Gigi Hadid’s Mickey sweater
On date night with Bradley, Gigi Hadid wore a green Mickey Mouse sweater and upon request, I went looking for it. This isn’t one of those designer Disney collaborations (like Gucci or Coach). Last year around this time, Gigi went to Disney World for her birthday and wore an assortment of shirts (including the one seen in the new photos). This is the type of sweater you buy on site from one of those stores that is the size of a small village.
There’s a Stockholm Syndrome effect that goes into visiting one of these parks – you go into it thinking you aren’t the type to wear polka dot ears or use a Moana fan but within hours (maybe minutes!), the Mickey clothing not only looks normal, but necessary. And the assortment in these stores is far beyond what you would find anywhere else – from goth to cottage core, there’s a style for every taste. Gigi is not a snob, she embraces the Disneynification of her wardrobe inside and outside of the park. If you want an OG Mickey sweater, there’s no shortage of licensed wear (Target, Walmart, Macys and even Amazon have options). I’m partial to the classic white sweatshirt but Coach does a have a green one on sale).
Katie Lee’s new cableknit
We say a lot of things “never go out of style” but a cable knit sweater? Really, it never goes out of style. Katie Lee Biegel’s cable knit is definitely a statement sweater because of the pretty unique striped pattern in contrasting colours. It’s very cute but also very sold out. It’s Mother and went for $350US, which is pricey but I think is justifiable from a purchasing standpoint because there’s no imitators. I haven’t seen one sweater that is even close to this.
Rene Russo in Major League
Every once in a while I get a way back request from a movie and while I obviously can’t source her exact wardrobe, the question is about the essence of the looks. Rene Russo was a hottie academic in Major League, a movie I rewatched during Covid quarantine. And while a lot of it didn’t hold up (casual racism, anyone?), her wardrobe absolutely does. Considering this film came out in 1989, that’s a testament to the work of costume designer Erica Edell Phillips who worked on some blockbusters from that era (like Robocop) as well as a few sports movies, which is why I’m guessing she took on Major League.
The reader also mentioned Elaine Benes, and there’s been no shortage of dissection on her wardrobe (it was even covered in CR Fashion Book!). What’s striking about these women and their wardrobes is how lived in the clothes looked. And what’s interesting is how most of the actors, including the men, looked their age. If you turn on any run-of-the-mill sitcom or B-tier film today, every single actor is coiffed to the extreme. False lashes, hair extensions, spray tans, contouring – and yes the men, too! Even the extras are extra! That kind of aesthetic tightness then translates to the wardrobe. Unless the character has some kind of tragic backstory, every piece of clothing looks like it came straight off a mannequin.
If we look at Rene in this film or Elaine or Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding (I think this is her best-dressed work!), the woman are dressed like they have jobs and a washing machine.
While finding the exact brands isn’t feasible, the building blocks are there: long blazers and long denim jackets (nothing that hits at the waist) with belts that can go around them. Crisp cotton shirts (can’t beat Brooks Brothers for that) buttoned all the way up or tied around the waist. Black loafers – an absolute must! (These are from Stuart Weitzman and you don’t need to spend this much but this is the look to go for.) Cream knit sweaters with long wool skirts. White bobby socks to go with the loafers. Throw in a long floral dress to go with the denim. And jeans! In the late 80s/90s, I don’t think denim styles had such distinct names like they do now but for the cinched waist and loose leg, barrel jeans are the right fit.
What made those late 80s/90s outfits so strong is the heavy fabric and strong tailoring. This can’t be cheated and while now these characters would be dressed in brands like Celine or YSL to get those sharp cuts, that style of wardrobe used to be readily available from mall brands like United Colors of Benetton. I’ve talked before about how a lot is being lost in race-to-the-bottom fast fashion. Good, solid clothing that doesn’t cost a whole paycheck is hard to find. Fashion has a late-stage capitalism problem and this makes a lot of clothing super expensive or really cheap (in price and in construction). A lot of middle ground has been lost which, if you think about, mirrors how much the middle class has been eroded.
But back to the looks: what brands would these fictional characters – smart women running around the big city – be buying today? Sezane maybe, G.Label for a splurge, Mango, new J.Crew, LL Bean, Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic and thrifting. It’s not a wardrobe that can be built quickly and that’s what makes it so enduring. Major League came out 35 years next week.
