Palm Springs, cocktail hour, Corvettes. Visually, «Don’t Worry Darling» floats my boat on so many levels. Although I’m infinitely grateful not to have lived as a woman in the 1950s – think minimal rights and maximum devotion in the home – the aesthetics of that era still stole a significant part of my heart. I love the interior design, the architecture and the effort that was put into every little detail of an outfit back then. Hats, pocket squares, house suits, sweater vests, dressing gowns, gloves, petticoats, pearl necklaces, brooches... I could go on forever. That’s why 2007 to 2015 had me grateful for every single season of «Mad Men». Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t wait for «Don’t Worry Darling» to hit cinemas (screening since 22 September).
At the same time, I couldn’t care less about all the gossip surrounding the premiere. Was actor Shia LaBeouf fired or did he throw in the towel? Did substitute actor Harry Styles spit at fellow actor Chris Pine at the Venice screening or not? And why wasn’t he making eye contact with director and real-life partner Olivia Wilde? Who cares?! The bottom line is the movie’s an aesthetic masterpiece. It also hinges precisely on the question of who or what you can believe and how far you should allow your intuition to be influenced. And it’s totally worth seeing.
In addition to two hours of great entertainment thanks to the storyline, staging and cast, the film has fully fuelled my fire for fifties fashion, which has merely been flickering since «Mad Men». There’s no season better suited for a little nostalgia than autumn with its miserable and dark days. And no better time to slip into a sweater vest and a pair of loafers. So here you have it. Freshly inspired by my trip to the cinema, Chris Pine, Harry Styles and Nick Kroll. Seven items to achieve the «Don’t Worry Darling» gentleman’s look.
