Saturday 4 February 2012

Girls on film: Pretty in Pink

prettyinpinktitle

I'm going to warn you now, this is going to be a very image heavy post. Once you start capping, it's difficult to stop.... Anyway, I'm continuing my series on filmic style inspiration with another classic (in my book, anyway): Pretty in Pink. I really love John Hughes and I often refer to his Brat Pack films of the 80s as 'when teen films were good'. Don't get me wrong, there've been exceptions in recent years. Mean Girls is of course incredible, as is Clueless, Election, Easy A... but for every Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, there are ten John Tucker Must Die's - a film that still haunts me to this day.

Moving on. I'm not necessarily a big fan of 1980s fashion - shoulder pads, neon, obscene amounts of sequins - but the new romantics/new wave style is one thing about the era that does really appeal to me. And I always appreciate fearlessness when it comes to wearing what you want and not letting anyone tell you it looks stupid. And that ethos is perfectly embodied by Molly Ringwald's Andie.

prettyinpink1

I mean, just look at those glasses. If that's not fashion bravery, I don't know what is. Pretty in Pink is entirely based on the whole poor-girl-meets-rich-boy trope but Andie isn't the kind of girl to let lack of funds get in the way of looking good. She buys from thrift stores and makes her own clothes, mixing styles that really shouldn't work together and just makes it work. The film opens with a montage of her getting ready for school in the morning to 'Pretty in Pink' by The Psychedelic Furs (see what they did there?) and it's so incredible that I've capped every shot. It's just that good.

prettyinpink2

prettyinpink3

prettyinpink4

prettyinpink5

prettyinpink6

prettyinpink7

prettyinpink8

prettyinpink9

prettyinpink10

prettyinpink19

"Turn around, let me see this outfit. Is this your latest creation?"
"Uhuh."
"My God, what did that cost you?"
"Oh, about 15 dollars for the shoes - second hand - and I made the rest."
"Unbelievable!"

prettyinpink12

prettyinpink13

prettyinpink14

prettyinpink15

prettyinpink16

prettyinpink17

prettyinpink18

"Where'd you get your clothes? The five and dime store?"

But the cool dress sense doesn't stop with Andie; her best friend Duckie (played by man who isn't Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer) is also exceptionally good at the whole it-shouldn't-work-but-it-really-does style of dressing. This boy is basically a walking tutorial on how to mix prints and fabrics and look fierce whilst doing it. He also spends the entire film wearing that trilby (Trilby? Fedora? I'm not entirely sure) and the John Lennon-style round sunglasses. Amazing.

prettyinpink20

prettyinpink21

prettyinpink22

The prom is the cornerstone of most films set in American high schools and Pretty in Pink is no exception, featuring the greatest getting-over-your-man-whilst-making-your-own-prom-dress montage in film history (although, admittedly, that may be a rather small category):

prettyinpink23

prettyinpink25

prettyinpink26

prettyinpink27

And Duckie's prom outfit is incredible. Just look at the shoes!

prettyinpink28

prettyinpink29

If you haven't seen the film, I suppose you will have assumed from the way I'm writing that Duckie is Andie's only romantic interest. Unfortunately, he isn't. There's also this other guy. He's all rich and he has floppy hair and I hate him. This might be my long standing crush on Duckie talking, but I seriously don't understand why Andie would even consider this guy:

prettyinpink30

When she had this guy waiting for her all along:

prettyinpink31

COME ON!!

I also just wanted to add a few images of Andie's bedroom, which is pretty incredible. I noticed how cool it was much more on this viewing than I have before, probably because the stupid rules in my stupid uni halls means that I can't put things on the wall or change the curtains or do anything at all to make my room look less anonymous. It's all very depressing. So I'm living vicariously through the bedrooms of fictional characters in 80s teen movies.

prettyinpink32

prettyinpink33

prettyinpink34

Andie is also the kind of girl who lounges around in a silk kimono. I feel like there's nothing else I can do to convince you of her intense coolness - although I will leave you with a Polyvore set of Andie inspired items.

prettyinpinkpolyvore

2 comments:

  1. This post is possibly my favourite of all the posts that ever there were on the internet. THIS FILM. The clothes! And I absolutely agree with you on the Duckie front. Andie, you idiot, there's really no contest! Also a reference to Clueless (a future Girls on Film post, perhaps?)...ah, this post is the best.

    Emily Wears Things
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. LOVE pretty in pink. i genuinely think if you merged duckie and steff you'd get the perfect guy. ALSO, i want that blue cardigan so badddddd! x

    ReplyDelete