
You know, sometimes the world can be a crappy, stressful place. And when it is, I like to remind myself that there’s still beauty in the world. One way that I do that is to revisit historical costume movies that have particularly great costumes, and to focus in on the visuals in a way that helps me tune out the noise of the world. Given the state of things these days, I thought I’d take you along with me for an in-depth look at the luscious, elegant, and completely spot-on late 1780s hats and headwear of The Affair of the Necklace (2001).
We’ve podcasted about this film, and while it has its problems in terms of casting and storytelling, the costumes (designed by Milena Canonero) are stand-up-and-cheer fabulous. And because this is an era where the main focus of fashion was on hats and headwear, they’re always the thing that catches my eye when I watch the film. Let’s take a look at as many of the things-on-heads as I could find pics of and/or screencap, and compare them to images from the period! Because when you can’t stop screencapping the extras, you know the costumes are damn good.
Jeanne St. Remy de Valois in Affair of the Necklace
Trial


Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1790
Visiting the Minister


Gallerie des Modes 1786
Boating


Magasin des Modes 1787
Church


Cabinet des Modes 1785
Hunting

Exchanging Letters


Cabinet des Modes 1785
Back at Court


Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1786
Tea With the Cardinal


Lady Folding a Letter by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1784
Market


Portrait of Henrique de Meneses (1727-1787), Marquis of Louriçal and his family, c. 1783
Going Home


Gallerie des Modes 1783
Dancing

Hall of Mirrors (cut scene)


Gallerie des Modes 1785
Reading

Marie-Antoinette in Affair of the Necklace
First Stage Costume



Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1790
Reception #1

- Cabinet des Modes 1785
- Marie-Antoinette by Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1783
Church


Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1786
Gardens


Cabinet des Modes 1786
Reception #2

At the Pool


Gallerie des Modes 1785
Cranky


Portrait of the family of Jan van Loon by J. de Fouw, 1786
Nicole Leguay d’Oliva in Affair of the Necklace
In the Streets


Cabinet des Modes 1786
Trial

Extras & Bit Parts in Affair of the Necklace
Princesse de Lamballe’s Bonnet


Gallerie des Modes 1783
Princess de Lamballe at the Pool


Gallerie des Modes
Madame Pomfré


Gallerie des Modes 1783
Lace


Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1788
Gold


Princess Elisabeth by Adélaïd Labille-Guiard, 1788
Chicks in a Boat


Gallerie des Modes 1783
Another Chick in a Boat


Cabinet des Modes 1786
Slightly Older Ladies in Yet Another Boat
Maid


Gallerie des Modes 1783
Here for Religious Instruction


Gallerie des Modes 1785
She Who Holds the Dog

- Mrs. Daniel Denison Rogers (Abigail Bromfield) by Copley, 1784
- Gallerie des Modes 1785
She Who Skedaddles When the Cops Show Up


Journal des Luxus und der Moden 1790
Rando in the Hall of Mirrors


Gallerie des Modes
Boys in Affair of the Necklace
Okay, so I wasn’t as thorough here, but then I never am!
Cardinal Louis de Rohan Avec Tassel

Cardinal Rockin’ the Red


Cabinet des Modes 1786
Count Nicolas De La Motte


Cabinet des Modes 1785
Mad Hatter Count


Gallerie des Modes 1787
Count in the Hall of Mirrors (cut scene)

Rétaux de Vilette

Which is your favorite hat or headdress in The Affair of the Necklace?
I know it’s another film and another era altoI digether, but I think one of the best “hat films” is Death in Venice. I didn’t like the film at all when I first saw it, but I LOVED the costumes – and especially the ladies’ spectacular Edwardian hats which I feel completely stole the film and blew everyone else off the screen before stabbing them to death with their fabulous hatpins. I should really give it another go, but I thought it was a rather boring, slow film and only the hats kept me watching!
Reading this, a movie that really should exist popped into my head. “Fabulous Hats: The Black Church Story.”
Well, there was a book published in 2000 on the topic, “Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats” by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry:
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/35685/crowns-by-michael-cunningham-and-craig-marberry/9780385500869/
which in turn, got adapted two years later into an off-Broadway play by Regina Taylor, “Crowns: A Gospel Musical”:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=876404
Taylor’s play has been quite popular in regional theater for about 15 years now, so maybe it’s time for a film version? :)
Good to know. I’m mostly familiar with the church hat calendar by grandmother got one year.
I love Out of Africa for the hats and costumes. Have you reviewed that film?
It’s on my shortlist!
Spectacular post! Ugh, the bonnets here are just too good for words. Thanks for a perfect remedy for Monday morning blues. :)
Fantastic hats for sure! But… Towel, heehee!
The stacked bows on She Who Skedaddles When the Cops Show Up are KILLING me.
I KNOW! I’ve been wondering why I’ve never thought of that!
I’ll take one of each please!
I believe the actress you credited as Lamballe was actually playing Madame Campan.
They’re truly amazing! I have one not hat-related question though..are the sunglasses in the Gardens shots period appropriate, or were those shots taken off set?
That image is in the movie, and tinted glasses did exist in the 18th century, but there’s no evidence that I know of that Marie-Antoinette wore them. I researched & wrote an article about historical eyeglasses for Your Wardrobe Unlock’d (& I really should repost it on my own site!) & found that very few women wore eye glasses of any type in public. They were associated with age & illness, & tinted lenses specifically were associated with disease until the late 19th & early 20th century.
This makes me want to make hats all day!