Surprisingly, I only recently watched the infamous “The Devil Wears Prada” (by recently, I mean the evening I am writing this) – as my best friend forced me to. He exclaimed: “This movie is so you on every single level, Ciaran”. Was he wrong? Not a chance.
Fashion is something I adore, and this movie brings not only that, but delivers on a plot level too (the 6.9 score on IMDB is in my opinion, horse manure – I said what I said.). While I would love nothing more than to discuss the film’s plot and my thoughts on every character, this is the fashion section, and I plan on telling you why I am obsessed with every look in this movie.
First off, we need, need, NEED to talk about Andrea Sachs. Andrea is our protagonist played by the Oscar winner Anne Hathaway and her evolution through the movie is incredible. I love how the opening scene highlights how different Andrea is from every other person shown in the montage (fancy film lingo, look at me go!). Every other person is thoughtfully considering what they want to wear, putting on make-up and accessorizing. In comparison, Andrea doesn’t think twice about her outfit and is out the door. It really shows how she is only there for the experience. This sets up the whole movie and we immediately get to know who she is.
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Next, we have to talk about the cerulean sweater. I don’t care that this look is essentially just a shabby Gossip Girl character, I LOVE IT. I could 100% see each piece worn around campus separately or even together. The scene itself is brilliant as it really explains, in the shadiest way possible, the importance of fashion journalism. This process of selling clothes and the distribution from runway to everyday retailers has changed, due to the rise of online influencers and the way we process media. Now, if we see something online, it’s less likely to be from the runway but from a fast-fashion store.
Andrea’s style evolves from one fresh out of college to a highly elevated fashion guru. This is in part due to Nigel, played by Stanley Tucci, but eventually she develops a keen eye for herself. This was Andrea’s make-over look and again gives me such Gossip Girl vibes (this movie was released a year prior to the show). The black tweed Chanel jacket with oversized sleeves screams early 2000s, as do the layers of gold chains (Trend-Alert -this has been brought back recently and I am here for it). The Chanel boots. The Chanel boots. One more time because they deserve it. The. Chanel. Boots – Oh My God. These boots are heavenly art. They really add a bad bitch energy to the outfit and finish it off. The bag is okay, but the way she carries it makes it better, like it doesn’t weigh a feather and can just be thrown around. The best thing about this look is how she is wearing it with confidence and just completely owning her power. Also, the fringe is a total movie make-over cliché and I’m so here for it.
In a later scene, Andrea sports a baker boy hat and a jumper-shirt layered combination with a statement Chanel necklace. First, the hat I cannot condone on any level. It’s just not it. The Chanel necklace with the white shirt and off the neck sweater, however, is just so classy. This look (besides the hat that needs to be BURNED at all costs) is something timeless that I could see on Instagram. Please someone wear this around Trinity, I would die!
Every single dress in the above picture from the Charity gala scene is flawless. Everything is done to perfection, the hair, makeup and accessories. Andrea’s dress looks like it’s made for her, and the boat neck seems to be a wardrobe staple for her (seen again in the Paris scene) and the lace trim adds personality and definition to the look. Miranda’s sweet heart with mutton sleeves (Trend-Alert – these are popular again, we love to see it) is just Miranda Priestley summed up. The minimal accessorising accentuates her power and the pose does the same thing. Emily’s look (showcased by actress Emily Blunt, the coincidence) is a fun scoop dress with trimmings at the front. It really suits the character of Emily to a tee – fun and edgy. All three of these looks get 5/5 stars from me and if you want to argue, you can catch me on campus.
The dragon lady herself, Miranda Priestly (played by the legendary Meryl Streep) has no bad looks in this movie. Every single ensemble is just excellent and so powerful. Miranda is a powerhouse of the fashion industry in the movie, and of course that has to be reflected in what she wears.
The pinstripe suit with gold hoops and chunky necklace? Ground-breaking. Such a statement and honestly this scene is worth watching for it alone. It’s so chic and effortless for Miranda and I love it.
This coat is a power move, and makes her look like a Disney villain (Cruella De Ville is QUAKING right now) and I kind of love it all. It looks completely powerful and evil, showing just the type of character she is. The look on her face? Perfection
The Devil wears Prada is a classic for many and, obviously, I agree. With a decent storyline and amazing outfits that are so perfect for the time it was released, it’s just a great movie. Would people wear the outfits worn in this movie now? I think some yes and some no. In terms of some of the classic pieces on their own, most yes. Overall, if you haven’t watched this movie, just do it, and you won’t be disappointed.
That’s all (peep the Miranda reference hehe).
