Fashion’s cinema club
A Fashion Student’s Watchlist
All images in this blog post are screenshots from Amazon Prime
It is spring break and relaxing is a must. However, if you’re like me, that can be a struggle sometimes when thinking about all the assignments and deadlines approaching. For me, I try to watch a movie here and there to have some time to myself and fully relax even if it’s just for an hour. Here are some movies I like to watch that are still a little fashion focused so we get the best of both worlds.
1) Devil Wears Prada
You knew it was coming, this is my go to movie for a night in. It’s an early 2000s movie (which is code for amazing) about Andy, our protagonist, who ventures into the word of editorial fashion as an aspiring journalist. That’s the short and sweet description cutting out all the workplace mistreatment, boyfriend drama, character evolution and glamour of fashion.
I recently did a blog post unpacking the true villain in the story. Long story short, are you really into fashion if you haven’t already watched this yet?
2) The Bold Type
This is my favourite series of all time. It follows three main characters who are best friends and work in different roles in a fashion magazine. One is a stylist, another a writer and the final working in social media. You learn, laugh, cry and grow with these characters as they figure out how to align their life with their career goals while also creating space for change.
This is the series that confirmed that I wanted to be a journalist and made me want to have a blog website. I didn’t work for any publications at the time, but I wanted to be like Jane writing an article into the night - so I took matters into my own hands.
I’m really sad they took it off Netflix, but you can find it on Prime - 100% worth the watch
3) Cruella
I actually haven’t watched this in a while so it’s definitely on my list to watch this Spring break. It’s a Disney live adaption spin on the 100 Dalmatians villain origin story. (Disney has a way with making you sympathise with the villains after convincing us our whole childhood that they were in the wrong).
Cruella in this movie is not yet a villain, but she is seeking vengeance. The tale reveals her to be an aspiring fashion designer with incredible talent, but is overlooked by the one person she seeks approval from - hence the villain origin story.
There are so many fashion moments in this and the movie is honestly so underrated. Make sure this one is on your list!
4) The September Issue
“The September Issue” is all about the creation of the September edition of Vogue Magazine. If you aren’t already aware, autumn or fall is the most crucial season in fashion. It is the time that dictates upcoming trends for the following seasons, what’s in, what’s out of fashion. This is the moment for designers and individuals to make a name for themselves, but also for advertisers to fight for their spot on the key pages of publications like Vogue magazine. This documentary follows the creation of a September issue and all that goes into it behind the scenes.
I had to write an essay about something Anna Wintour said in this documentary about being about looking forward which you can read on my blog here.
5) First Monday In May
The Met Gala is known as the biggest celebration of art as fashion. Every year, on the first of Monday celebs gather at the MET museum dressing to fit the yearly theme - some putting in more effort than others.
Years before, it really was an IT moment in fashion that fashion girlies would anticipate and stay up all night watching (something I still do every year). As the years passed, it seems some put less and less effort, so this documentary is more like an homage to how it used to be, how it’s supposed to be. It should be a moment to wear art essentially, it’s not the time to just wear a pretty dress.
This documentary will take you through the process behind the scenes of what it takes to put on such a momentous event.
6) Mrs Harris Goes To Paris
I love this movie, it feels like a warm hug. This is one you can watch with your fellow fashion girlies or at home by yourself with a nice hot cup of tea. It’s really just about someone who just loves fashion and lives all of our dreams of just being surrounded by beauty and having the chance to wear it. Mrs Harris lives a regular, working class life, but she has a dream - she wants a Dior dress. The innocence and simplicity of this request is endearing and you watch this movie and really want to see her dreams come true.
7) The Intern
This one is directly, full on fashion, but I still love it. It shows that you can actually teach an old dog new tricks. Robert De Niro stars as a senior citizen who responds to an advert to be an intern at a start up fashion brand. He not only learns new tricks, but also brings some of his wisdom to the young team.
It’s a cute story about an unexpected friendship between him and his new boss (Anne Hathaway) as he steps in as an intern and ultimately becomes a source of confidence.
8) Barbie Fashion Fairytale
This one is for my girlies who grew up thinking everything is possible because of our multihyphenate bestie. You can’t really talk about fashion movies without including the one and only barbie who is the source of inspiration for some of the most stylish people. She is known for her crazy mid movie transformations and knows how to make a statement with multiple iconic fashion moments.
In this movie, Barbie receives unexpected news which sparks her decision to turn her life around and move to Paris for a fresh start. There, she discovers an opportunity to work in a fashion house and I’ll leave the rest of the story for you to find out. (There are SO many dresses from this movie that I want for myself)
There are so many more fashion movies to watch so don’t stop at this list. These are just some of my favourites to watch and rewatch. Make sure to subscribe with your email below for updates on new blog uploads.
