Movies I Love Almost Solely for the Wardrobe

We each have those 'desert island' movies that we can watch over and over again. We have the comedies we love to quote. There are the movies that men love because they're "badass" (cough cough Die Hard). There are the tear-jerkers that women love because of that emotion we crave (damn you, Notebook. You get me every time.). There are also those classic movies that, just because someone called them 'classic', we feel we have to like them (i.e. Citizen Cane).

And then there are the movies I love. The movies I watch almost solely for the wardrobe. Regardless of their story line, their 'quoteability', their staying power in the film world... I think some movies were made just for me.   (I also have a category for French films and old black&white movies I enjoy, but we'll save those for another time).

And the Lizz-approved movies are...

#1  Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

In my mind, there's nothing you can't love about this movie. Great music, gorgeous colors, the mise-en-scene is fantastic, and of course the fabulous kimonos. The film takes you to another place and time that is so beautiful, it seems it never really existed. I think the Japanese got it right with kimonos though - it doesn't matter what size or shape you are, just wrap a piece of fabric around your body! It's Geisha-Glam.

#2  The Party (1968)

I'm guessing that most people have never even heard of this movie. But what fantastic 1960s fashion! The movie is set completely around 1 evening at a Hollywood director's luxury 60s home. It's so wonderfully dry, there's slapstick comedy, and the music is groovy, baby.  Just watch it - it'll make you want to go to a fancy dinner party that turns into a giant group bubble bath.

#3  Marie Antoinette  (2006)

Holy cow, I could dedicate an entire post to this film. Well played, Sofia Coppola. (T'was also influential on my art around the time it came out.) It's a bit drawn out - sure. It's strange that Kirsten Dunst doesn't have an accent in the movie while everyone else does, but I think that's meant to alienate her. Everyone looks like they're wearing colorful cotton candy clothes. There are feathers, fans, ruffles, corsettes and wonderful wigs. Plus the scenery and soundtrack are tres magnifique.

#4 Pride and Prejudice (2005)

I've never met a girl who didn't like this movie/book. You have to be inspired by Elizabeth's quick wit and you-cant-push-me-down-just-because-I'm-a-woman attitude. The fashion is more muted than the ladies of Versailles, but I'd love to trade places with a Bennett girl for a day and wear those empire waisted dresses and bonnets. And the men wore knickers, ascots and high-collared jackets everywhere. Hot. 
#5 The Bird Cage (1996)

(haha! Straight Looking)

If you've never seen this movie, you need to run to a Blockbuster video or put it in your Netflix queue immediately. It's based on the 70s French comedy La Cage Aux Folles and has 3 hilarious comedians in it - Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria and Robin Williams. Calista Flockhart is a little annoying in it, as is whomever the actor is who plays the son. But Gene Hackman dresses in drag, Nathan Lane is rediculously flamboyant and shrieks a lot, Robin Williams plays a pretty convincing gay guy, and this is my favorite role of Hank Azaria's ever. Why? He dances around girlishly to G.Estefan's Conga in a wig and cropped top, he cleans the pool in a banana hammock, and he's so effeminite that he can't walk in men's shoes.  

Just watch this scene I like to call I pierced the toast! - click here.   

So those are my top 5 faves. More to come later, perhaps.
Now I have to get back to work people, c'mon!...