At the Golden Globes last weekend, Jill Soloway won Best Comedy for Transparent. Transparent is an incredible show, and it can be found on Amazon Prime. I recommend signing up just for this TV show. It's that good. It's like telling people to get Netflix just for OITNB. Trust.
When those creators and cast walked up those steps I was happy for Transparent. I was also happy specifically for Jill Soloway, especially after
this keynote speech of hers I had watched a few months previous. But mostly I was happy because a female showrunner winning a Golden Globe while wearing a sensible shoe is all I've ever wanted.
LOOK at this outfit.
I don't even know where to start.
a) most interesting suit ever worn to an awards show?
b) prada wood flatforms
c) I HAD ZERO ANXIETY ABOUT HER POSSIBLY FALLING OVER EN ROUTE
And that, ladies and gents, is how you claim your GG in style.
So speaking of style and the fact I can't stop swooning I'm looking this week at Soloway's directorial debut,
Afternoon Delight, starring Comedy MegaBabe Kathryn Hahn. Let's get on with it.
Afternoon Delight (2013)
Not to give too much away, but Afternoon Delight is a delight. It took the yuppie bored housewife troupe and gave it a strange and unique angle. It was also a brilliant example of character informing style and vice versa, the costume department working with intricate detail and sensitive examination of mood. Hahn's character Rachel rides an emotional blazer and so does her style.
Opening with someone going to see their therapist in workout gear is such a character jump off. Couple that with Hahn's strained affirmations of fine-ness and we got ourselves a modern day conundrum along the lines of "what is life, and why am I so unfulfilled?" and "why is the gym teacher from Glee messing with me?"
JK Jane Lynch is great in this.
I love a tuxedo stripe. I especially love it on a casual wear trouser. Because you know, juxtaposition and stuff!
I know that we're supposed to know that she's drowning in boredom and has the general air of WHO CARES WHAT I WEAR ANYWAY but I actually love this wardrobe a la slob. I'm a Stefani fan, so I always appreciate an adidas track.
In teal no less! And an art graphic tee. If you haven't guessed already, we're in Silverlake.
And we wear stripes to bed.
And stripes in the daytime.
The shirt is holey because she's in a pit of despair that she's not admitting to herself FYI
I would like to state that I wish I could look this good when I'd "given up entirely". I wish I looked this good when I made an effort, frankly. Alas, the casual beauty of Kathryn Hahn.
Baggy rolled up grey jeans and a studded black leather bag. Yep, this is definitely "Silverlake giving up" as opposed to "Another Place giving up".
I had to include this photo for the collective facial expressions. Yuppie yapping? Nailed it.
Major props to all these ladies but Jess St Clair is so funny in this. She takes her BFF to a strip club in an attempt to help inspire her sex life.
Rachel teams her good ol' graphic tee collection with a polka dot blazer and a hairdo that happened on purpose. She's making an effort!
She finds a project at the strip club. By project I mean a human being who is a stripper. Enter Juno Temple as McKenna. Rachel wants to help her turn her life around. It's all a cycle of helping. McKenna seems more than content with where she's at. Rachel makes like a sat nav and bleats on at her about a u-turn. But she never actually asks if McKenna needs help. It's implied, she figures. I mean, c'mon, she
is a stripper.
So she stalks McKenna in the guise of checking out an artisanal coffee truck and they strike up a friendship.
This look doesn't really fit into my narrative but I love this outfit. The Felice Brothers shirt!
And these beauties:
Blue suede Gazelle's! My favourite. Product placement update: definitely Adidas.
So McKenna moves into Rachel's spare room.
And thus the blouses go from "why bother" linen....
To "I am an adult but adorable"...
To "Cue Wolfmother - Woman"
Wowzers. Hot Mess to Hot. And all because of her hooker life coach who everyone thought would be bad news. Mustard FTW.
She even tries a smokey eye. She also tries being a part of Temple's sex worker life. So yeah, the hooker life coach might have been a bad idea after all.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that costume were like "what would a bored housewife wear on her first sexwork excursion? A mac?" because OF COURSE A MAC.
So Rachel wears her best vampy lace and follows McKenna into sin.
Which included this awesome shot of her actually mirroring her. The teacher has been the student indeed.
But you know, don't be fooled by the fact her hair looks great, that doesn't mean this is her scene.
In fact things get pretty dark.
She's sitting and watching her teen protege bang an old client. Pretty dark, right?
Well not as dark as a Moms Wine and Sharing Party, let me tell you. That's when shit gets FUCKED UP. Hahn's shirt is as red as the bouquet that soaks her heart. There are some home truths involved.
And well I'm not going to spoil anything but we're back in therapy. Because of course we are. But we've swapped slobby for chic at least! It's a journey, people.
And she's wearing lacy bras under cute vests so it can't be all bad
It isn't bad, it's good. Yuppie gets her drive back!* *Alternative title
Watch this film. Watch Transparent (Hahn plays a rabbi and it's glorious.) Watch Six Feet Under. Watch everything. Soloway knows what she's doing.
