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"In a millennium the old 'swords and sandals' epics will be seen as actual Roman films, dating from the Roman period, as true documentaries on antiquity… But this is already our civilization. It is already increasingly difficult for us to imagine the real..." -Jean Baurdillard , 1996, Screened Out What Baudrillard suggests is that film costumes have the power to influence not only contemporary society or fashion but also history. The significance for costume in fashion and power can be understood in three main ways: -the power of costume to influence society and history -the power of costume to influence fashion -the power of costume to function as art, where roles and conventional boundaries are tested Above Annie Hall, costumes by Ruth Morely, influenced the Manhattan bohemian chic of the 70's. Above, David Bailey and designer Mary Quant and below Blow Up based on the actual fashion scene in London but also built up the myth and power of the subculture. Abov

By Chelsea Turner Heather Chandler’s costume of a power shoulder blazer, red shorts over white tights, crisp white blouse with broach closure and her iconic red scrunchie are iconic in this movie. The first time we see Heather at her ruling ground of Westerburg High in her powerful clique. Her on trend (at the time) and loud jacket communicate her authority and influence, not only over the less loudly dressed students but also over the other 2 Heathers and Veronica. The traditionally business plaid and double breasted style are also reminiscent of a forceful business man. Her red scrunchie and skirt is the symbol of her leadership status, as she states during a croquet match later that day, “I’m always red.” Later in the film, Heather Duke takes the same red schunchie and wears it, making the statement that she is now the most powerful Heather.

By Isabella Aballi Probably one of the most influential costumes ever to be placed in a film is Elizabeth Taylor's, Cleopatra. The historical epic directed by Joseph L. Mank iewicz and released in 1963 gave way to an iconic costume that would influence fashion for the many years to come. What is so influential about Elizabeth Taylor's representation of the Roman queen after Caesar's reign is that is affects not only fashion in the clothing sense but also in the category of accessories and makeup. There is no doubt that Egyptian inspired snake rings and arms cuffs are all in response to the costume that was presented in this 1963 epic. The gold jewelry and long maxi dresses with embelishments are still seen today in fashion igniting the image of an Egyptian woman (Cleopatra) or Roman goddess. The last element of Cleopatra's influence is the eye makeup. When women buy eye liner and mascara and eye shadows, the aim is to give the illusion of large rounded eyes which are a

By Isabella Aballi In studying the democratization of fashion, the emergence of high street fashion and "masstige" are current day contributors to it. There is an increasing ability to redefine the meaning and image of luxury . The fashion industry has developed the power to redefine luxury by creating a whole different branch of fashion: “new luxury . ” New Luxury is what results from high fashion luxury brands extending their companies to a wider consumer base through different strategies , the most effective one being: brand collabor ations ( Ginman ) . Through the examination of H&M ’ s designer collaborations , it becomes clear how the fashion industry , and specifically H&M as a brand , is attempting and successfully achieving to break from the high street branch of fashion and transcending into the realm of luxury fashion during the circulation of these collections while still maintaining their previous brand image that categorizes them as either high

- Barbara Leung Bryan Boy front and centre; image courtesy of fashionbombdaily.com In the discussion of the democratization of fashion, one cannot help but immediately refer to the emergence and acceptance of bloggers in the main current of the fashion industry. Blogs, in general, simply serve as an online format to communicate and present ideas, and have been on the rise of creation since 2005, with over 80 000 created per day during that time (Cantone). This insurgence of blogs has unveiled not only a subculture, but also hierarchical disruption in information dissemination and a new level of visual vicarious consumption. All of which leads to the question as to whether or not the fashion industry has been democratized, and has it been with the aid of the fashion blog. The discussion of subculture leads back to the early work of British media theorist Dick Hebdige. It is not so much the actual subculture that is of interest, but rather, the incorporation/recuperation of the fa

by Anne Grant Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), the protagonist of Mary Harron’s 2000 film adaptation of American Psycho, charmed both women and men with his lifestyle, good looks and sleek wardrobe. Bateman obsesses over his appearance, as made evident in his voice-overs throughout the film. In the iconic “raincoat scene,” Bateman slaughters his business acquaintance, Paul Allen, with an axe: Patrick Bateman : Paul Allen has mistaken me for this dickhead Marcus Halberstram. It seems logical because Marcus also works at P&P and in fact does the same exact thing I do and he also has a penchant for Valentino suits and Oliver Peoples glasses. Marcus and I even go to the same barber, although I have a slightly better haircut. Resolute to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and scrupulous with his presentation, Bateman embodies the consumerist 1980s Wall Street man. Though his actions are monstrous, he manages to look good—even when soaked in Allen’s blood. His wardrobe—the

By Nicolle D'Onofrio In the film Napoleon Dynamite, the main character Napoleon truly marches to the beat of his own drum. An unconcerned outcast, Napoleon's fashion consists of jeans and a graphic t-shirt featuring various mythological creatures. Wearing this "Vote for Pedro" t-shirt, Napoleon is standing up to the popular kids by supporting his equally outcasted friend, Pedro, in the run for class president. This t-shirt empowers Napoleon not only as a symbol of rebellion against the cool-crowd, but also as a symbol of solidarity. It is much easier for two pariah's to stand up to a bully than one, even if that bully seems to be the entire student body. Wearing this t-shirt, Napoleon shows his support for Pedro and feels empowered by this solidarity enough to do a final dance on Pedro's behalf in front of the entire student body. This costume represents the democratization of fashion by allowing even the most atypial character to express himself through fashi

by Michelle Marques Radio Raheem is an iconic character in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. His character in the film is a symbol of Black pride as racial tension s continue to mount during a sweltering summer in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Radio Raheem is never seen without his trademark "Bed-Stuy, Do or Die" t-shirt, "Love and Hate" four finger rings, African pendant, and oversized boom box. Radio Raheem's t-shirt and African pendant represents his unwavering pride for his hometown of Bed-Stuy and his African roots. This pride can be seen as he acts as a revolutionary in his neighborhood by protesting the lack of Black faces on the "Wall of Fame" at Sal's Famous Pizza. In the film, Radio Raheem uses his rings as a metaphor of the continuous struggle between Love and Hate in life. His rings also reflect his own inner struggle between the love he has for his neighborhood and black heritage and the hate he feels towards the racism of Sal, an Italian-

In the 2007 movie Atonement, each costume was carefully designed to not only embody the character’s personality, but also the period of the 1930s-1940’s in which the majority of the film takes place. The costume designer Jacqueline Durran designed all the costumes for Atonement as well as for the film Pride and Prejudice, and she was nominated for an Academy Award for both films. The most infamous costume from Atonement is the emerald green dress that Keira Knightly so elegantly wears close to the start of the film. The color, the style and the fit are all important in order to portray Keira Knigtleys character and perhaps foreshadow later changes in the film. It is important that the viewer remembers this dress, because it is the dress Cecilia Tallis wears the night her entire life changes along with the tone of the film. The emerald green color is striking, and the green and silk evoke connotations of wealth and aristocracy. One of the many theories is that the green also reflec