I’m a movie buff. Quoting movies is a favorite pastime (“Like I could tip a cow… by myself!”). Discovering new books as a result of a movie production (either before or after I see it) shapes my current viewpoint and defines moments in my life.
So it’s not too hard to further that thought that there are films that have really made an impact on me. That have helped develop my God-given talent of sewing and turn it into something I am passionate about and am obliged to share with the world.
Perhaps you can identify with some of these.
In the early 1980s, my house had one of the first VCRs and cable TV (yeah – I’m from the MTV generation). I grew up watching The Disney Channel (back when it was good!) and being exposed to all sorts of great films & shows (hello Spin & Marty!).
One of those films was an obscure Haley Mills’ movie called Summer Magic. I’d seen The Parent Trap but then realized Ms. Mills had done six productions with Disney as a child. But Summer Magic rocked my world.
Set in Boston and Maine during “Time: Rag” (circa 1910s here), it has become my ultimate influencer. The sewing scene, aka “Femininity,” delighted me despite being too young at the time to even know what femininity meant.
With it set in New England (a far off place I dreamt about), in an early 1900s house, with pretty dresses and elegant hair, I was in love. Julia had “the most wonderful book of patterns, straight from Paris; the latest gowns!” I was intrigued with that book of patterns. Could I get my hands on one?
I started sewing from an early age. By, oh… 10 or 12, I was making my own clothes. The Victorian period (what I thought was only full skirts and puffed sleeves) filled my thoughts and my frilly skirts reflected that.
In 1985 came a series that most sensible girls my age dreamed about. Puffed sleeves indeed! Anne Shirley’s dress Matthew presented to her at Green Gables (produced by Sullivan Entertainment) made us all swoon.
But Anne’s lovely early Edwardian gown (not that “Edwardian” meant anything to me at the time) in Anne of Green Gables part 2, the one with flowers around the neckline she wore to a charity ball, gave my heart palpitations.
As did the white gowns she wore at The White Sands recital (top) and Diana’s wedding (2nd below).
Oh, how I pined for that world….( just not the falling in mud while chasing a cow part 🙂 )
Another delightful film that penetrated my dreams was (of course, another obscure film) The Slipper and the Rose. This film introduced me to the loveliness that is 18th Century costuming.
The scenes where Cinderella must remake – by hand – three gowns for the palace ball made me want to leap through the screen and help her out. Then her own pale pink, Fairy Godmother gown sent my senses soaring! What girl doesn’t want to be lavished upon in a party gown and swooped off to a castle where a prince was waiting?
Later I would discover the costume production was overseen and created by the great, late Jean Hunnisett. I had the immense opportunity to meet Ms. Hunnisett where she autographed her books for my library. A very thrilling moment.
And who can forget the amusing scene from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (my favorite Disney animated classic)? Even at an early age I knew that you DO NOT cut a hole in fabric for the feet to go through a skirt. Duh!
But I have to believe Aurora’s dress will always be blue.
And what about the dressmaking scene in Disney’s Cinderella? I SO wanted that pink dress with blue beads. 🙂
And I couldn’t end my list of influential movies without an honorable mention of the film everyone loves to hate (but they secretly enjoy or it wouldn’t be a classic): Gone With The Wind (Warner Bros). I collect books on this famed movie of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Despite its flaws, the influence it has on both aspiring costumers and film makers is enormous.
The white ruffled dress when she’s 18:
To the gorgeous white Natural Form bustle dress with blue velvet jacket (my favorite):
GWTW will always have a place in costumers’ hearts. Whether you drool over the ruffles and bonnets (the accurate ones on the supporting cast) or tear the bodices apart for not being dropped shoulders, this film resonates loudly with those of us interested in historical costuming.
So before I make this list even longer with all those movies that shaped my early sewing passion, what films inspired you to pick up a needle & thread?
Now that you mentioned it, Cinderella for sure. And the movie Selena.
And stroke of Midnight. I just looked it up. I screamed. That was when inspiration struck me at 8 years old.
I too have been influenced by most of the films you have mentioned. I had to laugh about the Sleeping Beauty inclusion. I remember the “cut a hole for the feet” scene very vividly. Recently, I was making the pattern for a 50’s circle skirt, and realized – you sort of do cut a hole for the feet. I giggled so loudly, I scared the cat!
I remember being totally in love with Judy Garland’s gowns from Meet Me in St. Louis and Harvey Girls. I also loved the gowns from Gone With the Wind and still want Scarlett’s green dressing gown accurate or not. I can also remember watching North and South and it making me desperately want a hoop skirt of course now I know how wrong they were, but I’ve never gotten over my love of Victorian froufrou.
Though I started sewing many years before, I heartily enjoyed Pretty in pink, though her dress may not have been drop-dead gorgeous, I can definitely relate to redoing and remodeling dresses from existing garments.
Ever After and Seven Brides For Seven Brothers inspired my love of historical sewing. 🙂 And of course BBC’s Pride and Prejudice. The Chronicles of Narnia were my go to for “fantasy” and The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flyn were my first introduction to medieval fashion. 🙂
I have to say for me , “Dangerous Liasons” is what got me hooked. The opening scenes with Glen Close and John Malkovich getting dressed left a big impression on me. I even did a project on 18th century fashion in high school many years later and I showed that exact scene from the movie.
I confess, Gone With the Wind got me started. I was 11 and made my first (ridiculously failed) attempt at making myself a corset after seeing it. I’m on the boat for Amadeus, as well, and whether it was strictly accurate or not, I drool over every dress in the movie Elizabeth.
But the thing that really grabbed me and made me need to sew was seeing The Phantom of the Opera onstage (multiple times!) at an impressionable age. I’ve sworn that one day I will make myself a full set of costumes from that show, when I can afford to begin collecting the necessary materials, because I can scrimp and cheat and use decent poly for a regular dress, but NOT for Phantom costumes! With half the costumes meant to be worn in the “play within a play” scenes, historical accuracy is less of a worry than usual. And although I love Christine’s graveyard dress most, with the Point of No Return costume a close second, I also need a couple of those sumptuous Degas ballet dresses, and a perfectly tailored tux, complete with wide brimmed hat, beaded velvet cape, and a tiny, round half mask, for my round little face. Hey, a girl never knows when she may need to kidnap and seduce a handsome young tenor, right?
No one has mentioned the house of Elliot TV series!!!! It is about almost nothing but dressmaking, and the lovely clothing from the movie little women and titanic has inspired me as well.
In Ever After, I was astonished at how much my eldest daughter looked like Drew Barrymore (and still does), and at how much I loved that movie and everything about it. I so love the vintage style of clothing of that era and other eras (up until the flapper era. Too much skin of naked arms and legs). “Wearable comfort” of a comfortable vintage styled dress is more to my liking but unless one is Amish, there is very little calling for wearing these beautiful gowns. I only feel sorry for ladies of that time during the blistering summer heat or an overheated party.
You had me at Green Gables! Grin! I loved the dress she wore to the gala! And the Blue one! Sigh. I know I’ve been told I use too many exclamation points. It’s hard not to! It never dawned on me that my love of fashion came from Cinderella, so kudos to you for helping me to realize it. The pink dress was always my favorite! lol Who doesn’t love the costumes from My Fair Lady? I always loved the one Eliza wore at Higgin’s mother’s house. Or the one she’s wearing when (Lovely) Jeremy Brett is walking her down the street. Sigh! Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century. I am not alone. My mom loves the wagon train era/Wild wild west while I love the Regency as well as the Edwardian eras. I still count Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth to be my favorite.
“The Scarlet Pimpernel” with Jane Seymore.
If you ever get a chance, you MUST see “Quality Street” with a very young Katherine Hepburn. Her Regency outfits are to die for! (Come to think of it, the very old Kate wore some die-worthy clothes in “Love Amid the Ruins.”)
I remember The Slipper and the Rose! Fabulous version on Cinderella, my cousin and I swooned over it. One of my favorite films for clothing is “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep. I absolutely adore her clothing in it. “Anna and the King” has some gorgeous dresses also. There are some great dresses in “Howard’s End” too, that I’d love to copy, if only my drafting and draping skills were up to it. Someday!
Many of the films you listed were (and are still!) also an inspiration for me. Another film that popped into my head after reading your post is the musical Gigi. I particularly love this dress among others in an afternoon promenade scene in Paris.
I didn’t come to sewing until adulthood, though I’ve always loved dressing up. So my biggest costuming movies are all much more recent: Ever After, Lord of the Rings, the Star Wars prequels. Although nothing makes me want to sew like Giselle cutting up curtains in Enchanted!
Errm, that should be “thankful”… I’ve not been sleeping well lately. LOL!
I’m sure there are more, but I can’t think of them right now — the main one that influenced me was Amadeus. It really made me realize that I wanted crazy-frilly things because c’mon! We can’t really dress like that even on special occasions, much less most days!
(and while I’m thanking I don’t *have* to dress up all the time, I definitely love to go overboard when I can) 😉