I love you, Sandy Powell.

[hadespussercats]

You were already my favorite film designer, for such gems as Orlando, and Shakespeare in Love, and Velvet Goldmine, and Wings of the Dove, and, well, you seem to work constantly. I don't know how you do it.

But Sunday night, as you accepted your third Oscar, you had the class and the insight to point out all the designers who work as hard as you, but who do the sort of costume designing that never wins awards.

In your honor, I'm posting my choice of five films that fall in that category--
Perfect Costumes That Will Never Win Awards:

1. The Virgin Suicides
From the home-made flannel nighties to the prim prom dresses, not to mention the pitch-perfect chopped-down wedding dress worn by the youngest ghost girl, it's hard to think of costumes that would more perfectly capture the essence of claustrophobic Christian family fashion in the mid-seventies. The mother's severe skirt suits and the father's beaten-down-by-life science teacher's garb were also excellent. I could go on-- this film is a particular gem-- not too surprising, given director Sofia Coppola's generation and her life-long interest in fashion.

2. Pecker
This is a less-watched Waters film, which is a shame, because it is a rather scathing indictment of the art world of the nineties. The main character takes photographs of characters from his life-- and they all read like real people. Real, strange, and wonderful people. The little girl in particular is a shining example of how far a designer can take everyday clothes without breaking the boundaries of verisimilitude.

3. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The transformation of Johnny Depp is reason enough to include this one. It's a great film-- if you don't mind disturbing, you should rent it tomorrow.

4. Reservoir Dogs
This movie single-handedly created the iconic bad man in a black suit, white shirt, and skinny black tie. Think how often this look has been copied/evoked since: Men in Black is just one example that comes to mind

5. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
I loved the look of their prison garb, and the creation of the Dapper Dan man was genius. John Goodman as a cream-suited Polyphemus was brilliant, as well.


and I realized this list just isn't complete without

6. Little Miss Sunshine
I could write a whole thesis about the costumes in this film-- from Steve Carell's character's White-Suit-Years button down shirt with sleeves flapping over his bandaged wrists, to Olivia's little red cowgirl boots, to her silent brother's T-shirt (getting the perfect T-shirt for look and fit is much harder that you'd think)-- never mind the brilliant contrast between the creepy child pageant girls and Olivia's dumpy but sweet costumes. She ended up being the only contestant who looked like a real little girl-- never mind the 'Superfreak' strip-tease.


To all of these films, I salute you! Which I hope counts for something, because it's unlikely anyone else will.

But feel free to prove me wrong, or to add some of your own to the list.

[maiforpeace]

To all of these films, I salute you! Which I hope counts for something, because it's unlikely anyone else will.

But feel free to prove me wrong, or to add some of your own to the list.

She definitely has quite a list of movies under her belt. She is quite an artist!

[hadespussercats]

To all of these films, I salute you! Which I hope counts for something, because it's unlikely anyone else will.

But feel free to prove me wrong, or to add some of your own to the list.

She definitely has quite a list of movies under her belt. She is quite an artist!

Yeah, Sandy Powell is a master-- she blows my mind. She also did Gangs of New York. . ..I might have to think harder for some more.

But have you seen any regular movies (i.e.-- NOT period films or musicals) where the clothes were really right?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Pecker is responsible for my knowledge of 'teabagging' (not to be confused with the more recent 'teabaggers'.) I love that film.

[hadespussercats]

Pecker is responsible for my knowledge of 'teabagging' (not to be confused with the more recent 'teabaggers'.) I love that film.

Yeah, me too-- though I think the version showed in the film is a lot less graphic than what people are referring to these days-- at least, according to the gay men I used to work with .

Anyone here who could explain teabagging versus being a ' feckin' teabagger' -- well, i'd really like to know the difference. Even if it has little to do with costume design.

[maiforpeace]

Pecker is responsible for my knowledge of 'teabagging' (not to be confused with the more recent 'teabaggers'.) I love that film.

Yeah, me too-- though I think the version showed in the film is a lot less graphic than what people are referring to these days-- at least, according to the gay men I used to work with .

Anyone here who could explain teabagging versus being a ' feckin' teabagger' -- well, i'd really like to know the difference. Even if it has little to do with costume design.

Context is important. Are they referring to Sarah Palin, or Elton John?