Fashion Case Study: Morse

Morse, for those who don’t know, was/is an 80s/90s detective drama TV series set in Oxford. Based on the Colin Dexter novels, it features a snowy-haired detective who digs crypic crosswords, beer, luxury vehicles and seducing hot middle aged babes. Oh and justice. He’s big on that. If that description didn’t win you over I think maybe you should do the replicant test because it's hectic.

I personally find it incredibly soothing to watch – something about its unflinching internal logic and the predictability of genre TV, plus the Oxford obsession I have which is still in full swing – but lately I have also been noticing that there is some pretty great fashions involved too. The golden era of normcore! Not only are the tourists and characters peak upmarket 80s perfection, the students provide head to toes that get me taking notes. A few case studies, for your consideration.

Morse does gothrave:

This episode is a golden triumph on multiple levels, (special mention to Sergeant Lewis who would've thrown some sick shapes, glow sticks and furry pants etc, if he wasn't on duty). But I was most interested in a particular gothrave look which is ON POINT, and comes direct from a goth 90s raver etsy seller. The screen grabs don't do it justice, but imagine: velvet choker, chain backpack, brown lipstick, body con mini skirt and witch boots. Plus lob. Would wear.

Stuff: Vintage Chanel backpack, Etsy
Velvet choker, also Etsy
Dress, Matches
Blazer, Etsy 
Boots, Etsy


Morse does normcore:

We need to talk about everything here. The hot pink, oversized tshirt, the patchwork overalls (in a star pattern no less), a loose 80s french braid with a friggen velvet scrunchie. Add white sneakers. They also ALL rides bikes. This chick could work at Vice. From this episode.

Overalls, Etsy
Shoes & sunnies, ASOS

I Want To Identify

For a while, for me, the abstract notion of a female was OK. It was better than nothing. But now I find I crave a solid being. To converse with, to see myself within, as a woman. Not male, not an abstraction of masculinity, not, at best, a transcendence of gender. Someone who saw and spoke and could touch.

Self with Godard filter

Agnes Varda, Cleo from 5-7

Godard, Une Femme is Une Femme

(I've been thinking a lot lately about the nature of pop-culture patriarchy, how and where female pleasure comes into things - this is from a longer piece I'm working on right now.)

Movie Style: The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

Turns out I hadn't read every single last one of the Penguin Classics from the much-mined bookstore at Sydney airport. The Witches of Eastwick had somehow been missed - no idea why. Feminist, magical, and with the kind of prose that reminds you why you love writing, Updike totally killed it with this one, and I loved every second. So, naturally, the movie. It was very unlike the book, and sort of crap, but can we just take a moment to reflect up the excellence of the circa '87 fashions? Yes? Yes. Very well then:

Excellent font. Also foliage. #fontandfoliage

Exhibit A: cross-back blue and white stripe midi skirt pinafore. Genius.

Seersucker, pastels and clear '80s geek glasses? Pfieffer you pferfect specimen.

Uptight, pre-demon Sarandon looks pretty god damn excellent. Those school-unfiform greys and crisp white layers could be very Lover-esque inspo, no?

Tied crop eighties excellence, with navy midi-culottes, kick-ass bike and gypsy jewels? Add Cher's general charisma and you've got a pretty covetable combo.

That lightly-striped summer dress! (It has a button-through back just FYI). That tres-Birkin basket weave bag. That jawbone!

Ok so post-demon, let-loose Sarandon kicks major ass too. I tip my hat to that hair, and those mirror shades, lady.

Got game.

Butterfly clips on a grown woman. Cher only situation.

Overalls because all the YES

Does Sarandon's outfit deserve a third screen cap? You bet your sage smudge stick she does.

Speaking of her outfits all get pretty excellent from here on in....

Though the less said about this the better.

TUTU ALERT

From here on in it suddenly gets really puffy for some reason. I respect that this is 1987 after all. Those oversize pearls though.

I love every single thing about Pfieffer's print co-ord with potpie hat look here. Ideal.

Sarandon goes gym witch/ Cher does high waist pants/ Pfieffer dressed as Jerry Seinfeld.

Silky robes and sorcery!

Céline and Julie Go Boating

Céline et Julie vont en bateau (1974). Not sure how I missed this one for so long - French New Wave, tarot, magic, Montmartre; it's a surreal female buddy film (which let's face it is the best kind). With a running time of over three hours, you might want to settle in with some popcorn and comfy cushions. But once you do, get ready for a psychedelic adventure and musing on friendship, story-telling, film-watching, imagination and not to mention the quite excellent fashions. Here's a preview.

With her red curls, brown dress, clogs & retro clear frames, Julie has maximum American Apparel meets Dewey Decimal vibes.

THAT MICK JAGGER DO. Céline with her feathers, scarves and 70s hair, has a more dated but sincerely excellent skinny-Groupie mega steez.

Sick overalls, Céline

Dewey decimals yo

Pineapples? YES

Note to self: COSMIC TWILIGHT PIMPS is an excellent band name

Sick dragon eye rings ladies

Not enough denim