Stuff I Love: How to Dress Like a Woman

Ladies, I don't know about you but I honestly don't remember the day in school where they taught us how to dress like a woman. I recall the incredibly awkward day where all of us girls got to learn about getting our periods and feminine hygiene products (but not about how much money we'd have to spend on said products). If my memory is serving me properly, there was definitely a terrible video about the joys of being a woman and how our periods make us special or some such nonsense. I definitely remember sex ed class in high school. My health teacher was really excited when two of us, me being one of the two, got perfect scores on the test about pregnancy. Her exclamation, "You got a perfect score on your pregnancy test," still haunts me.

But I can't recall dress like a woman class. I would think if something was this important, so important that our president has issued some nonsense "decree" about women visiting the White House needing to dress like women, I would have learned about it in school. Right? Isn't that how this works? We weren't as concerned about grizzly bears roaming the halls back then so I would think my public school could have added "dress like a woman" classes. Thanks for nothing high school.

Most of my fashion choices come from one of following sources of inspiration:

• 80s and 90s teen movies (still even all this time later) and sometimes tv shows
• Rock stars I like
• Costume design reference books
• The children's section at Old Navy. For the patterns - seriously why don't they make an adult version of the dragonfly shirt? Am I the only one that feels this way? Don't answer that.

I'm not joking or trying to be cute. Most of my fashion inspiration does come from the movies. I think I speak for many women out there who grew up in the 1990s that I still crave Cher's closet from Clueless despite the fact that none of those clothes are right for me. My mother occasionally reminds me what a willful child I was when it came to wearing dresses, pink, and changing clothes multiple times a day. Mom, I'm sorry. Figuring out your personal style and the sort of statement you want to make with clothing takes a long time to accomplish. It's takes a lot of trial and error. It takes a lot of embarrassing combinations of oversized sweaters and stirrup pants (it's was the late 1980s). And it takes a lot of inspiration.

Continuing with Stuff I Love, let's grab some popcorn and a glass of your favorite movie-watching wine and settle in for a little fashion inspiration with from some of my favorite movie ladies who, in their own unique ways, taught me how to dress like a woman.

1. Andie in Pretty In Pink (1986): I have very strong opinions about the prom dress in this movie; most people who have seen this movie have very strong opinions on that dress. Even Ringwald hated it but it works in the context of the movie. What I love about Andie is her sense of self within her clothes. Her look was modern and retro at the same time; that's something I love to do myself. I can trace my love of thrift store sweaters to Andie. My favorite outfit was the gray one she wore on her first date with Blaine. I always thought she looked so sophisticated and very unlike any teenager I knew. She was who she was and her clothes helped tell that story...even that terrible prom dress. Pretty in Pink turned 30 last year and there was a great article about the costumes from the designer that I enjoyed very much. What's interesting about the movie is that if you look at it today, so many of the fashions are back. It's timeless in a way I don't think anyone ever thought it would be.
   
2. Jo Stockton in Funny Face (1957): I love this movie so much! It's a fashion movie wrapped around a mildly awkward love story between Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire set in a very hazy/dreamy 1950s Paris. What could be better?! Hepburn plays Jo, a bookstore clerk who is "discovered" by fashion photographer Dick Avery (Astaire) and becomes the new face of Quality magazine. The magazine whisks her off to Paris to launch spring fashions and we are treated to a fantastic fashion photo montage in front of the sights in Paris. Jo wants nothing to do with fashion but wants to go to Paris to meet her favorite philosopher and wear cigarette pants and dance tables in a jazz club (as one does). My favorite moment of the movie is when she's helping Dick set up one of the shots on the steps of the opera. It's so good. Audrey teaches us all many things when it comes to fashion but for me, this movie is really about taking a risk. Jo could have stayed a bookstore clerk but she took a chance with fashion and found something new. You literally never know where you clothes might take you.
   
3. Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (2001): We can learn much from Elle Woods: that you can never wear enough pink, sparkly bikinis are the law school admissions applicant must-have, the rules of hair care, how to be a true friend. As I've discussed previously, Elle is the perfect heroine to have as you approach adulthood. She's smart (although no one thinks so), she's kind, she goes after what she wants (even if originally it's just a dude who doesn't deserve her), and she knows how to get stuff done. Fashion-wise, Elle Woods and I could not be further from one another but what we share is the idea that fashion should empower you. Your clothes shouldn't be a hindrance or an afterthought. Women in positions of power, whatever those positions might be, embrace this idea. Look at someone like Michelle Obama; she used fashion so well while First Lady. She conveyed elegance, power, femininity, strength, and killer arms over and over again. She curated her fashion smartly just as Elle does throughout the movie. You don't have to wear that much pink to learn from Elle.
   
4. Allison Reynolds in The Breakfast Club (1985): Allison's transformation at the end of The Breakfast Club is the kind of movie moment that elicits very strong opinions from viewers years after watching the movie. Allison goes from the weird girl with "all that shit under your eyes" (eyeliner) to a mini-me version of Claire (Molly Ringwald) in what seems like only minutes. When I was younger, I was disappointed in Allison's makeover but I also understood why she did it. High school sucks, even if you enjoyed your experience. That's how I originally viewed Allison's makeover; a way to deal with the fact that high school sucks and she wanted it to suck a little less. I didn't love her motivation but I understood it. As I've gotten older and "wiser," I've re-watched the movie a few times and my opinion has changed again. I don't necessarily think Allison was dealing with the fact that high school sucks and she wanted to fit in a bit more. It was about trying on different personas as part of figuring out who she actually is. That's a huge part of growing up. Even if I didn't realize it when I originally watched the movie, Allison inspired me to do the same. I went through so many fashion phases in my youth: semi-goth, hippie flower child, trying too hard preppie, wearing too many floral patterns girl to get myself to where my fashion life resides today (a quirky librarian with mild punk undertones and a love of whimsical patterns). Maybe the following Monday, Allison reverts back to her original style of clothing. Maybe she figures out how to combine her style and Claire's style into one wonderful statement. Maybe she does something completely different. That is the best part of fashion: you can do whatever you want.
   
5. Marcy in The Matchmaker (1997): I love Janeane Garofalo. She's hilarious and talented and feminist and awesome. She was the best part of Reality Bites and made Mystery Men the delight that it is. My favorite of her movies from the late 90s will always be The Matchmaker. Marcy was everything I aspired to be as an adult (I was 17 in 1997): independent, funny, adorable, fashionable, and she had super cool job. She also got to go to Ireland by herself. This was all very exciting to me. Also, she eventually falls in love with a handsome and sort of dorky Irish guy; basically my romantic life goal. But it's her clothes that I love. I will always love the fashion of the 1990s. I'd sing "I Will Always Love You" to the fashion of the 1990s if that was something I could do. I love chunky shoes, skirt or dress with tights combos, awesome coats and jackets, vintage/thrift store chic. I still dress with these elements in my wardrobe because true love never dies. Marcy epitomizes this entire decade in one movie. I wanted that brownish/reddish (is it burgundy?) coat she wears on the ferry with Sean. I craved the dress she wears when stomping on the rental car. She wears scarves like a champ. Marcy was adulthood and independence and occasional poor choices all rolled into one. Every time I put on my three favorite skirts (two are striped, one is black) with brightly colored or black tights and throw on some chunky heels, I feel like Marcy. I also feel so very Mary Tyler Moore. 
   
6. Louise Bryant in Reds (1982): Valentine's Day is right around the corner. I'm not a huge fan of this holiday but my personal V-Day tradition is to watch Warren Beatty's sweeping epic, Reds. While it is a film about John Reed, the journalist who wrote Ten Days That Shook the World, it's also a movie about the love affair between Reed and Louise Bryant, also a journalist, that unfolds against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The movie is gorgeous to watch; the sets, the costumes, the story. Every piece of it works to form the story. The cast is stellar and I can't help but fall into the world of Reed and Bryant each time I watch it. Diane Keaton is stunning as Louise Bryant; she takes up so much space in every scene she's in I'm surprised other actors could handle it (but it's because they're all so good). Bryant was not always well liked in the circles she and Reed ran in; some felt she was no one or attaching herself to his fame but she had her own career and her own successes as a journalist. I have zero desire to wear the fashions of early 1900s but I can appreciate how Keaton's Bryant does. What I gained from her in this film is that confidence; you wear that fur coat and you wear it like a boss. That's how a woman dresses.
   
7. Dinky Bossetti in Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990): Everyone has their favorite Winona Ryder movie; mine is Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael. This movie is after Heathers and Beetlejuice but before Mermaids, Edward Scissorhands, and Reality Bites. Heathers is my second favorite but there's something about Dinky that wins over Veronica Sawyer every day of the week. Since I'm sure most people have forgotten this little gem, a quick summary: Dinky is your typical movie loner. She doesn't quite fit in her small town or her high school. She's adopted and she begins to believe that she's the secret child of a woman named Roxy Carmichael, who left town 15 years ago to become a movie star. Roxy announces she's coming back to town and Dinky sets out to prove Roxy is her mother. You can fill in the gaps with what happens next (or find it somewhere to watch; it's not on Netflix). Anyway, Dinky dresses exactly like I dressed in high school (for most of high school): oversized sweaters, weird shirts, and the same black shoes. Dinky didn't teach me to enjoy the comforts of baggy clothes. (PS: Baggy clothes are not the answer. They don't hide things, they make you look larger. Wear something form fitting but not tight that plays to your assets to truly feel comfortable. It took me a very long time to figure this one out.) She taught me about contrasts. Towards the end of the movie, Dinky dons a bubblegum pink dress and combat boots. It's so good. It's girly and feminine but also edgy and totally her. This where I learned to combine heavy boots with a whimsically patterned sweater or a breezy summer dress with a structured jacket (although I don't wear this anymore because I can't find a jacket I enjoy much). This is probably the fashion lesson I've carried with me the longest. All from a forgotten Winona Ryder movie. 

There is no one way to dress like a woman. One of the reasons I like fashion is because of its ability to push boundaries when it comes to personal expression. Clothes say a lot about a person whether they spend time thinking about it or now. I invest a lot of time into what I wear because I want to. It's not for anyone but me. If I spent time thinking about dressing for other people I'd never leave my house and most of my closet would be Spanx. I have zero for time for that. So whether it's my classic black skirt/purple tights combo, my unintentional Freddy Krueger sweater, or yoga pants, when I get dressed each day I know I'm dressing like me.

Pretty In Pink
Funny Face
Legally Blonde 
The Breakfast Club
The Matchmaker 
Reds
Welcome Home Roxy Carmichael

Lazy Movie Weekend: You got into Harvard Law?

What do I remember about 2001? It was the year I graduated from college and won a theatre department award (which was pretty cool). It was also the year that I moved to Hawaii to live with my parents because I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life. When you don't know what to do with your life, it's probably best to go back home to the people who love you most. And you know, live in paradise while you figure it out.

2001 was also the year that the world met Elle Woods. As portrayed by the amazingly talented Reese Witherspoon, Elle Woods is exactly the right heroine a person needs when approaching actual adulthood. When we meet Elle she is the picture of California, sorority girl perfection: blonde, tan, accessorized, and just about the nicest person you could ever want to meet. She's the president of her sorority and is anxiously awaiting a proposal from her "perfect" boyfriend, Warner. Elle's friends love her and she can spot a nasty saleswoman a mile away. Elle is on top of the world.

And then everything goes wrong. Legally Blonde is about a lot of things: female friendship, fashion, law school, how East Coast people are super mean, the power of a mani/pedi. When I re-watched the movie this weekend, I realized that it's also about figuring out what you want in your life especially when no one believes that you can be anything more than what's "expected" of you. That's the real power of Elle Woods; she becomes something that no one expected and she does it honestly and from the heart. It's refreshing and incredibly feminist. So let's grab an entire box of chocolates and some champagne and settle in for Legally Blonde.

1. The movie begins in the best way possible with the infectious "Perfect Day" by Hoku. She just happens to be Don Ho's daughter. This song occasionally pops into my head for no reason and then morphs with Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" which is a very different song.
2. There are so many things happening in the opening sequence it's hard to keep up. Elle's getting ready for her day, the sorority is coming together to celebrate her impending engagement, there's Clinque Happy perform (a staple for all women in the late 90s/early 2000s). 
3. Hey look it's Robin (Kimberly McCullough) from the soap opera General Hospital! My mom has watched GH forever and I watched it on and off when I was in high school. Robin Scorpio was my favorite character and I was surprised (and pleased) to see her pop up here. Also I love her hair.
4. The scene is the clothing store establishes Elle's smarts even if you don't realize it yet. 
5.  I need a line of friends waiting to help me leave the house everyday. That would be outstanding. 
6. Warner is the kind of guy that everyone thinks is a really great person but is really horrible. Elle's surprise at the course the dinner takes is best summed up with this line: "You're breaking up with me because I'm too blonde?"
7. Serena and Margot are right about one thing: mani/pedis are a cure all for everything. I have experienced this myself numerous times. There's something soothing and therapeutic about having your nails done. It's also where Elle hatches her brilliant plan: she'll just go to law school.
8. Y'all it's Agnes DiPesto from Moonlighting! Allyce Beasley was so wonderful on that show and she's great here too. Despite her misgivings about Elle's ability to get into Harvard, she never tells Elle not to apply. In fact, she tells Elle what she has to do to get in. 
9. Once Elle sets her sights on Harvard, there's no turning back. She's supported by her friends (her parents, not so much) and starts prepping for the LSATs and has a Coppola make her admissions video. Question: which Coppola? Any guesses? There are a lot of them so who do we think it is?
10. A perfect score on the LSAT is 180. Elle scored a 179. Just saying.
11. Given my experience in undergrad admissions, the Harvard Law School admissions committee is even funnier to me now than when I first saw the movie. I know that most high school students think all admissions decisions are made this way. "Aren't we always looking for diversity?" 
12. Everyone at Harvard is mean. Elle tells her adorable dog, Bruiser, "Don't be scared. Everyone will love you." It's as much for her as it is for him but it's just not true. No one likes her and they have no idea why "Malibu Barbie" is at Harvard. 
13. One of my favorite quotes (although I love orange): "Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed."
14. Elle's first day of law school outfit is amazing. She tones down the pink in favor of more "studious" greens and blues and even adds some glasses for good measure. I will say that her notebook/pen combo needed more work for someone who wants to be seen as a "serious law student."
15. Warner: You got into Harvard Law? Elle: What, like it's hard? 
    
16. Holland Taylor! It's a shame that she was on that horrible Charlie Sheen tv show but she is pretty great as Professor Stromwell. 
17. Enter Luke Wilson (my favorite Wilson brother) and Selma Blair. There are just too many great actors in this movie. Of course Emmett (Wilson) is a nice guy who tries to help Elle out and of course Vivian (Selma) is Warner's fiancee and the absolute worst.
18. If you are not a fan of Jennifer Coolidge then I don't know if we can be friends. She is hilarious in everything she's in including that Hillary Duff Cinderella movie. Paulette is my favorite character in the movie. We'll get to the bend and snap soon enough.
19. "Don't forget to bring your own Merlot." Avoid any party where this is part of the invitation.
20. Elle enters the party dressed as a Playboy Bunny. Now most of us would have hightailed (see what I did there?) out of that party upon realizing that it was not a costume party. But not Elle. She sized up the situation, stood tall, and owned it. We should all have the confidence of Elle at that party every day.
21. "I'm never going to be good enough for you am I?" and "I'll show you how valuable Elle Woods can be." are rallying cries. It's not about Warner anymore; it's about doing something for herself for a change. And doing it in an exceptionally great and Elle Woods way.
22. Y'all it's Carl from The Breakfast Club! Apparently he lives in a trailer in Boston. I guess that's better than a van down by the river.
23. Elle versus Warner in Callahan's class - it's a great moment where she proves she's smart and smarter than most of the people in the room. Watching the reactions of everyone else is the best part of this scene.
24. "Oh! And it's scented. I think it gives it a little something extra, don't you think?" Maybe pink, scented resumes are the way.
25. Callahan: "Do you think she woke up one morning and said, "I think I'll go to law school today?"
26. And then Elle gets one of the internship spots. She seems to be the only one of the interns that does anything. Best quote from this sequence: "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." Also, Ali Larter joins an already stellar cast (she is also amazing in the Resident Evil movies too) as Brooke Taylor Windham, fitness guru and possible murderess.
27. The Bend and Snap sequence: I need to know if anyone has ever successfully used this move. Elle's stats about it's effectiveness are pretty amazing but really ladies, does this work? Also, check out Elle's shoes in this scene. They are amazing (as is the majority of her wardrobe).
28. Another question: how does Elle actually get all of her "necessities" into the prison for Brooke? I don't think any of those items are on the approved list.
29. I've spoiled a lot of things here for you (you've had 14 years so deal with it) but I'm not going to tell you Brooke's alibi. It's for her to tell.
30. Lots of good relationship changes in the second half of the movie. Emmett continues to encourage Elle to be the best she can be; Elle and Vivian start on their path to friendship, and Warner shows how awful he actually is. And so does Callahan. 
31. As stereotypical as the scenes with Enrique are, it's a nice lead in to Elle becoming the lawyer we all know she is. Her intuition starts to open the case up a bit and seriously, Elle would never wear last season.
32. Raquel Welch and Linda Cardellini are also great as the ex-wife and stepdaughter. I love how Elle goes from unsure law student to fledgling lawyer in just a few minutes. "The rules of hair care are simple and finite. Any Cosmo girl would have known."
    
33. Fun Fact: Reese Witherspoon has 40 different hairstyles in the movie.
34. The final scene at graduation was added to the film after test screenings took place. Test audiences wanted to know what happened to everyone. Witherspoon was in England filming another movie so her part was filmed separately from the audience and then edited together. I've always thought Luke Wilson looked really weird in this sequence and I was right. He had already started filming The Royal Tenebaums and had shaved his head. He's wearing a wig. 
35. And of course, Elle proves that we can all get what we want if we work hard, don't lose faith in ourselves and others, and frankly, just be nice to one another. Let's end this the way we began with a "Perfect Day."

Like it's hard
Courtroom scene
Orange is the new pink
IMDB