Fashion movies are underrated! But what's more overlooked is the joy of truly appreciating them. It's not just about documentaries, it has never been.
From Legally Blonde to The Devil Wears Prada: Films That Fashionably Craft The Narrative
FILMFARE 2 weeks ago
As you anticipate the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, it would be wrong of us to not include the OG movie. Andrea Andy Sachs is an aspiring journalist, who takes a job as a personal assistant of the notoriously demanding Miranda Priestly. The fashion in The Devil Wears Prada is the very pulse of the film. The fashion is sharp, aspirational and ruthlessly exacting. Miranda wears tailored and power-driven clothes, in contrast to Andy's frumpy outsider wear to polished insider looks. Miranda's wardrobe is a masterclass in luxury dressing, which made the film one of the most influential style references in pop culture.
Sex and the City (2008)
Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2 (2010) are about the four friends, Carrie, Samantha,Charlotte and Miranda, making the best out of their careers and personal relationships. Carrie and Big get into a godforsaken marriage in the first movie. The second movie is mostly about a luxurious getaway to Abu Dhabi.
While this movie is a romcom-ish affair, the fashion carried out by the four leads stands to be impeccable. One cannot forget Carrie Bradshaw's closet, as many of us still try to replicate her glamorous and playful looks. Her fashion is one of the most defining style legacies in pop culture because it treats clothing as an extension of one's emotions. Through Sex and the City, Carrie made tutus with tank tops, oversized florals, newspaper-print dresses, sky-high Manolos and mismatched layers feel effortless, despite them being excessive. Her wardrobe never followed conventional rules and women loved to dress as fearless as her.
Imagine being a bridesmaid in 27 weddings! Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) helps people get married, by supporting them as their bridesmaid. At the heart of the story are Jane's infamous collection of bridesmaid dresses. These are 27 wildly different, often over-the-top ensembles that range from frilly pastels to bizarre thematic looks. Each of these dresses symbolise her habit of always putting others first. These dresses are intentionally exaggerated. Why? They highlight the absurdity of her self-sacrificing tendencies. In contrast, her everyday wardrobe is soft and feminine. The understated dresses define her true self and her longing for her own love story.
Fashion (2008)
Another Jane Austen's Emma-inspired movie, Aisha is a happy watch. Played by Sonam Kapoor, Aisha is an elite Delhi girl who makes it her personality to meddle in other people's love lives. She is her best friend Shefali's confidant when it comes to romance but keeps ignoring her own feelings for her friend Arjun, played by Abhay Deol.
Sonam Kapoor's chic clothes in the movie scream regularity and restraint, making high fashion feel surprisingly wearable.
Helter Skelter (2012)
What is a horror drama doing in this list, you ask? Well, Helter Skelter is a fashion-focused movie too, as it follows Lilico, a top fashion model. Her fame is built on extensive, illegal and full-body plastic surgery.
The fashion in Helter Skelter is as provocative and unsettling as the story itself. It serves as the glossy façade that slowly begins to crack. There are hyper-stylised and avant-garde looks. They portray drama and boldness. There's also high-concept editorial fashion that feels almost surreal. Every outfit is meticulously constructed to project perfection and to reinforce the illusion of beauty as something manufactured and untouchable.
Khoobsurat (2014)
Dr. Milli Chakravarty is a cheerful psychotherapist, who travels to Rajasthan to treat the paralysed king of a royal family. While doing so, Milli also makes a strong case for elegant and regal fashion. The fashion also brings in a burst of colours in a rigid, royal setting. Think printed jackets, mismatched separates, chunky jewellery, juttis and easy silhouettes that feel lived in. The royal family's wardrobe, on the other hand, leans towards structure, elegance and muted ensembles.
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