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Best of the 2014 Golden Globes Red Carpet

So the Golden Globes are over and Tina Fey summed it up best with this closing comment “This was the beautiful mess we hoped it would be.” Random winners and drunken speeches aside we’re going to take a look at our favorite red carpet looks from the TV ladies – and one movie star we can’t leave out. Here are TV Ate My Wardrobe’s top 10 picks for best gowns. There’s a special Tina Fey and Amy Poehler style post coming shortly.

Julianna Margulies didn’t win for The Good Wife, but she looks incredible in this black Andrew Gn gown with a gold shoulder and hem print. The voluminous skirt and cinched in waist is dramatic without going full princess.

So happy Elisabeth Moss won for Top of the Lake and she did so in this stunning oxblood and black beaded J. Mendel dress. While there were mumblings that her hair is too messy for this event, the tousled chic works for me thanks to the shorter length. Bonus points for a bold lip color choice. Moss became my mani cam hero when she did what many have probably wanted to do and flipped it off.

Looking completely different from the many roles we see her in on Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany’s award show debut is a style win in this beautifully beaded gown from Jenny Packham that exudes old Hollywood glamour.

Masters of Sex’s Caitlin Fitzgerald balked at the usual nude/red/black trend with a high necked beautiful baby blue gown from Emilia Wickstead. This is how you emulate the decade your show is set in without looking like you’ve raided the costume department as it has 1950s sensibilities with a modern twist. I’m in love with the coral and baby blue strappy pumps also from Emilia Wickstead.

Space played an important thematic role on Masters of Sex and there’s something retro-futuristic about Lizzy Caplan’s Emilio Pucci frock. The silver side column and neckline detail is super sexy as is switching up her usually straight hair for wavy locks.

Lupita Nyong’o was one of the most anticipated red carpet arrivals, especially as what she was wearing leaked early and she didn’t disappoint. I’m a sucker for a cape at the best of times (six seasons and a movie) and this red Ralph Lauren number is spectacular. Shame she didn’t win for her performance in 12 Years a Slave.

Yesterday we heralded Michelle Dockery as the best dressed at the pre-Golden Globes celebrations and she didn’t use up all her good style points before the big event. Metallic nudes were a big trend with several Oscar de la Renta gowns reveling in this sparkly style. While I might have added a few accessories there is beauty in simplicity and this is another hit for the Downton Abbey star.

This white Reem Acra gown with black floral detail is a big departure for Girls’ Zosia Mamet as she tends to favor the LBD (as we saw earlier this week) and the new bob is super cute. All she needs is red lipstick and this would be perfect.

Like Paul Rudd, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has made some kind of deal/has a painting in her attic and she looks incredible in this orange Narciso Rodriguez halter neck dress. She also provided some of the funniest moments from the night, most notably puffing on E cigarette as part of the opening monologue.

Red carpet gowns and maternity wear don’t tend to cross paths; Olivia Wilde’s sparkly Gucci Première emerald gown is giving me Wizard of Oz feels and it’s wonderfully unexpected.

Who was your best dressed?

Tags: Caitlin Fitzgerald, Elisabeth Moss, Golden Globes 2014, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julianna Margulies, Lizzy Caplan, Lupita Nyong'o, Michelle Dockery, Olivia Wilde, red carpet, Tatiana Maslany, Zosia Mamet

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Categories Awards, Red Carpet
Author Emma Fraser

Best of 2013 TV Costuming: Group Discussion

31 Dec

TV Ate My Wardrobe’s Best of 2013 Costuming series concludes today and I am joined by Kerensa Cadenas and Julie Hammerle to talk about this excellent year of costume design. We’re here to talk about a variety of shows and topics including Scandal, what shows influenced our own wardrobe choices and what we’re hoping to try out in 2014.

For all of the Best of 2013 articles head here. Happy New Year!

Emma: 2013 has been an excellent year for TV, so much so that I know we all have certain shows that we haven’t had time to watch yet (for me it is Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones and Enlightened). What I would like to do is talk about our highlights of the year from a costume/fashion perspective; which shows have stood out, shocked, enthralled, disappointed and influenced some of your own clothing choices.

I’m going to start with the show that we discussed in depth in October and that’s Scandal. It’s one of the most talked about shows in terms of everything with Olivia Pope’s style dominating sites (like this one) and fashion magazines. The rise of Scandal has also seen an influx of Kerry Washington magazine covers and deservedly so. The costuming on Scandal has got more audacious and season 3 has delivered some exceptional pieces including every single coat (and specifically the Burberry trench in the S3 premiere) and this Rubin Singer dress looks like superhero couture. Olivia continues to perplex and impress me with her red wine drinking/no spilling skills as I would have ruined all of that cashmere by now.

Other Scandal highlights for me include Abby’s Diane von Furstenberg updated wardrobe and ditching the poker straight hair for the wavier look is an instant win. Maybe dial back on the eyeliner. Same goes for Quinn. Mellie’s Chanel pearls are perfect as are all of her updated Nancy Reagan red suits. All the bonus points for putting Scott Foley in military dress uniform, leather jackets, hoodies and THAT suit.

What on Scandal has stood out for both of you this year?

Kerensa: I can’t help it but literally fashion-wise, Olivia is blinding. So much so that it’s almost hard to notice anyone else. All those coats with those amazing collars and perfectly matched gloves and bags. For the season 3 premiere, my Scandal watching partner in crime and I attempted to wear our most Olivia-esque cardigans, he succeeded. I can say despite all of Olivia’s fashion slam-dunks, I did not like that dress that she wore to the White House Correspondents Dinner.

I think James always looks great and I’ll leave all Scott Foley related business to our resident expert, Julie. What do we think about Fitz though? I mean it’s all very generic and presidential obviously, but I was speaking with a friend recently and we both think that Fitz is probably wearing a lot of dad-seeming things–jeans, shoes, etc. And he would especially if they lived in Vermont. Ugh Fitz.

Julie: As a ’90s gal, I’m fine with the eyeliner on Abby and Quinn, but that might just be me. Also, I loved the Rubin Singer dress, which was total knockout. It reminded me a bit of Julia Roberts’s Oscar gown, one of my favorites of all time. I’m a big fan of a black and white evening gown. Olivia’s dress may have had some fit issues, but that could’ve been due to her early pregnancy curves.

As far as Mr. Foley goes, I want him either shirtless or in a suit. There you go, Scandal costume people, your job is done. The moment where he’s revealed to be the new Command was our notice to sit up and take notice of all Scott Foley-in-a-suit has to offer. And it’s a lot.

Fitz is so generic and so, kind of, old. His costuming is just dull. He’s dull. It all fits (Fitz?) together.

I think the costumers have done a great job with Mellie as well, showing us this softer, less conniving woman before working on Fitz’s presidential campaign (and before being sexually assaulted by her father-in-law), and then contrasting those looks with the Washington power wife she has become.

Emma: I guess it’s hard to be a super stylish President and while I don’t think he needs to be emulating Harrison or James, there’s just not much to talk about with Fitz and fashion. He did wear a turtleneck in the flashback, but most of my feelings about turtlenecks aren’t particularly flattering. Same applies for Fitz.

As it’s become clear that they’re (thankfully) not going to write in a pregnancy storyline it will be interesting to see what inventive methods they will use to hide Kerry Washington’s bump, I’m picturing more oversized coats and purses.

Moving on from Scandal and another show which makes me wish I had a reason to wear expensive lady suits and that’s The Good Wife. I know you both only dipped into this for the first time this year with the incredible “Hitting the Fan” and I wanted to know if anything costume wise stood out to you because I think they’re one of the best dressed casts on TV. This piece on Diane Lockhart’s costuming is also TV Ate My Wardrobe’s most popular article of the year and I think that says a lot about both the character and the clothes she wears. TV has been championed for great roles for women over 40 and The Good Wife does a fantastic job of avoiding the pitfalls of clothes you might expect a woman of a certain age to wear.

What do you guys think about this?

Julie: Having only watched the one Good Wife episode this season, I don’t have much to add, other than the two “ladies of a certain age” on the show do look lovely and professional. Christine Baranski always gets those kinds of roles, doesn’t she? You never see her playing the schlubby old hausfrau or anything. She’s always, like, the society maven or the company CEO or (in the case of The Big Bang Theory) Leonard’s mother, who is also renowned psychologist.

Emma: Yeah I can’t think of a Christine Baranski role doesn’t require poise. I’m so happy The Good Wife has given her a role that doesn’t feel like the stereotypical older woman who has chosen her career over a family nonsense.

Are there any shows which have influenced your clothing choices this year?

Julie: That’s a good question about what on TV influenced my clothing choices. Hmmm…well, I just received the same lipstick that Max uses on 2 Broke Girls (Tarte’s Envy) for Christmas, so there’s that. Oh, and I bought myself a fluffy white sweater that I often wear while eating popcorn and drinking red wine (I’ve had to have it cleaned six times already).

Beyond that, I’ve mostly reverted to the ’90s after watching My So-Called Life. I bought a pair of Dr. Martens and I’ve been wearing darker lipstick.

How about you?

Emma: Currently typing this while wearing my new polka dot pajama set and quite a few of my Christmas gifts had a TV influence. So yeah New Girl’s a big one and at the moment I’m on the hunt for an a-line wool mini skirt a la Jess. This is mostly because I have lots of tights and sweaters that I think would look good with this. Alas no joy yet. Same goes for my endless quest to find the perfect mustard yellow hoodie that I have been coveting since I first saw April Ludgate wear one when she drove to the Grand Canyon with Andy on Parks and Rec.

This year I’ve also tried a couple of Megan Draper influenced stylings including a scarf in my hair and a short sleeved/high neck sweater that looks late 60s esque. With the Mad Men stuff I try not to imitate too much otherwise it looks like fancy dress. In real life Kiernan Shipka is showing what it looks like for a 14 year old to dress better than anyone else in this cast. She is my everything, please don’t ruin her Hollywood. I’m also scared for all things Flowers in the Attic – haven’t you seen it Kerensa?

And yes the 90s! So glad to have all this plaid back in my wardrobe, though I wish I’d saved it all first time around. I still haven’t tried out the super dark brown/rose lip stick; I should probably get on that.

What I really would like in my life is some Olivia Pope sized wine glasses and pretty much all the furniture and fixings from any of the Scandi shows.

What about you Kerensa? Any TV wardrobe influences this year? And to you both is there something you want to try out in 2014?

Julie: I’ve also been wearing a lot of Jess Day-inspired pajamas. With dogs and monkeys on them.

I love the question of what to try out in 2014. It’s like making a TV fashion-related New Year’s resolution. My hair is about the same length (and color) as April’s on Parks and Rec, and I’d like to try getting mine a little wavier, like hers.

Also, on the Jess Day train, I’m always on the lookout for cute dresses and glasses (though I cannot pull off the big nerd frames. I’m more of a Mad Men/cat eye kind of girl).

What about you ladies?

Kerensa: As has Julie, I’ve only seen a few episodes this season of The Good Wife, so I can’t really speak to the clothes on that show either. But in my current catch up of the show, holy crap, yes.

Kiernan is the most fashionable 14 year old ever. And yes, I did see Flowers in the Attic, and I’m proud to report that it is A TREAT.

In terms of 2014 TV inspired resolutions, I’d like to just be Olivia Pope pretty much. But my general clumsiness, inability to not stain anything white-hued and working from home I think kinda negates that from happening. I’d love to take a page from Megan Draper’s wardrobe–that cool, sexy, effortless 60s Valley of the Dolls vibe she always has going. I agree with Julie that I’m loving April’s hair on Parks and Recreation right now, so it’s the right length, I just need to make myself take the straightening iron out of my hand.

A little out of the discussion, but I just watched Skins: Fire last night, which wrapped up the entire Skins series in 2013. Fire focuses on Effy, one of my favorites of the endlessly gorgeous extremely selfish and damaged characters. She begins working at a London hedge fund. In terms of television, it’s certainly not the greatest (I say this as I’m watching the other 4 episodes right now) but Effy’s wardrobe for this job is amazing. I mean it certainly doesn’t hurt that Kaya Scodelario is model-y gorgeous but her outfits are all these amazing leather trimmed structured blazers, nipped mini-dresses paired with tights and booties. It’s so reminiscent of her teen wardrobe–all leather clad, ripped tights and plenty of angst–but grown up. And I want every single piece of it. Oh and Olivia’s wine glasses, a staple.

Emma: I like that April Ludgate is a style icon for us all; for hair and hoodies (and owl sweaters).

As far as 2014 goes for me I’m hoping to get some inspiration from the new season of The Americans (seriously I really want their son Henry’s rainbow jacket) and blend it with some Felicity stylings. Pretty much a Keri Russell hybrid.

Both Abby from Scandal and Alana Bloom on Hannibal wear some excellent Diane von Furstenberg patterned dresses and while I can’t afford actual DVF I’d like to add to my wrap dress collection.

And if I could not spill anything on my clothes I would be a very happy lady. I fear this is a resolution to far for me.

Jumping off from your Skins comment Kerensa (and those outfits do sound amazing) are there any particular moments/shows/characters that stand out in terms of costuming and style?

Are there any returning or new shows that you’re anticipating for their costuming?

Julie: Big sweaters forever! Also, I’m going to start re-wearing long sheath dresses over T-shirts with Chuck Taylors, because I’m still 17, I think.

Oh, yes. I love Alana’s dresses on Hannibal. That show is so subtly fashionable. I say that because sometimes it’s hard to recall what I’ve seen beyond all the gore.

As far as costume moments go, we already talked about Olivia Pope’s Correspondents Ball dress, which I loved. I’m having trouble thinking beyond that at the moment. I’m currently watching Masters of Sex and loving everything Lizzy Caplan wears on that show (when she wears clothing).

I’m looking forward to Game of Thrones returning, for many reasons beyond fashion, but I do want to see how they style the Dornishmen and what kind of fabulous dress they put on Margaery for her wedding to Joffrey.

And of course The Walking Dead returns in February, and I hope Carol returns to the group with every designer gown she can find in tow. Because while everyone else is raiding drug and grocery stores, I bet no one thought to break into Gucci or Prada to steal their wears.

Emma: I just got the most amazing big mohair striped sweater from the Dr Martens shop (which I think you both would love). It would be both Angela and Felicity approved. I’ve wanted a mohair sweater for ages (Trudy Campbell wears one in the Kennedy assassination episode of Mad Men and I’ve been obsessed ever since). That’s one 2014 wish to be ticked off the list before the new year has started. Thank you sale shopping.

Hannibal’s suits are impeccable, it’s such a beautiful show considering how horrifying it is and it’s high on my most anticipated list.

Other shows I’m looking forward to returning include The Americans because all the wigs and everything else, Girls as I want to see if they can top Marnie’s plastic dress from last year and Mad Men because of all the reasons. I still need to watch Game of Thrones.

With new shows Looking is top of my list and I’m interested to see a show set somewhere slightly different and how this influences costuming choice. On the other end of the scale is True Detective as it looks grimy. And you know the Harrelson/McConaughey factor.

One of the big shows this year for me has been Orphan Black and all the many versions of Tatiana Maslany. That’s why it’s also on my 2014 list of things to look forward to. I’ve written about a lot of my favorite costume moments in the Best of 2013 series I’ve been doing and Leslie Knope’s wedding dress *might* be my personal highlight as both it and that episode encapsulated everything that makes Parks and Recreation such a joy to watch.

Now I want to see a fashionista character on The Walking Dead. That would be the best.

Julie: I need to watch Orphan Black, which I just got for Christmas. Looking looks fabulous, even more so since my new Frozen crush Jonathan Groff is on it.

And seriously. Why are people in the Zombpocalypse not wearing more fashionable clothing? I’d wear a tiara every day to go with my katana blades.

Kerensa: Yes to the Orphan Black costuming! It’s so great. All of Felix’s short robes and Sarah’s general bad-assery (aka my ideal look). Looking forward to what they do with other clones as well!

As for returning–I don’t know if RuPaul’s Drag Race counts but goddamn the fashions on that show. And it’s always doubly impressive since the contestants are making all those looks themselves. Also, everything that RuPaul wears always and forever. The man wears a skinny suit impeccably as well as a sequined ball gown.

I’ll be interested as well what’s in store for Girls–especially with Jessa. I just want to see how they can top her ridiculous boho European free spirit stuff every year.

Side note: Julie I don’t know if you watch, but what do we think about the costuming on The Carrie Diaries? I think a lot of it is pretty ridiculous but I kinda love it anyways.

Emma: Super on the Orphan Black watching front, you’re in for a treat. It’s the only show that has made me wish for dreadlocks (it would never happen).

RuPaul’s Drag Race is something I’ve only ever seen via The Soup, it’s something I’d love to catch a whole season of and those outfits sound fantastic!

With The Carrie Diaries I’m so in love with all the crazy pattern clashing and the fact they’ve found every slogan tee for Dorrit from Forever 21 – there was one in the last episode that read “I Hate Everyone” which is pretty much perfect. I like that they’re got going for complete authenticity with the costuming and use items from mostly affordable stores. It makes sense for this audience (well the small one it has) to go this route rather than a Mad Men style one. It’s not a costuming note, but I do want to highlight how amazing the Walt storyline has been and especially the bonding time with Dadshaw over Golden Girls. Back to costuming everything Donna LaDonna wears is the perfect amount of excess. Same with Samantha and her ab baring tops.

As always it has been a pleasure discussing TV and fashion with you both.

I’m pretty obsessed with the idea of The Walking Dead plus Prada now to be honest.

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is a staff writer for Women and Hollywood. She also writes for This Was Television, Forever Young Adult, and Bitch magazine. She was the Research Editor for Tomorrow magazine. You can follow her on Twitter and read her ridiculous thoughts about teen television at her website.

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

Tags: 2 Broke Girls, Alana Bloom, April Ludgate, Christine Baranski, Felicity, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, Kaya Scodelario, Keri Russell, Kerry Washington, Kiernan Shipka, Lizzy Caplan, Looking, Mad Men, Masters of Sex, My So-Called Life, New Girl, Olivia Pope, Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation, Scandal, Skins, Tatiana Maslany, The Americans, The Carrie Diaries, The Good Wife, The Walking Dead, Zooey Deschanel

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Best of 2013, TV Team-Up
Author Emma Fraser

Lizzy Caplan Talks Freaks and Geeks, Party Down and Masters of Sex

30 Dec

Lizzy Caplan is the latest guest on Paul F. Tompkins’ Speakeasy series and she’s talking about her scary experience on Freaks and Geeks, the joy of Party Down and her most recent show Masters of Sex.

Freaks and Geeks was Lizzy Caplan’s first acting job and she reveals that she found the whole experience to be terrifying. While she was good at real life high school socializing, this wasn’t the case on fake high school as she got all shy when coming on as a guest star. Caplan admits that at the time she “didn’t like them” and considering how much she has worked with some of them since, it’s lucky that her feelings towards them have now changed.

It’s Paul F. Tompkins wife’s favorite show of all time, it would make my top 5 and it’s Party Down and she refers to it as “one of those magical situations.” It wasn’t just the working environment that made it special and Caplan compliments the material, talking about how sad they got to make the story. Caplan is drawn to cable as you can take it to a “dark, sad place.”

The white shirt Caplan is wearing is giving off major Party Down vibes, just with a fancy embellished collar and no bow tie. This is of course excellent and Masters of Sex has me obsessing with fancy collars.

Watch the whole interview below and find out how Lizzy Caplan got through her first nude scenes on True Blood and why she’s more than fine with it on Masters of Sex.

Tags: Freaks and Geeks, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Party Down, Paul F. Tompkins

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Amazing Ladies, Speakeasy with Paul F. Tompkins
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.12 “Manhigh” Costume Review: Reaching for the Stars

16 Dec

The first season of Masters of Sex uses space exploration as mirror to the pioneering research occurring in exam room 5; Bill and Virginia want to know everything about the act that can create life, whereas the notion of space travel is looking at life beyond Earth. Both include scary prospects and the potential to reveal things that could change the way we live, but only one of these is on prime time while the grand unveiling of the other is met with horror and aversion.

Ane Crabtree’s costume design for the whole of the first season has been tremendous and adds another layer to the storytelling as well as influencing my own sweater purchases. Each character has their own signature style and this reflects not only their attitudes towards sex, but also shows there is a lot more to this era than being buttoned up.

The look of Bill Masters has been consistent throughout and there have only been a few occasions where he hasn’t been in his standard bow tie, suspenders and jacket attire. This is Bill’s uniform and it gives the impression of tradition, but the small polka dot detail on his bow tie hints at something slightly less repressed. Over the season we have seen Bill loosen up in private; his public demeanor is still pretty much the uptight dude that we met in the pilot. In the final scene Bill doesn’t cover Virginia’s eyes as he did last time he choked up and he openly admits that he needs her; I don’t think Bill has ever admitted that he needs someone other than himself. Bill is making that all important grand gesture.

A slightly different bow tie/shirt combo (polka dots and check) and he’s pulling his best incredulous face. Bill throws himself under the bus to protect Barton’s job and says “Fuck them” in the process. The one thing he remains blind to is Libby, despite her attempts to be part of the project he is so passionate about.

The Masters home has never looked more lonely and cramped all at once as not a single person turns up to the post lecture dinner party celebration. Libby asks Bill who the woman in the video is and tells him other people think it is Virginia. Bill denies this without ever saying that it isn’t Virginia, he simply leads Libby’s questioning to get her to come to that conclusion.

In an ugly exchange one of the male doctors (the same doctor who raised his Martini glass to the notion that size doesn’t matter) tells Virginia that it was more of her than he needed to see in the presentation. Both Jane and Virginia are appalled at this accusation and it doesn’t matter that we know it was Virginia, what matters is that as soon as it turned to female sexuality the attitude changed from frat house to nunnery. Jane is in the bold yellow we have come to associate her with and despite the reception to the study, she isn’t going to change who she is nor fade into the background in muted tones. Virginia has favored dark colors throughout the season, but color has all but disappeared since the time she started sleeping with Bill (except in his fantasy version of her last week).

This close up comes after the presentation has been shut down during the provocative Virginia film. Virginia marches to the elevator and as with The Good Wife, Masters of Sex has used this space for moments of escape (as with Margaret Scully in “Brave New World“), to show the disconnect between Bill and Virginia last week and as a place where Lillian attempted to get more money for her study. Here it looks like Virginia has been punched in the stomach or as if she’s going to throw up.

Here’s another shot from the same scene as I want to highlight the collar detail and the bold white lapels of this dress as they cross over each other on the back. Pretty much all of Virginia’s work clothes are smart and chic; embellished collars are incredibly popular during this time period and Virginia always appears to be one step ahead of the other ladies who work at the hospital. Virginia’s time working as a singer in a variety of music halls definitely impacts her costuming choices.

I’ve already mentioned the yellow of Jane’s post presentation outfit and even though she isn’t going to lose her golden glow because of the reaction to the study she’s still embarrassed by how much of her has been aired in public, particularly as everyone is calling it dirty. Jane has been instrumental throughout the study and she thinks that her vaginal walls have brought down the whole kingdom. Lester does a good job of reassuring this isn’t the case and she should also remember her words to Bill earlier “It was just the insecure men who didn’t want to hear about how women are you know, sexually superior.” This statement really gets the heart and hypocrisy of the matter and it looks likes the Chancellor et al are similar to the MPAA.

The Lester/Jane relationship is very sweet and Lester’s earthy tones compliment the sunny disposition of Jane’s predominantly yellow wardrobe. Lester’s concern for how much masturbation is too much leads to one of the funniest lines of the season with Bill telling him “I can spot a statistically average masturbator from a mile away.” That’s a special skill to put on your resume now you’re out of a job Bill.

Austin propositions Jane as they discuss how the study started with them. Austin comes across as confident (even though we know he has had performance issues in the past) and he’s suave whereas Lester is awkward. Costume wise they are incredibly different with Lester’s sweater vests and glasses and Austin’s well tailored expensive suits. Lester is the one who ends up getting a smooch and he’s definitely more relationship material as I can see Austin coasting from woman to woman without ever being truly satisfied.

The Libby/Jane working partnership continues as they sort out handouts, Martinis and canapés. Libby is dressed predominantly in baby blue this week and this is yet another beautiful maternity dress. As I have previously mentioned, Libby’s character progression from housewife to now has been exciting to watch as she has become so much more than the lazy option of the nagging housewife.

In an even lighter baby blue ensemble Libby is boxing up supplies for the Urban League and this points again to Libby as non-prejudicial. Libby goes into labor in this scene, as they can’t get hold of Bill and the baby is coming fast there’s no option but to take Libby to a different and predominantly African American hospital. This the second time this season in which Libby has gone to a different hospital accompanied by an African American and the main thing this is suggesting is that Libby is not a racist; the pilot episode touched on racial prejudice in Bill’s hospital and I wonder if season 2 is going to deal more with Civil Rights beyond this surface level next year. The giant white lapels on this woman’s dress mirror Virginia’s, showing that it’s a popular style, just not necessarily one that Virginia’s co-workers share.

Libby is perfectly content after giving birth to a baby boy (as the blue blanket suggests) and she turns down the offer to call Bill right away; the conception was a solo effort (with the aid of Ethan) and the birth mirrors Bill’s absent role so far. The writers have altered the timeline of the Masters’ children for dramatic purposes and as we go forward the relationship between Bill and Libby is going to shift; will Libby fight for their marriage or is this child enough for her?

What is enough for Lillian with her research? She attempts a different strategy to try and get more funding; this time there’s no awkward flirty banter and instead Lillian goes in hard. The result is still the same and she comes away empty handed. Lillian’s clothes are still rigid and functional and most women don’t want to be seen by a female OB/GYN despite Lillian’s attempts to keep her gender out of her performance as a doctor.

On two separate occasions we see Lillian taking off her lab coat – the first is prior to the lunch where she gets no funding and the second comes as Virginia suggests a different approach. Virginia thinks that Lillian needs to look beyond Pap smears; she needs to aim big to get the money she requires. At first Virginia suggests breast cancer, followed by the contraceptive pill. Virginia does her homework (it’s how she knew about the Pap smear when she first met Lillian) and the contraceptive pill is going to revolutionize medicine for women. Spoiler alert it doesn’t go on the market until 1960 and yet I can see this linking into Lillian’s work next season. This is if Lillian is still around and I really hope she is as Julianne Nicholson has brought something special to this season.

Allison Janney is another Masters of Sex MVP and in the season finale she confronts Barton regarding his sexuality and later visits the doctor who is going to ‘cure’ him. There are similarities between Margaret Scully and Libby Masters in their marital situations – Bill isn’t gay, but he doesn’t love his wife in a sexual way – and this is reflected in their costuming as Margaret also wears baby blue this week. This is yet another beautiful and ornate broach in the Margaret Scully collection, rivaling The Good Wife’s Diane Lockhart.

Barton essentially steps out of his closet when Margaret confronts him about his sexual preference by using a headline in the paper as a segue. It’s a frank and honest chat; this surprised me considering how long Barton has been keeping it a secret (around 40 years) and it’s pretty calm and collected at first. Margaret explodes due to how long Barton has known he has feelings for men and she accuses him of stealing time from her. It’s an incredibly complex and heartbreaking scenario, even more so when Margaret hears what options are available to stop Barton feeling this way towards men.

The shot above comes from the moment where Margaret tells Barton to not have electro shock therapy as the risks far outweigh what it might do. The memories that she mentions are not grand life altering ones, but small moments that add to their 30 years together and she doesn’t want to lose that. Barton tells her he won’t go through with it and this is yet another lie. It’s a stunning composition as Margaret is in the light of the bedside lamp and Baton is in darkness as they embrace on the bed they haven’t shared for years.

This is another moment that uses a bold light to enhance the framing of a character; this time from a natural source as Bill prepares to go out and make his presentation. In this moment he is still in darkness and he’s about to unleash his work on the world.

Ethan spends most of the episode away in California where he is having a job interview. It’s all going well between Virginia and Ethan and he even proposes to her in this scene while he is staring at the ocean in sun kissed California. This is in contrast to the rain soaked St. Louis, Missouri and the declaration that Bill makes in person. Ethan has definitely changed from the jerk we met in the pilot and he is great with Virginia’s kids and yet he can’t offer the stars in the same way Bill can.

Like the heroes of Project Manhigh who have reached new heights, so have Bill and Virginia and they have done so together. The envelope full of money was Bill’s ill judged reaction to his guilt induced by Libby’s pregnancy and in this final scene of season 1, Bill emotionally undresses and lays out the truth. It’s not the work Bill can’t live without, it’s Virginia. So that’s not one but two propositions for Virginia as we end season 1 and while it’s easy to guess which way she will lean, the episode overall is a very satisfactory resolution to an excellent first season.

Tags: "Manhigh", Allison Janney, Caitlin Fitzgerald, costume design, Helen Yorke, Julianne Nicholson, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Micheal Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.11 “Phallic Victories” Costume Review: Are You Good Enough?

9 Dec

Virginia Johnson pulls many people into her orbit; some describe her as being like “Technicolor” and with others there is a rapport through a conflicting personality type. Bill Masters and Lillian DePaul are part of the latter group and Virginia enhances their work by focusing on personal aspects beyond just science. It’s perhaps fitting then, that the episode closes with Virginia singing you “Don’t Know Me” (and yes that is Lizzy Caplan singing) as we still have barely scratched the surface with who Virginia really is, while closed off characters have revealed their innermost secrets and fears. We know what other people think of her and yet the inner life of Virginia Johnson is still a mystery.

Bill has his own fantasy version of Virginia in this episode, as he no longer has the real one to talk to after she quit last week and Bill is not the kind of person who will make the first move towards a reconciliation. Instead he has these imaginary chats where ‘Virginia’ points out the missteps that he is taking with this new presentation idea. She also reminds him that she was more than just a secretary; this is his projection of guilt. The lighting is dimmer in these moments and in the scene above her posture is emphasizing her chest and there’s a sultry, but disdainful quality to this look.

In reality this is how Virginia looks in the same attire, in Lillian’s office instead and it’s a lot less pouty and perky. There’s a relaxed quality to the Johnson/DePaul relationship even if Lillian is just as prickly as Bill ever was; it helps that there is no sexual tension.

Bill’s version of Virginia works on several levels; she acts as the voice of reason and she imparts a much needed confidence boost. ‘Virginia’ challenges his new presentation idea as he’s going to make a bold statement that he can’t back up with sufficient evidence and it’s a big claim; he’s going to state that size doesn’t matter. Bill’s reasoning is that he needs to keep people in the room so they hear the actual discoveries they have made and he’s afraid that if the work isn’t a success then he will have lost everything. ‘Virginia’ tells him that he is a “bigger man” than all of this and the real fear isn’t to do with size, “the fear is are you good enough?” Bill doesn’t think he is a bigger man and this loops back to his earlier comment to Libby that there is always something to prove.

Fantasy Virginia wears a variety of outfits including the grey that matches what the actual Virginia is wearing, the blue bathrobe of their most intimate moments and the green that Virginia wore a lot at the start of the season and then stopped doing so once they started sleeping together. The green sweater in the scene above was last worn in episode 3 “Standard Deviation,” the first episode Virginia wore a lab coat in. This was also the first time Virginia met Lillian and Lillian essentially gave her the brush off.

The only shared scene between the real Virginia and Bill happens in the last sequence of the episode as Virginia is singing “You Don’t Know Me” and the pair share an elevator ride as if they are strangers. Both make sly glances at the other while waiting in a big crowd, but other than that there is nothing.

Bill is isolated in all aspects of his life and this is no more apparent than at home. The shot prior to this one made it seem like Libby and Bill are in the same bed together as Libby asks questions about the mystery 23 times couple, a couple who we know to be Bill and Virginia. As with Margaret and Barton’s secret all the clues are there for Libby to work out who this really is and yet she seems blissfully unaware at this point as she poses the question of whether this couple fell in love. Bill’s only response is that this is outside the area of inquiry. We don’t do emotions here, even though we do really. Bill and Libby are worlds apart despite their close-ish proximity and Libby is trying to do everything in her power to make herself a valued part of Bill’s life.

This includes an offer of help at work and she can be his new “Virginia.” There is so much awkwardness in this episode between Libby and Bill as Libby tries everything to reach out to him. Libby tells him that he takes care of me followed by the super cringe line of “you feel good inside me.” Yep, that happens and I really feel for her. As with Margaret there’s only so much she can do for her husband as he’s thinking about someone else. The whole pregnancy is still not sitting well between them and they trade passive aggressive statements back and forth.

Libby’s character trajectory has been impressive; at first it seemed like she was going to be a simpering housewife who called her husband ‘Daddy’ and instead she has become so much more than that. Ultimately is it a fool’s errand that she keeps attempting to crack Bill? Possibly, but at least she isn’t passive. This episode also produced yet another female friendship to warm my heart with Jane and Libby hitting it off instantly.

The maternity wear is beautiful once again and while the peach attire is new, the outfit above is a repeat costume. Libby is luminescent in these scenes and it might be a kiss ass comment from the new wannabe Ethan, but she does have a smile in her voice. If I was Tyra I would call this ‘smalking.’

More maternity wear and as with a lot of the late 50s/early 60s women’s clothes a detailed collar is everything. Libby’s choice of office wear is less colorful than what we usually see her in (the peach was intended for a lunch date, not work) as if she is trying to tone down her look and not stand out.

Jane or VirJane as she is now known whenever Bill yells for her (and it’s a lot) is still rocking her ever present sunny shade of yellow.

And more yellow. Jane’s disposition is still upbeat despite Bill’s constant yelling and put downs because she doesn’t have every single one of his medical filing terms remembered. Jane is still seeking out Virginia’s advice in secret and while she’s not Virginia, Bill has lucked out getting Jane as his secretary and she has also been so vital to his study. Bill wants to show some of the film they shot, a factor that Jane isn’t all that comfortable with and she refers to as the “mine shaft footage.” The other film has of course been destroyed so there is no way Bill could use that.

This is the first episode in which Libby and Jane have shared a scene and I hope we will get to see this friendship blossom; both Caitlin Fitzgerald and Helén Yorke have been standouts this season so I’m glad to see them together. The pair go through the files to find viable candidates and it’s here they unknowingly stumble upon the Bill and Virginia’s data – it’s lucky that no names are included, but personal details like how many children they have and marital status could hint at who it was if they dug deep enough. Jane’s not all about yellow, her other color is blue and she tends to wear something with a darker hue when the stakes are higher and Bill’s presentation is incredibly important. It’s a dress with little to distract except for the collar detail and Jane’s costuming tends to have a feminine flourish even when it’s a slightly more reserved outfit.

“Well, having a dick doesn’t hurt.” Lillian utters this declaration after a disastrous 17-hour trip and a conference that is over by the time she arrives with Virginia. Lillian rails against the system and the Bill Masters of the world and believes she would be in a much better position if she had the right anatomy. Virginia argues that Bill only has the “rainmaker prerogative” not because he is a man, but because he is excellent at his job and has learned how to work the system. I mean it’s hard to argue that his gender hasn’t opened doors for him, and yet what I think Virginia is trying to tell Lillian is she has to work the angles and not look at the things that are holding her research back. Lillian has softened her appearance for the conference with her hair down, but her suit is still the stiff grey and it’s important on occasions like this to be comfortable in personal presentation.

So while they can’t schmooze out on the golf course there is an entirely different set of influential ears they can bend. Virginia knows how to work a room, she’s been in plenty of different social situations and her time on stage gives her confidence and presence. Virginia is essentially Lillian’s hype man, she does the intro and knows which buttons to press in terms of ego stroking and lets Lillian do the science part. This is Virginia’s “size doesn’t matter” speech, but instead of using false data she uses life experience. White gloves, pretty dresses and pearls give off an air of ‘ladies who lunch’ and yet their influence gives Lillian six advocates in six states, probably more than her presentation would have garnered. Especially if she opened with her gags.

Unlike the instant friendships between any of the Libby/Jane/Virginia combinations, the road to Virginia and Lillian has almost been as long as their 17-hour trip. It’s now hit a point where Lillian shares her deepest, darkest secret – she has cancer. Julianne Nicholson is devastating in her performance as she tells Virginia in a rather matter of fact way about her cancer history and the end that is closer than it should be at this age. Virginia at first mistakes Lillian’s wonder at the doctor’s wives as sadness that she hasn’t her own family; it’s quite the opposite as she ponders what could be achieved if all of those women pursued careers instead. Lillian is desperate for someone to continue her work and while this work is just hers, she needs someone who can take the reins from her when she falls. Lillian has been going at it alone and now she has a partner of sorts, Virginia has already been part of a team but her name will no longer be on that work. I wonder if this is sly nod to the title of this show which thanks to the pun only references one half of the partnership, but it is Virginia who is on everyone’s mind.

This includes the metaphorical dick measuring contest between Virginia’s current beau Ethan and her former husband George, who shows up just when it’s only Ethan looking after the kids. Like Libby, Ethan is a character that I dismissed in the first episode and his violent actions and jealous streak made him incredibly unappealing and he felt like another version of Joan’s husband Greg in Mad Men. I’m still wary of him and even though Virginia is making a go of it this time, I’m worried that if/when it goes sour he will lash out again. Ethan does handle himself with George though, he plays the doctor card and yes he does shave. We measure ourselves in a variety of ways and this competitive banter between George and Ethan is just another version of that. It’s not just the ladies that get fancy neck details and Ethan’s casual wear features a rather bold red, white and blue collar.

All George has is this past version of Virginia that he can brag about knowing and yet he has no access to her, yes he has memories but how much can memories get you? He brags about her singing and how she never does it anymore, as the last sequence proves this isn’t the case. It’s just a singing booth at the fair, but to Ethan and her kids it’s the world. This is a different version of Virginia and once again it does feel like we don’t know her. Lizzy Caplan is excellent in this role but it still feels like we are getting Virginia through the eyes of everyone else. Virginia is essentially the Masters of Sex hype man, she gets us in the tent and we get to learn about the inner lives of everyone else. What happens when we get to see who Virginia really is?

Tags: "Phallic Victories", 1.11, Ane Crabtree, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Helen Yorke, Julianne Nicholson, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.10 “Fallout” Costume Review: Floating or Falling?

2 Dec

As with Mad Men, Masters of Sex has barely touched upon the political climate of the time period unless it directly impacts the characters. In “Fallout” there is no escaping it as a huge Civil Defense simulation is taking place across Missouri with their hospital being one of the practice staging areas. [We’ve now entered 1960 and these events occur a few weeks after the last episode, from what I can gather it is this exercise they are depicting – choice quote from that newspaper article “To many housewives it meant they had to miss part of their noontime television and radio broadcasts.”]*

In terms of the personal relationships, the threat of annihilation could apply to many of their own situations and while some of the imagery in “Fallout” is less than subtle, the backdrop of this test allows these characters to address many of their problems that have been simmering below the surface.

Strained is one way you could describe the current state of the Virginia/Bill relationship and it’s pretty much nuclear at this point (sorry I will try and refrain from more lame puns). It’s pretty apt that one of their several heated discussions in this episode is interrupted by a drill and they’re plunged into darkness. At this point Virginia doesn’t know about Libby’s pregnancy; it’s clear to the audience that Bill is taking out all of his frustrations on her. Bill uses Austin’s baby daddy predicament as a cipher for his own lack of agency in the conception of his child; he states that Austin can’t simply forget what Virginia has told him and thinks that she isn’t the one who should be making these kinds of life altering decisions. It’s a sticky situation as Virginia has broken their anonymity clause and she is seeing it from her perspective as a single mother. Virginia takes to finding out the identity of the male like a spy, as she waits for Bill to leave before she ‘cracks’ his safe and her all black attire adds to this notion in the shot below.

Our personal experiences inform how we respond to these situations and Virginia confronts Masters later regarding the news that Libby is pregnant. The envelope full of money felt like a giant slap in the face and their working rhythm has been shattered, Virginia has been trying to figure out why Bill would do this and the Libby revelation holds all the answers. It’s been clear that there is more to their participation than just science and Virginia realizes that the money came from a place of guilt as they had formed an emotional attachment. The only option that Virginia sees is to quit and while we have already been on this part of the Bill/Virginia carousel at the start of the season, Virginia is the one making the break this time. We get another staring at a reflection scene to close out the episode and it’s reversed with Bill gazing at Virginia’s empty desk. Bill the guy who claims he doesn’t get emotional is clearly letting Virginia reach some previously uncharted territory.

What this decision leads to is a pairing that has been growing over the past few weeks. In one of the simulated bomb warnings Dr. Lillian DePaul and Virginia share a desk shelter. As with the Virginia/Bill relationship, this one started out frosty and has been slowing thawing as Lillian comes to understand that Virginia isn’t the person she first perceived. Lillian is the one with the biggest ticking time bomb inside her; as with the threat of nuclear war she has her own condition that could kill her at any time. The research Lillian wants to do is incredibly important for the future of women’s health and the measly check of $600 is going to do nothing to advance her program. Virginia tends to be a glass half full kind of woman and she suggests charm as a way to obtain more funds and even though there are many similarities between Lillian and Bill, he has his gender to give him a boost when his terrible bedside manner fails.

Lillian attempts the Virginia school of getting things done; she puts on crimson lipstick and lets down her hair but instead it comes across like she is hitting on a married man. It’s so awkward and clearly something she is not good at nor feels comfortable doing – when asking about his tie “What would you call that color?” she gets the deadpan response of “Red.” As soon as Virginia mentions how nice Lillian looks, Lillian ties back her hair and claims she looks like “a rodeo clown.” Lillian is not one to take a compliment, but she is willing to accept Virginia’s assistance with her funding issue. Virginia is taking a step back with her position as she returns to a secretarial role and yet it could have a huge impact to both Lillian as a friend and the future of women’s healthcare funding. Despite her friendly and outgoing persona we haven’t seen any friends of Virginia’s aside from Jane or Libby, so no one that is connected to the hospital. This relationship could be just as beneficial to Virginia and she widens her circle even if this is another connection through work.

Margaret has plenty of friends and yet she is still incredibly isolated as she can’t share any of her Barton fears with this group. They discuss another friend who has just got a divorce and this woman has now pretty much been exiled. Divorce was still rare at this time and there was a fear that it might spread if you associate with the woman in question – this reminds me of the Helen Bishop story in Mad Men and how none of the women wanted to befriend a divorcee. As one of Margaret’s friends puts it “The man strays, the wife pays.” Put this on a slogan tee. Margaret’s looking rather delicate in this white lace top, though the hint of red with the gorgeous crescent shaped clip (which looks a tad like the USSR sickle symbol) shows the burning passion that has been awoken in her.

Switching it up later Margaret wears pastel blue with a double broach (Margaret’s broach collection is beginning to rival Diane Lockhart’s) for her trip to the bar to find out from a prostitute how she can please Barton in the bedroom. While Margaret hasn’t connected the dots about Barton’s sexuality the prostitute figures it out pretty quickly thanks to Margaret’s description of their sex positions, his disinterest in topless women in Tahiti and the young man who Margaret mistook for his pimp. Margaret laughs about this at first and seems briefly relived until devastation sets in. It goes without saying that once again Allison Janney is a revelation as she plays a wide variety of emotions. Margaret’s costuming alternates between red and blue within this episode; the hint of red, to the baby blue, followed by the deep red of Margaret’s bathing suit and cap. There is also a shot of Margaret in her stunning scarlet dress with Barton at their anniversary party and the use of this color in the pool scene feels like a reference to her freedom in finding out this truth. Knowledge is a powerful thing and now she knows she isn’t to blame for Barton’s lack of sexual interest she can finally relax.

It concludes with this beautifully shot swimming pool sequence as Margaret and Austin reconnect, not in a sexual manner but on the level just prior to when they first hooked up. Austin is in a tailspin after the revelation that he got one of his study partners pregnant (the diaphragm has a 6% chance of failing) and up until now he hasn’t felt like he has had much responsibility (hopefully he feels some toward his wife). Austin is a big fan of metaphors and on this occasion he starts talking about his situation as if he is like one of the new fangled satellites that isn’t tethered to anything and is just floating. Margaret corrects him and explains that they’re actually in a constant falling state as gravity pulls them towards Earth and as Earth curves away it holds them in place. The juxtaposition of this conversation while they are both floating in the pool is mesmerizing and it’s clear why these two characters are drawn to each other. It once again comes down to space imagery and thanks to the time period and how important space exploration was at this time it’s going to be a repeated theme.

Jane is one of the few people wearing color this week and it’s her standard yellow. Jane has acted with kindness and openness throughout the series so it is a big surprise to see her go all mean girls on Lester and humiliating him in front of the other secretaries. This is a reaction to his knowledge of her participation in the study and she later apologizes to Lester for the harsh words telling him “you can only be accountable for yourself.” In these moments of heightened panic (even the simulated kind) people tend to look inward and in this moment Lester demonstrates a streak of confidence we haven’t seen before as he tells her that if this was his last night on earth then he’d kiss her and then he does. Yes, I’m totally shipping this pair.

Bill isn’t taking this drill seriously as he has too much work to do and lots of other things on his mind, he yells at Jane for not being in the office, but as she is one of the hall monitors (hence the helmet at a jaunty angle) she has other things she’s meant to be organizing. Bill continues to get exasperated by the whole thing and he can’t believe how everyone is reacting.

It reaches new heights of absurdity when he enters the OR and everyone is crouched down around a patient. It also means that Bill has to work with Ethan as the other surgeon is part of the overall drill and this leads to a huge confrontation and a sucker punch all while in their surgical gear. Bill is mostly mad at Ethan because of Libby, however Virginia also factors into the scenario as Bill is clearly jealous of their intimacy and ability to have some semblance of PDA. Libby doesn’t appear this week but her presence is felt.

Here is a better look at one of the posters that is dotted around the hospital, a poster that was designed in 1941 and uses red, white and blue to evoke patriotism. It’s a simple design and focuses on a personal responsibility as part of the wider effort. While tactics like this probably wouldn’t work on someone like Bill, it definitely appeals to people like Jane and she has shown she is just as vital to the grand scheme as an innovator like Bill.

*Correction it’s not 1960 yet, it’s still only 1958 though the simulation I’ve linked to sounds a lot like the one in this episode. The time covered during season hasn’t always been clear and so I apologize for leaping ahead too far in time.

Tags: "Fallout", 1.10, Allison Janney, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

29 Nov

Costumes and red carpet appearances all feature on this week’s edition of “Out of the Box” and include 19th century dueling attire, pajamas, sweaters and houndstooth. I did want to talk about something from the Boardwalk Empire season finale, but as this blog doesn’t have page breaks there’s no way to conceal this very spoilery image (click on the link to see the shot). Suffice to say it is a stunningly executed scene and one that makes my heart ache.

Flashback time on The Originals and Elijah’s hunter green dueling costume complete with tailcoat, pantaloons, cravat and leather knee high boots is an impressive look. There’s not a bad wig in sight (Klaus also looks rather dashing in his waistcoat), something the flashback scenes occasionally suffer from. The Originals has impressed me so far this season as we learn more about the perceived cycle of betrayal that Klaus thinks he is experiencing as he continues his constant quest for loyalty – he had it from his siblings, but he’s treated them in such a way that they can no longer stand by him. This is A+ costuming work from Jennifer Bryan.

Moving on to the present and another superb pajama set from Jess on New Girl. These ones are custom made and you can get the bicycle pictured material here if you fancy making your own (thanks Worn on TV for the heads up). Jess’ pajama collection is pretty immense and while most of the sets tend to come from Victoria’s Secret (unlike the models Jess tends to button hers up), having a few that are one of a kind injects originality into the mix.

It’s been a big week for sweaters here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and Gina from Brooklyn Nine-Nine has already featured on the wish list for a sweater she wore earlier this season. Wearing a Marc by Marc Jacobs sweater on this week’s Thanksgiving themed episode, Gina takes a place on the “Out of the Box” list as this jungle green (yeah it looks blue to me) patterned piece is a delight. As is the high horse that Gina is riding out on in this scene. The ‘Luna’ sweater is currently at sale price here.

My current hankering for all the toothed patterned clothing – puppy, dog and hound – means that Lizzy Caplan’s double houndstooth print by Reem Acra is a sight to behold. The gold waistband helps to break up the contrasting, yet similar prints and this is brilliantly bold look. Caplan’s is a TV Ate My Wardrobe favorite and she is willing to mix things up on the red carpet and step out of the safe zone, it doesn’t always work but on this occasion it is terrific and we applaud her for it. Plus she has been a complete charmer on Masters of Sex this season.

Tags: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Marc by Marc Jacobs, New Girl, Reem Acra, The Originals

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Categories Out of the Box: Look of the Week
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.09 “Involuntary” Costume Review: Drawing the Line

25 Nov

What is passion and what is simply biology? The study on Masters of Sex continues to progress and “Involuntary” explores a variety of internal and external feelings and factors. It’s an episode that finds several of the characters reaching an impasse and the time for simple compromise is no more. There is also an overarching theme of evaluations and not everyone scores highly, particularly in the perception section. The return of Bill’s mother Essie manages to dredge up some home truths and Libby has her own secret that she is afraid to share.

Jane has provided much of the heart of Masters of Sex and she tends to be the ray of light in both costume color and general attitude. Early in the episode Jane is wearing a less than sunny beige and she is trying to be everything she can so she gets a high score on her evaluation. Bill is still pretty oblivious to how vital Jane has been and it’s Virginia that knows her true value, not just as a secretary but also as a key participant in the study. Virginia has a way of phrasing things so that it makes Jane feel more comfortable with what she will be undertaking and on this occasion another filming session is required. Jane has a list of concerns as it’s her external bodily reactions that are in focus and understandably she doesn’t want anyone recognizing her.

Jane’s signature color returns later in the episode and this dinner sequence includes a lot of Jane’s no nonsense straight talking. Jane responds with “Generally I masturbate” when Essie asks what she does and she’s not shy about discussing her role in the study. Jane does have concerns about who will see the film footage even with the contract and caveats she insisted upon.

Jane, once again in yellow (though this time of the darker mustard variety) is incredibly uncomfortable with watching herself on screen. Despite the notion that like Virginia, Jane is ahead of ‘her time’ in terms of how comfortable she is with her sexuality there is this outward/inward factor that is holding her back. It’s perfectly understandable and Virginia complies with her wish to destroy the footage and Jane explains that up until now it has all been about internal feelings and this is very much an external expression. Jane has done a lot for the study and she’s drawing the line of what she is willing to do here.

Jane and Virginia are similar in a lot of ways and some of this extends to how much we know about their inner lives; Jane is a supporting character and so it’s not vital that we know everything about her just yet, with Virginia it feels like we are still only scratching the surface and this is more problematic. In the scene above we get to see what the social dynamic is like now for Virginia at the hospital as there is a baby shower for one of the secretaries in the cafeteria that she knew nothing about it. It’s awkward and Jane tries to include her, but as Virginia is no longer part of this group there is no seat at this table.

Instead Virginia makes her own excuses to save face and opts to lunch by herself. Up to this point Dr. DePaul has been hostile toward Virginia, but thanks to some good grades in her class it looks like Lillian is warming to her. Lillian talks cafeteria group dynamics and how she had no table to sit at – imagine your own 1950s Mean Girls/Clueless/10 Things I Hate About You like explanation of who all the cliques are. Lillian offers some words of wisdom that Virginia will recite later “The work is what endures.” Virginia’s white and grey ensemble is very much in tune with Lillian’s wardrobe color palette; Virginia’s tailoring is more modern and less severe in style and the bow mimics the other secretaries. In a way she is caught between several different roles and not fitting in with any of them.

This black jacket/dress combo is similar to everything that Virginia has been wearing this season and the neck bow detail is common to female collars from this period. It also adds a splash of color (albeit dark color) and she stands out in the white coats/shirts/ties of her fellow students. Virginia has different priorities than the other students in her class and they’re confused as to why Virginia is even doing this and how she gets such good grades. They assume that the latter is thanks to some sisterhood solidarity and she explains to these bozos that this is far from the case – it’s another reason why Lillian has been so cold to Virginia, so people are incorrect in this helping with grades assumptions. The group which should have been about helping each other ends up heading down a one way street as they just want to borrow Virginia’s notes.

Ah the envelope stuffed full of money is always a good idea, right? Virginia thinks that Bill must be making some kind of joke, but alas Bill’s gesture is a real one. Bill thinks that Virginia should be adequately compensated for her work and when she asks whether he is paying himself he gets the answer wrong by saying no as it is his study. Virginia believed this to be a 50/50 thing since she got her promotion and became a participant along with Bill; instead there is still an issue of power. Bill is struggling after Libby’s reveal and the many stressful conversations with his mother so this move feels like a knee jerk response to these external factors. Virginia, like Jane doesn’t take the money and even though this is for science there is still a seedy association when it comes to taking money for sex. In non-story news this grey double breasted coat is on my ever growing covet list.

Masters of Sex spends a lot of time observing other people and the whole idea of the study is to explore things that have never been scientifically recorded before. This means a lot of observation time and even though you can give a fancy scientific name for those fuzzy feelings, there are things that can’t be measured by science. While they might be able debunk the idea of passion as involuntary bodily reactions can be explained through scientific theory, there are still things that can’t be measured thanks to human emotions. Bill knows that he’s made a mistake trying to give the money to Virginia and by not completing her evaluation – he mentions that he failed the ‘do no harm’ mandate. The evaluation he has half-written starts off as dry as you might expect but then notes how vital she is to both him and the study. We hear her version of this evaluation as Bill is mesmerized by the footage of Virginia, in it she mentions that her passion is both an asset and a weakness and how she needs to not be so attached in the future. There is a constant push/pull with this pair as outward circumstances change and it wouldn’t surprise me if she tries to pull herself back emotionally as Bill tries to open himself up as we enter the last third of this first season.

Bill is impeccably dressed and his power clashing is nothing of the Harrison from Scandal variety, he is still rocking three different patterns between his shirt, bow tie and jacket (check, polka dot, tweed).

One of the external factors that is causing Bill stress this week is his mother and he still isn’t really on speaking terms with her. Bill thinks by revealing what he is actually researching at the moment it will get her out of his hair and it’s quite the opposite as Essie refuses to be shocked by this. Essie’s crime is not protecting Bill from his violent father and her general denial demeanor. Unlike anything else she tackles this problem with her son head on and this includes showing up with a hamper full of food at work. The “E” pin on her coat is very much like Jane’s “J” from earlier this season and the flashes of fur and matching red accessories show that Essie is a woman of means.

Essie decides that the time to stand up and say something is now and tells Bill about his father’s affair with his secretary. This is her not so subtle way of telling him to stop screwing around; in fact she comes right out and says this regardless. Is it too late for her to be laying down the law like this?

Libby hasn’t told Bill that she is pregnant because she knows he will figure out what she has done. Instead she sees meaning in everything including the bird that killed itself by flying into her window. She sees it as a terrible omen and she doesn’t want to say the word pregnant out loud in case she jinxes the whole thing. This is rare Libby wearing pants moment and all of her clothes throughout this episode are devoid of any strong colors. Libby isn’t one for bright attire but there is something a lot more somber about these neutral items that she is wearing this week; it’s as if she doesn’t want to show anything off.

The big moment of truth with the pregnancy reveal has about 10 elephants in the room as Libby talks about her barren condition while hinting that she knows that it is Bill with the infertility issues. Libby gives a bold impassioned speech about the state of things at work vs. at home “This is life. This is love. Without is you’re just a man lost in space calling out hoping to hear something back.”

The late ’50s is all about space imagery and this was used earlier in the season, this is a shot from Henry’s comic book and the idea of Bill as an explorer of new frontiers like space is a comparison I think we will hear again.

Bill is in his very own version of Gravity

Libby wants him understand that his study is cold and clinical; “there’s no humanity in it.” At home she believes that a family is like an echo and they settle back into a routine by the end of the episode. The problem is of course is that this family is the thing that is devoid of humanity and the study is full of life for Bill. The tableau above shows familiarity and little else.

Meanwhile, Vivian is trying to create her own perfect relationship scenario and she has a new mission when stumbles upon the information that Ethan’s parents are Jewish – this conversation starts because she didn’t know that foreskin is a thing that exists, another reason why people need to be better educated about sex. Vivian insists that Ethan pick a religion as she really wants a church wedding and like everything that Vivian does she’s very enthusiastic about the whole thing. Vivian is dressed in her super girly bubblegum and pastel pink throughout the episode (all except for the final scene in which she gets dumped).

More pink and Ethan has a moment that gives him clarity, thanks in a very roundabout way to religion. A discussion leads to him realizing that his whole life has been about floating along, including this relationship. The thing he really wants and has tried to fight for is unobtainable. Yeah he’s talking about Virginia.

In a baby blue version of all of her pink clothes Vivian finds out that not only is Ethan quitting bacon, but he also wants to quit their engagement too. Vivian takes this as best as expected and if I was Ethan I’d be concerned that not only is his immediate boss probably pissed (for helping get Libby pregnant) but so will the Provost as he’s not going to be thrilled that his daughter has been dumped. This is the first time that Ethan is really making his own decision and it’s one that Vivian should be thankful for as this whole relationship was about convenience.

Tags: "Involuntary", 1.09, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.08 Review: Do You See What I See?

18 Nov

So much about Masters of Sex is discussing what can’t be said in the public sphere; including the research that Bill and Virginia are conducting and many other personal matters. “Love and Marriage” explores the idea of perception as we delve further into the why of these characters and the relationships they have. Perceptions can be formed from a whole host of things including social status, race, gender and sexuality and these are all covered in this episode.

One of the reasons I find costuming such a fascinating topic to write about comes from the amount of information that can be derived from what a character wears and how this can influence both those around them and the audience. When it comes to the study there is no costuming (aside from the blue bathrobes) and all they are looking at is the data, but with everything else opinions can and are formed.

Virginia sticks to the dark colors that we have seen her in throughout the series so far and aside from two different bathrobes (at home and at work) and her lab coat in class, it’s all greys and darker tones this week. Virginia is trying to be taken seriously by Dr. Lillian DePaul and Dr. DePaul is pretty hard on Virginia with her passive aggressive comments about her capability. Experience dictates reaction and Dr. DePaul has faced opposition to get where she is. This doesn’t mean that Virginia has had it easy, far from it but they’ve taken very different paths to get to this place. You could chime in with female solidarity, but for Dr. DePaul she has had to leave her gender at the door to get this far and she doesn’t want Virginia to have it easy either. It doesn’t help that Virginia asks for her work with Dr. Masters to count as partial credit as Dr. DePaul reads this as Virginia asking for an easy grade.

There is a severity to Dr. DePaul that is evident in the way she dresses and her costuming lacks any color, nor is it tailored to show off any kind of femininity. This reveals how little she wants to or can rely on her gender even though she specializes in female related medicine. Dr. DePaul is keeping her own secret and her research is a personal issues because she has Stage VI cancer; ultimately she has become her research in the same way that Bill and Virginia have become theirs – with very different outcomes of course. It makes the boredom that everyone is exhibiting at her presentation all the more painful and it shows why she has such a tight deadline for completing the work.

While I don’t see Lillian and Virginia becoming BFFs anytime soon, there is a new found respect garnered in this episode as Virginia aces the test and scores 100%. Virginia also shows that she has a backbone by calling Dr. DePaul out on her shit. The moment above where DePaul silently moves Virginia’s heels under her chair could have turned into a spectacle of pointing out Virginia’s flaws (as she did with her punctuality), instead she lets it slide.

Whenever Virginia wears grey it makes me think of Dr. DePaul and while this neckline and style is not something Dr. DePaul would wear it’s also signifies serious work attire.

In an entirely different look Virginia gets her kids to help her study for the big test and they ask her why she wants a degree? Virginia answers in a fanciful way that makes perfect sense because they’re kids and she invokes the idea of magic; “You still do your job, but when you have a degree people believe you know what you’re talking about.” Tessa’s response is pretty darling and totally spot on for how Virginia hopes it will improve perceptions of her “So people see you right from the start.” This is why going from secretary to researcher is so important because even though labels shouldn’t matter, they definitely do. It’s also really great to see Virginia’s career having a positive influence on her kids for once rather than being something that has her questioning her skills as a mother, especially when Henry beams when she gets an answer right. Education is empowering and it’s a shame that Bill is trying to sabotage Virginia’s efforts.

Wife is another label of course and for Margaret her role as wife has been about companionship, this is no longer enough for her. Margaret has experienced a sexual awakening and even though it’s over with Austin, she can’t go back to her routine with Barton. The outfit that she is wearing in the bar after her Austin breakup is decadent and is not what she would wear to go visit her aunt, Barton knows that she was going to be sleeping with someone else and their confrontation in the bathroom makes him openly weep. Both Allison Janney and Beau Bridges are terrific in these scenes as they try and come to terms with how external factors are altering what seemed to be a strong relationship – though a relationship built on a foundation of lies is always going to have its weak points.

This disconnect between Margaret and Barton is made even more awkward with the presence of Dale and Margaret can tell straight away that Dale is not a grad student – is it his clothes? How he talks? One thing Margaret hasn’t perceived yet as far as I can tell is that Barton is gay; all the clues are there including his insistence last week that he hasn’t slept with another woman, his disinterest in Margaret’s body when she is standing in front of him naked and this meeting with Dale. Instead she buys his story that Dale is his pimp for lady prostitutes. Barton doesn’t want his marriage to be over and he wants a solution to what he calls “this terrible habit” and he seeks out Masters’ help. It’s pretty painful to watch someone contemplating aversion therapy like this – and sadly Masters and Johnson did at one stage claim that homosexuality was curable – and it shows the desperation to avoid admitting to being a gay man in the late 1950s.

One Scully is having a better time in her relationship and rather than putting Ethan off with her morning routine of “Love and Marriage” (which is now stuck in my head, thanks show), Ethan has taken the next step with Vivian and purchased an engagement ring. Vivian looks like a girl playing make believe housewife as she prepares breakfast singing and so it’s surprising that Ethan takes this as his cue to ask the big question. As Ethan views the whole routine through a mirror it’s as if he’s watching a movie and not real life. Austin can’t understand why Ethan would do this to himself if he hasn’t got Vivian pregnant and Ethan thinks that a wife is the way to get ahead, he mentions that out of all of the presidents only one was a bachelor and no one remembers him – Austin does and it was James Buchanan. Austin has a pretty terrible attitude towards his wife now and thinks a vacuum cleaner that hovers can makes up for his dalliances, but he sure knows how to spin a story to get another woman into bed.

There are so many traditions when it comes to a proposal and Ethan is clueless about every single one, this includes how much you should spend on the ring (two months’ salary) and from Vivian’s perspective what kind of dress she should wear (tea length or floor length) and whether she should get a manicure as Ethan is taking her to a restaurant nicknamed ‘the hitching post.’ The proposal happens early, or rather it’s a non-proposal as Ethan doesn’t even answer the question and Vivian still says yes. There’s no getting down on one knee or grand gesture that he will be able to recount in years to come, instead a whole host of questions and a face of instant regret.

There’s an episode of Mad Men where Betty is nervous about inviting a salesman in while Don is out that makes me assume that inviting someone in while your husband is not at home wasn’t really the done thing – it’s only one example and of course Bill Masters is no Don Draper – but it still occurred to me during this Libby storyline and I’m not entirely sure what they are trying to say with this plot. Libby takes some dance advice off Walter (Libby has called him to fix her gutters but from her initial reaction she was surprised that he is black) and it feels like there is chemistry between the pair; is this because they have both lost someone or is it something more? Walter is also the one who takes Libby to the hospital after she faints and the doctor wrongly assumes that he is “her boy.” I’m interested to see if this develops any further and if they will be making any other nods to issues of race or whether it is just a way to introduce another Libby pregnancy story outside of the regular hospital she visits. Another assumption is that Walter took her to the nearest place but it could also have been a purposeful decision to avoid Bill’s workplace.

Like Libby, Jane is in yellow (and by now you know that this is the Jane standard). Jane was the first person to sign up for the study and once again thanks to a little coaxing from Virginia she agrees to be the first to try out the internal vagina camera. It feels like Virginia is subtly manipulation Jane which makes me a tad uneasy, but Jane does seem fine with it when she stops associating the film aspect with dirty movies and thinks of it like a hand model for science. Plus Jane comes up with the hilarious stage name Beav St. Marie. Valerie also gets in on the jokes as she tells Lester (the very nervous camera operator) that “vaginas don’t bite,” unless you’ve seen the movie Teeth of course.

Another day, another yellow outfit for Jane and she’s pretty comfortable in the environment of Bill’s office. This could be thanks to Virginia’s helpful tips including no stray paperclips ever and no mayo on Bill’s sandwiches (like Bill I’d also prefer it if there was a law against mayonnaise). Jane is responding to Austin in this moment and Austin wants back on the study and he no longer only wants Jane as a partner.

There’s something a little X-Files like about this scene as Masters goes on a secret mission to get a camera that will record their research.

The episode ends with Bill and Virginia in their blue robes watching the footage. There’s intimacy and not just because they are having sex, but because they are discovering these things together. This is the happiest we have ever seen Bill and his arousal isn’t because of what is on screen but because they are the first people that have seen this in the world. Something that was previously undocumented has been recorded and this result is everything that this study is about. Now if only some of the characters had the ability to show themselves to the world for the first time.

Tags: "Love and Marriage", Ane Crabtree, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

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