Costume Whore - Mark Bridges, The Artist

I just saw the film The Artist. If you haven't heard, (forgive the corny pun), The Artist is a modern day silent film that is set in the late 20's about (Jean Dujardin as)George Valentin silent film star, whose life is turned upside down by the advent of talkies. Opposite Dujardin is  Bérénice Bejo as Peppy Miller, the young ingenue who is taking Talking pictures by storm. 

Tears and laughter abound. Not only did I love every minute of the film but being addicted to all things of the art deco era, I could hardly stand the fabulous costuming. Spectacular. Mark Bridges, costume designer for There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, The Fighter, Fur and so many others took The Artist to task.

Inspired by Clara Bow and Joan Crawford Bridges documents the road to success in Bejo's wardrobe. Peppy goes from wearing classic simple drop waist dresses to beaded and chiffon gowns. An insane monkey fur jacket is one of the highlights! Vintage of couse! Working in black and white meant working in contrasts, textures primarily. 

Bridges had to recreate most of the 20's garments to create a wardrobe, as the delicate fabrics and details would hardly hold up to filming. And as we vintage lovers know hard to find. Creating his own patterns from authentic period pieces he made many of the dresses in contemporary fabrics. 

He also reconstructed styled a few modern beaded pieces since the 20's (as always in my opinion) are in vogue. According to The Hollywood Reporter the costume's are in Ms. Bejo's closet at her home in Paris, but will travel to Los Angeles for display at FIDM during award's season! 

If you have not seen it yet, do!

xo, 

Vanessa

P.S. Check out this fabulous blog post on Mark Bridges Costume design for There Will Be Blood by Stitched and Stitched. http://www.stitchedandstitched.com/?p=300

Great Intentions

Come New Year's Day, who doesn't think, New Year, New Me!? I do. Who has made dozens of resolutions and not been able to make it work! I have. But then when it comes down to it, Is it really a new you that you seek or a more fully realized you. I'm finding that that little shift in perspective is motivating me big time! 

As of late I have heard from many different folks online and in life, that resolutions are for the birds. I think it's all about semantics.

The word resolution is a bit of a stressor for me personally, bringing "will power", gym memberships and magazine shaming to mind. My lack of success in acquiring all or any of my resolutions has been indeed not making a plan, not creating a support system and/or going it alone in the journey. 


This year I am setting my intentions for my year, including you and my friends in them and making my plans to see them through. It will be the first year I have made a plan to see my intentions through. "I intend" feels pretty powerful and in making my intentions I am finding that I am already much more thoughtful as to how this year's goals will fit into my life goals and what I will need to do daily to make them happen.


One Intention I have for 2012 encapsulates both the personal and the professional: to celebrate Body Positivity. Which is about feeling good in the body you have. An important aspect in self love and acceptance, and ultimately in celebrating ourselves!

The Plan on doing that professionally is to launch SweetLeigh ecofriendly clothing in the shop this year, available but not limited to "plus" sizes. The plan personally is to be more  mindful, caring and loving towards my own body whose size and shape has changed a lot in the last year. And finally to strengthen my body so that I can physically do anything and everything I want to do. Being Body Positive is the plan for 2012.

Dancers doing the Lindy Hop

              

There are more intentions I have for the New Year, but that one is a pretty big plan to tackle. 


What are your intentions for 2012? Do tell! 


xo,


V