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
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- Cabinet des Modes 1785
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- 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
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- Mrs. Daniel Denison Rogers (Abigail Bromfield) by Copley, 1784
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- 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!