In the second season of And just like that…, an unexpected cast of support players have appeared to enhance the storyline. No, I’m not talking about exes or the highly anticipated Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) cameo – it was rather the plaids, tartans and plaid prints that caught my eye. “Plaid is the new black”, quips Molly RogersWHO co-costume creations THE sex and the city sequel series with Danny Santiagowhen I ask the reason behind the inclusion of the fall fashion trend throughout the 11-episode series.
When Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) has her bike run over by George (Peter Hermann), she’s wearing a vintage Vivienne Westwood lilac plaid coat. On the Upper East Side, Lily (Cathy Ang) swaps her mother-approved, flawless pink Chanel for ’90s grunge checks to explore her teenage angst and emo songwriting skills, while said mom (Kristin Davis) wears a vintage green dress. and navy blue tartan cape for the school bus. “It’s one of those vivid patterns that photographs so well,” says Rogers.
For steamy comedy Down, costume designer Eunice Jera Lee also included checks while referencing looks from the 90s and early teen movies. On the first day of senior year, best friends Brittany (Kaia Gerber) and Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) nod at cluelessCher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) in a yellow plaid Maje top and a sunny argyle knit from Glamorous, respectively. In the scene, the duo’s coordinated patterns make them the cool clique. “In all those 2000 movies, every time there was a group of girls, they were all very even,” says Lee, quoting the famous line from the 2004 movie. mean girls: “On Wednesday we wear pink.”
In Only murders in the building, a mix of plaids, windowpanes and tartans have graced the killer comedy since 2021. The pattern conjures up classic detective imagery, like Sherlock Holmes’ houndstooth hat and Nancy Drew’s school uniform skirt . “It’s a very versatile design,” says the show’s Emmy-nominated costume designer. Dana Covarrubiaswhich also compares the grid-like print to the windows of the titular Manhattan skyscraper.
Once again, the motif appears at some of the key moments in season three. To meet an old enemy, Mabel (Selena Gomez) bundles up in a Stand Studio houndstooth print coat, inspired by the daring costumes of The guys and the dolls, to pay homage to the Broadway-themed plot. For a murder scene that kicks off the events of the season, Covarrubias dressed Mabel in a green and white faux sheepskin coat by Apparis, which also references the 1950s plaid suits of the Broadway musical, but that also wouldn’t look like it was in place for fall 2023.
“This season in particular, plaids are emerging with increased relevance as fashion establishes a new code of classics, much of it rooted in the tailoring that works so well in men’s plaids and patterns,” says Kate Bellman, womenswear editor at Nordstrom. Hannah Watkins, head of prints and graphics at trend forecasting agency WGSN, echoes this, highlighting Marc Jacobs’ spring 2023 and Daniel Lee’s Burberry debut for fall 2023, which included grunge versions of the trend. “Punk and grunge stories resonate particularly with young people, as they address feelings of rage towards the current mainstream. polycrisis in society,” she said.
As the youngest member of the crime-solving group, Mabel brings a rebellious vibe with her throwbacks, which reinforce her clever retorts and friendly reaction when she engages with baby boomers Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver ( Martin Short). “It’s almost like a bit of punk rock,” says Covarrubias, who referenced Vivienne Westwood’s iconic tartans and the 70s punk music movement.
Back Down, Lee also drew inspiration from the fashion trend’s protesting roots. When Isabel confronts her boyfriend, star quarterback Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), in the high school cafeteria, Lee wanted “Isabel to take her power in that moment as a strong, feminine figure.” To get her “PTA mom mixed with Stepford Wife” look, Lee dressed Liu in a pink and white checkered bouclé skirt suit lined with pearl buttons from Reformation to show that “she’s really serious.”
At the opposite end of the popularity spectrum, PJ (Rachel Sennott) wears an oversized “(Kurt) Cobain grunge” flannel as armor. “It’s her security blanket to protect any kind of insecurities she feels,” says Lee, who repeats this look in scenes depicting uncertainty. “PJ is so dress-confused that she’s a bit of a style chameleon,” Lee continues. At one point, PJ attempts to emulate Brittany’s cute yellow top, but with vintage tartan pants in a dull mustard. “She’s not confident at all at this point.”
“Plaid is bold, but it can also be subtle,” says Rogers. In And just like that, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) wears tiles at the lowest and highest points. Amid a breakup and divorce, she’s wrapped in a hodgepodge of tartan and wears a boxy wool jacket and fringed scarf, both from Cotélac, as she ditches the townhouse that she previously shared with Steve (David Eigenberg). “She was hopping between the apartments, and that combo felt like a real Miranda hodgepodge,” Rogers says. Later in the season, Miranda turns the tale upside down when she dons a chic blue and red plaid wool coat by Marella for what she thinks is a hot date.
In the AJLT season finale, Carrie makes the unusual decision to venture into an uncertain future with her former fiancé Aidan (John Corbett.) She drops all her “expectations” over dinner in a stunning setting. checkerboard beaded dress from the Oscar de la Renta Fall 2023 collection, which she teamed with Wilfred leggings and glittering Rene Caovilla pumps for an equally unexpected — but very Carrie — outfit.
Rogers and Santiago – who have just launched a eBay store inspired designer pieces AJLT fashion – say they intentionally did not weave checks and checks into wardrobes as a symbol. They were simply drawn to prints as they shopped contemporary offerings and browsed vintage for the season’s wardrobe. “You just like that combination, especially Carrie, who (she’s someone who) can wear plaid and houndstooth together,” Rogers explains.
So whether you’re feeling rebellious or awkward, or anywhere in between, this fall, follow your instincts and wear throws your way to tell your story. Costumers do.
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