Historical clothing that Hollywood has trouble with

[Panache]

Chasseur,

Great post. I was struck by this part

.... So leading men:

(1) Are normally in leather riding boots not buckled shoes (contrary to what Fletch says hollywood seems to think high boots are for men ) even when they no where near a horse (like on a ship or making rocking chairs...). I think Gibson's exterior use of leather garters and boots in "The Patriot" was again a way of making him look more "rustic and manly."

Another problem period that costumers refuse to get right in this respect for male attire is the court of Queen Elizabeth I. In movies, television programs, re-enactor/Living history events, and Renaisance faires no one will accept that riding boots were worn only when...riding (or at least outdoors)! The rest of the time at court the gentlemen donned slipper-like shoes that were worn with white hose and short pantaloons that emphasized the man's leg.

Because a modern audience refuses to accept that standards of masculine dress were different in different times and places they "modernize" it to make it look right to a modern audience.

Cheers

Jamie


P.S. I think you were a bit harsh on Mel Gibson's "The Patriot". This movie was costume-wise very acurrate....

...compared to Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" at least! lol

 

[Paisley]

Re: Dances with Wolves, one of the characters was a white woman who had been raised by Native Americans ("Stands with a Fist," I think they called her). Her hair looked like it was cut in layers, moussed and blow-dried.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Interesting thoughts in this thread. I have been costuming for a long time and find a lot of these perspectives very educational.

 

[jamespowers]

Re: Dances with Wolves, one of the characters was a white woman who had been raised by Native Americans ("Stands with a Fist," I think they called her). Her hair looked like it was cut in layers, moussed and blow-dried.

Sounds like a lot of work to do to make her look like she hadn't combed her hair in months.

 

[Paisley]

The Cher look wasn't in.

 

[jamespowers]

The Cher look wasn't in.

Has it ever been?!

 

[Paisley]

The 70s Cher look (straight, flat hair) but worn in braids would have made sense.

The big, layered 80s hair look does not make sense, unless that tipi in the background is a salon.

 

[jamespowers]

The 70s Cher look (straight, flat hair) but worn in braids would have made sense.

The big, layered 80s hair look does not make sense, unless that tipi in the background is a salon.

lol lol lol A tipi salon.
I could understand the straight flat beaded hair. It just reminds me too much of Bo Derek in 10. lol

 

[Paisley]

Speaking of beaded hair, I wonder if Caribbean pirates wore beads in their beards a la Jack Sparrow. And eyeliner. At least the bad teeth of the rest of the crew were probably spot on.

 

[jamespowers]

Speaking of beaded hair, I wonder if Caribbean pirates wore beads in their beards a la Jack Sparrow. And eyeliner. At least the bad teeth were probably spot on.

Well, we do know that Blackbeard braided his beard and used it to light canon fuses. No eyeliner but likely fairly bad teeth was present. [huh]
Jack Sparrow certainly looked dirty enough though. I swear I could smell him through the screen. *yucky* shakeshead :whistling

 

[AmateisGal]

On this same topic, another thing that has always driven me up the wall was the way Hollywood coiffed the women in WW II movies in the generation after the war. How many films made around 1960 do you see with Sophia Loren or Angie Dickenson (just thinking of Dr Newman MD, which was on last night) and they're wearing a totally up to date 60's bouffant? Yes, granted, a lot of the styles thought classy in 1943 were though of as frumpy as hell by 1960, but those hair styles just kill my suspension of disbelief for WW II flicks of the 50's and 60's.

Oh my gosh, this bothers me, too! And they do it ALL the time in those 60s films. I just can't figure out why they thought it was OK for the women to wear their hair like that. Sheesh. I guess you'd think someone would say, "Uh, wait a minute. They didn't have beehives back then, did they?" [huh]

 

[Fletch]

Sexy meant stylish and young, stylish and young meant up-to-date. I'm sure they thought of it as a necessary concession to the times, if they thought of it at all.

 

[1961MJS]

Speaking of beaded hair, I wonder if Caribbean pirates wore beads in their beards a la Jack Sparrow. And eyeliner. At least the bad teeth of the rest of the crew were probably spot on.

Hi

Was that supposed to look like eye liner, or was he supposed to look VERY VERY tired? Just guessin'.

Later

 

[Paisley]

Personally, I don't use eyeliner on my lower lids because it does, indeed, make me look tired. Your mileage may vary.

 

[LordBest]

This is rather what I mean about laziness and ignorance. A quick look at accurate historical outfits will show that they are not un-flashy and un-dramatic, quite the contrary. Even the peasants could dress in vivid colours, contrary to popular opinion.

4. Another word about cost. Hollywood accounting can excuse anything producers want, and excuses nothing they do not approve of. $10 million for flashy, dramatic wardrobe and an award-winning costumer is not a cost concern. $250,000 for un-flashy, drama-less wardrobe and a low-paid researcher is.

 

[Yeps]

This is rather what I mean about laziness and ignorance. A quick look at accurate historical outfits will show that they are not un-flashy and un-dramatic, quite the contrary. Even the peasants could dress in vivid colours, contrary to popular opinion.

Speaking from the poor 18th century colonial standpoint (really the only period on which I have any expertise) yes, they wore bright colors, but they didn't stay that bright. Especially red, that faded very quickly with period dyes, nonetheless, red garments were very popular. Blue was extremely popular, because the plans which produce the dye are very easy to grow.

 

[LordBest]

Quite so. The oldest major survival I know of is a padded coat of Charles VI (died 1422) extant in Chartres Cathedral (from memory). Going by contemporary illustrations it would have been a rich red, it is now more of an orange. Admittedly it's nearly six hundred years old.

Speaking from the poor 18th century colonial standpoint (really the only period on which I have any expertise) yes, they wore bright colors, but they didn't stay that bright. Especially red, that faded very quickly with period dyes, nonetheless, red garments were very popular. Blue was extremely popular, because the plans which produce the dye are very easy to grow.

 

[Puzzicato]

The 70s Cher look (straight, flat hair) but worn in braids would have made sense.

The big, layered 80s hair look does not make sense, unless that tipi in the background is a salon.

It'd have to be. There isn't a hedge to drag her backwards through for miles!

 

[swinggal]

Have a look at 'The Glenn Miller Story' some time. It was made in 1954 and it's portrayal of fashion in the 30s and 40s is basically non-existant. Even when I watched this as a kid I knew it wasn't right. June Allyson's clothes are straight out of the 50s as is her hair. The men's fashion is also very 50s looking.

The Benny Goodman story is the same. Check out Donna Reed's outfit in the poster.

I mean, I did love these movies as a kid and still like to watch them (despite the all the fashion and factual inaccuracies.) Many movies made in the 50s and 60s ABOUT the 20s to the 40s all seem to stick with the fashions and hairstyles from the year the movie is being made. Why was that I wonder? Did they not care about portraying recent history correctly?

 

[swinggal]

Re: Dances with Wolves, one of the characters was a white woman who had been raised by Native Americans ("Stands with a Fist," I think they called her). Her hair looked like it was cut in layers, moussed and blow-dried.

I know. In reality she would have had really long hair down her back and plaited like the rest of the women in the tribe so that she fitted in. I always thought she looked ridiculous.