Top TV series to watch with best costumes
When I was studying at a fashion school, I wanted to be a costume designer. History of fashion was my favorite subject, and the opportunity to recreate period garments seemed quite appealing. My career goals changed, and I switched to ready-to-wear, but my love for costumes stayed. I must admit that I watch many shows and movies to see what the actors and actresses are wearing. Here is my list of top shows to watch now. As a bonus, they all have a leading female character:
Queen’s Gambit. Costume designer – Gabriele Binder.
I had such a personal connection with the show perhaps like many people from my homeland Kalmykia, known as chess republic. It hosted the 33rd Chess Olympiad in 1993 and the World Championship in 2006.
Without further ado, let’s talk costumes. Beth Harmon played by Anya Taylor-Joy was raised in an orphanage. She won chess tournaments one after the other and experimented with fashion. I enjoyed the overall consistency with duotones, color blocking, small and large scale plaids. A lot of attention was given to the above-the-board details with unusual necklines, collars, and shoulder elements. I read the opinion that there was a lot of reference to Prada, however, Binder mentioned that it was inspired by André Courrèges and Pierre Cardin. The abundance of chequered patterns reminded me of Louis Vuitton SS 2013 collection. The styling was impeccable and made Beth’s character complete.
Younger. Costume designers – Patricia Field and Jackie Demeterio.
Younger is back for its final season 7. I recognized Patricia Field’s style from her other famous work in Sex and the City and Devil Wears Prada. Each character has a unique look. The style evolution of the main heroine Liza (Sutton Foster) was quite noticeable throughout the seasons: the skirts became shorter, the colors got brighter, and the silhouettes shifted to more form-fitting. Her colleague Kelsey (Hilary Duff) rocked bohemian tops and dresses with skinny jeans and pencil skirts. They were coupled with a variety of luxury bags and jewelry. Liza’s roommate Maggie (Debbie Mazar) was dressed in more edgy fashions like trench coats, tailored pants, and button-up shirts in bold colors and prints. Another supporting character Diana (Miriam Shor) pulled off colorful prints and oversized necklaces. She wore extravagant looks from designers Emilio Pucci, Tom Ford, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Fending, and more. My absolute favorite look was designed by ThesePinkLips, available for purchase here.
Killing Eve. Costume designer – Sam Perry.
The three-season series took us through the relationship of an assassin and a security services agent. I am not usually a fan of thriller dramas, but I was intrigued by the storyline and the costumes. The leading character Villanelle (Jodie Comer) made a good living from killing people for hire and spends a good portion of it on clothing. I enjoyed her controversial style with stronger elements like tailored suites, masculine shoes, biker boots, and soft details such as dresses with ruffles made of sheer fabrics. Villanelle’s antipode Eve (Sandra Oh) chose more professional attire: suits with pants, skirts mixed with parka jackets, and business casual clothes. I also liked the fact that there were many British designers represented: Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, Olivia Von Halle, Charlotte Knowles.
Emily in Paris. Costume designer – Patricia Field.
No one was left indifferent to this show. It was either love or hate at first sight. Without going too much into details, I will say that the costumes were brilliant because they spoke louder than the storyline. Emily put on Christian Louboutin high heels on cobbled streets of Paris, a blouse with the Eiffel tower printed on it, a Chanel bag straight from the runway, a red beret, and a heart-shaped keychain with a tiny version of the Eiffel tower that almost gave a heart attack to a designer. Knowing Field’s humoristic approach, it was intentional, and I believe Emily’s style will evolve if the show continues beyond 2-3 seasons. I could not help but notice a couple of references to famous designers in the scene with the painting of the white dress (Alexander McQueen SS 1999) and Pierre Cadeau’s meme tulle dresses (Viktor and Rolf SS 2019). Let’s see what season 2 has to bring.
Bridgerton. Costume designer – Ellen Mirojnick.
I don’t know what was more refreshing, a modern take on Jane Austin’s novels or a multiracial cast. The costumes were stunning! According to Mirojnick, historical accuracy was not the goal. I think it was a good decision because, in the early 1900s, the predominant color was white and it would look repetitive on the screen. In the series, I saw the juxtaposition of two families: old money – the Bridgertons in pastel tones and nouveaux riches – the Featheringtons in jewel-colored attire. I was fascinated with the attention to detail, beading, embroidery, layering, and headpieces. The prominent figure in the series is Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). She is the epitome of the Rococo period with pannier skirts and elaborate wigs. I am excited about the next season.
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Costume designer – Donna Zakowska.
This show has had massive success. Miriam (Rachel Brosnahan) is a housewife turned comedian who jokes about her life as a wife, mother, and daughter. The clothing was selected with the best styles of the 1950s and 60s: hourglass silhouette, gloves, hats, and shoes. My favorite scenes were in the Pan Am terminal in NYC and the Golden Age of flying when traveling by air was a big occasion. I liked seeing bright colors, a mix of Dior New Look and Schiapparelli pink. On the contrary to the feminine Miriam, her manager Susie wears tough styles with baggy pants, suspenders, newsboy caps like borrowed from men's closets. Both of them look confident and ready to take over the world with an uplifting phrase “Tits up.”
On this positive note, there are many more series that deserve to be on the list. Leave a comment about your favorite show and what you recommend watching next.
Fashionably yours,
Modeliere