One of my favorite movies is the Thomas Crown Affair -- the remake with Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan. I have probably seen it 12 times, and just this past weekend on a long plane ride home on a Friday night, I watched it again.
One of the reasons I love this movie is that it makes me want to be more elegant, more put together, better dressed. Basically, I want to look like Rene Russo does as Catherine Banning. In many ways, her style reminds me of that of Jackie Kennedy. Kudos to Kate Harrington, the movie's costume designer. Sometimes I just watch the movie to remind myself of my favorite fashion rules.
Most of the clothes were selected from the 1997 Celine collection by Michael Kors (I eBay them frequently without success), and a few Halston pieces (including an amazing sequin dress). (Brosnan wore mostly Prada and Gucci).
Watching this movie always reminds me that:
-Oversized dark sunglasses are mysterious and sexy at the same time - whether aviators or round
-Fur (fake or faux) is elegant, in a full-length coat, a scarf, or wrap
-A black leather jacket looks powerful and smart
-A mandarin collar dress can be sexier than a cleavage-revealing dress
-A pencil skit can be sexier than a mini-skirt
-The best LBD is boat-neck, sleeveless (the most classic cut), and worn with a double-strand of pearls
-The most elegant dress length hits right beneath the knee
-Nothing is sexier than that sequined Halston dress worn during the "black and white ball" - worn over nothing...
-A men's white shirt worn over nothing can be sexier than that very sequined dress
-Multiple strands of pearls make anything elegant, including a simple sweater
-A coat looks most polished when wrapped around a woman's shoulders as opposed to actually worn
-Monochromatic outfits (cream, tan, black, lavender) always look put together
-Playing with textures and fabrics avoids the monochromatic look from being boring
-Gloves (short or long, leather or suede, white or black) should never have gone out of style
-While I am forever partial to a bright red lip, Russo makes the nude lip look amazing!
Watching this movie for the 13th time, I commit to remembering these rules everyday, to watching the original with Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, and to wearing gloves and sunglasses more often. Specifically, my next two gifts to myself will be these Dior oversized sunglasses and these long black Gucci gloves
Merry Christmas to me!
-Ada Polla is the Founder and CEO of Alchimie Forever skincare.