9 thoughts on “Bessie (2015)

  1. I am SO looking forward to this. I love Bessie Smith’s music and I’m always interested in seeing a woman who’s around my size in a costume drama! Queen Latifah has always been a fashion role model for me. She’s a large woman who is (and is usually portrayed as) attractive, confident and in control. That is far too rare.

  2. Was excited to see the trailer for this movie just the other day. Love this period, the music, a good woman-centric biopic, etc. Although the costume designer appears to have cheated a bit with Ma Rainey’s burgundy colored dress [3rd still from the top] — it sure looks like the “Titanic” dress by Nataya brand.

    1. A few shortcuts, true true. I expect that some (many? all?) of the beaded gowns are also purchased — but they must have been altered bec. they fit well & are quite flattering. Not easy to achieve off-the-rack for 1920s & especially not above a size 10 (I speak from unfortunate experience).

  3. The costumes look really good. One question though– do you think they’re wearing modern bras under their dresses? It kind of looks like they are, though I’m not sure…

  4. Watching this now. More bad Hollywood meets Halloween costuming. Cheap and cheesy. Propagating the feather boa and evening glove mythology thought to be typical of this period. Anything sparkly goes in this film, the uglier the better.

  5. Ok I have been watching this on an off all week. Its on repeat on HBO. I feel like the costuming is a off the wall which bugs me some of them are really good and then some I am like WTH is she wearing? NO NO NO!!!!!! I need to actually watch it fully threw because I missed a lot of these costumes. I really didn’t like the one scene where you can see the brand tag on the cloche she is wearing with this repro dress (Betting its stop staring or betty page ect.) that has an obvious zipper up the back. I can tell you most of the beaded evening gowns are definitely reproductions. Its pretty easy just from all my years doing deco to see what is real vintage or specially made items compared to modern or repro. I thought the cross dress scenes were done super well. Its also some of the accessories that are making certain outfits stand out bad. Like everything Queen Latifah has on in the first screen shot is new and the accessories are terrible look like they came right out of forever 21 or charming Charlie. My second issue is her wearing an evening dress with a boa during the day! WRONG WRONG WRONG. Some of her head wear got a little Halloween party store for me. I always find it funny that the extras or minor characters like Lucille will be better dressed historically than the leads will.

  6. I find these costumes painfully bad. Cliché 1920’s wear – Feather headbands, gloves, spangles and unnecessary overuse of pearl necklaces. It looks cheap and tawdry. The hats look like something from a bargain store trimmed with a discount ribbon. Nothing matches, it looks like the actors fell into a theatrical wardrobe and walked out with whatever they happened to find. I cant see one sign of any thought or direction in these costumes..

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