Before Tyrian Lannister was drinking and knowing things, Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) had Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, who tended bar and listened. She appears in 15 episodes, often drawing out philosophical and social conversations from the crew, even forcing high ranking persons (Picard, for example) to confront racism, concepts of redemption, and their own leadership methods.
February is the month of fashion, with Fashion Weeks appearing across the globe. With high-end designers holding shows in New York, Milan, and Paris, what we really wondered was just how much inspiration did they pull from Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner given that this is 2019, the setting of the film.
Okay, guys. I’m gonna start out by saying something I don’t say often: I’m sorry. I was wrong. The last time I spoke of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, I wasn’t exactly enthusiastic and I certainly let my negative perspective effect that. CAOS still isn’t a perfect show, but I now have a greater appreciation for what I once dismissed. And honestly? I just really, really love Ambrose Spellman.
I knew that, regardless of what my final thoughts on CAOS were, Ambrose Spellman would end up in this segment eventually. Aside from being the most charming character to grace a television screen, he also has the most whimsical, stand-out wardrobe on the show.
The costumes in superhero movies are always fun. However, they are rarely outfits I look to for wardrobe envy and style inspiration. But, when Wonder Woman hit theaters two summers ago, everything changed. (And not just because DC finally got a good movie.) Wonder Woman was already a role model for girls everywhere. But Diana Prince quickly became a style icon.
Shortly after we meet Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey fame, her style icon status is quickly solidified with a menswear-inspired riding outfit. Around the same time, she also disposes of the body of a man that she slept with. It took this, and only this, introduction for me to totally fall head over heels for her. What can I say? I always have a soft spot for the cold ones.
Despite being aloof and standoffish, Lady Mary Crawley is nothing short of the equivalent of an It Girl of her time. She is the epitome of sophistication, grace, and beauty, and her wardrobe is nothing short of any of those things.
Consider this part two of infinity of my “I’m obsessed with ’90s fashion” posts. While the X-Files was not a show I grew up on, I certainly developed a greater appreciation for it later in my adult life*. (*Last week. My roommate sat me down and made me watch my first episode ever. And boy, am I glad he did.) That being said, it came as no surprise that I was immediately enamored by the fashion of the one and only Dana Scully.
Dana Scully is one of those characters with an easily recognizable, no-nonsense costumes. Even before I got into the show, I was well aware of the “Scully Suit.” I could pick out a Scully cosplayer in any convention crowd. Dana Scully was a fashion icon long before this post and will remain one for years to come.
I’m just gonna say it: I really love 90’s fashion. Now, the 90’s have made a small comeback in trends in these past few years, from tattoo chokers to track pants, but each time with an updated design that makes the piece appropriate for wear in 2018. But I love the original 90’s fashion. I love mom jeans with Doc Martens, brown lipstick, straight-cut overalls, and tartan mini skirts. Perhaps it’s partially nostalgia for the era I was born into, but I can guarantee you that I’m writing this with chocolate-colored lips and an oversized men’s flannel tied around my waist. Even as I revisited 90’s sitcoms as a slightly older child in the early 2000’s (you know, when I finally got the jokes), I still saw those girls on TV from a decade ago as the coolest damn girls I had ever seen. I admired them and their styles. I wanted to dress like Cher Horowitz and Ally McBeal, but most of all, I wanted to dress like Hillary Banks.
Hillary Banks was always such an unintentionally but lovably silly character. While much of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would have you believe Hillary was there to be laughed at, I would argue that Hillary would make most of us laugh in an endearing way. She was naive, aloof, and just a tad self-absorbed, sure, but she was also hilarious and easy to love. And, of course, she was a total style icon and the ultimate 90’s fashionista. Here are some of my favorite throwbacks of Hillary’s looks:
I never want to be “that person”, but I have to say it: I was seriously let down by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The campy, self-aware story of my favorite half-witch, Sabrina Spellman, traded in its tongue-in-cheek humor for something that takes itself far too seriously for what it is. (Not to mention the apparent confusion that witchcraft = Satanism. That’s just fake news.)
But, much to my annoyance, there is still something inherently likable about Sabrina. It isn’t the blatant sexualization of teenagers. It certainly isn’t the themes of modern-day Satanic Panic. Perhaps it has something to do with the ensemble of lovable foils, from Sabrina’s classically lovable Aunt Hilda to her newly-added cousin Ambrose. But, I think a huge part of Sabrina‘s charm comes from its gorgeous aesthetic. Obviously, the costumes are a huge part of that.
I could easily write an article for every character. But, allow me to start by dissecting the style of the iconic teenage witch that started it all.
American Horror Story certainly has had its ups and downs over the years. Some seasons were brilliant and smart and perfectly-written, while others fell short and underwhelmed me. Coven, the show’s third installment, was a season I had a love/hate relationship with. (i.e.: LOVE: Most of the concept. The fashion. Sarah Paulson. HATE: The fact that it seemed to take part in turning Wicca/witchcraft/paganism into something “trendy”. I’m not saying Ryan Murphy is entirely responsible for the Sephora “witch starter kit“, but I’m not NOT blaming him, either.) But there’s one thing I can’t deny: Misty Day, Lily Rabe’s powerful, eccentric, Stevie Knicks-loving witch, is a total style icon.
(Minor spoiler for American Horror Story: Apocalypse ahead)
In the spirit of transparency, I’ll admit I’ve never been consistent in watching and keeping up with Doctor Who. Even the biggest Whovian can admit that it’s a bit of a commitment, and I just never found the time to be involved enough where I understood everything that was happening at all times. Of course, then it was announced Jodie Whittaker would take the reigns of the TARDIS next season, making The Doctor a woman for the first time. This was as good a reason as any to finally get completely caught up. And in my rewatch, I found appreciation for a companion that got a lot of undeserved hate: Clara Oswald.
Clara seemed to be the scapegoat for a lot of fans’ problems with seasons 7-9 of Doctor Who. And those problems had nothing to do with her “being the worst.” Often, these “problems” were really just poorly-executed storylines and/or misogyny. I’m not jumping on that bandwagon, though. I really enjoyed Clara. I thought, despite a lot of things, her character developed over those 2.5 seasons and her relationship with The Doctor was the most complex one I’ve seen yet.
But, you know what I’m really here to talk about. And that’s how Clara Oswald is the best-dressed companion Doctor Who has seen yet, so let’s take a peek into her wardrobe.