Fashion Movie Nights: Desperately Seeking Susan

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.  

December Inspiration Board

Just a couple of things that are inspiring me this month...

 Madonna's look in the eighties was so so sick. Recently, I've been wanting to throw on lace, tulle, loads of costume jewelry, a hair scarf and some ripped tights, due to this rad picture.

 Debbie Harry was so beautiful, but badass at the same time. Such a perfect combo. And her hair and makeup was always the best.

 At the Victoria Secret 2011 fashion show a couple weeks ago, Karlie stole the show in those ridiculously tall boots that showed off her impossibly long legs. At the after party, I'm pretty sure she was a little tipsy when explaining to the interviewer, "I mean, my legs just go on for miles..." Yea way to rub it in, we KNOW.

 Clueless never fails to inspire me. Knee high socks and short skirts are still so great paired together.

I love looking at the pictures from the Fall/Winter 2011 Altuzarra show. I'm on the hunt for a parka to wear over silk dresses.

 Beyonce rocking out in couture at a trailer park in her music video "We Like to Party," is just so ridiculous and fabulous all at once. There's nothing I love more than mixing class with trash. And her hair bow with that acid yellow fur - what can I say, I'm just loving eighties hair accessories right now!

 Fashion icon and YSL muse Loulou de la Falaise passed away recently, as I'm sure you all have heard. I adored her boho glam look so much, especially in this picture. Have you ever seen anyone more glamourous?

Here's Loulou again with Betty Catroux and YSL. I've been searching for an outfit that looks like Betty's for half of my life, but I can never find anything that looks quite right. That safari lace up minidress is just so exquisitely chic I can't even stand it.

Don't judge me for this one... but there's something I just love about Taylor Momsen's scandalous look. The stringy hair, raccoon eyes, men's shirt with the garters... it just all works for her! Maybe it's just because she's so pretty. I can't put my finger on it, but I love this picture.

Versace's Greatest Hits

Everyone is going nutso over the H&M and Versace collaboration that launches on Saturday, myself included. Although I probably won't be lucky enough to get my hands on one of the sexy pieces, just the possibility of getting something Versace for a relatively inexpensive price is pretty thrilling. 

I've always been a Versace fan. Even though the super sexy look that dominates the Versace brand goes in and out of vogue, I will never forsake the bombshell style that is the brand's signature. 

I love love love that Donatella designed the collection based on iconic archival Versace pieces. The scarf prints, the bondage gear, and the metallics are all references to different Versace moments in time. In honor of this fabulous collaboration, let's take a look at some of Versace's greatest hits, shall we?

Gianni Versace in 1991 with Cindy Crawford, Carla Bruni, Nikki Taylor, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Yasmeen Ghauri, Nadège du Bospertus, Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista, and Nadja Auermann.

Gianni Versace has been credited for the supermodel madness in the nineties because he was the first designer to use all of the top models in his shows and ad campaigns.

Here is the full picture, in which you can also spot (from right) Beverly Peele, Susan Holmes, Stephanie Seymour, Tatjana Patiz, and Eva Herzigova. 

Thanks commenters for helping me out with some of these models' names! I'm still stumped on the model in between Susan and Linda though. My best guess is Nadja, but I'm not sure. I've also heard Karen Mulder, but I'm not convinced by that either...

March 25, 1991. Cindy Crawford with fiance Richard Gere at the 63rd Academy Awards.


In a recent poll for the Guardian magazine, readers chose this as the 12th greatest red carpet gown of all time. This is such an iconic and glamorous image that sums up the best parts of the decade: glamour, supermodels, sex appeal, and Richard Gere.

Top: Vogue editorial, September 1991 starring (from left to right) Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Karen Mulder, Stephanie Seymour all in Gianni Versace. Photograph by Peter Lindbergh.

Ah... those were the days. When supermodels were required to be gorgeous and have the bodies to fill out biker babe clothes!

F/W 1991 Gianni Versace ads starring Stephanie Seymour, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Helena Christensen. Photos by Richard Avedon.

 

F/W 1992 Gianni Versace ads "Bondage" collection with Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Cambell.  Photo by Irving Penn.

This collection is back in a big way. Lady Gaga wore pieces from this collection in her "Born this Way" video. Doutzen Kroes and Giovanna Battaglia have also been spotted in F/W 1992 pieces recently.

Atelier Versace Fall/Winter 1992 ads starring Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour and Yasmeen Ghauri.

Warrior princesses! Love. Gaga has also recently been seen in the couture skirt pictured here on Ghauri.

F/W 1993 Gianni Versace. 

Stephanie Seymour was WAY too hot for Axl Rose. I actually am not sure if this is from 1993, or a lot later. It looks like it fits into the ads I have found from 1993, but this picture is a bit different. Anyone know for sure?

Elizabeth Hurley with Hugh Grant at his Four Weddings and a Funeral movie premiere in 1994.

Voted the most iconic red carpet dress of all time, Hurley's safety pinned Versace dress grabbed the attention of the world's media and brought her more fame than dating Hugh Grant. Only a Versace dress could do that!

 Gianni Versace Spring 1994 Ad campaign starring Christy Turlington, Nadja Auerman, Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour and Claudia Schiffer.

Gianni Versace 1994 Fall Ad Campaign starring Nadja Auerman, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour; photographed by Richard Avedon.

Have you ever seen bobby socks and turtleneck cable knits look sexier?

Vogue magazine took this shot after a Versace fashion show in 1995. How many supermodels can you name?

1995 Versace ads starring Madonna. Photos by Steven Meisel.

Versace generated a huge amount of publicity by hiring Madonna as the face of its ad campaigns in 1995. Celebrity models were almost nonexistent at this time, and Versace jumpstarted the trend, to tremendous success. Compare these ads to Madonna's ads in 2005 (below). Which ones do you like better?

J. Lo wore a plunging sheer Versace gown to the 2000 Grammy's that left Americans shocked and covered in drool. 

I mean, seriously, who could forget this one?

Britney Spears wore a custom gown by Donatella Versace at the Versace Spring/Summer 2003 fashion show in Milan.

This pic is how I fondly remember Britney in the "good ole days." Overly made up, big hair, sequins, looking HOT.

In 2003, Donatella designed what was probably the most hyped dress of the year. Christina Aguilera wore it in the Versace ad campaign, Beyonce rocked it at the MTV movie awards and even Barbie wore a version of the coveted dress in gown form. Hell, I even remember Arden B. designing a knock-off.

Who wore it best? First of all, Christina Aguilera should never EVER be caught without makeup again. Shudder. Secondly, Barbie looks hot, but a blonde should never wear that shade of pink. I would know. I think I'm going to give this one to Beyonce.

Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City finale episode, "An American Girl in Paris: Part Une" in 2004. 

This Versace couture gown is one of my personal top contenders for best dress in the Sex in the City series. Reportedly it had a retail price of $79,000. A totally feasible price for a newspaper columnist, right? 

Madonna for Versace in 2005. Photo by Mario Testino.


Madonna posed for this campaign doing minute, everyday tasks like licking envelopes, sitting at the computer, and talking on the phone. Somehow still, this campaign was one of the most glamorous I've seen, and it made me want her life.

Versace is known for casting the most beautiful people in its ad campaigns. In 2006, Halle Berry was chosen as the face of the brand.

Gisele Bundchen at the 2008 Metropolitan Costume Institute Ball.

Gee Golly Gosh Gisele looked gorgeous in this dress. For real, that body is a sin. One of my personal favorite looks in Met history.

Spring/Summer 2008. Donatella cast Gisele for Versace's ad campaign.

The sexy Brazilian supermodel was a perfect fit for this body conscious Versace collection. So jealous of those legs!

Blake Lively at the 2009 Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Ball.


Lively is another sexy star who can carry off Versace's bombshell dresses amazingly well. This blue green gown looked fantastic on her.

Spring/Summer 2009 ad campaign starring Kate Moss.

I loved this campaign. Metallic bodycon dresses, sun kissed skin, tousled hair, and the world's most notorious supermodel. Quintessential Versace.

Christina Aguilera in Versace at the 2010 Golden Globes.

I miss how Christina used to look - classy and polished, yet sexy. Now she just looks like a tacky tranny mess.

January Jones at the 2011 Golden Globes.

This dress caused some controversy at the Golden Globes, but I was in love with it. So fringey, so red hot, so Versace. 

Lady Gaga, June 2011.

I'm not sure about the motive behind Gaga's summer obsession with vintage Versace, but I adored it. The pop diva devoted two months to only wearing archival pieces from the famed brand, including classic scarf prints and couture bondage pieces from Gianni Versace's heyday.