Tag Archives: Scandal

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

18 Oct

It’s a genre TV heavy “Out of the Box” this week including a shippers dream and the most fun show on TV right now. As always this is just a snapshot of the week on TV and any other TV related photo shoots or public appearances that have caught the eye of us here at TV Ate My Wardrobe.

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny AMA

The 20th anniversary of The X-Files continues to bring so much joy as Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny took part in a Reddit AMA (where the above photo is from) and a Paley Center Panel where they flirted a whole bunch and made sure that anyone who had any Mulder/Scully shipper feelings long ago is feeling them all over again. They look great and they’re having so much fun at these panels even if they can’t remember half of the plot of the show (and when it comes to the mythology, who can?).

[Source] [Source]

Sleepy Hollow continues to be one of the most fun things on TV at the moment and part of that joy comes from watching Ichabod adapting to the 21st Century. They don’t play this card too much and as it is used sparingly it adds humor when we do get a scene as he struggles to understand; I totally feel his pain when he is trying to get into the razor wrapped in plastic.

There has been a discussion as to why Ichabod is still wearing his old timey clothes and I think it’s still too soon for the big makeover episode as he’s meant to look out of place. It also gives Ichabod a tangible piece of his past to hold onto while he adapts to the present. He is aware that this might look peculiar as he asks Abbie is he looks out of place in this century and before she can really address this they are interrupted by a well timed radio call. The banter and chemistry between Abbie and Ichabod is one aspect that helps ground Sleepy Hollow even when the most ridiculous things are occurring.

Sleepy Hollow Cast Comic ConWhile I’m on the subject of Sleepy Hollow here is the cast at New York Comic Con from last weekend so you can see what Tom Mison looks like when he’s not in his Revolutionary War attire and yep he looks rather dashing in his scarf and sweater combo. Katia Winter who plays Katrina also gets to ditch her look from the past, but it is Nicole Beharie that stands out in a super cute polka dot dress. Orlando Jones is also looking pretty swish in his vest and green tie.

Rebekah, Klaus, Cammie

The Originals demonstrated that it’s not just Mystic Falls that can throw a decadent affair as a masquerade ball becomes the setting for part of Klaus’ big plan. This is all about light and dark and while the symbolism is rather obvious it doesn’t make it any less glamorous as the innocent Cami has taken fashion advice off Claire Danes in Romeo + Juliet. Klaus and Rebekah are both decked out in black because they’re evil and all that, plus they look terrific in these costumes.

Danai Gurira Instyle

The Walking Dead returned this week and hey they let Michonne smile for the first time ever and this made me very happy. As did her interactions with Rick (#Richonne4Eva). This photo of Danai Gurira is from the October issue of InStyle and it’s a stunning editorial; it is a completely different look to her Walking Dead character and the grim world it is set in.

A Precious Commodity

Once again the costuming on The Good Wife is impeccable and Diane looks like such a powerhouse as she negotiates with Will. The jacket is simple and the broach adds a bit of flare along with her dark rimmed glasses and red lipstick. We’re only 3 episodes in and The Good Wife has already dropped the mic several times as they build the tension and rip the firm apart from within. As with Scandal these clothes act as an armor for these characters and here Diane is showing that she isn’t going to give up without a fight. Olivia Pope would approve this look.

For Scandal and Masters of Sex costume posts head here and here.

Scandal 3.03: Staying in the Grey

18 Oct

Going from binge watching a show to seeing it week by week means that you get to pay more attention to the details. This helps with focusing on the costume design of Scandal; it also means that you can get a bit restless with certain storylines. This happened with “Mrs Smith Goes to Washington” as certain aspects like Mellie’s drunken diatribe worked, whereas the Remington barely there development felt frustrating. I understand that we can’t have everything all at once and I’m all for drip feeding information with these conspiracies but at the moment they are sacrificing the screen time of Olivia’s team and characters like David Rosen (who thankfully did get to take part in the overall case of the week).

Now to the costumes and while Olivia pretty much wore the same thing throughout the episode we still have plenty to talk about and coats take center stage once again.

Scandal 3.3 Olivia DKNY

Here is Olivia in a Donna Karan grey draped cashmere coat and Olivia’s coats tend to fall into two categories; structured form fitting trench coats and slightly over sized ones (belting is optional). This is part of the standard Olivia Pope color palette and it’s all about the blue/grey tones. Gone is the white of defiance and she is firmly in the moral grey; her white hat is locked away in a box somewhere.

Scandal 3.3 Olivia Armani

This shot is from the post bomb confrontation with Huck and it’s safe to say that Olivia has had a pretty terrible day. This is reflected in her disheveled appearance as her single button Giorgio Armani suit is bearing the marks of the bomb blast. It’s an eye opening chat as she discusses her father with Huck and Eli Pope is the puppet master of everything right now. While this story is being nudged along and the net of the conspiracy widens I also hope we get to see the focus shift back to Olivia Pope & Associates in the coming weeks.

Scandal 3.3 All the wine

Another big part of Eli Pope’s agenda is Jake who was freed last week and Olivia wants to know why. Jake claims that he doesn’t know, but he is also part of Remington and so he is an integral piece of the overall puzzle. Whether he is aware of this is unclear and while he’s got rid of his box beard he still has the cuts and bruises from his time down there. He’s also made himself rather comfortable at Olivia’s apartment and as he watched her for months he knows that red wine will be required. Maybe the Gettysburger was a mistake; it’s all about the popcorn after all. This final shot from the episode emphasizes Olivia’s point that this isn’t a fairy tale and there is no happily ever after.

Scandal 3.3 Happy family

Also not a fairy tale is this image of a ‘happy family’ as Cyrus talks photo opportunities as Mellie and Fitz argue about how best to feed baby Teddy. Mellie is wearing wine colored purple in this scene and this hints at the notion of royalty and power as she continues to have her battle of wills with Fitz; Cyrus attempts to play the role of referee. This doesn’t stop Mellie from one of her best insults yet as she refers to Teddy as the “son you could barely get it up for to conceive.” I see so much therapy in the Grant children’s future.

Scandal 3.3 Drunk MellieLater Mellie is in a very different shade of purple as she gets drunk in the dark. Fitz thinks that she is wallowing because Olivia wasn’t killed; in fact she is doing the opposite and the shot above is Mellie demonstrating what Fitz would have been like if Olivia had died a hero. The pearls are off and her hair has lost some of its volume, she is not pretending to be something she isn’t. Mellie spends a lot of her time manipulating everyone around her to get what she wants but she tends to be very honest with Fitz and no more so than when she has been drinking her dad’s hooch.

Scandal 3.3 Cyrus and David

Cyrus has another battle with David Rosen and while there isn’t much to say about either of their costumes (except David’s suits are much better this year thanks to his new job) this scene is a highlight as Cyrus tries the stone cold approach and David whips out his notepad of power to gain the moral high ground.

Scandal 3.3 Abby and David office

This is a situation where despite what he thinks David does not have the upper hand as he gets double teamed by Abby in person and Olivia on the phone; both know that David’s weak spot is his moral conscience and his love of white hats. I have somehow picked the most awkward moment in this scene and there is clearly still unspoken feelings between this pair. Abby once again looks incredible and wears another fantastic scarf/coat combination. For a better look at this DVF Tanaquil Suede Leather Combo Coat head here as the color blocking is obscured by Abby’s accessories.

Scandal 3.3 The office

While Harrison, Abby and Quinn have not had a ton to do so far in season 3 they at least get to look stylish in the office. Abby is in a polka dot blouse (no surprise that I want it) and the vintage Chanel gold belt is a really nice touch. Quinn is wearing a TV Ate My Wardrobe favorite as her dress is French Connection and Harrison is looking sharp in a suit (standard).

Scandal 3.3 Harrison

Harrison does get to leave the office and that means he gets to join the cool coat club. He also gets to pull his serious face of the week, but please can he get something more to do than looking snazzy and intense?

What is your favorite Scandal fashion moment from “Mrs Smith Goes to Washington?”

Scandal 3.02 “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”: It’s All About the Coats

11 Oct

On the season premiere of Scandal Olivia wore a very striking white Burberry trench coat and in this week’s flashback episode she gave the audience at least 3 more reasons to have some serious coat envy.

So let’s get straight to it as we look at the costume design on “Guess Who’s coming to Dinner?” and the various coats from Olivia’s past and present

Scandal ep 2 Olivia StellaThe first flashback reveals this is five years ago and the light in the scene is softened to differentiate form past and present. It’s immediately clear even without this chyron that this is some time ago as Huck is homeless and living in Union station and this is the only point in the episode where we get a date stamp. The first flashback coat is a grey tweed Stella McCartney funnel neck and while Olivia is giving off a relaxed attitude to Huck as soon as her back is turned her expression changes and we find out that Sunday’s are dinner with dad day.

Scandal 3.2 Prada PurseThe coat that Olivia wears for most of the flashback scenes is a traditional looking camel Burberry trench coat and in the shot above you can also see the Prada purse that costume designer Lyn Paolo got shipped in for the episode. It’s the black version of the bag that Meryl Streep has at the start of The Devil Wears Prada. Last week’s big bunker moment saw a completely different Burberry coat/Prada purse combination and shows that Olivia is consistent with her designer choices. In this scene Olivia is so transfixed by her dad’s possible deception that while searching for the pen she literally throws the other contents on the floor.

Scandal 3.2 BurberryHere’s another close up shot of the Burberry coat and pretty much all of Olivia’s coats and jackets have amazing buttons on them (I’m a sucker for great button details).

Scandal 3.2 McQueenIn the present Olivia is also having frantic and threatening phone calls and here she is showing off both her old school looking Fitz only phone and her white backed (off course) smart phone. The navy blue Alexander McQueen jacket is what I want to focus on and once again it’s all about the buttons. This the kind of tailoring we expect to see from Olivia when she is in full crisis mode and it also reflects how buttoned up her character is as she rarely lets anyone in.

Scandal 3.2 white pantsThis is paired with white trousers and the light/dark motif is repeated in the flashback scene where Olivia meets David Rosen for the first time.

Scandal 3.2 Meeting David RosenThe difference here is that Olivia is wearing a skirt and this goes against her pants only work wardrobe. This is prior to Olivia’s big dad discovery and involvement with Fitz and a lot has changed in the last five years for this character and her clothing has evolved with these personal changes. David looks different too, his suit isn’t tailored showing he isn’t making all that much money – he jokes that he should have gone into corporate law. His glasses have heavier looking frames and yes that’s a goatee. It’s a small scene but I’m glad to see how these two crossed paths and how David inadvertently helped Olivia discover the truth about her dad as he’s always a strong purveyor of the truth.

Scandal 3.2 white dressAh yes Eli Pope the man who is Command and this episode filled in a lot of the blanks about Olivia’s fraught and estranged relationship with the man who didn’t really raise her. In the scene above Olivia is in her defiant color – she’s wearing a white dress so we know she means business and this is where she threatens her father to get Huck back. Of course Eli has his way of showing his daughter just how powerful he is and that involves hurting Edison. Eli Pope might look meek in his Sunday sweater but he’s one scary dude.

Scandal 3.2 HarrisonHarrison isn’t as scary as Eli but he’s pulling a face to suggest that Olivia needs to do something and do something now. All while looking snazzy (standard) in another power clashing ensemble. Now that we know pretty much everything about Huck can we please find something out about Harrison? He’s still pretty much a blank slate right now.

Scandal ep 2 AbbySame applies for Abby and while we know more about her than say Harrison, her background is still full of holes including what exactly prompted this awesome new look. This is a lot funkier than anything we have seen Abby in before and it could be as a reaction to everything that happened with David, whatever it is I hope we continue to see more of this side of Abby. That’s a nice flash of leopard print.

Scandal 3.2 DKNYAbby also gets to join Olivia in the amazing coat club with this DKNY wine colored cashmere shawl collar coat and it compliments her amazing raven hair. Good scarf accessorizing too.

Scandal 3.2 shoppingEverything is about perception which is why they take Jeneane shopping and they need something current but classic and professional yet relatable. This is what Olivia is an expert in and it’s why she has been so good at creating an armor for herself out of the clothes she wears.

Mellie cobalt blueRandom observation time but is it more than just a coincidence that Mellie and Quinn are wearing the same cobalt blue color? Mellie is aware that all of her snooping is bad – when Cyrus calls her evil she simply responds with a “You’re welcome.” Whereas Quinn is tapping into her dark side and not realizing the consequences of her actions; this involves Olivia’s emails and accidentally revealing that Olivia’s father is actually the head of the program that ruined Huck’s entire life. Pretty sure Olivia is going to be super angry when she finds out that Quinn has been looking through her emails. Mellie is learning the hard way that her meddling is having the opposite effect of what she hoped.

Scandal 3.2 MorgueOne final coat and it’s in the present viewed through the smeared windows of the morgue that Olivia checks throughout the episode for the missing Jake (he turns up at the end beardy, bruised, bloody and alive at the end of the episode). This is a grey Max Mara belted shawl coat and it’s another one to add to the “Olivia Pope Coats I Covet” list (see also the “Virginia Johnson Coats I Covet” list).

What is your favorite outfit from the episode?

Scandal 3.01 “It’s Handled” Costume Review

4 Oct

It’s back! After a summer of catching up with Scandal, talking about Scandal, predicting what Olivia Pope might wear and admiring what star Kerry Washington has been wearing we can finally talk about the season 3 premiere. This is going to be a different kind of review as I’m going to be looking at the costuming and how this adds to the narrative and tone of the episode. Costume designer Lyn Paolo has done an excellent job of establishing key aspects of a character’s wardrobe – such as Olivia never deviating from wearing pants in the office – and I will be looking at how this informs a scene and how it evolves over the season.

Scandal 3.1 Olivia Burberry Trench

The centerpiece outfit is this incredible Burberry Prorsum Caped Duchess Satin Trench Coat and it acts as armor for Olivia; it’s what Olivia wears to tell her father that she is never out of options and as she tries to work out the best solution with Fitz and Mellie. Olivia has worn other more traditional Burberry trench coats in the past and there is a powerful image that this silhouette produces as Olivia walks with determination to her destination. We’re not used to seeing Olivia backed into a corner like this and while she is trying to give off an image of control her expression reveals how hurt and lost she is feeling. This piece features in the “Storm is Coming” promo photos and it’s one that I wrote about in the Fantasy Costuming series back in July (yes I still can’t believe something I picked something that features this heavily in the season premiere).

Scandal 3.1 Mellie and Olivia

If you knew nothing about this show then the image above quickly identifies the two opposing styles of the women in Fitz’s life. Mellie is very traditional and while she rails against the notion that as First Lady she is ornamental not functional she knows how to dress the part. Block colors are very much part of the Mellie look and here she wears midnight blue to emphasize that in her position no matter how ornamental, she still has power and authority even in the presence of the woman that Fitz really loves. Despite their differences Mellie and Olivia are mirroring the other with arms folded as they try to resolve this situation. Olivia is very much in what you would consider work wear – her uniform consists of well tailored pant suits and the costuming shows a clear divide between the roles these women play.

Scandal 3.1 Mellie in black

Olivia lays out what color Mellie should wear when they tell the press about the affair details, she tells her to wear a soft color like lavender and as you can see from the photo about Mellie goes in the opposite direction with black. Mellie is clearly not on board with Fitz and Olivia’s plan and this is because she has figured out that Fitz is the one who leaked Olivia’s name. She’s ready to go to war with Fitz and by dressing in black she is mourning the death of her marriage (which died a long time ago) and shows that she is not backing down from this fight. While the cut is still very much in the First Lady tradition, it’s going against the vibrant color palette that we normally associate with Mellie. Gone are the regular pearls too and the necklace she is wearing looks like pearls made from gun metal which is appropriate given all the war talk with Fitz.

Scandal 3.1 Fitz as Kennedy

While Fitz’s costuming is pretty much what he has always worn, I really like the above shot as it’s reminiscent of this JFK portrait and the image of Kennedy has already been mentioned earlier in the episode. Fitz also pulls a move when he takes off his jacket that at first suggests that he expects some sexy time in the bunker, instead he pulls Olivia into a very different kind of embrace as he comforts her. I’m not Fitz’s biggest fan as he tends to act like a horny teenager a lot of the time so this was a very pleasant surprise.

Scandal 3.1 Olivia and Harrison

Olivia returns to the office mad as hell because of the role her team played in choosing an innocent woman to get Olivia off the hook. Harrison is all “There’s nothing wrong with a little self-preservation” showing that these gladiators sure like to live in the moral grey areas. As always Harrison is impeccably dressed and by mixing a polka dot tie with a gingham shirt he shows that power clashing is something he does with both his clothes and with his boss. Olivia is in her usual work wear and I wonder if we will be seeing more dark shades after this experience. I don’t think she will be wearing the white hat that David gave her anytime soon.

Scandal 3.1 Quinn and HuckQuinn jokes that they should find a bad intern they can blame again who can end up dead, well she made it seem like a joke but considering how she took to torturing at the end of season 2 part of her is probably being serious. From the way Quinn dresses you wouldn’t be able to tell that she is developing this darkness and she wears the brightest colors in the office. Her costuming is still very girly and this gives her an unassuming quality.

Scandal 3.1 AbbyThere’s something different about Abby this season her poker straight hair has been transformed into this gloriously wavy style (something I have praised about Darby Stanchfield’s red carpet look). We’ve been promised more Abby backstory this season and her style has evolved from being somewhat uptight to this more relaxed and confident appearance. Her relationship with David might have something to do with this and while it doesn’t look like they are back together there was definitely something that bordered on flirtation in the premiere. Abby is one of the only characters that calls Olivia out and so this confidence might also be down to feeling less like one of Olivia’s fixing projects and something nearer to an equal, especially as Olivia has a problem that needs to be fixed now.

A really strong start to the new season and I’m looking forward to discussing how the costuming on Scandal informs and adds to the experience of watching this show.

Magazine Cover Roundup: Kerry Washington, Amy Poehler and Claire Danes

3 Oct

It’s the start of the month which means new publications of several magazines and some of our favorite TV women feature on the covers. All three of these women have new seasons of their shows to promote and for one of them this has been a year of multiple cover shoots as both her star power and the popularity of her show are on the rise.

I am of course talking about Kerry Washington and at the moment she is getting at least one cover a month, sometimes two. In October she was on the cover of both Glamour and Flare, this month she features on Essence and Variety.

Kerry Washington Essence Cover

It’s a captivating cover as Washington is staring into the camera full on and she is wearing a stunning Rafael Cennamo Couture gold gown. In the interview she discusses the difference between Olivia’s style and her own “Olivia has three [fashion] modes: Work Olivia, Black-Tie Gala Olivia and At Home Olivia… My fashion is more eclectic: There’s Going to Work Kerry, which is gym clothes and Nike kicks. That’s the Bronx girl. There’s also Red Carpet Kerry and Out to Dinner With Friends Kerry.”

Kerry Washington Variety Cover

It’s Variety’s fifth annual Power of Women issue and Kerry Washington is one of five women being celebrated for her work as a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Washington works as an arts ambassador in areas with poverty-stricken schools, using arts programs to help increase reading and maths scores as well as having a positive influence on attendance, parental involvement and enrollment. It’s a very different cover photo to her Essence shoot but just as mesmerizing. Washington’s red carpet style can’t be put in one category and her magazine covers have varied wildly in style and composition and I can’t wait to see what she features on next – personally I’m hoping for Vogue.

Amy Poehler Variety

Amy Poehler is another one of Variety’s Power of Women recipients for her work with the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. Poehler is both a fundraiser and an arts ambassador for the organization and she recently raised over $30,000 by throwing an Emmy “losers” afterparty. Co-hosting with fellow “loser” Jon Hamm the invitation stated that if you turned up with an Emmy award then your entry fee was a donation to WWO. It’s not mentioned in the article but I’m also a big fan of Poehler’s Smart Girls at the Party a website which promotes healthy self image for young women.

Claire Danes Vogue

Claire Danes covered Vogue earlier this year and now it is time for the UK issue of this publication. The cover shot is a lot softer than the US counterpart which almost feels like it is Danes’ Homeland character Carrie on the front. Wearing a tweed Louis Vuitton jacket Danes looks both relaxed and happy and you won’t be surprised to hear that I’m going to find out what lipstick color she is wearing because it’s the perfect soft pink blush for the fall season (when I’m not opting for a ’90s influence).

Scandal Catch Up Chat: The Influence of Social Media and the Rise of Kerry Washington

2 Oct

Over the summer I did the smart thing and caught up on Scandal and I’m joined by Kerensa Cadenas and Julie Hammerle to discuss all things Scandal; including why it has become such a phenomenon, the rise of Kerry Washington and what we hope to see in season 3 when it returns this week.

Scandal promo

Emma: The best place to start is when we watched the show and why we started watching as I know that myself and Julie have marathoned this summer and I don’t know exactly when Kerensa watched, though I know it’s a lot longer than us.

Scandal has been all over my Twitter feed and magazine covers this year and the amount of coverage has increased significantly from January to now. I’ve been meaning to watch the show for a while, mostly thanks to the really good word of mouth and because I’ve enjoyed previous Kerry Washington performances. I liked the sound of the soapy story combined with the political aspect and strong female lead, plus I’ve recently watched The West Wing for the first time so had a Washington D.C. hole in my viewing.

I’m not well versed in the shows of Shonda Rhimes as I’ve only seen one episode of Grey’s Anatomy, but she always comes across as an interesting writer whenever I’ve seen interviews with her.

How about you both?

KERRY WASHINGTON

Julie: Hello, ladies,

As far as Shonda Rhimes shows go, I’ve seen every episode of Grey’s Anatomy (except for the last two, which have been clogging up my DVR since May). I watched an episode or two of Private Practice and I think I saw one episode of Off The Map. When Scandal started, I mentally bookmarked the show as something I’d like to watch and then promptly forgot about that. It happens. So, I let the rest of the world decide that Scandal was worth our collective time before binge watching the first two seasons this summer.

The show appealed to me because 1) I love a good nighttime soap, 2) Kerry Washington is all kinds of awesome, 3) Shonda knows how to do drama, and 4) I love shows about the inner-workings of Washington.

What’s your story, Kerensa?

Kerensa: I’ve never been much of a Shonda Rhimes fan. Both my mom and my sister were (and maybe still are) super into Grey’s Anatomy, so as a snobby teen (who am I kidding I was like 21) I refused to get into it even after season one was purchased for me for Christmas. I’m not super into medical dramas, so I never got into Private Practice either.

Honestly, I’m not really sure how I started watching it. I had heard so much on Twitter about the show, my editor was surprised that I hadn’t watched, I think Kerry Washington is a flawless human being so I just went for it one night aided by wine. I was instantly hooked because like Julie said I also love a good nighttime soap, was automatically invested in all the characters and the DRAMA and suddenly discovered presidential fantasies I didn’t realize I had. It helped that once I started watching I badgered my BFF to watch and he got just as hooked.

We now run all our life decisions on whether or not Olivia would do the same.

Emma: This show has definitely benefited from the online conversation and all three of us started watching partly because of Twitter.

Have either of you read the Kerry Washington’s recent Vanity Fair interview? There’s a bit on the amount of tweets the show generates when an episode airs (it’s around 200,000) but it’s the part about Washington getting the entire cast to join Twitter and to live tweet an episode that intrigues me. One of her close friends is a social media consultant so she’s been pretty savvy on this front. Now I don’t think this method would work for all shows but something like Scandal that has that soapy DRAMA quality is perfect for this kind of interaction.

Now seems like a great place to talk about Kerry Washington and we all agree that she is several levels of awesome – plus we totally need some “What Would Olivia Pope Do?” merch.

Most of the films I’d seen her in prior to this were very much supporting roles such as Ray, Last King of Scotland and Django Unchained (and her story was the least satisfying in this film, especially if you factor in other great Tarantino female characters) so I’m so glad that she’s got such a terrific lead part in Scandal. TV really does seem to offer more satisfying roles for a range of women. Washington gets to play a range of emotions from week to week and while I don’t like that Fitz makes her weak she is often the strongest person in the room as she’s gathered a group of broken (but awesome) misfits to work with her.

The whole Olivia/Fitz business is probably a big draw for some of the audience; it’s the stuff that happens at the offices of Pope & Associates that I get the most enjoyment out of. They have been smart in drip feeding information about each of the gladiators throughout the first and second season; how Olivia saved all of them but really they saved her (awww). Except Desmond who has gone to live on an island or something (his name was Stephen right?). Watching how each of these characters challenges or refuse to challenge Olivia’s motivations has been fun and it changes weekly as to who my favorite out of them is (at the moment I’d probably pick Harrison as I love his suits, I’m so shallow).

What do you guys think of Olivia’s team?

COLUMBUS SHORT, KATIE LOWES, GUILLERMO DIAZ, DARBY STANCHFIELD, KERRY WASHINGTON, JOSHUA MALINA, JEFF PERRY, BELLAMY YOUNG, TONY GOLDWYN

Julie: I didn’t read the Vanity Fair article, but I did see this quote (on Tom and Lorenzo’s site):

“One of the most profound things for me about the show is the number of white women of all ages who come up to me and say, ‘I want to be Olivia Pope.’ […] The fact that white women can see this woman of color as an aspirational character is revolutionary, I think, in the medium of television. I don’t think white women would feel that way about Olivia if her identity as a woman, period, wasn’t first in their mind.”

To me, that sums up one of the best things about a Shonda Rhimes show. Her shows are so effortlessly diverse to the point where it’s not even the point. Olivia Pope isn’t an Everywoman (because none of us can look that great in white Prada trousers), but she is, above all, a strong woman to whom we all can relate and aspire to emulate. And, please, order me a few WWOPD bracelets.

I’m going to skip the Fitz stuff for now, because I know we’ll have a lot to discuss about that later. So, instead, I’ll talk about the team.

Desmond/Stephen: As much as I love Desmond, Stephen was kind of his smarmy older brother. I don’t really miss him all that much, and I kind of like the rest of the team (save Huck) being so in the dark about Olivia’s past. It’s like we’re all taking this journey of discovery with them.

Quinn: Whatever, Quinn. She’s, like, the typical Shonda Rhimes newbie girl. She reminds me a lot of Sarah Drew on Grey’s Anatomy — a little precious, a lot naive. They tried to edge her up with the whole murder charge thing, but she was totally innocent, so that didn’t do much to make her interesting in my book. I guess they’re trying to make her the new Huck now, with her learning about computers and spy stuff, but even that feels a little forced to me. I want them to take Quinn to some honestly dark places.

Abby: Abby is also a little precious. They let Desmond have his whores and Harrison have his time in prison and Huck have his whole killing obsession, but the girls are A) wrongfully accused murderesses and B) victims of spousal abuse. Let the ladies be bad, Shonda!

Harrison: I love Harrison, mostly because I know very little about Harrison beyond the fact that he looks fabulous in a suit.

Huck: I’m a little love/hatey on Huck. I think it’s a cool character idea to have a trained killer/ex-spy in Olivia’s ranks, but I am much less sold on the actor who plays Huck. Also, Shonda devoted an entire episode to Huck sitting in a corner mumbling “742” or something while the rest of the cast took turns spilling their guts to him (this is a Shonda show staple), and that’s automatically annoying.

David: I love Josh Malina, partly because he sounds like he’s always reading Sorkin dialogue. I like that they’ve brought David into the group and I hope they let him do more next season than sit in the conference room eating burgers.

Kerensa, what say you about Pope & Associates?

Julie: I take back my David stuff. I forgot that he ended the season working for the DA again. So he’ll probably be more of an antagonist next season, which also makes me happy. Basically I’m very pro-David Rosen and I’m still shipping him and Olivia. Dolivia Posen forever!

David Scandal

Kerensa: I really like the team overall. I do agree with both of you that Harrison completely and utterly rocks a suit. But I really want to know more about him! He feels like such a mystery to me. He will always follow Olivia no matter what and not question her motives, even if he should (i.e. breaking up David/Abby). But I feel like for the most part we know so much about everyone else and as Julie mentioned, especially in the case of Huck, which might not be a great thing.

I actually really like Abby a lot. I think she’s an interesting character and there’s a lot of potential for her. And I totally ship her and David. Although, Emma–I’m gonna need more explanation about this David/Olivia shipping!

I do agree with Julie that Huck isn’t always my thing–but I totally sobbed at the end of that episode when we get his fully backstory. However, I do really like the weird mentor relationship between him and Quinn. I think they both recognize a lot each other in themselves. But like Julie also mentioned, Quinn is super naive and kinda precious so I wonder how dark she’ll actually get in the next season.

I love David so much! I really want him to be part of the team which now probably won’t happen considering his new position.

I did read the Kerry Washington Vanity Fair article–which I went and bought the day it went on the newsstand. And the quote that Julie shared was what really stood out to me as well. I hate to say that it’s shocking to see a show that is so effortlessly diverse but while watching Scandal and recently Orange is the New Black sometimes it really catches me to be like “Wow, there are women on this show!” “Wow, there is racial diversity!” Because apparently everything I’m watching is so (this will be my one swear word I’ll allow myself) fucking white. I think there’s a lot of power in that quote and in those social media numbers because I think it really shows the necessity and demand for more diversity on television.

Emma: Oh it’s Julie that’s all about the Olivia/David pairing; I’m totally shipping Abby and David. I’m hoping for more of them in S3 and I expect we will. I read that we’re going to find out more about her backstory beyond the domestic violence, which I’m definitely looking forward to as I really like her so far (but not when she’s being overly judgemental). When Harrison made it seem like David had a history with hitting woman that was pretty brutal and as you mentioned Kerensa shows that he will do pretty much whatever for Olivia.

Count me in for the sobbing over Huck’s Jason Bourne like backstory, especially as Astrid from Fringe is his wife. The pairing with Quinn is great and the glee that she showed when drilling Dadshaw from The Carrie Diaries leg was pretty dark. Hopefully they’ll explore this more.

David’s great as both an antagonist and as part of the team. He has the same desire to do the right thing and while he’s less morally grey than say Olivia, he’s also willing to bend the rules now. Previously I’d say that he was more rigid so it will be interesting to see how this will influence his decisions in season 3. As you said Julie he is so great with all dialogue.

I’m sad that Brenda Song is languishing on the hellscape that is Dads and will no longer be on this show. #FreeBrendaSong

Diversity on mainstream TV is a joke and one thing that highlighted this recently is the way some people reacted to the news that Coach was coming back to New Girl as they assumed this meant that Winston would have to leave. So ridiculous. Hopefully we’re at a turning point and I hope these numbers and conversation shows this.

One thing I’d like to talk about is how the show balances ‘case of the week’ with the longer arcs. How do you guys think it handled both of these things in S2?

Scandal office

Julie: Astrid from Fringe! I did not put that together. She’s such a cutie.

I think I’m shipping David and Olivia so hard (not that hard) because he’s totally the anti-Fitz, and he’s the only one in her life who will not put up with her shit, especially not anymore. Hot stuff. And totally unexpected. Do the unexpected, Shonda. Of course, this is also the woman who put Meredith and McDreamy together in the pilot of Grey’s, and here they are married with babies 100 years later.

Speaking about diversity, I was reading some Scandal comments yesterday (I know, but they were on the AV Club and therefore relatively coherent). Someone mentioned that they knew immediately that Olivia’s dad was Olivia’s dad because he was an African-American gentleman of a certain age. And then everyone else jumped on that and said they had no idea he was Olivia’s dad because this show is chock full of people of color. On any other show, by any other creator, Mr. Pope probably would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb, but not on Scandal or any other Shonda Rhimes show. Someone even commented that perhaps Shonda Rhimes career up to this point has been one big long con leading up to the second season finale of Scandal, packing her shows full of people of all races and ethnicities just to throw us off the scent of her big reveal. Crafty stuff that, Shonda.

As far as the case-of-the-week stuff balances against the longer arcs, I think the show does a good job of both. Even when there is a quick case to be solved, there’s other stuff going on in the background to keep all of us long-gamers happy. The difficult thing network shows like Scandal have to deal with is the epically long season and long shooting season. I imagine it’s hard to sustain a longer arc like the whole Defiance thing when you’ve got 22 episodes to fill. Sometimes the show feels like it’s making shit up as it goes along. I *hope* Shonda has a very good idea where the whole thing with Olivia and her dad is going, and how it fits into Olivia’s backstory. I think we could have a sort of Sydney Bristow-gone-rogue situation, which would be awesome. Or the dad story could be dropped like a hot potato by November sweeps.

Rowan Scandal

Kerensa: #FreeBrendaSong –seriously she was so good on this.

Julie, that’s such a great point about David and Olivia. I never really thought about it but that makes so much sense. And UGH FITZ. I know we are gonna get to that…

The format works for me really well actually. I’ve never been super big into the procedural structure–but for the most part I’m usually pretty interested in the case of the week stuff with some exceptions. And I think they do have a pretty good balance between the long game and the case of the week. It’s always great when the two really intertwine somehow. Speaking of narrative elements, how does the use of flashbacks work for both of you?

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Emma: Just got in from work and I’m doing my best Olivia impression by having a glass of red wine (I’m not wearing white loungewear as that would be a disaster).

I like the procedural structure for shows that I dip in and out of or have on in the background but I need longer arcs to stay invested and this is where I see some similarities between Scandal and The Good Wife (plus all the sex and political aspects of course) and I think the flashbacks add to the way it tells the story in the long run. The flashbacks have been used to establish the Olivia/Fitz affair, to show the various schemes and manipulations of characters like Mellie (who I love and have a lot more to talk about later) and to show how Olivia started relationships with the team.

All of these things are important to the big picture that Scandal is projecting and as one aspect is resolved another mystery is exposed. This is where Olivia’s father comes in (a reveal I didn’t spot coming, thanks in part to what Julie says about the diversity of Scandal, I also vote for a Sydney Bristow-esque story) and I suspect that we will be getting multiple flashbacks where he is concerned.

Huck has been served well by his main flashback episode as he was the one character I found it hard to connect to (though maybe this was intended), though I find his hair and beard to be a bit cartoony when he is homeless, like I get it’s meant to be a disguise but it’s over the top. I think we can all agree that Harrison needs more backstory and the same could be said for Abbey too. With Quinn her past was the mystery at the start of S2 but we pretty much know everything about who she was, it’s who she is going to become that has the most potential.

One of the things that has made this such an easy show to catch up on is the breakneck speed of the plotting. The case of the week helps to slow things down when it needs it but they have done an excellent job of balancing all aspects of the story. There were multiple points where I actually yelled at the screen and most episodes end in such a way that you just want to stick the next one on. The writers are doing something very right.

How do you guys feel about the flashbacks?

Scandal flashback

Kerensa: I’ve never watched The Good Wife. Is this a horrible thing?

I like the use of flashback in the show. It’s a narrative device I like as long as it’s used well. And considering the amount of flashbacks we get on the show it could be executed poorly. But it’s not! I think that using the flashbacks in telling us about how Olivia/Fitz get together is really the most effective because #realtalk I don’t think I could handle seeing that all unfold in real time. And you know I love a good melodramatic romance–but I just couldn’t.

I think it also works well for learning the backstories of Olivia’s associates for similar reasons. These people are Gladiators now. We aren’t really supposed to see them as they were in the past–but knowing those details are important is obviously important in understanding how they come at both the work they do with Olivia and the brief glimpses we get into their personal lives (this relates much more to Abbey than anyone else).

I agree with Emma that the pacing of the show makes it excellent for watching and keeping invested in the story as well. Shonda is promising that stays true for season 3.

Julie, how do the flashbacks work for you?

Julie: I’ve never seen The Good Wife either; so if you’re horrible for it, Kerensa, then you have company.

I have been enjoying the flashbacks and, for the most part, I think they’ve been used well. The second season lulled us into a false sense of how all this works. Olivia’s flashbacks are about her (barf) affair with Fitz. The gladiators’ flashbacks are about how they came to be gladiators. Now, with the introduction of CIA Daddy, it looks as if we’re going to get a lot more Olivia backstory beyond boning Fitz, and I’m very much looking forward to that. I hope these flashbacks will reveal all kinds of craziness.

The pacing of the show is breakneck, but in a really digestible way. We have the cases of the week to ground us in a simple story (same is true for Grey’s, really), but then we also have all this character/backstory happening to keep me tuning in week after week. It reminds me a lot of early Alias in that way (though this show needs more wigs). I’m seriously hoping it becomes even more Alias-like with CIA Daddy in the mix. That excites me. Also, Scott Foley. We can’t forget about him.

KERRY WASHINGTON, SCOTT FOLEY

Emma: I definitely vote for more wigs and the whole B316 has an SD6 Alias ring to it (plus all of the Bourne movies).

Now to The Good Wife comparisons which I will try to keep to a minimum (I’m pretty sure you guys would love it and it’s definitely one of my favourites) but I was talking to a friend who has also marathoned Scandal this summer and we got on to the subject of Fitz and how he’s kind of the worst. This isn’t just from a romantic perspective, but also as his role as President and while I get that he’s not meant to be a President Bartlet I also don’t think they’ve shown us enough of what makes him a great politician. A politician so good that a group of smart level headed individuals would break the law and rig the election for him. This is where The Good Wife comes in as Peter Florrick has done terrible things in his personal life (sleep with prostitutes) but they’ve also shown that he has charisma and political nuance that not only wins over his wife and the voters, but also the audience. I want them to do this with Fitz so I can actually invest in the central relationship, but at this point they’ve shown that both Mellie and Cyrus have more political savvy.

As you both mention the flashbacks give further insight into Olivia and Fitz, I’m glad we get to see why it’s so intense between them but it also highlights one of my main issues with this pairing and that’s the power Fitz has over Olivia both mentally and physically. There are also moments where Fitz is aggressive in his pursuit of Olivia (like when he is drunk in the elevator) and even though I doubt it will go to a dark place it feels like it could. I know there are lots of very passionate Fitz/Olivia shippers and I can see that they have great chemistry. I also get that it’s meant to be a tragic love story as they can’t be together, but it just isn’t something I can connect to.

Now Scott Foley as Jake is someone I can get on board with – I’ve not seen the appeal before this show but now I totally get it and I’m really looking forward to the Ben vs. Noel debate now that we’ve started Felicity for This Was TV.

I’ve opened the can of worms that is Fitz; what don’t you both like about him and is there something the writers could do that would make you change your mind?

Kerensa: I, too, am super excited for Olivia backstory flashbacks next season. Like has she always been able to wear white without spilling? How does she only eat popcorn and is able to live?

Mellie and Fitz Scandal

Emma, I totally agree with you, in that nothing has shown us that Fitz is a great politician. I guess maybe he’s cares about people or something? And has the right (seriously, I almost just wrote WHITE there instead of right) WASP background for the job. But there’s been nothing that makes me believe that he is any sort of political mastermind. Unless being great at oral sex is a new qualification? Literally everyone on this show has more political savvy than Fitz–Mellie, Olivia and Cyrus are basically running his career. My personal OTP is that Mellie and Olivia get together and take over the country.

I also have to bring this up for a friend who just recently watched as well. In a heated GChat over Scandal, she mentioned that it’s completely inconceivable that Fitz is a Republican. That’s what she thinks is the biggest scandal of the show. He along with his administration has never really done anything republican at all.  Do you guys have thoughts on that?

Emma, I do agree with you about the power Fitz has over Olivia certainly. But I actually think she may have more power over him. I mean when he can’t see/talk/have sex with Olivia–he gets all mopey and whiny and drinks whiskey and kinda forgets that he’s running a country. He acts like a love-struck 16 year old. It’s exhausting. But while, yeah, Fitz puts Olivia into a tailspin at times for sure at least she like can keep working and stuff. And she sort of tries meeting other people–like that boring Senator and SCOTT FOLEY. I never got the Scott Foley thing before either but I’m so on board now.

Olivia and Fitz Scandal

Emma: I really like that they went with a Republican administration as it’s the unlikely route when it comes to Hollywood and the presidents they depict (even when they don’t say which party they are it often feels like they are a Democrat). When it comes to Fitz being a Republican this doesn’t seem all that obvious, his VP is clearly representing the hardline conservatives whereas Fitz is dancing in the middle. Would a Republican president really have a gay Chief of Staff? This doesn’t seem all that likely and I tend to suspend my disbelief when it comes to the political plots points because this isn’t The West Wing (and as I mentioned earlier, Fitz is certainly no Jed Bartlet). What they did with Fitz’s opponent was smart in a way as they made him into a coward and a killer; he’s no saint either so Fitz on this occasion is the stronger candidate. Though I’ve just remembered that Fitz is also a killer, so eh they’re both terrible presidential candidates.

So we’ve touched upon both season 1 and 2, the team, Fitz, Olivia and some of the other supporting characters so I want to look ahead and ask what you both hope to see in season 3 – who do you want to see more/less of? What story needs more expanding? Do you long to see Olivia in bright colors or would that ruin the theme they have? Also Julie even though I think I know the answer what are your Fitz thoughts?

Julie: Yeah, I don’t see much Republican in Fitz and his administration. His Chief of Staff is gay and Fitz is cheating on his wife with a WOMAN for goodness’s sake. It’s almost as if Shonda and company thought they had to make Fitz a Repub in order to cover for any political bias on the writing team (assuming Shonda and most of her writers are more liberal-leaning; I don’t think that’s a huge stretch). I think Aaron Sorkin took flack during the run of the West Wing because of all the liberal folks running around the White House. He made President Bartlett a bit more centrist, and let the people around him bear the Super Liberal mantle. Maybe Shonda didn’t want to deal with the criticism that Scandal is just more liberal propaganda. Maybe she just thought it would be cool and different and open-minded to write about a Republican president. Maybe she’s a genius and knew this would draw more people to her show. Whatever the case, it worked. Even if Fitz doesn’t.

Also, I was Team Noel back in the Felicity days, so I totally get Scott Foley. And if given the choice between a hot and mysterious spy guy who saves you from intruders and a drunk and whiny Edward Cullen-type, is there really a choice to be had?

Emma: One thing I’m really looking forward to with season 3 is being able to join in with the all the post episode chat as last year I had to basically avoid anything Scandal related in my Twitter feed, on the internet in general and in all the magazines that Kerry Washington started to feature in. Now it feels like I get to go to the party and as this is a show that has a high social media involvement this is definitely a bonus to the watching experience. While I had some of that this summer while I was catching up with the show it will be nice to not have to avoid potential spoilers. It’s going to be strange not being able to stick on the next episode straight away and the withdrawal of going from binge watching a whole season to watching one episode per week is something that takes time to adjust to. At least there will be millions of others yelling NOOOOOOO! at the screen when the inevitable cliffhangers happen.

What did you guys think of the Emmys in terms of Scandal? Dan Bucatinsky won in the guest supporting category – I never understand why these aren’t given out at the Primetime Emmy show (his speech is adorable). The lead actress category was crazy strong and so while I would have loved to see Kerry Washington triumph my loyalty was split between Claire Danes, Elisabeth Moss (who should have won for Top of the Lake) and Washington.

David and Abby Scandal

Kerensa: I agree with you Emma. One of the things I’m looking forward to the most is the social aspect of watching Scandal. Beyond us discussing the show in more conversations like this and via Twitter, I’m excited to have viewing nights with popcorn and wine with the 4 people I know who actually watch the show. And I do think Scandal may take over the blessed position of my “visual recap” which I’ve been doing all season with Breaking Bad.

Plot wise, I’m really hoping we get more about Olivia’s backstory. I hope Harrison has more to do. I still want David/Abby to get back together. And I want Mellie to run for office. Cyrus, keep doing you boo. Oh! And I’m hoping for more Scott Foley in shirtless scenarios. Also, since Emma and I have been watching The Comeback I’ve fully realized the national treasure that IS Lisa Kudrow, so I’m so excited to see what she brings to the show.

I was super excited that Dan Bucatinsky won! I know Scandal is considered a “prestige” show by any means and that Best Actress category was filled with excellent performances but I really wanted Kerry Washington to win. I think she deserved it and it would have been an incredibly historic and extremely important moment if she had won.

Emma: How could I forget Lisa Kudrow?! Yeah The Comeback has made me very excited for this guest starring role.

DAN BUCATINSKY, JEFF PERRY

Julie: I, too, loved that Dan Bucatinsky won for guest actor (even though he was in nearly episode of Season 2; I don’t understand the Emmys). I’m hoping that Cyrus (Jeff Perry) will get a nod next year. He has the juiciest role. I was rooting for Kerry to win. She’s the buzziest actress, and, while I’ve come to love Claire Danes late in life, she’s won before. And Homeland kind of sucks now. Let’s move on.

Lisa Kudrow is going to be a great addition to the show. She’ll bring some comedy to the proceedings, and I’m hoping she gets some scenes with Josh Malina, because I think they’ll play well against each other.

Other wishes for Season 3…I hope they kill off Fitz. I know that won’t happen, but I hope it does. I also hope that Shonda and friends know where they’re going with this whole Spy Daddy thing. There’s nothing worse than a show opening up a big old mythology Pandora’s box and then not knowing where to take it. Basing this on my extensive Grey’s Anatomy knowledge, I don’t think Shonda has ever tried anything this complex and far-reaching, story-wise, so I hope she’s up to the challenge. I’m sure there will be lots of drama and fun and gorgeous clothes, so there’s always that.

I’m very excited for Thursday!

 

For more TV Ate My Wardrobe Scandal coverage head here.

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is a staff writer for Women and Hollywood. She also writes for This Was TelevisionForever 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.

 

Emmys 2013: Red Carpet Highlights

23 Sep

It’s a busy day of fashion and TV thanks to last night’s Emmys (for my brief thoughts on the show head here) and while monochrome was a big trend, bold color and the standard nude tones were also big players on the red carpet. This post is for those dresses that don’t fall into one easy category and this post features a couple of dresses that still has me pondering whether they’re a hit or miss.

Let’s get to it!

Zooey Deschanel Emmys

Zooey Deschanel has a habit of wearing princess type gowns with a 1950s influence so this Barbarella looking icy blue J. Mendel number is a huge surprise. You can’t see it in this photo but the dress had a huge sexy slit up one leg and I’m so glad to see Deschanel opting for something outside of her standard wheelhouse. She looks amazing which almost makes up for the lack of New Girl nominations. Almost.

Kiernan Shipka 2013 emmys

Kiernan Shipka continues to impress with her age appropriate red carpet looks and this floral Delpozo frock is perfect for the 13-year-old; yes at 13 Shipka has already outshone every good fashion moment I have ever had. This dress could come across as too fussy which is why the ponytail/minimal makeup works and I don’t think we’re ready for Shipka to go for the Taylor Momsen raccoon eyes approach – now or ever.

Kerry Washington Emmys 2013

Kerry Washington was top of my red carpet most anticipated list and I’m disappointed with the Marchesa gown. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it and while I like the floral embellishments, it’s also reading wedding gown. I think if my expectations weren’t so high I would like this fine, but considering all of the other exquisite dresses she has worn this year it doesn’t quite hit the mark. It does fall into the Olivia Pope color scheme though and as always she looks flawless. It’s just not the dress I was hoping for.

Claire Danes emmys

Following closely behind Kerry Washington on that anticipated list, was Claire Danes and this is another dress that had me wrinkling my nose in disappointment, especially after what she wore last year. I’m not a huge fan of blush tone gowns which might be why I’m finding it hard to get excited about either of these dresses and with Danes this Armani Privé number washes her out. I do like the change in hairstyle and her makeup is also a win, more accessorizes would help.

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Danes does get red carpet legend status for crashing Lena Dunham’s E! interview and chatting about her Scandal obsession with the Girls star. A Romeo and Juliet reference was also thrown in regarding their Showtime/HBO standing; this has me reaching for those angel wings I’ve been holding onto for a Romeo + Juliet revival.

Christina Hendricks Emmys

Christina Hendricks doesn’t always get it right on the red carpet and designers inexplicably seem to have a hard time with her body shape, not so with Christian Siriano who always hits the mark with Hendricks. Hendricks described this gown as looking like a Sargent painting, a reference that was lost on Seacrest (Twitter quickly deduced that Madame X is the painting). Incredible from H to T (yeah I’ve been watching too much Top Model).

65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - ArrivalsMindy Kaling’s eggplant colored Edition by Georges Chakra dress is not the sparkly number that you might expect from Kaling and as with Deschanel I like this change up. Hair and makeup are understated and because of the embellished neckline accessorize beyond a cute clutch aren’t needed.

Carrie Preston Emmy 2013

Carrie Preston won an Emmy last weekend for her guest starring work on The Good Wife and she shone on the red carpet in this pale pink Romona Keveza gown with a touch of black detail. Preston’s incredible auburn locks instantly make her standout and this is another winning look.

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

20 Sep

It’s the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday which means there are parties aplenty and with the earlier Creative Arts Emmys happening last Sunday we also have some winners looking fabulous as they pick up their accolades. So let’s get straight to it.

Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series - Dan Bucatinsky

Dan Bucatinsky plays Cyrus’ husband James on Scandal and he picked up the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series on Sunday night. It was a tough category that also featured Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife) and Rupert Friend (Homeland) and in a heartfelt speech he mentioned how wonderful it is that he can thank both his onscreen husband and real life husband. Wearing an amazing Alexander McQueen Dogtooth Jacquard tuxedo, Bucatinsky showed there are options for men beyond just the standard black tux and the Scandal cast is one of the most stylish both on screen and on the red carpet .

Carrie Preston Emmy

The Good Wife has a huge amount of excellent guest stars and Carrie Preston plays one of my favorite recurring characters; Elsbeth Tascioni. Tascioni’s quirks could come across as forced but Preston shines in this role and so I was delighted to see her win for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series on Sunday. I’m also a sucker for a cape and while most of the red carpet looks at the Creative Arts Emmys played it safe, it was good to see Preston trying something a little different.

Kerry Washington Emmy party

People magazine named Kerry Washington the World’s Best Dressed Woman this week and I’m definitely not going to dispute this title; who else could pull of this bubblegum pink ruffled Halston Heritage dress without looking like a Barbie doll?! The white shoes/clutch and matching lipstick to the dress color could be seen as accessorizing overkill but for some reason it works. All eyes will be on Washington on Sunday and she is high on my list of most anticipated red carpet arrivals. The Outstanding Actress in a Drama category is incredibly strong and my loyalty is split three ways between Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Claire Danes.

Tina Fey, Allison Williams

From last night’s Hollywood Reporter Nominees Night party both Tina Fey and Allison Williams have opted for the simple and effective black dress approach. It might be the similar outfit choices and natural makeup look but they could definitely play sisters in something. Along with Kerry Washington’s gown another thing on my Emmy anticipated list is what Amy Poehler has planned for the announcement of the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy category that Tina Fey is part of; previous years have included a silly glasses, mixed up speeches and a pageant approach. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are also slated to present at the Emmys this weekend.

Candice Accola

While The Vampire Diaries isn’t nominated for anything, Awesome Vampire Caroline herself Candice Accola attended the Hollywood Reporter party and looked, well awesome. This is another occasion where matching lipstick color to the dress actually works and while the nude shoes are not my favorite this is a really good look for a party that doesn’t require a full on gown. The dress is really cute with the bow belt and Rorschach like image (it’s definitely a butterfly).

Darby Stanchfield

As I’ve already mentioned the Scandal cast are just as stylish off screen as they are on it and Darby Stanchfield bookends this week’s Scandal filled post. This outfit could look a bit too business but as it’s a skirt and crop top this gives it a party edge. The clutch and statement ring add flare to the look and I love the belted detail that helps break up the grey tweed. Once again Stanchfield has avoided her Abby like super straight hair and opted for the wavy approach; as always I have long auburn hair envy.

For more photos from The Hollywood Reporter’s Emmy party head here.

TV Costume Designers and Impacting Fashion

19 Sep

TV Ate My Wardrobe isn’t surprised to read that TV costume designers are having an impact on fashion at the moment, as The New York Times proposes in an article today. This site was born out of an interest and passion for costuming on TV and while other avenues are explored on a daily basis this is still at the heart of what we do here. Costuming can aid the storytelling process, but we also look at trends on the runway that filter through to stores. What is featured in magazine editorials can impact what we see on screen, but as we have seen with shows like Sex and the City and Mad Men they can have just as much influence on style as the fashion houses themselves.

Olivia Pope leather gloves

One aspect this article from The New York Times discusses comes from Pretty Little Liars costume designer Mandi Line as she explains that in her interview she stated “If you let me make fashion the fifth character on this show, people will watch it just for the clothes.” This is something that can probably be said about a show like Gossip Girl which I have recently realized that I miss purely for the clothes. The way costuming can appeal can be dependent on the target demographic and with something like Pretty Little Liars Instagram reveals how fans of the show compare their clothes to the ones they see on screen. Costuming can help create buzz and a show like Scandal has benefited from these types of discussions, especially now that star Kerry Washington is covering major fashion magazines and landing on every best dressed list. Lyn Paolo has done an excellent job not only with Olivia Pope’s wardrobe, but with each character’s clearly defined look. In the pilot episode of Scandal the notion that they are “Gladiators in suits” was repeated and now both Olivia’s team and fans of the show use this moniker.

NG_Neighbors-Sc9_0017 The time between when a TV show is made and when it airs is often relatively short and so this immediacy means that the clothes we see on screen are still often in stores. While you might not be able to afford the Prada purse that Olivia Pope uses, the J Crew sweater that Jess wears on New Girl could be a more affordable option. Websites such as What Would Zooey Deschanel Wear? and its broader ranging sister site Worn on TV not only find where to buy the clothes you see on screen, but also cheaper similar looking alternatives.

Elementary costume designer Rebecca Hofherr talks about how “TV deals with realistic issues and more realistic clothing” as opposed to film which might deal with more fantastical subjects. While I’m not a proponent of any TV vs. film debates I think TV can have a bigger impact on personal tastes because shows air on a weekly basis and so we see style evolution over a period of time. Characters become familiar to us and so as viewers it can be easier to identify with them and their look. There’s also a variety so one week I might see Joan Watson wear a scarf I really like and another will have me adding an April Ludgate shirt to my always growing wish list. You can sample many different looks across many different shows.

banana-republic-mad-men

This also covers period costuming and as I’ve mentioned Mad Men has influenced fashion in a major way and costume designer Janie Bryant has managed to create a brand thanks to her excellent work on Mad Men. Bryant has developed pieces with Maidenform (also a client of Sterling Cooper), Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers. There is also a reality show on the way from Janie Bryant that will give aspiring designers a chance to show off their skills by recreating classic Hollywood film costumes and celebrity signature styles.  Having just finished watching the Masters of Sex pilot I can confirm that there was a high amount of sweater and coat envy; as the colder season approaches I’m sure this will have some impact on forthcoming purchases even though it is set in the mid 1950s.

It’s not surprising to read that Good Wife designer Daniel Lawson is developing a line of clothes for professional women, or that Lyn Paolo is contemplating a book that will include Scandal related tips. Eric Daman whose previous credits include Sex and the City and Gossip Girl is now the costume designer for The Carrie Diaries and one of his non-TV related projects is a prom collection for Charlotte Russe. Girls and Orange is the New Black’s Jenn Rogien is currently one of Gap’s “Styled By” experts producing a series of style tutorials. For these costume designers they are diversifying their work and using their expertise on projects that relate to the TV work that we are familiar with. We have seen what these designers can do on screen so we know where their strengths lie and so there is already implied trust that they can produce excellent work outside of the TV show they design for.

A costume designer isn’t there to simply make the characters look good or to sell clothes; they help add another layer to the storytelling process and can inform the viewer to certain characteristics without a single word being said.

London Fashion Week: Color Blocking and Patterns

17 Sep

It’s the last day of London Fashion Week and the bold color/print trend that started in New York has continued as more designers debut their Spring 2014 collections. We’re going to be taking a look at runway photos from Burberry Prorsum, Christopher Kane, House of Holland, Jasper Conran, Roksanda Ilincic, Temperley London and Mary Katrantzou. As usual we’re going to play a bit of Fantasy Costuming with a quick fire round.

Burberry dots and stripes

From Burberry Prorsum this polka dot/striped infusion outfit might be a bit out there for work wear – if Ugly Betty was still on I would suggest this for Amanda – and while Robin from How I Met Your Mother tends to play it safe I’d like to see them be a bit more daring with her costuming. Failing this Leslie Knope would totally rock that blouse on Parks and Recreation.

Christopher Kane

The Vampire Diaries is heading to college in season 5 and this funky Christopher Kane mini dress could serve as an excellent outfit for Elena. This is Mystic Falls so parties are aplenty but this will give them a chance to swap their fancy frocks for something less constricting. The blood stains might be easier to get out too.

House of Holland checks

House of Holland’s mixed checked skirt and blouse is a new twist on picnic blanket chic and while both pieces together might give you a headache, I can see Jess from New Girl wearing either one of these as it matches her bright and girly style.

Jasper Conran yellow

Masters of Sex is set in the 1950s and while they might want to stick with vintage, if they want something new with an old twist then look no further than Jasper Conran’s Peter Pan collar dress as it would look good under Virginia Johnson’s lab coat. This is my most anticipated new fall show; for both the costuming and because I’m so happy to see Lizzy Caplan in a starring role.

Roksanda Ilincic yellow

I basically really want this Roksanda Ilincic creation for myself (yellow is my weakness) and if we were to ever see Olivia Pope divert from her usual color palette then I’d love to see this on Scandal. Failing that can Kerry Washington wear this on the red carpet?

Temperly long dress

It might just be because of this shot but this dress by Temperley London looks like it needs someone to strut with purpose in it and this is something that Alicia Florrick tends to do whenever she is in evening wear as all parties on The Good Wife tend to feature legal related woes. Who wouldn’t want a dress they could be dramatic and swish in? Once again this goes against the usual color blocking that we see in Alicia’s costuming, but it’s a beautiful gown that would look stunning on Julianna Margulies.

Mary Katrantzou shoes

Carrie Bradshaw is all about the shoes and the 1980s version in The Carrie Diaries would look amazing in these Mary Katrantzou brogues.

To see some of the other highlights from these shows click on the photos below.

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