2009 Best Costumes Nominee

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent vastly different historical periods. Be it 18th-century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. I've already presented galleries for four out of the five nominees, so today the final movie is Milk.

People often think of San Francisco's "Summer of Love" as the city's major cultural movement, but Gus Van Sant's biopic Milk features the life of gay activist Harvey Milk during another turbulent time for this town: The 1970s. And nothing helps bring this vision to life more than the detailed costumes worn by each member of the fantastic ensemble cast. From Josh Brolin's traditional suiting to the flashy polyester getups worn by Diego Luna, the '70s never looked so good!

To check out the many photos of good-looking people in high-waisted jeans and such, just read more

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent vastly different historical periods. Be it 18th-century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is The Duchess.

Oh lucky, lucky Keira Knightley! She plays Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, and while the dramatic life of this charismatic woman was probably what drew her to the role, I'm sure the movie's lavish period costumes were a nice little bonus. Who wouldn't want to adorn herself in such gorgeousness? There's 18th-century costumes and then there's this movie: The wigs, the jewelry, the dapper menswear, the exquisite detail . . . The Duchess is a frenzy of beautiful period costuming — and I can't get enough of it.

To see a gallery of the costumes, just read more

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent vastly different historical periods. Be it 18th-century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is Revolutionary Road.

While Mad Men gave us a weekly dose of 1950s/early-1960s fashion over the Summer, Revolutionary Road brought the era's aesthetic to the silver screen in all its classically tailored glory. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play a married couple who appear to have everything, even though a storm of discontent brews below the surface. The immaculate costumes created for the actors, with their delicate pastels, only make the movie's sad and disturbing subtext that much more powerful by contrast.

To see a gallery of the costumes for yourself, just read more

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent several vastly different historical periods. Be it eighteenth century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

No matter what you think of Benjamin Button overall, most agree that the movie is a stunning technical and visual achievement, and part of this is the gorgeous costuming. Director David Fincher sets his magical tale inside a sepia-toned universe, allowing the costumes to indicate the changing times throughout the story while the palette gives it all a mystical effect — as if we've dusted off some old photo book in our grandparents' attic. That is, until Cate Blanchett's character bursts onto the screen in a vibrant red dress or Tilda Swinton glides across a room in a luxurious fur. These costumes tell us the movie isn't just a window into the past but a vibrant living thing to be experienced in the now.

To check out the romantic costumes for yourself, read more

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent several vastly different historical periods. Be it eighteenth century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is Australia.

Baz Luhrmann's movies are always exceptionally detailed when it comes to the way they look. Once again, it's clear there was a specific vision when it came to the way these characters dress in this epic tale set in the late 1930s/early 1940s. Not only do the costumes look amazing on the movie's two stunning stars (although, Hugh also looks pretty great without any costume) but they also contribute to the narrative, especially in the case of Kidman's character. Eventually her lavish wardrobe gives way to more relaxed frontier wear — a visual cue to the audience that Australia has won her over.

To check out a gallery of the many beautiful costumes on the great-looking actors, just read more