you You’re the Worst for this nostalgia kick and just in general for how heartbreakingly good this season has been, even if each episode ends with me curled up sobbing.
A bumper “Behind the Insta-Scenes” this week including Halloween both on and off set, cast hangouts, reminiscing and dancing. There is always time for dancing.
Continuing the Parks and Rec theme and combining it with the musical that like many people I can’t stop listening to at the moment. The fact that Ben Schwartz has Jean Ralphio’s faked death headstone is also aces.
Entering the Halloween portion and You’re the Worst doubled down on Sunday Funday this season with a fantastic tapestry of scares, amazing costumes, hilarity and relationship drama.
Which Aya Cash then used as an IRL dress-up solution because why not? These wings give me so many teen flashbacks and I still have a pair stuffed in the back of my wardrobe.
I haven’t watched this week’s Scream Queens yet and while I keep fluctuating between enjoyment and eye roll toward this show (standard reaction to a Ryan Murphy project) this pairing does raise my interest levels. Now to make the Gwyneth thing actually happen.
Ending things this week with this very hypnotic video. And even though I can only see a tiny portion of Elizabeth Banks’ outfit, it already looks like she is killing it on the Mockingjay press tour.
Before the deluge of Halloween costume photos we’ve got a scare free collection of TV Instagram highlights with far more treats than tricks including Looking, You’re the Worst, Jane the Virgin and more Daenerys fashion tips.
Welcome to the Looking feels portion of this week’s TV Insta and as the movie starts shooting this week most of the cast are back in San Francisco. It is bittersweet that this charming show is coming to an end so soon, but at least there will be one last final hurrah instead of just getting canceled into oblivion.
Back to the beginning and a super cute shot that is reinforcing my confused shipper feelings. Never have I gone back and forth this much on who I want a character to end up with.
Last week’s episode of You’re the Worst answered the Gretchen mystery in a way that managed to make me want to curl up and sob while still delivering on the laughs, which is an incredibly hard line to walk. Kether Donohue posted a tribute to Aya Cash’s stunning performance giving further insight into this episode and nails what makes this such a special show. Plus this photo delivers on Cash as my sunglasses queen.
Dream aesthetic ahoy from Holly Taylor wearing what looks to be an excellent sweater and living the food dream on the set of The Americans. I’ve said it before, but it is easy to buy that Taylor could be Keri Russell’s daughter from her hair alone.
These might not quite go with the spectacular dragon necklace and the other costume embellishments Daenerys wears on Game of Thrones, but they could hide quite nicely under her blonde locks.
Music posts tend to be a Monday thing here at TV Ate My Wardrobe, but the choice of closing credits song on this week’s You’re the Worst was far too good and devastating to wait until next week.
Only read on if you have seen “All About That Paper” because we will be discussing those all important final confusing moments.
Okay, everyone prepared? Last warning.
So where the fuck is Gretchen going in the middle of the night? She scoops up heels, her trusty leather jacket, pants and a burner phone and all while making as little noise as possible so she doesn’t wake a sleeping Jimmy; going so far as starting her car once she has rolled it down the hill. Gretchen clearly doesn’t want him to know where she is going or that she has even gone and even though this is the first time we see her doing this it doesn’t mean this is the first time she has done it.
My first thought is that she’s heading to the sleazy directors house from last season as he has been her first port of call when hitting self destruct in the past and everything is becoming too comfortable despite all their attempts to not become “disgusting normals” or “sweater people.”
This scene is definitely not played for laughs and while You’re the Worst is one of the funniest shows on TV at its core it deals with some pretty profound shit in how we mask pain and fear when it comes to relationships. Lindsay’s attempts to win Paul back are ridiculous and disturbing, but deep down as she explained last week she doesn’t believe she is a good person and this is how she attempts to conceal her self-loathing.
Gretchen spends the episode in what appears to be a good place; she’s comfortable with sending Jimmy text updates about her day (she’s not ‘checking in’) and then meeting up with him for a post work drink. Not to get wasted and end up passed out in some random place, but just a casual couple. And it seems like this where we’re going to leave them this week, until we cut to their bedroom in the middle of the night and the opening bars of “New Skin” by Torres kick in alerting us that SOMETHING IS UP. This song choice is perfect in its growing restlessness and putting us in a position of uncertainty as Gretchen drives away to a destination unknown.
Thanks You’re the Worst for this singer intro and for setting up such a spectacular headfuck.
One trend we can’t get enough of here at TV Ate My Wardrobe comes in the form of tailored menswear with a feminine spin. The reigning queen of #LadySuitWatch2015 on television is Hannibal’s Alana Bloom and she’s got some real life rivals from the Entertainment Weekly and Variety pre-Emmys parties. This very busy fashion month just got a whole lot busier and with plenty more sartorial treats. Aya Cash looks spectacular in green and blue tartan pairing it with a simple white blouse. Between Gretchen’s buying stuff meltdown (of which someone very near and dear compared me to and I’m not sure how to take that) on this week’s You’re the Worst and this ensemble I am very much doing all the heart eyes at Cash. Someone who is always on point is Ashley Madekwe and she is killing in in this double breasted matching green suit. If you look at Jill Soloway’s outfit for too long it feels a little hypnotic or like an optical illusion from the 1960s, but this is very much in line with her style and I love the buttoned up blouse. #LadySuitWatch2015 isn’t just about the pants and Tatiana Maslany black shorts look is a super chic and a playful twist on this style. And I just remembered that Maslany is nominated for an Emmy. That’s enough to temporarily forget Emmy snub sadness.This is how you do elements of sheer without making me want to pull my hair out. Plus Amanda Peet has the all important red lip perfection going on. So we’ve entered the jumpsuit portion and while I still have conflicted feelings about this garment type (I still need to try on more than one this year), Beth Behrs in Elisabeth Franchi is giving me nothing but good feelings. There’s something very 70s about Uzo Aduba’s wide legged white jumpsuit and it looks ideal for dancing in, but with plenty of spilling peril.