Method dressing

BY NINA TUCKER

There’s a method behind method dressing, as film stars take the wardrobe of their characters to a new outlet.

To promote with intent, the stars of movies are incorporating pieces of their characters and plotlines into life outside of the screen. It’s a door to the cinema before you step through the doors.

Not just on press tours or live interviews, such nods can seep into looks of all kinds, from casual streetwear to the steps of the Met Gala. Method dressing truly came into its own in recent years, when film production resumed, and society sought escapism.

It has been a theatrical phenomenon since Geena Davis wore a mini dress with baseball stitching to the 1992 premiere of A League of Their Own. Actors are taking their roles
ever so literally.

Think back to the Barbie press tour, when the cast, including Margot Robbie, would reference distinct characters, themes, or outfit archives. It spiked online searches for pink clothes – the impact of method dressing does trickle down.

Zendaya, with help from stylist Law Roach, has long been a fan of the technique. There was the custom cobweb dress by Valentino for Spider-Man: No Way Home, the archival Mugler catsuit for Dune: Part Two, and the Loewe stilettos with a tennis ball on each heel for the tennis film Challengers.

Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday Addams in the series Wednesday channelled goth vibes throughout, and again recently on the press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in monochrome, striped looks. Blake Lively, her latest character being a florist, has been spotted wearing a plethora of floral looks with the release of It Ends With Us. Take a tip from the stars with a project or passion and inspire your wardrobe.

Image: Silk Laundry