Okay, I finally sat down to watch the newest adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, directed by Joe Wright and costumed by Jacqueline Durran, and I absolutely loved the costumes + jewelry.
Period pieces are so wonderful to watch for two reasons :: the history they convey, and because the costumes and jewelry are almost always a special treat. Truly, I sometimes think I was born in the wrong century. Instead of velour tracksuits, or jeans and tees for every little occasion, I would have loved to wear beautiful dresses and coats, hats with veils, and kidskin gloves. It would probably be much too much in the hot summer months, but dressing in yesteryear was truly an art form.
Anna Karenina, like all good Russian stories, is not a happily-ever-after. In fact, after basically throwing away a solid marriage, her loving son, her good name, and her social standing for a torrid affair (and illegitimate daughter that her husband thankfully claims as his), Anna finally ends the downward spiral by killing herself. However, on the way down, Anna dresses as spectacularly as always -- and this of course, is the real reason I watched the movie to start with.
Apparently, having a good relationship with Karl Lagerfeld + Chanel comes in handy sometimes. Like, when you need amazing jewels to accurately portray the real-life extravagance of the 1800's. And Chanel definitely delivered, loaning $2 million worth of diamonds to the Anna Karenina set. [And who doesn't want friends like that?]
Durran happily focused on using pearls + diamonds, which is certainly apparent throughout the film.
Additionally, check out the sumptuous furs, the feathered headdresses, and the delicately veiled hats. Everything in the film is a testament to the sheer art of dressing. One must remember, that historically, this was a time when most women did not have jobs, did not do the housework (they oversaw the servants doing the housework), and did not really have to exert themselves when it came to managing the children's lives (tutors and nannies assisted).
So, as their lives revolved around their husband or their own social lives, women focused with a singular and spectacular intent, on their wardrobes. Which certainly kept the milliners, seamstresses, tailors, cobblers, glove-makers, and jewelry-designers happily employed. A woman did not go out in public without being properly gowned and coiffed.
And as we can see in Anna Karenina, while this public display of materialistic devotion took hours to maintain, and required the assistance of dressers, the end result is a beautifully-presented lady, with amazing posture and ropes of pearls (which sadly wouldn't go with half the outfits we wear today).
What are your thoughts on the costumes of times gone by?
x
RH
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