IT BY SARAH G. SCHMIDT

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Summer Blockbuster Movie Style

Credits: Photo - Anonymous, Styling - Sarah G. Schmidt, Location - Plaza Theatre, Kensington


Every summer Hollywood hits us with their hottest blockbusters. Action, thrills, and big stars are thrust at us in hopes of capturing our hearts (and wallets). For the most part stars go out and do the media circuit: talk shows, meet and greets, and – of course – the red carpet movie premieres around the globe. Where there is a premiere there’s red carpet fashion. Now you’ve got my full attention.

Stars know that fashion can play a role in promoting a movie. The more they get ‘papped wearing fantastic clothing the more likely they’ll end up on blogs and tabloid magazines.

It’s an ecosystem: movie need the stars to do press > to get good press you need good images > stars want to look good so the images sell > with images the movie gets talked about more > stylist and image teams get hired to help. Tah dah! It all works together.

Celebrated and published style can help amplify the success of a movie’s promotional tour. The more press, the more everyday people hear about the movies. It should come as no surprise that great detail and planning can go into and actor’s promotion tour wardrobe. Some actors, such as Zoe Saldana, have commented on how their style can help craft their image.

Saldana is one among many of the star-studded cast of Star Trek: Beyond. The cast has been busy making their rounds doing press. Style standouts from the Trekkies are hands down John Cho and Idris Elba. My goodness these fellows know how to both: dress that fits and dress that reflects their personality. This cast gets my praise for casting with diversity at the forefront.

Another summer movie making waves this month is the re-booted Ghostbusters. Misogyny and Internet trolls aside, the top billed cast is all female (yay!). Another thing to note is that three of those women are over forty. How freaking fantastic is it that we not only get to see a beloved movie from a new perspective, the women all have different body types and colouring.

Leslie Jones, one of the movie’s stars, is taking the brunt of the criticism. But it’s not even really criticism. It’s discrimination. First, she couldn’t find a stylist to help find her a dress that fit and flattered her statuesque frame. The stylists did not try and failed their client. This is utter shit. It is so disappointing and unsettling. All bodies can and should get the opportunity to be dressed well. If a celebrity can’t get style, who can? Thankfully designer Christian Siriano stepped in and made her that custom, red stunner. Second, she has been getting racist hate tweets. Not acceptable. Can Twitter get a racism blocking functionality please? She, and the rest of the new Ghostbusters cast, are taking one for the team and persevering.

Despite the racism and misogyny I am so very excited for a new generation of little kids. They have new, diverse role models in both these movies to identify with. And kids need positive role models to emulate. New ways and careers to be inspired. Be it math or science or just running around their backyards looking for ghosts.

That’s the magic of movies. They not only take you away to their world for a couple of hours. They also give us well-dressed stars to look up to.

Who are your loved ones looking up to?