Good evening beauties,
Two things have come together in a beautiful symbiosis and contributed to today’s excited post by yours truly. The first is that I have finally begun watching cult HBO television series True Blood and am now smitten. I love the dense atmospherics of this program: from the lush, humid, sinful setting of America’s ‘Deep South’ (a perfect playground for the mysterious, sinister and sordid antics of vamps and humans alike), to the rich Louisiana accent and the not-so-subtle insinuation that an over-zealous, intolerant Christian community literally creates a monster.
The style lover that I am, I am also attracted to the costume design of True Blood. The wardrobe staff/costume designers are so clever because at first glance the (human) attire is exactly what one would imagine from a small country community – casual, relaxed, nothing fancy; the women either a little bit slutty or a little bit prim and innocent. Yet there is a subtle romance in the wardrobe selections which mimics the romance and old-school atmosphere of the Deep South. Main character Sookie (the talented Anna Paquin) balances a wardrobe of 60s and 70s style sundresses – nipped in waists, halter necks and bright prints – with a sort of suburban, 1990s soft grunge aesthetic – trainers worn with tight jersey dresses and tiny cotton singlets, print button-down shirts worn with denim cut-offs.
Thus I have recently found myself daydreaming about said dresses, in particular the retro sundress and quirky print style. Then one day this week I found myself in the home and sleepwear section of Country Road. I was looking for a True Blood style nightie – crisp white cotton, loose-fitting, and a hint of lace. A nightie worthy of steamy nights looking out from a Louisiana veranda, crickets chirping in sumptuous green forest.
Not only did I find a nightie in Country Road which matched all of my exacting prerequisites, but I found a whole new, undiscovered repository of summer dress attire. Not in Country Road proper but in the sleepwear section! Seriously, Country Road do the best sleepwear and this season their nighties and pyjama sets and even a cute little all-in-one romper are too beautiful to hide in bed (even if they are hiding with a sexy man). There are tiered, softly ruffled dresses with spaghetti straps. There are delicate A-line dresses in lemon yellow and peach granita. There are gorgeous vintage Libertine-style prints and there is even a cherry red nightie with wide shoulder straps and just a dab of embroidered lace, and it would be perfect for waking up in on Christmas morning – or wearing all day. All of these abovementioned frocks are worthy of a sunlit sojourn in the Deep South.
So there you have it, the two things I am excited about – True Blood (or perhaps it’s just the Deep South) and Country Road sleepwear as daywear. I’ve already bought the white cotton nightie, but methinks I may have to venture back for something else…
Pictured nighties available from Country Road.
*True Blood film stills courtesy of HBO.
Katherine
November 30, 2010
Fellow True Blood addict here! And, like you, I love it not just for its intricate stories and the politics of the vampire underworld, but also for its “look”. In some scenes you could swear you can breathe the humidity. Funnily enough, another Anna Paquin project has that impact on me too – The Piano. Whenever I watch it, I’m instantly transported to another world and I honestly feel like I could almost smell the damp wet forest soil. The wonders of a gifted cinematographer!
Those nighties are gorgeous x
thebeautyphilosopher
November 30, 2010
I love The Piano! So moody and emotive.
The Fashion Foot
June 27, 2012
Anna Paquin’s style reminds me of my own actually! I love how much thought costume designer’s put into their shows. I wrote a similar article about True Blood fashion. If you are interested, check it out: http://thefashionfoot.com/2012/06/27/true-blood-fashion-inspiration-part-2/