Five Fashionable Films of 2011

Drive (Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn)

Ryan Gosling starred in three films all on the big screen simultaneously this year, but it was Drive that really stood out on the style front with a Retro Ivory varsity-inspired jacket complete with a gold scorpion emblem imprinted on the reverse. Combine that with a Vintage car, a pair of Ray Bans and brown leather gloves and its basically what every aspiring stunt-car-driver-turned-racer needs to jump start their highly dangerous but oh so intoxicating career. Originally designed by Richard Him of High Society, Drive’s costume designer Erin Benach stated in an article in GQ “Ryan was really inspired by these Korean souvenir jackets from the Fifties. We got to this idea of a white quilted satin jacket with a scorpion on the back.” She also explains the white jacket was a problem for lighting purposes but they all fought for the white variant instead of an olive green or red alternate…boy are we are glad they did.


In Time (Directed by Andrew Niccol)

Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried rocked this science fiction film suitably named In Time where time is the currency and sharp, futuristic tailoring and detailing were the key pieces in everyone’s 2161 wardrobes. 2012 eat your heart out. High Society dinning, stylish crime sprees and impending deaths have never looked so good. We have Oscar nominated costume designer and Academy Award winner Colleen Atwood to thank for that who also worked on The Tourist and The Rum Diary as some of her most notable projects of 2011.


My Week with Marilyn (Directed by Simon Curtis)

Starring the beautiful Michelle Williams as blond bombshell miss Monroe herself, Curtis’ My Week With Marilyn was packed full of vintage 1950s Hollywood styling with Williams and co-star Eddie Redmayne sporting timeless and iconic pieces. Trench coats, fifties dresses, tweed three-piece suits, pocket squares and bow ties. It had it all as a small piece of Marilyn Monroe’s hectic and complicated life of showbiz, glamour and fame was brought to life via the big screen in a mesmerising tale featuring a catwalk of 1950s fashion.


Breaking Dawn (Directed by Bill Condon)

The wedding of the 2011 occurred. Goodbye Kate and Wills, hello Mr and Mrs Edward Cullen. Boat necked long sleeved tops with stripe detail were a must for Mr Cullen sporting a variety of shades throughout the latest Twilight saga instalment. It wasn’t only R-Patz who got in on the fashion action though. Even K-Stew made an effort for this one wearing…wait for it…not one, not two, but THREE dresses as she ditched her bland tom-boyish duds for elegant frocks for all to enjoy and sparking an immediate replica wave regarding her…wedding gown. To be immortal and have an endless bank balance at our disposal…stuff of dreams. Unless you end up pregnant with a vampire love child of course. You can’t have it all Bella.


The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Directed by David Fincher)

Opening on Boxing Day, Fincher’s English remake of Stieg Larsson’s Swedish cult phenomenon The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo showcases the edgier, grungier and slightly darker side of the fashion world with more creative and individualistic personality driven clothing in the place of high-end garments. The film’s costume expert Trish Summerville even teamed up with Swedish fashion house H&M to create a collection inspired by strong and independent lead female character Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). Summerville stated in H&M’s press release “Salander’s look is very real and very lived in with pieces that her character has worn for a long time…I wanted the collection to have the essence and strength of Salander, with a fashion edge.