Prepping Out

THE MOVIE: “Metropolitan”

THE SET UP: Director/writer Whit Stillman’s slice-of-life tale about a bunch of rich New York preppies, plus one middle-class outsider, Tom Townsend (Edward Clements, pictured with Carolyn Farina as Audrey). Their exhausting social schedule consists of debutante parties and “after parties” in their parents’ living rooms where they dish and discuss the meaning of life. The decade is irrelevant since nothing ever changes in this world, but figure it’s set sometime in the late ‘80s.

THE LOOK: A virtual primer on the East Coast preppy look, which is ironclad and, dare say, occasionally bizarre. Margaret Mead could have had a field day figuring it all out. Not only does everyone dress alike, but as if they’re teetering on the edge of mommy- and daddyhood. Girls are old enough to bare their white shoulders a la Scarlett O’Hara and add a row of pearls, but too young to own a mink coat. Instead they make do with awkward mid-calf overcoats that break the flow of their all-white, floor-length deb gowns of lace and taffeta. Boys play dress-up in white tie and tails. In one scene, Nick (Christopher Eigeman) goes one step further, adding top hat and walking stick just like Fred Astaire, whom you can bet is his fashion idol. Seen together, boys and girls look just like the top of a wedding cake.

In cocktail dresses, even “fast” girls never seem to show their knees (tea length is preferred) and avoid cleavage at all costs. Black velvet and jewel-colored taffetas worn by girls like Serena Slocum (Elizabeth Thompson) and Jane Clarke (Allison Rutledge-Parisi) are the only suggestions of sophistication--sexual or otherwise. Boxy tuxedos minus heavily padded shoulders or updated European tailoring are the favored look. Shawl-collar tuxes are de rigueur (as are wing collars, even the old-fashioned detachable kind). Only Tom’s rental tux has standard lapels, one of many subtle details that are there for the probing.

THE LABELS AND STORES: Costume designer Mary Jane Fort scoured a variety of sources, including her own collection of ‘50s cocktail dresses, since the preppy uniform doesn’t change much and, according to Fort, so many rich girls simply alter their mothers’ clothes to be fiscally practical. (Likewise for the boys.) Fort designed all the long, white taffeta and chiffon debutante gowns, and rented or bought all those flounced and bowed cocktail dresses by Adele Simpson, Basia and others, including probably the world’s most conservative, tea-length Bob Mackie dress. Tuxes and tails came from the New York tuxedo store, A.T. Harris (as seen in the movie). For casual clothes, girls were dressed in sweaters, skirts and even kilts from Talbot’s, J.G. Hook and Brooks Brothers. The boys’ unpleated khaki pants, crew neck sweaters and trusty navy blazers were from--where else?--Brooks Brothers and L.L. Bean.