When I released my essay documenting the creative challenge of composing my Inspiration Fantastique, I was treated to a delightful comment by Andrew. He said some very kind words about my composition as well as my blog in general; I will remember them for the rest of my life! But was most surprising was that in his post script, he asked me to follow up on an old promise I made in 2017 to cover Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes (1948). Not only am I incredulous at his memory but also in my lack of it— I don’t remember this movie at all! 

So Andrew, my dear commenter, this one’s for you.

WIth my lapse in memory, my first real exposure to Powell and Pressbuger came only a few short weeks ago, when Spencer asked me on a random Monday to join him and his girlfriend to see an evening showing of The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp at the Academy Museum. Mondays are my rest days (you guys know I am always doing something) and so I decided to come. I even wore a red blazer to match the Britishness of it all. 

Of course, I loved the film. It’s such a great film that serves to show the changes in Britain’s “personality” from the Boer War to WWII. It was also here where I first became entranced by Anton Wallbrook. His chiseled mustachioed mug and epic style in the film made me into a fan.

This would obviously happen again when I decided to see The Red Shoes, spurred on by both Spencer and Andrew in my comments. Spencer also forgot that we had seen the film before, and immediately bought tickets for the next showing at the Academy Museum (it was a Powell & Pressburger series). Unfortunately I was unable to go (I watched Didi instead), but Spencer encouraged me to catch it on HBO Max as he knew I was going to like it. All he had to say was that one of the characters is a composer…and the film has some of the best menswear ever seen on film. 

The film mainly follows three characters, each one compelling and well acted. We’re first introduced to Julian Craster who dreams of being a renowned composer. Craster ultimately gets his chance through a benevolent meeting with Boris Lermontov, the impresario of his eponymous Ballet Lermontov. Both Craster and Lermontov are taken by the ingénue Vicky Page, a new ballerina who skyrockets to fame with the troupe. It ultimately becomes a story about ambition, passion, and what we would give up for our art, as Craster and Page struggle to have a life (and romance) under Lermontov’s strict dedication to perfection. Drama (and truly fantastic menswear) ensues. 

To no one’s surprise, The Red Shoes has been added to my list of favorite movies. I could see myself watching this one again and again, not just for menswear but because the story, acting, and score is just so incredible. The extended dance sequence is so fantastical and a testament to art that I am not surprised other pieces of work (like An American In Paris) take inspiration from it.

Of course the clothing is certainly worth discussing and why we’re all here today. I consider the menswear to be good for a lot of reasons. Firstly, the clothes themselves are just good. It has everything, from trad menswear or riviera chic, displaying all facets of classic/vintage menswear. It proves that menswear can be formal, fun, and ultimately flattering; if you don’t feel like dressing up after seeing this movie, then you better get your head checked! I just know that so many of my outfits will be send ups of this film— it helps when you already inherently own a lot of the same pieces.

In addition, the clothing also serves as an extension of each character’s personalities.. This is executed not just in formality but in color and silhouette, with each detail assisting the acting and score to communicate just what is going on in the film. After all, dressing with expression is one of the joys and challenges of menswear and it’s such a treat to see it done well. 

Much like Vicky Page, I am torn between which of the two male protagonists had my heart…menswear speaking of course (but Lord, aren’t both of them handsome).

Julian Craster (played by Marius Goring) is certainly the person I most identify with. A young, ambitious composer, Craster certainly has a bit of boyish charm in his attire. He only gets two jacket and tie outfits in the film. The first one is a great example of Apparel Arts tailoring, featuring a green sportcoat and grey trousers, accessorized with a block stripe tie (in green, brown, and cream) and a mauve shirt (which seems to be the same one he wore the previous evening).  English attire is often seen as austere and conservative, but this “semi-sports look” (what Apparel Arts called outfits that are neither country nor city), proves that there was fun to be had, especially in the Golden Era. 

Of course for his first day on the job as the orchestra coach for the Ballet Lermontov, Craster dresses to impress, by wearing a dark business suit (navy or black) with a cream shirt and lovely multi stripe (I call these “deco stripes) tie in a light blue, again signaling his naiveté. In later scenes on the job, he is seen in a light brown or red university stripe spearpoint with a small geometric print tie; his chalk stripe trousers would have most likely been part of a suit. 

Craster gets a respite from tailoring during the Monte Carlo scenes, but for the climax, returns to Vicky’s dressing room wearing a rather “Ethan” look: a brown suit, blue shirt, and blue geometric tie with a lightweight, waxed cotton raincoat on top (not a Barbour). Not only does this show how he’s rushed to see his paramore but also contrasts against white tie worn by Lermontov in the same scene. 

It’s all just so good. I just wish we could see more of Craster’s sartorial style as you guys know I’m obsessed with composers in slouchy suits. 

Boris Lermontov (played by Anton Wallbrook) goes even further on the tailoring spectrum. Slouch isn’t in his vocabulary. Instead, we’re treated to sheer austerity and elegance. Lermontov is first shown to us immaculately wearing white tie, an ensemble that he dons for nearly each one of his ballet performances. In some of the HD filmgrabs, you can see just how starched his bowtie and shirt bib are. While most men today would shudder at the prospect of wearing stiff clothing, it all looks perfectly natural on Lermontov.

The formal theme of black and white is echoed in his everyday attire: a black double breasted suit, white spearpoint, and solid cream tie. It’s most likely an intentional choice by the costumers  to evoke the attitude of formal wear during the day without resorting to morning dress.  That being said, he is also seen wearing a DB tuxedo that you might even confuse for the suit if not for the black grosgrain bow tie. Though he does mess up slightly by wearing what seems to be a normal white spearpoint dress shirt instead of a proper tux shirt with studs. 

Both the DB suit and tuxedo fit him especially well, being the classic drape cut that the 1930s-1940s is known for. In fact, the garment is a testament to conservative British tailoring, as despite it being 1948, it lacks elements of the Bold Look (exaggerated shoulders and low buttoning point) that characterized suits across the pond. 

Lermontov mostly rawdogs his suited look without any accessories (no collar bar or pocket square) which only adds to his stern and calculating demeanor. It also serves to emphasize his red lapel buttonhole, which he retains on his suit, tuxedo, and tailcoat. Whether this is meant to indicate his obsession with The Red Shoes or to show that he is truly the devil, is up to you. 

That being said he does add a few things on certain occasions in order to lean into his activities of the day. When he’s traveling, Lermontov wears a black fedora with a fully rounded crown (no pinch) and thin black ribbon, making it almost look like an Optimo Panama just in black felt. Of course this is evoked quite literally during the Monte Carlo scenes where he trades his fedora for a straw hat (though this one has a slight pinch). 

In an interesting move, Lermontov also takes care to wear black and white spectator derbies with his suits in these scenes to help emphasize that he is indeed at a vacation site even though his suits mean business. I guess you gotta show that you have a modicum of fun when you’re in Monte Carlo! On that note, I must also mention his oversized tortoiseshell sunglasses which have a mix between a cat eye and bug eye frame. You’d think it would be comical to pair these with such stuffy clothes, but he does it well. Sunglasses are a great statement after all. 

Of course, Lermontov and Craster aren’t the only ones who wear suits in the film. Members of the Ballet Lermontov are also dressed to the nines, especially in tailoring. Livy (the orchestra conductor) and Sergei (the set designer) are seen working in London wearing fantastic suits, a grey DB (with scarf and homburg) and a grey SB pinstripe and foulard tie respectively. It seems that they take their jobs seriously, though perhaps not as serious as Lermontov himself. 

Dozens of side characters and extras are also wearing great suits and ties, with the traditional British styling that makes 1948 look like 1938.  But what makes this one of the best menswear movies all time isn’t necessarily the suits, but the casual wear. 

Once we move to Monte Carlo, we are treated to some of the best casual attire ever seen on film. Even if there is nary a tie or full white suit to be seen, everyone is dripping with style, looking almost completely like an Apparel Arts illustration with their jaunty scarves, sandals (and bucks), and vibrant overshirts and pants. It’s how you know that the ballet troupe is really having fun.  It’s not exactly preppy but leisurely. In that way, the outfits really get after what summer dressing is meant to be about:  to celebrate fun! 

Craster has a few great takes on this, as he is seen in epic spearpoint/camp collar popover shirts and fisherman sandals. Notably, Lermontov does this once during their first evening in Monte Carlo: he wears a light blue overshirt, dark shirt, cream trousers, block sandals (with white socks), and of course a red paisley scarf. This is a rarity for him because once the scene finishes, he gets right back to wearing his black suit and tuxedo. 

Lermontov is also the only character we see in home leisure attire (yes, I know we see Craster in PJs and a robe).  Near the beginning of the film, he is wearing a tunic that seems quite outrageous to wear at home. It has a pseudo religious vibe, not only because it looks like something a priest would wear but because there literally seems to be church/stained glass designs on the front.  This is contrasted with the red velvet tunic that Lermontov wears when he is wallowing in his anger that both Craster and Vicky have left him. He may in fact be the devil. 

Safincore indeed! 

I think it’s safe to say that The Red Shoes is now one of my favorite movies of all time. Spencer was right in saying that I would love this movie— there is nothing better than an ambitious trad-wearing composer who choses love and an obsessive, DB wearing dandy who demands perfection? 

Above that is the menswear of the film. Powell and Pressburger created a film that really shows all of the possibilities of menswear (trad, formality, and leisure) all in its vintage glory. Each of the outfits not only feels natural to the setting but to the characters. No one bats an eye at the different types of clothing one can wear, whether it’s played straight or done with a bit of flamboyance. Not only that, but clothing can also embody our personality and our character, with each choice communicating something about us. This is entirely the point of film costuming, but its something we can certainly leverage for ourselves.

I loved the film so much that it is the subject of our latest bonus episode! While Spencer had certainly seen it before, it was also MJ and my first time. Obviously we loved it.   You can listen to a clip of the episode above or you can subscribe on Patreon for the full episode (as well as access to our Discord)!

Don’t forget to support us on Patreon to get some extra content and access to our exclusive Discord. Oh and don’t forget, we do a podcast every two weeks!

Buh-bye!

Ethan M. Wong (follow me on IG)| StyleandDirection

The Podcast is produced by MJ.