In the past few weeks I’ve discussed fashion trends that have developed thanks to old films, such as Annie Hall and Sabrina. However, what I haven’t analyzed is how current movies that are set in the 1950s use the 1950s styles and trends. This is where Brooklyn comes in.
If you haven’t seen Brooklyn yet, I highly recommend it (like everything else) because it is a beautiful love story. Not only that, but Saoirse Ronan acts stupendously. The character, Eilis Lacey’s, emotional journey is perfectly captured by Ronan’s performance. And what helps complement Ronan’s acting is her outfits. This is thanks to Odile Dicks-Mireaux, the Emmy-winning costume designer.
“Eilis’s looks helped tell the story of a young lady who grows in confidence and embraces a world she had newly joined” – Dicks-Mireaux in InStyle.
That is exactly what the costumes do. In the film, Eilis travels from Ireland to New York. Evidently, fashion in those two countries is very different. Additionally, in the 1950s, Ireland was touched by the WWII while New York wasn’t. Therefore, Dicks-Mireaux attempted to show a difference in Eilis’ costumes from country to country: Eilis’ bland wardroom from Ireland transforms into a vibrant new world of clothes in New York. What’s interesting about Dicks-Mireaux’s costume choices for Eilis is that she attempted to do more with less. This is because Eilis was a poor emigrant; she could not afford more than one coat, one bathing suit, or one pair of shoes. But somehow, Dicks-Mireaux managed to create beautiful outfits with a limited choice of costumes. And these outfits wonderfully accompany Eilis’ transition from a shy, poor Irish girl to a confident, still poor, young American. Her Irish woolens disappear and a wardrobe of American sweaters, dresses, skirts and sunglasses take over.
What’s funny is that Dicks-Mireaux did not want to make this movie a movie about fashion. She simply wanted EIlis’ fashion to help move along the story. However, the outfits that Eilis wears are rather relevant and intriguing to us millennials because lately we seem to be vintage-obsessed. And that’s the kind of clothing that dominates the screen: pure vintage clothing from real vintage shops in London and Montreal. In my opinion, the looks that stand out the most in the movie are Eilis’ increasingly colorful dresses, her Grace Kelly inspired look, her swimsuit, her colorful cardigans, and her flats. You can see some of these items in the pictures below.
If you are interested in some of the costumes from Brooklyn, this website has a plethora of outfits that are a close match to what Eilis wears. Luckily, some of them are rather affordable. Below you will see a few that are available.
So Brooklyn didn’t create new trends and although there are some vintage items that might look cute today, a lot of the costumes would be un-wearable in 2016. However, the film truly captured the fashion in the 50s. Not only that, but it captured the fashion in two very different countries with two very different current events.
References: stills from the film Brooklyn
FASHION UNRAVELED 