A DELIGHTFUL SCENE in the new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” depicts the four March sisters cavorting on a New England beach dressed in their summer finery: floral calico fabrics, pie-crust collars and peplums. This quartet of billowing Civil War-era frocks was costume designer Jacqueline Durran’s favorite moment in the film (coming Dec. 25), written and directed by Greta Gerwig. “What I did was to create historically accurate pieces but then let them be worn in a way that the girls were comfortable with,” explained Ms. Durran. That “looseness in approach” made the outfits modern, she added, though she also particularly loved the suite of beach costumes in part because of their period-appropriateness.
However, the outfits look startlingly relevant in 2019. Meg’s oversize broderie anglaise collar might have escaped from Miu Miu’s 2020 resort collection. And Amy’s high-necked ensemble has much in common with the new Batsheva ruffled microfloral midi skirt and top, while Beth’s button-front frock eerily recalls Dôen’s recent winter collection. The film seems poised to bolster the evolution of 2018’s prairie-dress trend into something slightly more sophisticated and nuanced in 2019. The film also treats viewers to more androgynous looks, like Jo’s military-inspired jacket and the jaunty layered look at right. Readers, prepare for variations on “Little Women” style everywhere on city streets near you.
“ ‘Despite their historical faithfulness, the outfits look relevant in 2019.’ ”
Katherine Kleveland, half of the sister design duo behind the romantic Los Angeles brand Dôen, pinned a still from the new film to her inspiration wall, nestled among sketches of wide-yoked, ruffled dresses and swatches of ticking stripe and micro chintzes. She and her sister Margaret both identify with the story’s protagonist, headstrong Jo March, and loved the 1994 version of the film, whose clothes Ms. Kleveland considers unique in their “relatability” among those of other period-costume dramas.
Stylist and editor Leith Clark, known for romantic looks created for both magazine editorials and red carpets (for which she dresses Keira Knightley, among others), agrees that film and TV depictions of willful turn-of-the-century heroines such as Jo March, Laura Ingalls and Anne Shirley of “Green Gables” allowed young women to reimagine traditional garb. These characters, said Ms. Clark, had both “the beautiful dress and the bad temper, which we’d never seen before…It was amazing to see people in dresses with opinions and passion.”
Ms. Clark extols the all-day practicality of these looks, which were designed for women who regularly rode horseback and didn’t have the dubious luxury of endless fast-fashion wardrobe refreshes. She noted that the collars are comfortably high and the hems comfortably low. “It’s elegant enough to wear out to dinner, but it’s workable enough to really take you through your day,” she said, referencing Jo “dancing and running around in those outfits.”
As for the throwback nature of these arguably dowdy fashions, Ms. Kleveland said, “We always joke on photoshoots [that] ‘modesty is the new sexy,’ and I think society is having a moment of yearning for simpler times, especially in the face of the tech revolution.” The costume designer Ms. Durran, who is in her 50s, said she is most familiar with the trend from the 1970s, when the calico-and-eyelet look was last in fashion. Ms. Kleveland advised drawing on more contemporary looks from that era when styling “Little Women” ensembles: “If you’re wearing one of our very Victorian blouses with a high collar and pronounced sleeves and embroidery, then wear it with a pair of vintage Levi’s from the ’70s....That is the key—you mix different eras.”
This holiday break, Ms. Clark plans to dress up in “Little Women”-inflected finery with her mother to go see the film. Though she has no shortage of options, she said she would likely wear her high-necked, brown corduroy Vampire’s Wife dress, which despite its relevance to the March family’s wardrobe is one of her winter go-tos: The day before we spoke she paired the same dress with buckled Saint Laurent booties and tights. “I guess it won’t be that different from what I usually wear,” she said with a laugh.
THE MARCH OF TIME / MODERN PIECES WITH VINTAGE FLAIR
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-little-women-will-make-you-want-to-wear-1860s-fashion-11576153292
2019-12-12 12:21:00Z
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