Rosanna Arquette and Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) is the cult comedy that helped skyrocket Madonna to fame. As Susan, a free-spirited It girl living the crazy life in NYC, Madonna essentially played herself. Surprisingly, Ellen Barkin, Goldie Hawn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Kelly McGillis were also considered for the role, but no one could have played it better than Madge.
How similar is this to the look that Rihanna has been rocking lately?
One of the most surprising elements of this movie was how influential the styling was. The lace crop tops, the brogues, the floppy hair bows are very au courant. I've been loving Rihanna's styling lately, but I now realize how much she copies Madonna from this era.
Roberta, pre amnesia, in yuppie garb
Rosanna Arquette plays Roberta, a bored suburban housewife, who accidentally gets hit on the head, wakes up with amnesia, and switches lives with Susan. Since Susan is wanted by the mob for a pair of stolen earrings, hilarious eighties hijinks eventually ensue. But who cares about the plot? The brilliance was clearly in the costume design.
High Fashion Cred: The award-winning Broadway costume designer, Santo Loquasto, designed the costumes, including the "vintage" pyramid jacket, which is worn throughout the movie by both Madonna and Arquette.
Roberta when she thinks she's Susan
Best Dressed: While Madonna was the sartorial star of Desperately Seeking Susan, best dressed goes to Rosanna Arquette, who artfully topped a pink tiered party dress with the aforementioned pyramid jacket in one of the final scenes. Her transformation from suburban yuppie to uber hip downtown chick was a wonderful look at the difference between two of the most popular trends in the eighties.
Most visually awesome scene: Madonna lounging poolside in a see-through lace bra and boxers. Her curvy slim physique is a far cry from her current rock solid bod. Probably fair to say that cheese curls and beer are a thing of the past for her.
Most unexpected scene stealer: It happens all the time, people lamenting "old" New York. The gritty, grimy, unkempt version of the city in the seventies and eighties, before Giuliani kicked out all the bums and cleaned the place up. The version that was totally bankrupt, where abandoned buildings remained unrented, where starving artists could somehow make ends meet and pay rent in Manhattan. The days of CBGB, Danceteria, smutty sex shops, and vintage stores that actually sold things for $1. This is best summed up in a quote from Roberta's horrifically preppy husband, Gary, when he spots her wearing a jacket that's clearly not her own.
"What are you wearing?"
"A jacket. It used to belong to Jimi Hendrix," Roberta explains. "You bought a used jacket?" Gary asks, shocked. "What are we, poor?"
Yes, once upon a time, people bought vintage due to affordability, not because it was cool. NYC was a different place, indeed. It was hardcore, rock n' roll. Where the Susans could thrive, but not the Robertas. When Susan gets ready in a public bathroom and blow dries her armpits under a hand dryer like a badass, she effortlessly embodies that oft-romanticized gritty NYC of yesteryear.
Amazing styling: a man's button down and boxers paired with lace fishnets and exposed garters? Genius.
Substance score: 6. The plot is silly and Alice in Wonderland-like (which was the director's goal), so if you're looking for a substantial film, Desperately Seeking Susan is not for you. However, if you love old New York and awesome eighties fashion, I highly recommend this film. Madonna's star power shines, and after watching this movie, it's quite obvious why she made it to the top.
FMN celebrates both iconic films that have shaped fashion in a significant way and documentaries offering a behind the scenes look into the fashion industry. In a series of blog posts following our FMN viewing parties, I analyze the impact of each film on fashion.
