Met Gala Monday
It’s Met Gala Monday! And the “Oscars of fashion” is back with the second installment to its two-part exhibition on American fashion. Tonight, the theme is Gilded Glamour, which references the 30-year period between the Civil War and World War I (1870-1900) known as The Gilded Age.
At the start of The Gilded Age, fashion was maximal with lots of embellishment - lace, crystal trimming and bird wings. Women wore corsets and bustles to look slender with a long waist. They wore vibrant colors using newly invented synthetic dyes to achieve then-popular colors like plum and navy. Men saw the introduction of the tuxedo and the multiple-piece suit. They wore coats and frocks, lots of facial hair, top and bowler hats. The goal for both men and women was layering. They even changed clothes multiple times a day as much as their wealth would allow. Just like fashion today, this period saw many changes to fashion. To read more about trends during The Gilded Age, check out this article from the National Park Service.
To celebrate the First Monday in May, I’m sharing a few stills from TV and film that cover The Gilded Age and celebrating the Costume Designers who brought us the references for today. More to come after tonight’s event.
Hello, Dolly! (1969)
Costume Designer: Irene Sharaff
The 1969 musical "Hello, Dolly!" is based on the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, and tells the story of a matchmaker, arriving in 1890s NYC to make some well-placed matches in high society, as well as make a match for herself. You can stream this movie on Disney+.
Ragtime (1981)
Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone
"Ragtime" was released in 1981, six years after the novel it was based on by E.L. Doctorow was published. The movie (and book) is based on real events, including the murder of architect Stanford White at the hands of famed industrialist Harry Kendall Thaw.
The cast of "Ragtime" is sprawling, and it is one of the first screen appearances for many now-legends, like Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Daniels, Debbie Allen, Mandy Patinkin, Fran Drescher, Mary Steenburgen, and more.
The Great Gatsby (2013)
Costume Designer: Catherine Martin
"The Great Gatsby" takes place on Long Island in the early 1920s. It's based on the iconic 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name, which is seemingly taught in every high school across the US.
The film follows Gatsby, a mysterious business tycoon who throws extravagant parties. A writer, Nick, moves in next door and soon becomes intrigued with Gatsby and the sadness that surrounds him.
You can stream "The Great Gatsby" on HBO Max.
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Costume Designer: Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie
For anyone who wants to get into the "gilded glamour" mood — “Moulin Rouge” is filled with amazing costumes, set design and musical numbers.
The 2001 film follows Christian, a writer who arrives in Paris at the turn of the century to become a "bohemian." Along the way, he meets other struggling artists and Satine, who performs at the legendary Parisian venue the Moulin Rouge.
You can watch "Moulin Rouge!" on Starz, or on Prime Video or Hulu.
The Gilded Age (2022)
Costume Designer: Kasia Walicka-Maimone
"The Gilded Age" streams on HBO. The series follows the stories of people in and around New York City's high society in the 1880s, the peak of the Gilded Age in the US.
