by Fiona Golden

One of the defining memories of past Thanksgivings I have is the repeated screenings of Wes Anderson’s 2009 film Fantastic Mr. Fox. Between the snappy dialogue and quaint scenery, my cousins and I became thoroughly attached to the stop-motion animals. The most charming aspect in my mind, however, were the outfits of the little foxes. And though the film is with voice actors and puppet animation, Wes Anderson’s defining style is wholly present. Here are some key characteristics of the Wes Wardrobe and their impact in fashion.

Corduroy

The corduroy suit is essentially Anderson’s uniform. He wears it to interviews, photoshoots, on the red carpet, and lounging about the house. In fact, seeing him without the suit almost feels like seeing a Mall Santa take off his beard. Wes is not Wes without his corduroy, and that is certainly reflected in his characters. Just take a look at George Clooney’s title character- it has Mr. Anderson written all over it.

Of course, not everyone is a fan of the material. Below an article about the suit in question, one user by the name of B’Jesus commented “Twee as f*ck. Hating.” But can we really hate a man so sure of himself?

Hats

Remember when Bill Murray crashed outside someone’s flat last year in Greyfriars Gardens and emerged unscathed? He later went on to participate in Old Course golf tournament wearing a lovely bucket hat, one that Wes would be very proud of. Murray is in nearly every Anderson movie, sporting a variety of fun hats, most notably in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Here we see beanie excellence from multiple parties. Berets are also a key feature of the Wes Wardrobe, as shown here with Max Fischer in Rushmore and Suzy Bishop in Moonrise Kingdom.

Color Palettes

Anderson’s use of color is very deliberate; many characters have monochrome outfits or a set palette they adhere to in their outfits.

Again, Moonrise Kingdom provides an example of this with Suzy’s pastel, floral palette contrasted with Sam’s green and yellow ensemble. These provide a striking distinction from both each other and the background.

In Fashion

The Wes Wardrobe goes beyond the screen, with fashion designers across the globe, employing his unique aesthetic to their pieces. Designer Orla Kiely, based in London, emulated Suzy Bishop’s pink beret look in her spring/summer collection back in 2014.

Suzy’s iconic binoculars are also included in the look, leaving an unmistakable imprint of Wes.

Miu Miu’s Fall/Winter looks are very quaint and reminiscent of the style as well, with uses of layered, 60’s dresses and long sleeves. This isn’t too surprising, considering Anderson and Miuccia Prada have worked together before with promotion for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and showcasing his aesthetic in a bar in Milan.

Even years later today, Miu Miu has taken the artistic direction of remarkable patterns and 70’s inspired ensembles. Above all, Wes’s style is one of nostalgia and delight, activating some primal impulse in all of us to be as cosy and picturesque as humanly possible.

ST.ART does not own the rights to any images used in this article.