{"id":793833,"date":"2026-07-30T18:25:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/793833\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T18:25:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:25:23","slug":"tbt-the-house-of-mirth-2000-frock-flicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/793833\/","title":{"rendered":"TBT: The House of Mirth (2000) \u2013 Frock Flicks"},"content":{"rendered":"

I never did make a category just for \u201csuper beautiful but super depressing\u201d movies (as I considered when reviewing The Portrait of a Lady<\/a>), but if I had, The House of Mirth (2000) would be next on the list. Sure, the Edith Wharton novel wasn\u2019t a light romp by any means, but somehow onscreen, the story lingers in an even more wistful and downbeat fashion.<\/p>\n

And while the costumes by designer Monica Howe<\/a> are gorgeous, I unfortunately couldn\u2019t get enough high-quality screencaps to prove it. Suffice to say Gillian Anderson<\/a> is stunningly attired as 1900s socialite-on-the-hunt Lily Bart. The very first scenes frame the main character in silhouette as she waits for a train. The big hat, the hourglass body, the trumpet skirt, she\u2019s the very picture of high-society elegance.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

At a friend\u2019s country estate, Lily meets with Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz), a sometime suitor who\u2019s not rich enough to marry her.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

This daytime suit is so perfectly kitted out with trims and accessories \u2014 tastefully, not too extravagant, just fashionable restraint.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

This image of Selden and Lily doesn\u2019t show the accurate color of her suit \u2014 it\u2019s definitely green in the version I watched.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The suit appears green on display as well:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

One beautifully dramatic scene is when Lily goes to the opera with her friend\u2019s husband, Gus Trenor, who has been giving her investment advice. Her bright red dress against a sea of black suits and white gowns announces to the world that she\u2019s a fallen woman, even though she isn\u2019t and won\u2019t, even though that is Trenor\u2019s intent. In this world, the appearance and rumor are enough to doom Lily.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s a beautiful gown and the \u201clook at me\u201d red continues to her red feather fan. Everyone at the opera sees her sitting in the box with Trenor (Dan Aykroyd).<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Also, her hair is perfect, right out of a Gibson Girl drawing.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Selden who she\u2019s best suited with, they both know it, but they can\u2019t make it happen. Another dramatic dress for another dramatic scene.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

You\u2019re just going to have to watch the movie for this dress! It\u2019s really amazing, but I couldn\u2019t get screencaps, and the lighting of the scene didn\u2019t help in that regard.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The rest of the movie is filled with societal machinations that eventually lead to Lily\u2019s demise. The film\u2019s also filled with a lot of those classic \u201cEdwardian whites\u201d \u2014 delicate blouses, pintucked within an inch of their lives and dripping with lace. Lily wears a series of these blouses:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Always lovely 1900s hair:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Along with the white blouses, she has full white outfits like this coat:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Plus this white gown covered in lace:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Have you watched The House of Mirth just for the costumes?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Find this frock flick at:<\/p>\n


\"JustWatch\"
<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tMore Frock Flicks\n<\/p>\n

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