Costumes really make the character. An actress can nail the role, but the wardrobe is what rounds her out. Would Carrie Bradshaw really be Carrie Bradshaw in a pair of trousers and a boring blouse? Just as costume designer Patricia Field shaped Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda in Sex and the City, she also fashioned four very different women in a recently released movie called The Other Woman. (If you enjoyed John Tucker Must Die, then I urge you to go see this movie pronto!) Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, and Nicki Minaj play a motley crew of characters who come together to take down a lying and cheating husband, all while wearing some truly terrific clothing!
Patricia Field brilliantly transformed Cameron Diaz into a professional-chic power woman. Diaz’s character, Carly, is a hotshot attorney in Manhattan who unknowingly gets involved with a married man. Carly’s look was minimalist with clean lines and neutral colors, but it was sleek and sophisticated, and experimented with colors and prints. A lot of Carly’s looks can definitely be translated into summer internship attire. One of my favorite ensembles was an Altuzarra Bushbuck Ikat Tank dress that Carly wore under a solid white blazer. A multicolor print is fun for the spring and summer, and a solid blazer or sweater is a great addition to make it appropriate for the workplace. Basic blazers are great to have in your closet as they can be worn multiple times by simply changing up the base and are perfect for many occasions.
Carly’s out-of-the-office apparel was equally as put together and sophisticated. While on a date, she wore a fashionable black-and-white Hawaiian-themed silk dress by Isabel Marant. Think floral-chic and modest. Like definitley not beachy or Luau Tap, but Carly did look great even while at the beach. In the Hamptons she wore a Jean Paul Gaultier knit-striped sweater over denim shorts. Take note, for a knit sweater, or any form of long sleeves, is a valuable item to pack to stay warm and trendy when it gets cold at the beach. Also, long sleeves make great bathing suit cover-ups.
In contrast to Diaz’s more modern character, Leslie Mann pulled off the girlie and preppy wardrobe of “Stepford wife,” Kate. Field aptly refers to Kate as a “wacky suburban girl” and this characterization is spot-on. In a particularly entertaining scene, Kate ripped tequila shots in a pink floral dress with a canary-yellow cardigan. This is what all middle-aged women where to bars, right? The ensemble was ridiculous, but it was fun and really highlighted Kate’s character.
Maybe I am into the ‘50s throwback, but I especially loved Kate’s light blue two-piece Prada gingham ensemble. With her Kate Spade bag and oversized dog, Kate rocked the look. I am not sold on wearing gingham in my teenage years, but Kate’s color palette and patterns are definitely trends to explore over the summer. However, maybe we should stay away from wearing bright pink with yellow!? Throughout the movie, Kate sported some cool separates and showed that fun printed cotton pants are a great option when it is pretty hot and shorts are just not doing it for you. I would recommend pairing them with a solid top and not going for the monotone look. Moving away from the goofier outfit choices, Kate displayed a more contemporary sophisticated style when she wore a gorgeous red gown with a bow design in the front. (Someone please let me know who the designer is!) Diaz also wore a deep-red dress earlier in the movie to work, proving that red can be boldly worn in the summer too.
Kate Upton’s character, Amber, one of the other mistresses, brought back the “All-American Girl” look with her signature white bikini and cut-off shorts. Amber wore of denim shorts, so her choice of shirt is what made the outfit. I really like the colorful Equipment tank top that Amber wore as she strolled through Central Park in her Isabel Marant wedged sneakers. Amber’s outfit looked comfortable and effortless. I noticed that a bunch of women wore wedged sneakers around my office last summer, so if your workplace is cool with trendy sneakers and you want to wear heels, then they are definitely the way to go. Why not be comfortable and stylish as you run to hail a cab or make the subway? Maybe do not try this in the office, but Field said she aimed to work bras into Amber’s outfits. I am not usually a big fan of showing bra straps or bras in general, but if they are fun and add to the outfit, then why not? After all, it is almost summer.
Lastly, Field made Nicki Minaj into a vivacious and cartoon-like secretary for Diaz’s character. Minaj was a total pop of color with tons of accessories and exaggerated colors—she was definitely not your ordinary law firm secretary. In every scene Minaj wore tight and colorful dresses that showed off her curvaceous figure. Is anyone else wondering how her booty fit in all of those skirts and dresses? My guess is that they were custom-made. Anyway, Minaj inspires us to wear bold prints and to not be afraid to highlight our curves. The summer is the time to exaggerate and move away from the blacks and grays of winter.
With the exception of maybe Amber, these characters all wore some audacious articles of clothing and pulled them off effortlessly. With school winding down and summer and internships on the horizon, now is the time to spice up your wardrobe, and go see The Other Woman, of course!