It’s been a solid nine months since the last season of Bridgerton dropped and likely several more before season three is released. If you’re a big fan, it’s possible you are now suffering withdrawals from all of that sartorial splendor, for while it’s a show which revels in scandals and manners set against a lush backdrop of houses and balls, it is the exquisiteness of the clothing which truly commands centre stage. And particularly fun is the elegant, icy pale tailoring of the Bridgertons facing off against the candy colored finery of the Featheringtons, which leans ever so gently into gaudy without toppling over. Brilliant! So much lusciousness going on here it’s almost too much. And so in an attempt to help tide you over for a few months, here are eight British TV series and films in which fabulous fashion not only has a lot to say, but which are sleek and glossy in all the best ways.
~Killing Eve Eve is an MI5 security officer who spends far too much time attached to her desk. Damn, she’s bored. Enter Villanelle, assassin extraordinaire. Suddenly a feral game of cat and mouse is afoot and Eve’s days become decidedly spicy. With no disrespect to the brilliant Sandra Oh, it is nonetheless, Jodie Comer as Villanelle who utterly steals this show, not just because of her brilliant acting, entertaining expressions or her myriad accents, but because of her sartorial splendor. There may be plenty of drab outfits as part of her disguises, but on her own time Vilanelle’s wardrobe is bold and brash and frequently hilarious. So while fashion may not be front and center in this series as a whole, for Villanelle clothes are theatre and it’s so much fun to be there for every ounce of flamboyancy and melodrama. The final season of Killing Eve aired earlier this year, so if you have somehow, remarkably, not seen this show yet, you can now binge it straight through. So much fun awaits.
~Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries In 1920’s Melbourne, Phryne Fisher is a glamorous, kick-ass lady detective who uses all manner of unorthodox tactics to fight not only crime, but social injustice. Phryne is smart, independent, speaks multiple languages and could tango or flamenco her way straight to a Mirror Ball trophy. She is naughty and outrageous, unabashedly enjoys the company of men (in one episode cheekily using her diaphragm to catch a spider!) and will scale buildings or battle villains in dark back alleys as necessary with a pistol tucked in her bag and a knife strapped to her thigh. But the real action in this show is Phryne’s wardrobe. It’s divine. It’s to die for. It’s exquisite. Seriously, it’s beyond words. This is the twenties after all where sumptuous, glittery evening gowns, rich kimonos and stylish hats reign supreme and this production is a never-ending hit parade of elegant trousers, fabulous frocks and flowy coats, all magnificently designed to meet the occasion. If fashion is your thing this is costume porn at its finest. And it has a sequel:
~Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries Turns out Phryne Fisher has a long lost niece, Peregrine, who ends up following in the footsteps of the Aunt she never met. This spin-off continues with all the general threads of its predecessor: feisty heroine, detective love interest, social issues of the day, and most importantly a kick-ass wardrobe. Except now we’re in the 1960’s and it’s time to break a few rules, introduce lots of colour and say hello to psychedelic grooviness. Peregrine is dashing and debonair in her mod dresses and knee high boots as she frolics around town in her Aston Martin bringing criminals to justice.
~The House of Eliot Another show set in the 1920’s (although this one was filmed in the ’90’s, so looking the teensiest bit dated!) and this time the story revolves around an actual fashion house. Sisters Evie and Beatrice, brought up by a stick-in-the-mud father who gave them little in the way of niceties and education find themselves in dire straits when he dies. Turns out that he incurred many debts (there’s a story there) leaving his daughters with next to nothing. As both are handy with a needle and thread they begin to sew clothes to keep themselves afloat and after much drama the House of Eliot is born. This show might not have as much sass and attitude as Miss Fisher but it’s still a glorious romp through the roaring twenties with younger sister, Evie always wanting to push the boundaries of style. Entertaining and addictive, this series will make you want to roll back the rug and break into the Charleston.
~Agatha Raisin The show that’s campy and proud of it! Ashley Jensen stars in the title role as a successful public relations specialist who leaves her glamorous life behind to fulfill a life-long dream of moving to the Cotswolds. Once there she enters a quiche contest (with a store bought quiche! Why mess up the kitchen?) to try and fit in. Unfortunately, the aforementioned quiche kills someone and Agatha finds herself the number one suspect in a murder inquiry. In an attempt to prove her innocence she starts her own investigation, solves the murder and launches her second career. But let’s not get distracted by the murders, because while Aggie might have left the glamorous lifestyle in London, the glamorous wardrobe most definitely came with her. The local church is the perfect spot to show off her wide brimmed hat collection and the lack of a nightlife isn’t about to stop her from bringing out the party frocks. Meanwhile daytime is reserved for a splendid array of chic and stylish and generally very colorful ensembles as she adjusts to village life in a perpetually—but always amusing—state of overdress.
~The Night Manager Tom Hiddleston is Jonathon Pine, ex-soldier turned hotel night manager whom we first meet in Cairo. He is drawn into political drama by the beautiful, sensuous Sophie who asks him to photocopy a document detailing arms purchases between her lover and a man named Richard Roper. Roper, who puts on a public face to the world as a successful businessman and philanthropist, is secretly dealing arms and peddling napalm and nerve gas. When Pine is recruited by intelligence operative Angela Burr to infiltrate Roper’s operation, the fun begins. Pine draws on his experience as a hotel night manager, with his ability to smooth ruffled feathers and meet the needs of others with such charm and aplomb, to admirably lie his way into Roper’s inner circle. Here, he meets Roper’s girlfriend, the extraordinarily elegant, 6’2″ Jed with the sexiest, most exquisite and glamorous wardrobe—all floaty grecian gowns and chartreuse underwear. Wardrobe aside this is an exotic, sexy stunner of a political thriller set in sun drenched locations and starring the brilliant Hugh Laurie as Roper and Olivia Colman as Angela Burr.
~Riviera This show gives off major Dynasty/Dallas vibes. It’s flashy, shallow, overflowing with morally ambiguous characters and there’s no shortage of cat fights. While it’s a British production it’s set on the French Riviera and its lead, Julia Stiles, is American. Most other characters are British and you’ll certainly recognize a few faces. Emotionally, Riviera doesn’t quite manage to find its soul and it takes itself a little too seriously. Instead of leaning into its campiness it can come across as being a bit daft. But one thing it does brilliantly is the clothing. The Clios family and their friends may be morally bankrupt but sartorially speaking they are gazillionaires and they act like they’re living their lives on the catwalks of Fashion Week. Throw in the sumptuous Riviera backdrop, exploding yachts, murders and a veritable viper’s nest of lies, deceit and betrayal it’s kinda hard not to just buckle up and enjoy the ride.
~Emma-2020 Film This frothy confection with its gorgeous use of color and settings is highly stylized, utterly charming and very, very funny. To say the fashion is the star is almost unfair to all the other brilliant aspects of this film, but star player it is. The level of detail given to Emma’s clothes in particular is insane. The exquisite embroidery and pleating, the sleeve details, the hat trim, the textures, the ruffles and flourishes. Absolutely divine and a stunning ode to Regency fashion. Watch and revel in the beauty of it all.
~McQueen OK, so I’m shifting gears here a bit ’cause this is a documentary, but this film about designer Alexander McQueen, literally is about fashion. It’s one of those documentaries that is so good you really don’t have to have any interest in the actual subject matter and I was truly surprised at how much it draws you in with its raw emotion. It’s an elegant—sometimes uncouth— and engrossing look at McQueen’s life. Where he came from, how he scrabbled his way into the world of fashion despite an avalanche of reasons why he couldn’t possibly make it, and the demons that followed him every step of the way. It’s a stunning visual feast but also inspiring, empowering and laugh out loud funny despite its tragic end.
