“She dresses like that to go out for noodles?” 

When I heard that line, I [quietly] snapped my fingers and whispered “same”. It seems that even though Mr. Chow is the one wearing suits, I might have more in common with Mrs. Chan. Everything can be an Occasion to wear a fit you like— even going down the street to grab a bite (and eat it at home). 

I don’t know if it’s because I’m in my single era (first time in four years) and getting in my feels latee, but Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love definitely hit different. It’s also just a perfect movie. 

Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung give an amazing performance, making you feel just as lonely, trapped, and yearning as they are. These themes are emphasized not just by the claustrophobic Hong Kong setting but through the cinematography and editing. The lingering shots, careful framing, and repetitive music make the audience feel just as confined as our protagonists. There’s also the theme of performance and a bit of voyeurism, due to the protagonists’ obsession with keeping up appearances; this is spurred on by fears (and actualized) gossip, “re-enactments”, and of course their gorgeous and intentional attire. ITMFL is a vibe, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. 

To no one’s surprise, this was the first time I’ve ever seen this movie. Like with all the other [old] flicks I’ve talked about on this blog, ITMFL was shown to me in stills and gifs all over Tumblr. I knew that the movie was both aesthetically pleasing and simply good, but I just never had the opportunity to see it (I prefer being tangible with movies and I like company). Granted, I knew just enough to catch the homage in Everything Everywhere All At Once. I did feel a bit embarrassed whenever I had to admit that I hadn’t seen the film! Thankfully both Spencer and MJ hadn’t either. 

Funnily enough, my first Wong Kar Wai experience was actually with Chungking Express.  A while back, my cinephile-and-doc producer pal Kady organized a hang in my local Asian American Discord to watch it at The Frida, Orange County’s premiere arthouse theater. She even extended the invite to Spencer’s burgeoning film club, which made for a fun mix of worlds. As expected, I was blown away by the film. I knew that I had to finally see ITMFL. And a little over a year later, The Frida did indeed program it, just after Valentine’s Day. How pertinent!

Our group was small this time, just Kady, Spencer, his girlfriend Isabella, my friend Alissa, and me. The girls had seen the movie before; the boys did not (losers). Thankfully, that status was changed on a lowkey Wednesday evening. I remembered saying “damn” to myself throughout the film, all thanks to the photography, Maggie Cheung, and of course, the sharp 60s menswear worn by Tony Leung (and the rest of the men). 

Clothes themselves are a big piece of this film. This makes sense considering how everyone is obsessed with appearances. There’s a scene where Mrs. Chan’s boss even swaps ties in the middle of the day, because his initial one was too “showy”. This wouldn’t be a big deal until you realize this echoes some of the other dialogue in the film, especially when it concerns Mrs. Chan herself. 

As I said in the introduction, Mrs. Chan gets some gossip made in her expense about her appearance. It’s not unfounded, as she is quite dolled up to simply hang around the house, watch a movie solo, and to even walk down the way for some noodles. In addition to being dressed up, she even seems to own enough cheongsams to wear a different one in nearly every scene. 

Yes, people back in the 60s were certainly more “formal” in their daily activities than what we’re used to today, but there is something deeper when it comes to Mrs. Chan. Perhaps making outfits and doing her hair and make up is a way to afford herself some agency in a world where she feels trapped and alone. I might know a bit about how that feels. And I think Mr. Chow does too. 

To be clear, the look isn’t bold or dandy like Gatsby, but there is something there that helps him stand out as the protagonist. 

Mr. Chow is always in a suit with a point collar shirt, which are the most formal choices you can do in day-to-day attire; separates and button-down collar shirts are reserved for smaller characters. And unlike other films, we don’t see if his sense of style extends to casual attire (outside of simply going tie and jacket-less in the final scene of the film). No, Mr. Chow exists only in a suit and tie, much like how Mrs. Chan is always in an elegant and well-fitting cheongsam. As a result, Mr. Chow not only looks perpetually sharp, but the use of full suits provides him with a strong sense of “main character energy”. He stands out among the rest of the male cast, looking like a true Golden Era Hollywood star, however ill-fated his love story may be. 

While Mr. Chow may not wear a different suit in every scene, he does have a different combination each time (though he does wear some of the same ties across different days). Some days he wears a minimally patterned tie (monogram or plaid) with a solid shirt. Other times, Mr. Chow’s neckwear feels more late 50s/early 60s with its geometric designs, which he pairs with a blue striped shirt.  There’s also one where he wears a crazy zebra-esque knit, which I find quite fun. Each of the ties are quite period, using what I assume are true vintage, with the patterns seemingly echoing Mrs. Chan’s numerous cheongsams. At the very least, both of these star-crossed yearners like a bit of variation in their attire. 

It’s hard to pin down which types of ties Mr. Chow seems to prefer or what his core style truly is: simple or a bit bold. It could just be that men inherently owned a lot of ties and simply rotated through each one with different shirts. Mr. Chow’s combinations are never commented on in-universe, but menswear guys will notice and appreciate it. My headcanon is that all of this is intentional and tethers him to Mrs. Chan. At the very least, it shows that Mr. Chow is also sensitive to appearances, though perhaps not to the extent that Mrs. Chan’s is. After all, he’s the one who confesses his feelings and makes an effort to be officially with her. 

With all of the suits, yearning, and cigs, I may have just found my latest “I’m actually him” movie. Sorry BD.  

In The Mood For Love might just be one of my all-time favorite films. It’s just so incredibly shot with powerhouse performances (and clothes) that leave you wanting more, just like our two unfortunate protagonists. And from a menswear perspective, it is quite a treat to watch.

This movie is just dripping with style, with surprisingly accurate 60s menswear. Maybe my surprise is a bit ignorant, because I haven’t seen many Hong Kong films, let alone period ones. I just didn’t expect a 200s film would have good vintage costuming. But boy did Wong Kar Wai and his team deliver. The use of true vintage clothing and styling gives the film personality and firmly places us in a period setting, transforming what could be a mundane story about cheating spouses into one of the most sensual films I’ve ever seen.

It may even get me to consider doing a 50s/early 60s look that isn’t too ivy. We’ll see!

Spencer, MJ, and I talk more about the film on the bonus edition of Style & Direction. You can listen to the first 15 minutes of the bonus pod above, but you’ll have to subscribe on Patreon to get the RSS feed of 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.

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