Haley Peckman

Drexel University

DSMR 233: Retail Image Analysis

Summer Term 2015

Almost Famous Again

Keywords: Almost Famous, 1970’s fashion, festival fashion, Penny Lane, Betsy

Heimann, costume design, rock ‘n’ roll, film

Abstract

Almost Famous (2000) is a film that exhibits the essence of 1970’s rock culture. It is

best known for its authentic, custom-designed costumes that create a dreamy,

seductive aesthetic that are still being reinterpreted in 2015. This paper will discuss the

costuming in Almost Famous, and how costume designer, Betsy Heimann’s stylistic

choices continue to affect fashion and style 15 years after the film premiered.

About Almost Famous

Almost Famous (2000) is a coming-of-age film about a 15 year-old boy who gets the

chance to tour with and report on the 1970’s rock band, Stillwater. The film feels like

opening a time capsule from the early 1970’s: bursting with suede, denim, and color,

masterfully designed by Betsy Heimann. The first time I watched the film I was captured

by the film’s costumes, and the essence of it all. The clothing in this film is exceptional

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because it successfully made 1970’s style classic, outside of its original time context.

Through Heimann’s designs, the film made the 1970’s relevant in 2000, and continues

to impact how we dress ourselves today. In this paper, I will delve into those impacts.

Methods of Research To begin my research, I refreshed myself on the film by watching it again. While

watching, I was careful to note the looks and scenes that had originally left an

impression on me. Since I wanted to research mainstream trends of the present day, I

decided to employ modern methods of research, as well as scholarly articles. To start, I

logged on to Pinterest. I used various key terms to create a board that included images

that stood out to me in the film, as well as more current reinterpretations from fashion

blogs and retail companies. This gave me a better visual representation of how Almost

Famous has affected culture and style, and gave me a direction for my research. I

conducted searches via the Drexel Electronic Journal Portal, Vogue, Elle, and several

blogs to find out more about 1970’s fashion and the making of the film. To find out more

about the film’s everyday impact, I also posted a status to Facebook asking friends to

share how the film influenced their style or idea(s) of style. Throughout the process of

finding support for my thesis, I kept my eyes and ears open, finding interpretations of

Almost Famous and ‘70s rock looks on the street and online.

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The Band Aids Then: Onscreen and in 1970’s Daily Wear Penny Lane and her Band-Aids are not your average groupies. They distinguish

themselves through their love of music, which reaches far beyond their love of the band

members. These women claim they are more independent and liberated than the

standard groupie, and their clothing is meant to illustrate that. There is a bohemian

quality to their looks, which only makes sense given the time period, and who they are

within that context. There is a dreamy “anything goes” aesthetic in the way they style

their clothes that permeates their approach to life. Penny famously expresses this

attitude with the line, “I always tell the girls, never take it seriously, if ya never take it

seriosuly, ya never get hurt, ya never get hurt, ya always have fun.” This is

representative of a progressive and pleasurable time in the United States.

Valerie Steele describes this philosophy of dress in her article “Anti-Fashion: The

1970’s”. She writes that “to understand 1970’s style, one must recognize that fashion

was not in fashion” (280). This was a liberating time for women sexually, and it showed

in popular trends, as in the film, as well. Steele expands by explaining that 1970’s

fashion magazines wanted to emphasize the choice women had when dressing

themselves; and the hodgepodge of style influences available as part of early ‘70s style.

This included the incorporation of “conspicuous outrageousness,” “retro fantasies” of the

1910s and 1930s, ethnic influences, and other aspects of counterculture (281). While

reading about what made up ‘70s culture and style, I could easily envision a garment

representing each of these themes in Almost Famous, and a reminiscent quality of

those themes in 2015 trends.

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In the film, each garment, including t-shirts and shoes, were custom-designed and

created by Betsy Heimann and her costume design team (Landis, 486). I think that this

intense, hands-on approach not only set the film apart in its time, but is also a testament

to the carefully crafted world of Almost Famous. Memorably, Heimann created the coat

most referenced in the film (See Figure 1). This coat defines Penny Lane: it is

glamorous, yet simple in its essence. The suede coat was designed to be a fusion

between ‘70s rock style and Fran Kubelik’s coat in The Apartment (Landis, 486). This

iconic coat was not sought out or purchased, but created. I think that quality of the

garment functions very well within the hodgepodge of styles and “retro fantasy” to which

Steele refers.

Figure  1.  Penny  Lane  (Kate  Hudson)  in  her  famous  suede  and  faux  fur  coat.  Almost  Famous.  28  July  2015.  Author's  screenshot.

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Another iconic look from the film is Penny’s lace crop top with dark brown velvet

pants (See Figure 2). This look is my personal favorite in the film because of the

balance in contrast it is able to execute. The super-thin white lace crop top juxtaposed

against heavy, flowing velvet, with plenty of midriff does not quite make sense, but it is

perfect for Penny Lane. The outfit expresses the clash of Penny’s innocent girlishness

with her rock’n’roll groupie edge, ultimately embodying the character that is free to do

and dress how she pleases.

 

Figure  2.  Penny  Lane  (Kate  Hudson)  in  a  lace  crop  top  and  velvet  hip-­‐huggers.  Almost  Famous.  28  July  2015.  Author's  screenshot.

The Band Aids Now: In Retail and Popular Culture

In 2015, we are seeing a vibrant revival of the ‘70s looks captured in Almost Famous. In

Steele’s article, she says, “Retro has frequently been criticized on the grounds that it

represents either a loss of creativity on the part of fashion designers, or a perverse

‘nostalgia’ for the past.” However, she debunks that idea, instead proposing vintage

style is “one of the most important stylistic features of postmodernism” (285-6).

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As Steele observes, retro seems to be extremely significant throughout the 2000s and

2010s, so far. It is common for young people to embrace the styles of previous decades.

In recent years, the ‘70s have already begun their comeback, with a

mainstreaming of rounded sunglasses, clogs, platforms, and faux fur. But the revival is

now in full force. Many popular retailers are pushing their version of ‘70s looks in this

coming fall and winter, including Madewell (see Figure 3), Zara (see Figure 4), and Gap

(see Figure 5). Even in my local consignment store, there has been a more noticeable

resurfacing of clothes that could have walked off the set of Almost Famous (see Figure

6). From these images, we can see the continued relevancy of Penny Lane and her

friends’ styles in mainstream fashion, as the coming season offers many of the fabrics,

cuts, and colors from the ‘70s, depicted in the film.

Figure  3.  The  Madewell  "New  Arrivals"  webpage.  Madewell  Inc.  9  August  2015.  Author's  screenshot.

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 Figure  4.  Zara  Campaign  AW  2015.  8  August  2015.  Author's  screenshot.

 Figure  5.  Gap  Home  Page.  Gap  Inc.  8  August  2015.  Author's  screenshot.

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 Figure  6.  Squan  Dry  Goods  Vintage  Room.  24  July  2015.  Photo  courtesy  of  Haley  Peckman.

I have also noticed revitalizations of the films’ looks in pop culture. For example,

one of Carrie Brownstein’s many characters in Portlandia, wears a very Penny Lane-

esque coat (See Figure 7) with a mod printed dress and neon tights. It is fair to interpret

this look as a shout-out to the film, and also an updated characterization of Penny

Lane’s breed. Portlandia is a satirical comedy about the micro-culture of present-day

Portland, Oregon, and is a modern subculture icon. It only makes sense that Carrie’s

character would identify with thrifted vintage styles, Almost Famous, and the era the film

depicts.

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Figure  7.  Carrie  in  a  Penny  Lane  coat.  Portlandia.  Season  4,  Episode  5.  7  August  2015.  Author's  screenshot.  

  One of my favorite bands, First Aid Kit, also adopts the style of 1970’s American

rock and folk. At the XPoNential Music Festival in Camden, New Jersey this year, I

could not help but imagine the crossover of style icons they must share with Betsy

Heimann (and by default, the Band-Aids). The Swedish sister duo is constantly clad in

ethereal linen dresses, Swedish Hasbeens, and vintage denim (See Figure 8).

Nineteen-seventies’ rock and folk style is part of their effect as a band, and it only

heightens the nostalgic sound of their music. Their music and image has been spread

with the recent release of third full-length album, contributing to the recent obsession

with the 1970’s in popular culture.

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 Figure  8.  First  Aid  Kit  performing  at  the  XPoNential  Music  Festival.  25  July  2015.  Photo  courtesy  of  Haley  Peckman.

The Band Aids Now: In Our Daily Wear Almost Famous has not only left a mark on retail and pop culture, it has also impacted

how we dress ourselves, daily. On Facebook, I asked friends if they felt the film had

rubbed off of their style, and if so, how. One of my friends, Hara Millman, responded

saying that she vividly remembers the scene when Penny is spinning around and

wearing a embroidered white linen top and a suede mini skirt, adding that the look has

always provided her outfit inspiration (See Figure 9). In Figure 10, you can see Almost

Famous has clearly influenced Hara’s daily wear. In talking to Hara about this outfit, she

said that she was drawn to the platform sandals for their versatility and their level of

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comfort. Although I think Hara is a very stylish person, the essence of her sentiment

stems from the “anti-fashion fashion” that Steele characterizes in 1970’s style.

 

Figure  9.  Penny  Lane  in  an  embroidered  linen  top  and  suede  mini  skirt.  28  July  2015.  Author's  screenshot.  

 

 Figure  10.  Hara  Millman  in  Rittenhouse  Square,  Philadelphia  PA.  26  July  2015.  Photo  courtesy  of  Haley  Peckman.  

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Other friends also expressed their affinity for the film. One mentioned how the

movie not only influenced her taste in accessories, but also the music she listens to and

how she decorates her apartment. Fifteen years later, and many people my age,

including myself, have fond memories of the film that we let seep into our everyday

lifestyle choices. In an interview with Kate Hudson, Vogue Australia asked whether she

was surprised by how influential Penny Lane’s look “resonates in fashion today” (Frank,

2015). She responded, “It’s no surprise that they have maintained that kind of longevity.

I believe that Penny Lane’s signature coat, which Betsy designed, is actually on exhibit

at a museum, and I think that shows how that character’s look really resonated with

people.” Whether it is the costume, the music, or the feeling this film gives off, Almost

Famous has left a lasting impact in the style of 2015.

Conclusion

In a Wall Street Journal article about the comeback of 1970’s fashion in menswear, it is

said that the heart of ‘70s culture is “a refusal to conform…not just for the sake of it, but

to experiment and try something out of the ordinary” (Madsen). I think this is not only

true of ‘70s culture, but also the era’s many reinventions still seen in retail, pop culture,

and street-wear today. Almost Famous has helped keep the world of the 1970’s alive

and relevant in 2015; in turn keeping that sense of experimentation alive and relevant,

too.

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Works Cited

Frank, Julia. "What Kate Hudson Thinks of Her Penny Lane Outfits 15 Years

after Almost Famous." Vogue Australia. NewsLifeMedia, 05 Feb. 2015. Web. July

2015.

Freedman, Ish, Hriso, Chloé, Millman, Hara, Mobley, Jeana, and Waxman, Maia. "How

Almost Famous Influenced Your Style/ Idea of Style." Online personal interview.

9 Aug. 2015.

Landis, Deborah Nadoolman. "2000s." Dressed: A Century of Hollywood

Costume Design. New York: Collins Design, 2007. 486. Print.

Madsen, Anders C. "Spring Fashion's ‘70s Look is Not so Far Out; in what

may be Menswear's Biggest Throwback to the 1970’s in 20 Years, there's Not a

Bell-Bottom, Frill Or Platform Boot in Sight." Wall Street Journal (Online). Feb 26

2015. ProQuest. Aug. 2015.

Steele, Valerie. "Anti-Fashion: The 1970’s." Fashion Theory: The Journal of

Dress, Body & Culture 1.3 (1997): 279-96. “Taylor & Francis Online” Web. Aug.

2015.

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Drexel Writing Center Review Receipt