End of year lists can focus on various things – performances, costumes, episodes, overall show – and one of my favorite things to look back at is the best use of music on TV. Song can transport us to those all important standout moments or introduce us to new music; over the last few years I have compiled playlists from TV to celebrate this. Last year I focused a single show as You’re the Worstis particularly strong in the end credit department, whereas in previous years I have done a general playlist of the year in TV music.
For 2016 I have returned to the latter format going all in with 28-tracks and you can find the full breakdown and playlist over at Collider. Songs and music from 21-shows were chosen with some getting two tracks (including the above Fleabag) because I just couldn’t chose and a variety of genres feature. There are songs to dance to, induce tears and all other kinds of emotions and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
You can find instrumental pieces from Westworld and Game of Thrones, tracks that have appeared on “Music Monday” from the melancholy to fun cover versions. Mr. Robot was messy in season 2, but nailed the soundtrack once again and shows like Atlanta and Crazy Ex-Girlfriendhave music ingrained into the very fabric. You will find songs from The Americans, Halt and Catch Fire, Girls, Black Mirrorand American Crime Story as well as a literal earworm from BrainDead. Plus many, many more.
Costuming is my first love, but soundtracks is a close second and I am so glad I got to compile such an extensive playlist and discuss the best of 2016 over at Collider. Check it out here and get your dance on.
So 2016 has been bit of an emotional roller coaster on a large global scale and a personal one with moments of so much joy and immense sadness.
Writing wise this has been my best year yet as I finally got over my pitching fears (well, mostly) and have a weekly TV and Style column at The Observer where I have discussed numerous shows and costume moments beginning with Girls back in February. I have also contributed to Collider with several Americans essays and a TV themed gift guide (still time to buy!).
Here is a selection of my favorite pieces of work from 2016 including a personal essay, topics I have been obsessed with for a long time, discussing so many different shows from this year (with a dash of the ’90s) and I also got to interview two amazing costume designers.Kicking off with the essay that was incredibly hard to write, but also gave me great comfort after my father passed away in July. I got married in September and in the lead up I knew it would be a very happy day tinged with sadness and writing about Outlander, my father and our shared heritage helped.
I don’t tend to be someone who is good with sharing my deepest feelings and personal essays are an uneasy prospect: however connecting to the work of Terry Dresbach and the Outlander team led to an outpouring of words.I wrote about The Americans a lot in 2016 both here and other places. I spoke to costume designer Katie Irish at the start of the fourth season about Coach, the many coats and other costume design disguise secrets.
BrainDead is one of my favorite shows of the year for being fun, weird, having so much flames chemistry and rethinking how to do a “previously on.” Plus it gave me so many outfit goals and I got to expand on this further here. And now for my most viewed article, which also happens to be one of my favorite costume moments of the year when Sansa made sure Jon knew he was family by making him a very Ned fur.
On the pieces I have wanted to write about forever track; Angela singing on Mr. Robot let me go all in on the sadness karaoke essay that has been itching to come out since Eliza sang “Chandelier” on Selfie.
The second season of Mr. Robot was messy in places, but the women delivered and it gave me plenty to write about from a costuming perspective. Oh and everyone looks hotter in sunglasses as the Fug Girls always say.A tale of two haircuts and I am very proud of finding a very strong link between Keri Russell’s infamous Felicity haircut and Marcia Clark’s mid-trial makeover. American Crime Story’s “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” is one of my favorite episodes of TV this year and exploring the legacies of a style change was incredibly fulfilling.
I binged the first season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend the week after my dad died and it was a much needed distraction so I will forever be grateful for Rachel Bloom and Rebecca Bunch. Season 2 has also provided some very interesting talking points including portrayals of lady friendships and makeovers. Plus Rebecca’s imagination delivers on plenty of fun costume changes.
Here’s to more in 2017 and for my author pages at The Observer and Collider head here and here.
For individual costume highlights check out Best of the Rest Parts 1and 2.
Welcome to TV Ate My Wardrobe’s “Best of 2016” 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.
First up we took a look at our best show of the year and how the Jennifer disguise on The Americans points to Elizabeth’s emotional journey. This was followed by the first part of the “Best of the Rest” list, which featured costumes from Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Halt and Catch Fire, Broad City and Good Girls Revolt. Today we will be adding to this with some standout costume moments from some of our other favorite shows of the year including Fleabag, Outlander, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Jane the Virgin and Westworld.
For a slightly different end of year ‘Best of’ that I am taking part in check out the Observer tvDownload Superlatives series kicking off with Cutest Couple, Most Improved and Class Clown.Like Looking in My Own Wardrobe Award
Fleabag is a Top 3 show of the year and it tops the ‘comedy that is also a gut-punch‘ category. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character (also Fleabag) also happens to dress pretty much as I do with stripes and collars like the one above (which bears a strong resemblance to my Twitter profile pic) dominate my own wardrobe. This is a pretty self-centered award.
The lipstick used on the show – “Dare You” by MAC – is now in my collection and also featured on the Gift Guide I produced for Collider.Biggest Range
On Timeless they travel to different decades and centuries with very little time to prepare so it makes sense to have racks of clothes from different periods on hand. Getting a peek at the way their costume department is laid out is a fun meta nod to the IRL costuming team and so far their missions have included Union garb, WWII era ensembles, berets, Bonnie & Clyde styling, ’60s, ’70s and revolutionary attire. Most Exciting Wardrobe Change
There wasn’t much room for character clothing changes on Westworld so when Dolores ditched her blue dress for the more appropriate cowgirl pants look I definitely clapped my hands. This costume by Ane Crabtree also proved to be quite symbolic romantically in regards to Dolores’ relationship with William and was another key to the mystery of Westworld.Best Non-Cowboy Cowboy
iZombie was one of my favorite catch-ups of the year and this very fun show gets to mess around with costuming thanks to the brains Liv ingests. In “Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues” Ravi plays the supportive friend as Liv embarks on a brief singing career and he very much dresses the part.Fanciest Gown
Outlander went all out in season 2 in the incredible gown department to match the lavish French location and this dress by costume designer Terry Dresbach was used as part of the striking promotional material; it was somehow even more jaw dropping in the second episode of the season “Not in Scotland Anymore.”Most on Point Accessory
Quite literally as Princess Margaret is wielding a sword in this scene from episode 8 “Pride & Joy” of The Crown. The Crown is Netflix’s most expensive TV series to date and it is quite clear as to why from what we see on screen.
The costuming by Game of Thrones maestro Michele Clapton is exquisite from the intricate formal gowns to the more casual looks such as the blouse and skirt combo in the above scene. The way lighting is used in this shot is equally impressive and everything Margaret was the most compelling part of this first season.Wardrobe Most Coveted
BrainDead is a special show that barely anyone watched; it was the kind of show 2016 needed and in a way it makes sense that is over after one season. The chemistry between Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Tveit earned all the flames emojis I used when talking about this show, it was funny, weird and had the most bizarre sex scene I have seen on TV.
Laurel also had a closet full of pattern clashing delights, super cool office wear, pussy bow blouses, blazers and ankle boots. All of which I would like in my own wardrobe and The Good Wife’s costume designer Daniel Lawson continues to crush the jacket game. Best Kroll Show Tribute
Krystal was a new clone on Orphan Black last year and she appeared on the 2015 version of this list because of the Kroll Show influence; technically this is a repeat, but I miss Kroll Show’s PubLIZity. Plus, Tatiana Maslany is so good in this role (as she is in all of them) giving Krystal so much personality while also nodding to the original influence particularly in her choice of drink. Most Dapper
So technically this is a 2015 TV moment, however this amazing song and dance number from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend scores a place because I only caught up with this show in 2016. In a very hard week in July I sat down and binged the first season and TV really is the best distraction.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend takes inspiration from numerous genres; on this occasion looking to Fred and Ginger in styling as Greg proposes an offer to Rebecca. The whole sequence blends the funny with the charming and it also won an Emmy for the choreography for this song (and I’m So Good at Yoga” and “A Boy Band Made Up of Four Joshes”).Dangerous Yoga Position
This year I also finally watched all of Gilmore Girlsin preparation for the big revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. One of the main highlights in this new batch of episodes as well as in the original series is Paris Geller; her bathroom meltdown including this impressive in heels maneuver almost made up for the Rory Gilmore’s stunted character growth.
Okay so Rear Window is on my most watched list (I find it weirdly soothing and is my ultimate bedtime movie) and the Jane the Virgin midseason finale looks to Hitchcock as part of the fantasy sequences. Where Crazy Ex-Girlfriend understands a huge range of music genres better than any other show on at the moment, Jane the Virgin is an expert in storytelling techniques using this to explore Jane’s creativity and expand on the telenovela.
As you can see from the outfits above, costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin has got the Kelly and Grant thing down (even if I’m more partial to Kelly and Stewart).]
For more from the TV Ate My Wardrobe Best of 2016 series head here.
Songs and music from 21-shows were chosen with some getting two tracks (including the above Fleabag) because I just couldn’t chose and a variety of genres feature. There are songs to dance to, induce tears and all other kinds of emotions and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
TV Ate My Wardrobe 