Recently, I went to screening of Hans Jyrgen-Sybebergs Die Nacht (Night, 1985). It's a very long film, lasting 6 hours. And it has only one actor: the wonderful Edith Clever, who really shows all her acting skills, in her monologue where she reads out pieces from western literature, from Platon to Beckett. And what can I say...it is really an adventure. Shot mostly in Parisian theater and in b&w, it plays with shadows and camera angles and one thing that really made appreciate it: Edith Clevers simple, but effectively working wardrobe. Less is really more, in this case and Seberberg really has made the simple yet changing wardrobe, and the way hair is styled (in a simple but beautiful bun, opened, tangled..) an advantage.
The first scenes are shot in what seems old, abandoned house, which has lost it's dignity, covered in green tags with messages from the troubled new world. The first moments of the both parts(thank god for that), the prologues, are coloured, and they have these wonderful light blue and creepy shades which make up an intresting start. Firstly, the hunting Edith Clever starts to read while she sits in a armchair, moving the armchairs coverlet nerviously, and finally placing it to her shoulders. And with such dignity she expresses, it only seems natural, and the coverlet in the shoulders look like the most stylish thing, normal, and beautiful. In the next scenes she is standing in the various parts of the house, wearing big, black coat that looks very stiff and warm and the way she just stands with it and reads aloud is really inspiring. Oh I don't really know, in some scenes she is wearing the black coverlet....but you can't really tell. She talks about native indians and the coverlet and the way her hair just falls, make her seem like old tribe leader, last of their kind.
In the first part she is wearing simple-cut, well-fitting black dress. It seems to be jersey. It fells below the knees but it's figure-hugging in the top. She has bare feet and only one accsessory: simple golden necklace with long strap, she keeps moving it around her hands in some scenes. In the second part, she is wearing same kind of dress, the hemline is longer, and it's lot flashier material: maybe polyester. When the first dress was pretty much timeless, this is is def. from the 80s, that you can tell from the shiny material that make the dress seem complicated, versus the simple but elegant dress of the first part.
Now, you might ask, how on earth will two dresses and a coat be intresting for 6 hours and uhm why is it such a thing to blog about. Well, I think that this movie, which is actually not about the clothes, but about the literature, teaches a lot of things about style. Here are my views what this movie tries to say about styles trough its clothes, mixed with my thoughts about style and such things.
1. It doesn't matter what you are wearing to get people intrested, but more how are carrying yourself with the clothes. They can never take away your dignity. Be beautiful, be the kind of beauty you want to be and work on that. While not all of us are natural born Edith Clevers, we can take cues from her. Good posture, for example. Movement, great movement. Try to get clothes that look beautiful, even when you're walking around, or sitting for that matter.
2. Less is more. Make it an advantage. Wear clothes that fit. If not the body, then the mind. Discover lots of new shades of colours and non-colours. Use your hair as an accessory: try to make it look natural. Make-up is not an necessity , nice skin is. You don't need bulk of clothes every season. Also, try to get well-cut, and comfortable clothes, the ones you feel comfortable no matter how you are sitting. Stiffness is OK in some cases, aswell as roomy.
3. Take things that seem to be little odd, and make them work. Carry them well. If it doesn't work out, too bad, but if it does, you'll thank yourself. Hesitating is OK. Mistakes are ok. Making the same mistake twice is OK. In one scene, Edith Clever picks up an large piece of leather that has been on the floor, as a blanket, and wraps it on her waist. She transfors to an Queen, Queen of Simplicity and Understanding the value of Textures.
4. Use the most beautiful, extraordinary clothing, but don't hide them underneath lots of crap. Put it in display. In the film, there is this scene where Edith Clever picks up an piece of white leather that has some kind of tribal print burned to it, and it manages to look so beautiful & crisp. First, she holds it in her hand for a moment, streching out the arms so you can really see what the piece is about and then she puts it to her shoulders. If you're bying something that actually has a need: e.g a winter coat, then make sure you buy the best material, and something that looks great on you all the time. Statement pieces!
5. Style doesn't care about your social class or the insides of your pocket. Or what is around you. Like in the movie, where around Edith Clever there are only shadows in the stage, these are modern times, and you can be the most stylish person in the world, if you want to. You can't always tell by looking at the clothes what is someones background. And isn't that freeing.
6. Remember, whatever you achieve in your lifetime, some people, most people will only remember you by your appearance.
Words are very
unnecessary...So, dress the way you want to be remembered. Clothes are very important. And don't forget that you can be stylish and taken seriously at the same time. There is no need to dumb yourself down, not even when your wearing a pink t-shirt with rhinestones, that make up an pair of scissors.
But anyways...though all the words in the world try to make us sense...
they can only do harmand every weekend, or weekday there is the same mantra in our heads.
all I ever wanted
all I ever needed
is here, in my arms.
But not like that is a bad thing.
pictures from http://www.syberberg.de/Syberberg4/EdithClever.html You can also watch videos there, extracts from the film.
