Whenever I’m in a rut and looking for that quick boost of creativity, I turn to these classic films. Load up your netflix queue with some of the best movies for fashion inspiration.
1) Mahogany (1975)
This is high seventies glamour at its best. Forget the story for a second, which is absurd: Diana Ross is a secretary who is discovered by a modeling agent and becomes a huge high-fashion model before she gets into a car accident. What Mahogany is really about: hair sculptures (!) and vintage posing. There is energy in Diana Ross’s fingertips.
2) Sixteen Candles (1984)
Jake Ryan has been a fashion inspiration for my entire life; he made button-down shirts, khakis, and boat shoes sexy. And Molly Ringwald is the epitome of eighties approachable glamour.
3) Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
This is the rare movie where the men’s clothing is stronger than the women’s. This is a lesson in tailoring and how to look slick without looking cheesy. Its also Brad Pitt at his best.
4) American Gigolo (1980)
How hot is Richard Gere in this movie? Every. Single. Outfit. This film is about male sexuality-it’s about denim shirts and jeans, and being sexy without showing any skin. Which is really what Richard Gere’s appeal was anyway. He was never the guy running around shirtless. He had swagger before anybody else did. Rent this film. Or just check out the Herb Ritts photo from his period of Richard Gere with his hands behind his head. Heaven.
5) La Dolce Vita (1960)
Nothing beats a man in a Italian-made suit. Or a woman dancing in a fountain. End of story.
6) Truth or Dare (1991)
Where to begin? With the Gaultier costumes? Or with Madonna shopping at Chanel in Paris, where she calls down to the salesclerk and mocks her. She wore a Chanel necklace to give my favorite speech-when she lands in Rome and address her fans about the ban the Vatican has put on her show. She keeps screaming, “Basta!” at the crowd, but they won’t stay quiet.
7) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
A young Catherine Deneuve in France, dressed in flats and shift dresses with bows in her hair- dainty, French, and proper, shot during the time she and Yves Saint Laurent became close. Oh, and it’s a musical!
8) The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
This film had a huge impact on my personal style. But lets focus on Gwyneth Paltrow. Whether she was dressed in a pressed white shirt and full skirt belted or an evening wear look with a black strapless gown and white gloves, a necklace, and earrings with her hair swept up, she was the personification of gorgeous.
Honorable Mentions
Pretty in Pink (1986)
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Flashdance (1983)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Funny Face (1957)
Elizabeth (1998)
A Single Man (2009)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Annie Hall (1977)