Given Tier 3 restrictions and the general public proclivity for sitting on our backsides over Christmas, we thought it would be prudent to whip up a list of our favourite stylish winter films to get you through the next few weeks. From vintage Wes Anderson to a John Hughes classic via a wife-swapping drama in between, this list isn't your typical "most stylish" curation, but then it hasn't been your most typical year, so we're open to curve balls right now...
Fargo
NEWINGTON COAT |
BLENHEIM JUMPER |
JUDO TROUSERS KINGSLEY |
The Coen Brothers loosely based Fargo on a true story, which makes the plot even more chilling than it at first seems. Given that it's set in Minnesota (which the Coen's called "Siberia with family restaurants"), the style is all about the outerwear (filming took place in the winter of 1995, when the region was experiencing its second-warmest winter in 100 years, so a lot of the snow was actually artificial). Steve Buscemi steals the show as small-time criminal Carl Showalter in a Del Boy-esque shearling coat that he pairs with a rotation of various coloured fine-gauge roll-neck sweaters and high-waisted corduroy trousers. Not your typical bad-guy setup but then Showalter is not your typical bad guy. That moniker goes to his virtually mute sidekick, Gaear Grimsrud (played by Peter Stormare) who plays the part with a rather threatening floor-length leather coat that he pairs with an ungodly v-neck jumper. Carl Showalter for the win.
The Hateful Eight
BIB GRANDAD SHIRT |
BIB GRANDAD SHIRT |
GRANDAD SHIRT |
Apparently Robert De Niro once told Quentin Tarantino that “I find my character when I put on my shoes,” which in turn led Tarantino to henceforth go to every costume fitting, which must have made costume designer Courtney Hoffman's job on The Hateful Eight all the more interesting (read 'difficult'). Hoffman referenced the spaghetti westerns when putting together the wardrobe for this film in which eight strangers seek refuge from a blizzard. Central to this group is John "The Hangman" Ruth, played by a vintage Kurt Russell whose pinstripe 3-piece suit worn beneath what can only be described as a buffalo with sleeves, is every bit the sartorial masterpiece. But with all that said, the suit and the coat just wouldn't quite be framed in the same rough and ready way without the edition of Ruth's grandad collar shirt, which turns the whole ensemble from tailored to slightly terrifying. The addition of this classic workwear piece is a sign that for all of Ruth's fine tailoring, the man means business.
Cool Runnings
TALBOT ROLL NECK |
BRITTEN CARDIGAN |
SLIM FIT JOGGER |
Loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsleigh team's debut in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canada, Cool Runnings is a heartwarming tale of against-the-odds determination, camaraderie, and acceptance. But it's also the canvas for some slick athleisure combinations, the best of which occurs in the bathtub scene, where we see olive green Adidas track pants artfully combined with a vibrant red roll-neck at one end, punctuated by a stunning yellow ribbed crew neck jumper at the other. Mixing classic knitwear with contemporary sportswear? Cool Runnings was only about 20 years ahead of the game.
Rushmore
SOLMS JACKET PENTON |
PLEAT TROUSERS PENTON |
 ETON COLLAR SHIRT COOPER BURNT ORANGE |
Wes Anderson's greatest movie? It's hard not to put Rushmore (1998), the screwball comedy tinged with sadness, at the top of Anderson's esteemed list. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) and Herman Blume (Bill Murray) engage in a back and forth war of pranks as part of a love rivalry. Rosemary is the trophy, but really, it's the costume that is the real gold. The sartorial nadir comes courtesy of Max's rich green corduroy suit which he wears in a faux intellectual manner, replete with red beret. Anderson himself is a corduroy acolyte so it's no surprise to see this excellent rendition on the shoulders of Schwartzman, whose character pairs it with a questionable gold shirt and matching bow tie. Herman Blume on the other hand adopts a look more befitting his age - classic single-breasted suit with a sky blue shirt and tie straight out of corporate America. (As an aside, Murray only made about $9,000 from actual acting in Rushmore? He took a massive pay cut to help the film get off the ground. What's more, when Disney refused to pay for a helicopter for one of the scenes, Murray paid for it from his own pocket with a cheque to the tune of $25,000. Anderson never cashed it, holding onto it as a memento.)
The Ice Storm
LINFIELD JACKET |
LINFIELD JACKET |
BUFFALO JACKET |
Ang Lee's ennui-laden film of Rick Moody's novel of the same name shines an uncomfortable light of on the angst-ridden emotional blackhole that was upper middle-class America in the 70s. The story centres on the interaction between two dysfunctional families - the Carvers and the Hoods, who attempt to find meaning in the mundanity through extramarital affairs, sexual experimentation and copious amounts of alcohol. The 70s being the 70s, the wardrobe is reflective of a pretty uninspiring period in menswear, with Kevin Kline concealing his mid-life crisis in the uniform of corporate servitude. The real gem however is Sigourney Weaver's character Janey Carver who wears her sexual predation like a badge of honour. Style props must also go to Elijah Wood for a shearling-lined check trucker jacket - one of the few things we'd happily take back from the 70s.
The Shining
TALBOT ROLL NECK |
NEW YORK SPECIAL |
COWBOY JACKET |
Although Jack Torrance's grip on reality gets progressively weaker throughout Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name, his wardrobe actually improves somewhat. Torrance, played by the inimitable Jack Nicholson, begins the film wearing a pretty awful grey notch-lapel suit with a green gingham shirt and forest green tie in order to impress during his interview for his role as caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. It's only when he gets settled into the new position that we see him pull out a fisherman-style navy blue ribbed turtle neck that would be a welcome investment in any modern wardrobe. But it's his final outfit that proves most memorable, not least because it features in the film's most terrifying scenes but also because its a neat summation of Americana classics - the iconic jeans, the navy and red windowpane check shirt, and the pièce de résistance - that burgundy corduroy jacket, which was actually one of Jack Nicholson's own personal pieces, designed by Margaret Howell.
Home Alone
BLENHEIM JUMPER |
ZIP THROUGH CARDIGAN |
WORKER TROUSERS |
It's admittedly rare that one would countenance taking style advice from a mouthy Chicagoan eight year-old, but in this instance we have to swallow our collective pride and conclude that we could learn a thing or two from Kevin McCallister. Written and produced by the legend that was John Hughes, Home Alone sees Kevin, played by Macauley Culkin, try to fend off the persistent efforts to burgle his home by Harry and Marv, the not-so-notorious "Wet Bandits". Left to his own devices, Kevin concocts all manner of painful traps to thwart the robbers and defend his home. He also manages to dress himself pretty well, which as any parent will recognise, is quite the feat for an eight year-old boy. Although we witness Kevin's exemplary rotation of pyjamas (replete with contrast piping) - a loungewear highlight - it's his rust red crew-neck jumper that wins the plaudits. Classic in cut, with a multi-tone weave, he pairs it with just the peep of a yellow shirt and a pair of khaki green docker pants. Contemporary workwear at its simplest.