As a professional stylist, my favorite visual and literary content usually has a strong fashion component. I’m a sucker for a great story, but I’m even more enthusiastic when the characters are wearing fantastic clothes. I also love to learn about people with unique viewpoints on fashion or whose lives have influenced the way we think about style. Lucky for me, there are plenty of options on television, movie screens, and bookshelves at the moment. Here’s a list of what I’m watching and reading now.
The Watchlist
This year has been a boon for fashion aficionados like me. I am loving the many biographical drama television series about famous European couturiers, but am also happy to see so much content with outstanding costume design. Here is an alphabetical list of my favorites so far, by category. I’ll include upcoming releases.
Biographical dramas, documentaries and biopics about couturiers
- Cristóbal Balenciaga – biographical drama series about the founding of the legendary House of Balenciaga
- High & Low – John Galliano – biopic about the rise, fall, and resurrection of one of the greatest fashion designers of his generation.
- The Mysterious Mr. Lagerfeld – documentary about an elusive, divisive, and brilliant fashion designer.
- The New Look – biographical drama series about the rise of French couture and the reinvention of fashion ideals following the second World War.
Costume dramas
- Dune; Part Two – blockbuster movie featuring an attractive cast and outstanding costume design.
- Feud: Capote vs. The Swans – TV mini series about a particularly wealthy and stylish group of women who exemplify the “Ladies Who Lunch” trope of the 1960’s in New York City’s Upper East Side.
- Palm Royale – TV mini series set in Palm Beach in the 1970’s featuring “more is more” costuming and set design
- Shogun – TV mini series remake of the 1980’s classic featuring historically relevant costuming (minus the geisha’s broken feet)
- The Regime – TV mini series with a leading lady who is almost a caricature of a “power dresser” and an oddly whimsical esthetic in terms of set design.
The Reading List
I love a good read, or should I say, a good listen. I always buy fashion related books because I love the images. Given my on the go lifestyle, however, it’s often easier for me to listen to them on Audible when the title is available. Here are the books with fashion centric content that I have or will be “reading” this spring.
- Audrey in Paris – a beautiful homage to the time Audrey spent in one of her favorite cities
- The Times British Royal Fashion – a look at the personal style of the royals
- CBK – a well documented overview of the life and style of Caroline Bessette Kennedy
- How To Be Old – a personal memoir by sexagenerian fashion influencer Lyn Slater
- Living Beautifully in Paris – a journey through the Paris of Dior Couture PR director Mathilde Favier.
I hope you find something that interests you on one of these lists. Let me know if you have any other suggestions, and as always, please feel free to reach out with any styling or sourcing questions here.
