Italy in the '70s: Style

I've failed to write a post for two months, so bear with me. Fashion, hair, and make-up were the reasons I was initially drawn to italian cinema. My fondest childhood moments were spent watching 1970s Indian films. When Ryan introduced me to non-new wave Italian cinema, I noticed elements of   1970s Bollywood style and current trends in fashion. So I continued watching. 

The '70s was a time for great hair. "Cold Eyes of Fear" is a giallo set in "swinging" London but the look is irrefutably italian. The mullet has popped up as a trend in the past 10 years. Though it has disappeared in most respects, all-womens' colleges the world-over continue to adopt this super-styled mullet. Here are his and her mullets:

Make up is a hard subject to discuss, because I don't know how to use it. But I know what looks good when I see it.

Here are some examples of excellence in face painting:

This screenshot is from Dario Argento's "Inferno." This incredibly attractive female engages the camera for a few minutes with her bewitching good looks and her cat. What adds to her allure is her smokey eye make-up and smoldering tinted lips, without which she would just be some girl in a classroom with a cat. This changes the scene from weird to seductively engaging.

This photo is a still from "Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion," which prominently features women with intricately painted faces and bourgeois outfits. The film is more of a mystery than a typical giallo. This photo features a look from the 1970s that will likely never be revived: the curled piece of sideburn that juts into the face. I've noticed many women in Italian and Indian cinema during this time with hair shorn to sideburns to achieve the look. 

In addition to being reviewed on Whip Zooms and Stinger Chords, "The Perfume of the Lady in Black" should be praised for its use of neutral clothing to turn Mimsy Farmer into an ethereal pixie-ish beauty. Note: All of her outfits are repeatedly re-designed for wear today by major labels and chain retail stores alike. 

Here her angelic and menacing beauty is juxtaposed with her lanky friend's "dated" 70s look. 

Note: Many people would not dress like the lady to the right today. The author is not included in this category of people.

This entry on fashion would be incomplete without the inclusion of Daria Nicolodi. She is not only a brilliant writer and actress, but she has a strong sense of style. Her style mixes menswear and silky fabrics in a way entirely inspirational. Designers today often try to seek this balance in masculine-feminine apparel, but few women can carry it off like Ms. Nicolodi. 

Please excuse the shallowness of this post.

--Sana