Fashion & Beauty
Catwalk to Cambridge: Grey Gardens
By Maddie Raffel
April 2009
With the recent release of HBO's Grey Gardens – a retelling of the original documentary – quirky layering has become oh-so-stylish. The Mayles brothers' 1975 film tells the story of Edith and Edie Beale, a reclusive mother-daughter pair closely related to Jackie Kennedy. Revealing that Jackie's predilection to style was genetic, Little Edie and Big Edie spend the majority of their time on screen in scarves repurposed as skirts, floral muu-muus, sparkly brooches, and many, many turbans. This spring, Consuelo Castiglioni reinterpreted this look for Marni's collection, adding in furry accessories, patterned socks, metallic sandals, and checkered shifts to get at the Beales' unstudied, glamorous look.
Such ostentatious eccentricity may be excessive for Cambridge streets, but the Edies' ability to make the most of what they had can still be inspiring on campus. Ethnic necklaces provide that "touch of color" Little Edie so valued, while artfully draped scarves and floppy-brimmed hats – which hid Little Edie's alopecia – can be equally useful for bad hair days and sunny afternoons. Breezy maxi dresses can be contemporary reinterpretations of Big Edie's bohemian (and bedridden) chic, and have the added benefit of keeping you cool during humid East Coast summers. Grey Gardens may trace the decline of a storied family, but proves once and for all that mere money doesn't buy style.
INSPIRATION:
Little Edie herself, in front of Grey Gardens. Courtesy of the Everett Collection.
Drew Barrymore as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as Big Edie in Grey Gardens (2009). Courtesy of The Los Angeles Times.
Cato Van Ee in Marni's Fall 2009 collection. Style.com
FREEZE PICKS:
Little Edie wore her swimsuits, not for sunbathing, but for dancing. This Lux one piece is equally flexible! (Lamour One Piece, $68)
This ruffled wonder can add the Beales' signature madcap glamour to an otherwise simple outfit of a t-shirt and jeans. (Black bow neckpiece by Fernanda Pereira, $167)
Little Edie and Big Edie were all about layering, and this exaggerated leopard jacket is the perfect topper. (Leopard Print Faux Fur Coat by Juicy Couture, $348.60)
Belt, skirt, necklace, cape, Little Edie made her scarves multi-task. This Diane Von Furstenberg scarf can take you through just as many wardrobe changes. (Bamboo Scarf, $165)
