April is fast approaching and this means a bunch of hotly anticipated shows will be back on our screens very soon. Mad Men is one and yesterday we discussed their sartorial highs. They are not alone in being on a whirlwind promotional tour as the Game of Thrones cast has gone from a premiere at the Tower of London last week to an extravaganza in San Francisco on Monday. This is a GoT “Out of the Box” special is an all lady affair including the San Francisco premiere, talk show outfits and magazine editorials.
Maisie Williams does super cute and funky in a summery Markus Lupfer dress passing the pockets test. The disco ball Lulu Guinness bag is everything and very much something for the Williams late teen set. Alas those days are long gone so I won’t be adding it to my wish list.
It has been forever since Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams shared a scene on screen and while I so badly want to see a Sansa/Arya team-up I think this is the best I can expect for now. And it is pretty great.
A stunning color combination from Nathalie Emmanuel in Mugler working the awkward shoulder detail with aplomb. It would also appear that silver strappy heels are the shoe du jour.
Probably looking the least like her character is Carice van Houten and this isn’t just down to the lack of Melisandre’s red cloak as there is a softness to her styling. Another vibrant dress ideal for spring and complete with those all important pockets.
Gwendoline Christie continues her fierce as fuck reign on the red carpet wearing Jean Paul Gaultier Couture and I’m swooning pretty hard over this color on her.
Also going for the green and white winning combination is Maisie Williams for her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel in Kate Spade two piece. Adding another novelty bag to her collection with this Kate Spade wicker frog – the lining matches her outfit – and Williams documented the getting ready process for Entertainment Weekly on Instagram.
On the cover of The Hollywood Reporter is Emilia Clarke and she is being touted as part of ‘The New A List.’ Part of this is down to the global sensation that is Game of Thrones, the other being her starring role in the forthcoming Terminator: Genisys as the all important and iconic “Sarah fucking Connor.” While we will have to see how well that movie does and what Clarke does next to see if this new status sticks, the shoot itself includes this stunning Valentino dress which has been on featured in pretty much every fashion magazine as part of Valentino’s ad current ad campaign.
Season and series finales (*SOB*), new season prep, mocked up album artwork and promotional tours are all part of this week’s busy “Behind the Insta-Scenes.”
Kroll Show ended its third and final season last night; there are photos from Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Chelsea Peretti in this week’s edition and I’m going to miss Farley, PubLIZity, Too Much Tuna, Ruth Diamond Phillips and many other wonderful beautiful fuck ups from this show. One part of the above collection of Kroll cast and crew that has me getting emotional is Jenny Slate’s ‘First Lady of Kroll Show’ sash.
And now a season finale which is now the series finale and I’m super sad about today’s Looking news. Yes, they’re going to get a special to wrap it up so that’s something, but not the something I was hoping for despite the teeeerible viewing figures. Here is Patrick’s big Felicity moment.
The big Mad Men goodbye has only just begun and I am so not ready for it. What I am more than ready for is all the sartorial offerings from January Jones and the rest of the cast. So here for this monochromatic look and for Jones’ Instagram game.
Actual crying at this mocked up album art for Marnie & Desi in total She & Him fashion despite how much he protests against this comparison. The music on Girls and especially the tracks from the closing credits has been A+ this season and thankfully did not include this duo (Marnie by herself and particularly in this finale is strangely bearable).
Earlier this evening I wrote about how thrilled I am about The X-Files returning and David Duchovny shares a flash from the past to say the same. Hopefully there will be some updated versions of these kinds of shots when they return to the set.
In other TV news it was announced today that Masters of Sex will be back for season 3 Sunday, July 12 and costume designer extraordinaire Ane Crabtree shows a sneak peek into her design/inspiration process with Libby Masters herself, Caitlin Fitzgerald.
The big Game of Thrones season 5 promo push continues with Maisie Williams taking over the Entertainment Weekly Instagram account before her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Bonus Maisie Williams from the official GoT account posing with both Arya and Sansa Funko Pop figures. If only the pair would be reunited on screen soon.
Netflix launched down under in New Zealand and Australia this week with some of the stars of their original programming on hand to celebrate including Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba and Yael Stone here with Netflix Daredevil newbies Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll.
A bonus “Out of the Box” as there is just too many brilliant new magazine covers to squeeze into our regular column. I have in the past talked about my magazine feelings (they are strong) and new magazine cover week is often a mixture of disappointment and excitement; sometimes bad photoshop takes the shine off, alternatively a cover star might be a someone unexpected and amazing.
Different editorials are aiming for a variety of things with shifting units being high on the list of priorities and the cover has a huge impact on this. Fashion, entertainment and lifestyle magazines all feature in this week’s column and I will be adding all these issues to my already burgeoning print and digital collection.
The first of many Mad Men covers to come celebrating/sobbing over the final hurrah and they are starting with a doozy on The Hollywood Reporter. In the issue they go back to the beginning with an oral history and the only thing this cover shot is lacking is some Kiernan Shipka. They all look fabulous and if you want to find the perfect way to distract yourself just take a look at the Jon Hamm close-upportraits.
April is going to be a great month for TV and Game of Thrones is high on the most anticipated list. Experiencing the build-up buzz for the first time after finally catching up last year is going to be fun; case in point the unveiling of Arya Stark’s new look with a hint of “Tragic Kingdom” era Gwen Stefani on the cover of Entertainment Weeklygot me all a fluster. New costumes to pore over ahoy.
Because all things Broad City, including this New York coverlead to joy (except the realization the season finale is next week).
Kerry Washington is mesmerizing on Marie Claire’sApril edition and after last month’s InStyle debacle it is an image that thankfully looks like the Scandal star. It is a captivating pose and while they’ve gone for an Olivia Pope clothing color palette, there is plenty of Washington shining through with very un-Olivia like tussled hair. Soon to be Scandal guest star Lena Dunham has written the piece aptly entitled “Why We All Want to be Kerry Washington.”
Another stare into your soul cover from another amazing lady; Robin Wright is exuding all kinds of cool on Vanity Fair and she is the main reason House of Cards is calling out to me. Short hair perfection and the story behind this amazing cut is that it was a necessity ““I was just cutting off damaged hair—too much bleach over months of [appearing in] different movies. It was a mercy killing, but it works for the character.” Iconic haircuts often are the result of an accident (see the Rachel) and this is one of those.
Head here for a PaleyFest themed “Out of the Box.”
The Game of Thrones season 5 promotional juggernaut switched gears from teasers to a full blown trailer and a whole batch of promo photos. There is a lot to unpack from the two minutes of new footage and 19 brand new shots, but I want to focus on one character who appears very briefly and that is Sansa Stark.
First a disclaimer – I haven’t read the books so everything that follows is pure speculation as I have no idea where the story is going to take this character. And now some background with my feelings towards this character; when Sansa is first introduced she is a social climbing brat who at the first glimpse of Joffrey’s proclivity to picking the harshest punishment possible doesn’t run in the opposite direction. This seems dumb and therefore everything that follows could be seen as Sansa’s fault for wanting to marry the boy who would become king. But hold up, as age is a factor that should be considered and despite how fresh faced Sophie Turner looks during the first season it is easy to forget how young Sansa is meant to be. Later on when Tyrion asks how old she is, her reply of “fourteen” is incredibly shocking.
In any other show her actions would result in the usual teen punishments and the consequences would be less severe; in this world she has to witness the very brutal death of her father and then she is subject to various emotional and physical torments all at the hands of the boy she naively thought would be ‘the one.’ This is no fairy tale and the would-be queen sure doesn’t get her happy ending.
Cut to the last time we saw Sansa in “The Mountain and the Viper” and while this character has cried plenty in the past (and I’m sure there will be tears in the future) she responds to her current situation with all the knowledge and lessons from the women she has been surrounded by. Sansa has spent time with those who have all learned how to use what strength and skills they have to survive in a world where women don’t tend to have a lot of power; Catelyn, Cersei and Margaery are all very different of course but each has imbued valuable lessons. Margaery is on the surface the kindest of the three, but she is also using manipulation to stay ahead and this will be an important tool when it comes to Sansa’s current companion, Littlefinger. To me Sansa is the Blair Waldorf of Westeros (a theory I will expand upon one day) and I’m hoping season 5 will see her reaching the levels of scheming that would make Blair proud.
Littlefinger was in love with Sansa’s mother and there is definitely an element of transference here. What happens when the master manipulator is confronted by a vision of the woman he loved? And Sansa’s new steely darker look makes her resemblance to her mother even more uncanny giving her an advantage over Littlefinger. He really doesn’t have a lot of weak points but the Stark women – remember he didn’t sell Arya out to Tywin – have a way of reaching into the dark depths of Littlefinger and finding what little compassion he possesses.
Okay let’s talk about one of the costuming highlights of season four as Sansa switched up her floral muted pastel color frocks for the Goth feathered approach, complete with new pointy jewelry (to mirror her sister’s sword). Most teens have a moment where they dramatically change their look but this is not a moment of rebellion, instead it is a visual battle cry to show Sansa as far more than a victim. This is her taking charge of her fate and if she has to align herself with the super slimy Littlefinger then so be it. The way he looks at her with thirst in his eyes is of course incredibly creepy and I am hoping she doesn’t have to compromise herself too much to stay in favor.
A new cape and a style that mirrors Littlefinger’s dark attire keeps up the appearance that they are in this together; maybe Sansa will go all Stockholm Syndrome on us and Littlefinger’s hold over her will go from necessary survival tactic to something deeper. This is a scenario I want Sansa to avoid and if she can keep a piece of herself free from his clutches then this will be a small victory. In the promo (which you can see below) he puts his hands on her face imploring her to “avenge them” in the promo and he should add his name to the long list of Stark wrongdoers as he kick-started the whole thing; there is so much blood on Littlefinger’s hands you can’t even see his actual fingers.
The Stark children keep missing each other for reasons which include death and other missions they are taking part in; one of the most heartbreaking is how close Arya and Sansa were to seeing each other again. Now there is a sea between them and my hopes for an Arya/Sansa team-up have been dashed. So much has happened to both of them and if they could put aside previous grievances I think they would be a formidable team. Alas, now they have to go it alone and while they are better equipped to deal with the harsh realities of this world it would be much better if they were together.
And here is the very exciting and action packed season 5 trailer with plenty of conflict and a very beardy Tyrion.
Coats, tights, sweaters and boots aplenty this week with the Sundance Film Festival style. Plus party dresses, magazine covers and a slightly different approach to walking in the snow.
At the Mistress America premiere Greta Gerwig does the cute patterned dress, tights and ankle boots thing with aplomb.
And because I couldn’t choose which outfit I liked best here is a Greta Gerwig’s slightly more casual look for the Sundance portrait session with more incredible boots and an animal print top. Gerwig co-wrote Mistress America with Noah Baumbach and as Frances Hawas my favorite film of 2013 I have high hopes for this one. Kicking things off nicely in charming style.
Ticking all the boxes – coat, dress, boots, tights – is Kathryn Hahn and I love Sundance fashion because we get to see a less flashy form of movie promoting style. And I love Kathryn Hahn.
Jessica Williams works the layering and an excellent pair of brown boots (pattern socks plus) in her portrait for People, Places, Things.
Cute brothers alert with Mark and Jay Duplass at the premiere for The Overnight (which I am looking forward to for many reasons). I have seen photos of Mark Duplass from this Sundance wearing a Henley in three different colors and it is a signature piece I am all for. They aren’t just for the guys on the CW.
This Coach sweater caught my eye back when I wrote a Robyn sweater wish list (pausing to take a moment to wonder once again where Robyn has gone) and now a Robin of a different spelling and show is wearing it. Cobie Smulders looks casual cool at her portrait session for Unexpected.
This might not be the best kind of footwear for the weather, but snow or not I would find it a challenge to walk in any stilettos. Luckily, Keri Russell is much more coordinated in this department as she heads to the Today Show and this is a super stylish (if not a little chilly) outfit. Very into the coat draped over the shoulders look and the color of this outerwear. Also eyeing up the divine floral Victoria Beckham skirt.
This week Maisie Williams championed dresses with pockets (which are my favorite kind of dresses) and at the Entertainment Weekly pre-SAG bash she wore another very cute pocketed ensemble in Reem Juan.
Bustis on a roll with putting ladies we love on the cover (and this is one reason why I am a subscriber) and now Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer are in the spotlight. The editorial has a Thelma & Louise theme and if you were wondering then yes I am still laughing about this week’s episode.
The SAG Awards is a slightly more relaxed affair; it is still fancy frock aplenty but you can tell that some are holding back for the Oscars. Well not everyone as the TV nominees are done until the Emmys and not every SAG nominee is going to the Oscars. There was plenty of color on the red carpet continuing the Golden Globes trend and here is Part 1 of TV Ate My Wardrobes favorite SAG looks.
When Lupita Nyong’o arrived in this stunning Elie Saab gown she pretty much shut the whole thing down and this is by far the crowning moment of the red carpet. The color, the stripes, makeup and hair are all incredible; Lupita remains the style queen even when she isn’t nominated. I cannot wait for the Star Wars press tour at the end of this year.
Red hair and emerald is always a winning combination and Julianne Moore has gone for another Givenchy Couture beauty with this beaded delight.
Deep purple really suits Keira Knightley as does this somewhat boho Erdem dress.
Opinion was split regarding Julianna Margulies’ cobalt-blue Giambattista Valli super draped skirt and I am very much on the love it side. It didn’t photograph well from certain angles, but I adore the color and how dramatic it looks.
Jennifer Aniston has relaxed a lot since she didn’t get an Oscar nomination – the hair is down, the cleave is on show – and this vintage John Galliano goes full plunge while avoiding her usual black gown favoring. Justin scrubs up rather well too.
Here’s another dress that had a mixed reception and it might be my well documented Claire Danes blindness as I think she is totally working this khaki green Marc Jacobs dress; barnacle side beading and all.
The blue piping/belting combined with the bold print make this a style win for Rashida Jones in Emanuel Ungaro.
Pockets! And an amazing printed skirt from Lorraine Toussaint.
Speaking of pockets; Maisie Williams is a lady after my own heart as she tweeted “DRESS POCKETS ARE IMPORTANT & DONT LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE” (all caps are her own but I support the emphasis). This super cute red dress does have pockets and Williams’ on screen sibling Sophie Turner has a fantastic pair of heart heels to go with her chic black gown.
This is beautiful from Danielle Brooks in a navy custom Christian Siriano working old Hollywood glamour with aplomb.
Off the shoulder blue frocks were on trend and here is another excellent take with Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Melissa Fumero in Maxime Simoens.
Rounding off the blues with Orange is the New Black’s Lauren Lapkus. Also passing the now patented Maisie Williams pocket test.
And speaking of Orange is the New Black – how great is this shot of the cast on stage taking home Ensemble in a Comedy Series?!
The onslaught of award shows has slowed down and with TCA coming to a close this is a slightly quieter week. Fear not as there are still some awards to be given out before the SAGs/Oscars – the SAG Awards are this Sunday – and various promotional events too. Plus the return of a character look of the week.
Starting with one final TCA panel and I am thrilled The Americans is back for season 3 next week (January 28). I am also happy to see Keri Russell ditching her signature black/white choices and embracing some color and pattern in an olive-green Balenciaga leather skirt with a Saint Laurent leopard print shirt. This pairing particularly with the bow element sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it looks fantastic and Russell continues her style reign. Polka dot points for Matthew Rhys thanks to his tie which brightens up the grey.
The British Consulate in LA hosted an afternoon tea to celebrate Wolf Hall this week – what better way to celebrate something concerning British royalty than with a very British sounding event – and Downton Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt is doing the flirty summer dress thing in Issa. I hope the ground isn’t too soft as I’m picturing those gold Giuseppe Zanotti sandals sinking into the grass.
At the National Television Awards presenter Emma Willis embraced her fondness for yellow Roksanda Ilincic in another incredible outfit. Pairing a crop top with a skirt this floaty adds an edginess to this look and ensures Willis stands out in the style stakes.
Maisie Williams embraces the menswear trend at the National Television Awards in a fantastic Diesel Gold suit and this is a fun play on the lady tux. The jacket chain and white top with black neckband are the kind of things it helps to be 17 to wear and Maisie Williams continues to have fun with her outfit choices at events like this. Bonus red lipstick points are awarded of course.
As I mentioned in the intro this is the return of a character look of the week with Ichabod Crane on Sleepy Hollow going for a slightly dressier approach as it is date night, which turns into painting horrorshow. At least he didn’t get too much blood on his high stand collar; hopefully it will come out in the wash. Plus he also got to air his grievance about modern dress “How can one be both business and casual?” Abbie’s sticking to her standard all dark attire and I’m forever thrilled she gets to wear boots like these ones rather than running in heels.
Welcome to one of 2014’s last editions of “Out of the Box” with another collection of the week’s best looks from talk show appearances, the red carpet and magazine cover shoots. Taking a break from pre-holiday super glitzy awards attire with a somewhat more casual week.
First up is my favorite Daily Show correspondent and Jessica Williams covers the super colorful January issue of Wired magazine. The shoot itself is also an array of bold block color and here is one of my favorite shots:
The issue focuses on new media and in it Williams proposes a different kind of gossip site; one that uses clickbait headlines to discuss the wider issues at play. I’ll let Williams do the explaining:
“But there’s something missing in all this new new media craziness, and that is something that uses celebrity news as a way to get into a really serious analysis of our culture. The Kardashians are walking clickbait—but let’s look closer. Do Kim and Kanye affect how society feels about interracial relationships and blended families? What does our obsession with Jennifer Lawrence say about third-wave feminism? Start with a headline that’s superjuicy; a flashy, sexy picture. And then, after the first couple of lines, hit them with some really severe analysis. When they think they’re getting dirt, we give them vegetables. Which is kind of what The Daily Show does already.”
Krysten Ritter appeared on Good Morning America this week and this all black ensemble manages to a fun twist on classic chic with the various textures on the coat and skirt. Bonus red lip color points on this pavement talk show appearance runway.
Emily Blunt’s styling on her way into Jimmy Kimmel Live is of the super casual varietyand I am so into the oversized knitwear and floral pants (perhaps because I am currently wearing a variation of this).
Arya Stark is getting a new look on the next season of Game of Thrones and here is Maisie Williams at the Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb premiere this week wearing a cute peplum/mini skirt all-black ensemble. Adding a pop of pattern with leopard print shoes and giving me so many flashbacks to the festival bracelets I refused to take off for months after the summer was over.
Rounding things off with one more talk show appearance and another lady TV Ate My Wardrobe hearts with Jenny Slate on Conan in this very sexy dress with a plunging neckline. Bonus Marcel the Shell singing video. I adore her:
Welcome once again to Behind the Insta-Scenes! Bringing you a roundup of the best behind the scenes photos posted on Instagram from a variety of TV show and personal accounts from the people who are on them. This includes anything from future episode sneak peeks, what’s airing this week, flashing back to the past and general on set (and sometimes off) antics.
In the last edition we did something slightly different and basked in the brilliance of Diane Kruger; regular service resumes this week and we’ve got a whole bunch of photos from various shows. This includes festive decorations, birthday celebrations, future guest stars and a scary figure. Plus a few off set interactions that made us a little giddy.
“We are both clearly doing the Edith Piaf here.” Kat Dennings captures her last appearance on Craig Ferguson in style. I’m really going to miss his very special way of talk show hosting/interviewing.
Happy Holidays from Comedy Central with Abbi and Ilana in festive sweater vests. The Broad City ladies dish out some helpful party tips in this very funny video and not only is season one now out on DVD, but the show is back in just over a month!
I saw Lyndie Greenwood’s photo before watching the Sleepy Hollow mid-season finale and wondered why Jenny would be carrying so much rope forgetting how much this show loves tree branches. Moloch would totally fit in over at Hannibal.
How to decorate your tree Orphan Black style with angel wings, trucker hats of beaus past, a doll that resembles a certain clone, mini portraits a la Felix’s creations and some all important DNA double helix strands.
Another off set encounter, but I wasn’t going to leave off this adorable Stark sister reunion from the super smiley Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Very much digging Williams’ lipstick color too.
Watching women talking about their experiences in the entertainment industry and the shows they are on is something regular TV Ate My Wardrobe readers know is my happy place. This time of year is especially stacked when it comes to these types of panels with Emmy roundtables and Comic-Con. In Hall H on Saturday Entertainment Weekly’s Women Who Kick Ass Panel took place featuring Katey Sagal, Sarah Paulson, Tatiana Maslany, Nicole Beharie, Maisie Williams and Natalie Dormer. Like the recent TimesTalks session it features women from a variety of shows from network and cable with a range of complicated and fascinating characters.
With two women from Game of Thrones on the panel the way women are portrayed on this show was addressed and what kind of power they wield in an environment that is so brutal with Maisie Williams emphasizing just how young her character is and that at 12-years old Arya has seen and done far more than any person of this age ever should. Natalie Dormer is asked about Margaery’s manipulation skills and whether her acts of charity are just a facade “When people ask me about Margaery, I say they’re not mutually exclusive. You don’t have to be practical and politically savvy and not be a good person. You can be a good human being and just be shrewd. I think all these women play similar characters.”
It is a topic we covered in a recent extensive GoT chat and Dormer sums up the different types of power these female characters have “Whether it’s psychological, physical, sexual, dragons. I think we’d all go for the dragons if we were given the choice. But that’s the secret of the writing, that’s why it’s such a compelling show—because it shows how different people are given different weapons, physically and metaphorically, and how they use them.” I think I would go direwolf over dragon personally.
Nicole Beharie as one of the leads of Sleepy Hollow is in a relatively new position in terms of her acting career and she talks about how this has changed how she presents herself “Just owning that space and not being expected, as a woman, to shrink, or curtsy, or any of those sort of things.”
Rising to a challenge and finding pleasure in something that is scary is something Katey Sagal describes as “awesome” and because they work in TV they don’t have a whole lot of time to question what they are doing thanks to the quick turnaround time. Maisie Williams has given herself extra work as Arya is left-handed in the books and despite being right-handed she wanted to remain true to the character on the page, which can prove difficult with some of the choreography. Natalie Dormer is yet to wield a sword on GoT but she did take up fencing after drama school (where she studied with Sleepy Hollow’s Tom Mison).
Prior to Orphan Black Tatiana Maslany had never played an adult, always portraying someone 10 years her junior and now she is playing multiple roles with different insecurities and inner power. The most clones Maslany plays in one day is three and the dance party scene took two days to film. Sarah Paulson will be playing a two-headed woman on the next season of American Horror Story and she looks set to pick Maslany’s brain for multiple part acting tips.
You can currently watch the full panel here:
On the same day over at Zachary Levi’s Nerd HQ another female centric discussion took place; “A Conversation with Badass Women” featuring Yvonne Strahovski, Retta, Missy Peregrym, Jennifer Morrison, Ming-Na Wen and Sophie Turner. It’s a slightly more raucous and chaotic panel that flows more organically than the usual moderator/audience Q&As and instead focuses solely on audience questions.
Some similar ground is covered as Jennifer Morrison also talks about female characters being more than just one thing in that they can be kickass and vulnerable in equal measures; television has the advantage over film in terms of how much time they can spend on character development so it would be disappointing if TV didn’t do this.
This panel covers far broader subjects than the shows they are all on with questions including role models (Sophie Turner has high praise for Lena Headey) and part of this sees Ming-Na and Retta going into detail about their family background and why they dropped their surnames (Ming-Na uses hers again, but didn’t when she was on E.R.). Seeing how people react on a very personal level to WOC getting roles on big shows is one reason why conversations like this are so rewarding as the panelists get to share their own experiences as well as seeing how it can profoundly impact an audience.
During the TimesTalks panel one of the subjects that came up was how to say no to things that make these actresses feel uncomfortable and this is covered in various ways during this discussion with Yvonne Strahovski mentioning unnecessary underwear scenes – I was beyond thrilled that her character in 24 not only had no scenes like this, but she also dressed in an appropriate and realistic way for job – and Retta talking about the “sassy” trope as well as cliche ghetto or nurse parts.
It’s a fun conversation that is hilarious as well as touching and you can watch it below. For more from Nerd HQ’s Comic-Con conversations (including Orphan Black, Walking Dead, Stephen Amell and Nathan Fillion) head here.