Movies to Inspire

I go through stages of inspiration for my hair accessories. My last big inspiration was movie musicals, specifically the movie Singin' in the Rain. The hair clip on the right named Broadway Melody was inspired by the scene where Kathy Sheldon (Debbie Reynolds) sings Dream of You towards the beginning of the movie, right after she meets Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly).

Here is a picture of what Kathy was wearing that just made me go gaga and I HAD to create something. I know the girls aren't wearing feathers, but the movie is supposed to be set in the late 20s, so I went with a more flapperish style based on the color scheme. Plus, most of the clip uses vintage millinery and jewelry, so I didn't fret too much about a litral translation. I suppose that is the point of being inspired, right?

I have a few tried and true movies that I put on when I am in a creative slump. Some I watch for specific time periods, others I watch for the visual impact they give. You'll notice quite a few are modern films set in a different era. I find it helps to have the color to reference, but I do often watch black and white films and documentaries.

I thought it might be fun to start a list, plus add more titles as people comment. Here we go:
An American in Paris
The Cat's Meow
Down With Love
Elizabeth
Funny Face
The Great Gatsby
It (with Clara Bow)
Kiss Me Kate
Marie Antoinette (directed by Sophia Coppola)
Moulin Rouge
The Notorious Bettie Page
On the Town
Pretty in Pink
Singin' in the Rain
Some Like It Hot

Of course, pictures and screen shots help too. One of the best websites I have found for this is The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes. Not only do they provide decent pictures, they also give links for costume studies and exhibits.

So, there is the preliminary list of my creative inspiration films. I'm sure I left a few out. I can't wait to hear about more from you!