Well, I made it through three more episodes of Dangerous Liaisons, the 2022 Starz reboot/prequel to the late 18th-century novel that has been adapted several times before. The characters continue to irritate me, while the costumes continue to impress. So I can report without emotion that it’s been cancelled and there won’t be a season 2, despite previous announcements that it had been renewed.
Before I get into the costumes, I need to talk about Shitty Curtsies, which will someday be a Snark Week post. Because Alice Englert as Camille, who is pretending to be upper class, constantly does these overly elaborate (and not in a good way), skirt-spreading, butt-sticking-out-and-down curtsies that are just awful. Between these and her inability to manage a big hoop without hoiking her skirts around galumphingly, there’s NO WAY she would read as aristocratic to everyone else around her.
Camille’s curtsies start like this…
… and end like this.
We generally give an out on skirt-hiking for walking over uneven ground, but watching Camille and actual-aristocrat Christine de Sevigny tromp through the forest like lumberjacks gave me the dry heaves.
At the masquerade ball, Camille constantly picks up her skirt/hoop and wrenches it around. NOPE.
On to the costumes (designed by Andrea Flesch)…
Camille’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
This jacket ensemble was SUPER cute with the tricolored fringe!
I kind of wish they’d gone less beige for the main color, but that’s a personal thing. Also, I like the wide tabs across the bodice, but there should be something below the waistline too. Note her hat has matching fringe!
RIDING HABITS are always fabulous, and finally the cute little tricorns are historically accurate!
According to designer Flesch, “One of her most special looks is a white organza dress decorated with flowers and birds. I took the pattern from an original piece, and it took two months to create because it’s all hand-painted” (A Closer Look at the Sumptuous Costumes in the New Dangerous Liaisons Prequel). The motif is lovely, but the fabric is overly sheer and doesn’t work as the française it has been made into (see the featured image at the top of this post, where she looks like she’s wearing a shower curtain).
This show GETS SATIN, and adding that standing collar to Camille’s masquerade dress was chef’s-kiss!
The inspiration? The Comtesse d’Egmont Pignatelli in Spanish Costume by Alexandre Roslin, 1763, Minneapolis Institute of Art
I didn’t love the masks at the masquerade, however. I get the symbolism — Camille is a fox, Jacqueline is a lamb. But those noses are very phallic!
Another cute ivory dress, but those back pleats are super wide and not terribly flattering as a result. Even English nightgowns don’t have that wide of a center back, and robes à l’anglaise DEFINITELY don’t!
Let’s narrow those pleats, baby! Robe à l’Anglaise, 1776, British, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
But I like the fringe and the collar!
Camille’s flashback maid ensemble…
very much reminds me of this…
Caraco and petticoat, Palais Galliera, 1785
Her hair continues to veer between bridal curls and side ringlets…
and more period-appropriate updos with powder.
Ondine de Valmont’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
THIS SHOW GETS SATIN. I think they are underlining the FUCK out of it, but it’s gorgeous!
Loved the color combo on Ondine’s riding habit, but I don’t get the open-front skirt, which just wasn’t done. Skirts are all the way around, while your DRESS can be open over it, but you wouldn’t have an open overskirt AND a jacket.
They’re doing elaborate updo’s on Ondine and I am here for it!
Loved the ribbons and braids here.
She’s doing a lot of hanging ringlets behind the ears, and the actress has the neck for it.
Madame Berthe’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
Why isn’t she just Rose Bertin, who she’s clearly modeled after, especially given the show isn’t afraid to call the hairstylist Monsieur Leonard?
All of her outfits seem to be the same longer jacket with angled robings/turnbacks. It’s cute, but they should mix it up given she’s a marchande de modes!
Jacqueline de Montrachet’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
According to Flesch, “we made quite similar white dresses from different white fabrics. They’re incredibly detailed, and she also had these big hats and veils. There’s also a black cross which she always wears, which is an original piece from the period. For one scene at the opera, we swapped it for a gold cross” (A Closer Look at the Sumptuous Costumes in the New Dangerous Liaisons Prequel).
That being said, I’m already bored by seeing Carice van Houten always in white.
This colorful embroidery on her fichu made me excited!
And look at her, going all HOOOOR red for the masquerade!
Which I’m thinking was inspired by this fashion plate featuring Marie Antoinette in the Gallerie des Modes.
Henri de Montrachet’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
Satin, people! Although I kind of think you might want to wear an apron or something if you’re doing tumor-removal surgery?
Emilie de Sevigny’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
We’ve found our back-lacing dresses! And lots of boning showing through — #NeedsMoreInterlining
See?
Now she’s in the same dress, but in pink!
Not just back-lacing, but metal grommets!
Hey! She actually gets a front-opening dress for her engagement party!
And her riding habit with red gloves was super cute, even if…
… I’m pretty sure they stole the look from an American Duchess ad.
Back in blue — same dress with new bows?
Christine de Sevigny’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
Her hair is also great, although I totally think they’re doing that more 1780s shape for less formal…
… and more 1770s high shape for more formal.
Actress Lucy Cohu does NOT have the neck to pull off all of these behind-the-ear ringlets.
Princesse de Lamballe’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
So far only two brief appearances, but I LOVE the sorbet colors, the metallic embroidery, and the cutaway front gown!
Flesch says she was inspired by the paintings of Alexandre Roslin, and I can totally see that in this look.
Like this: Portrait of Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Maria Feodorovna (1759-1828) by Alexandre Roslin, c. 1777, via Wikimedia Commons
Chevalier de Saint Georges’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
All the guys continue to look great, but the only real standout to me was the embroidery on the Chevalier’s masquerade suit.
Ariadne & the Prostitutes’ Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
aka suddenly we ran out of budget and had to get our wigs and necklaces on AliExpress?
Marie Antoinette’s Costumes in Dangerous Liaisons
The queen.
My face.
Are you watching Dangerous Liaisons on Starz? What are you thinking?
Ha ha shitty curtsey, twin sister to skirt-hiking :)
It looks like a kindergarten curtsey
SERIOUSLY
Wow Marie Antoinette made it to 75, good for her!
Ha! Her hair is also 5-10 years in the future?
Yeah, when they put rotten swans on their heads!
You will notice that the swan wears a pearl necklace too ^^
What have they done to poor, poor Antoinette??? Nico is quite correct that she looks ancient and why the dead swan on her badly powdered head? Why? Surely she would be in her late twenties/early thirties here… tops! I know that it is supposed to be a masquerade scene but why the overly puffy, overly pleated skirts – over not nearly wide enough, weirdly shaped panniers – the awful ermine stole and the drag queen necklace??? I am quite overcome and need a drink!
He, He, He… exactly!
I’ve watched a lot of 18th century films, and I don’t remember the dresses/gowns being so unflattering to the female figure as I have in these images. Beyond seeing the form of their stays through the backs of their dresses, they made their hips so wide. And it’s not panniers causing it. Is it just me?
I have realized that this doesn’t run on the same timeline as the original film, so panniers weren’t really a thing anymore. I still think they did some of these women dirty by the styles of the dresses.
I absolutely love Ondine De Valmont & her costumes. I’m glad it’s not the same whitewashed historical show as always, I’m just glad the aristocratic black people are there in Dangerous Liaisons and part of the story without comment, because the first Europeans came straight from Africa (aka the Grimaldi people, look it up) and even the English have admitted the first Europeans were black people (La Brana, look it up.) Sooner or later the story of how European imagery became so whitewashed over the last 200 years will come out, but the fact that black Europeans existed and can’t be hidden forever, especially the fact black Europeans were royals and aristocrats. Every medieval image of a black European dressed as royalty or part of the aristocracy certainly isn’t of “St. Maurice” or some servant or slave (realhistoryww .com.)
Didn’t Marie Antoinette die at 37? I don’t get this Marie Antionette.
Didn’t mean to write this as a reply to Colleen’s comment. It’s a stand alone comment.
I don’t know the series. The photos are looking like a mixed bag. Some unneccessary characters which obviously are not in the book. Some costumes are looking good and some very strange such as the small tricorne-hats on the women. The pipe in open air is looking strange too.
I can’t understand why it seems to be so difficult to just make a series about the book which has enough of scenes/aspects for 4-6 episodes without any new characters and especially without Marie Antoinette.
It’s based on what happened before the book. Why not try actually watching it before making comments.
This show has no one to root for or care about for me. It is hard to stay with it. I do not like Camille at all, which makes it harder. Am only watching for the costumes and the era…which at least looks real enough most of the time.
I absolutely love Ondine De Valmont & her costumes. I’m glad it’s not the same whitewashed historical show as always, I’m just glad the aristocratic black people are there in Dangerous Liaisons and part of the story without comment, because the first Europeans came straight from Africa (aka the Grimaldi people, look it up) and even the English have admitted the first Europeans were black people (La Brana, look it up.) Sooner or later the story of how European imagery became so whitewashed over the last 200 years will come out, but the fact that black Europeans existed and can’t be hidden forever, especially the fact black Europeans were royals and aristocrats. Every medieval image of a black European dressed as royalty or part of the aristocracy certainly isn’t of “St. Maurice” or some servant or slave (realhistoryww .com.)
Didn’t Marie Antoinette die at 37? I don’t get this Marie Antionette.