By: Alexandra Churchland

As the days get shorter and the weather turns crisp, there’s something undeniably comforting about settling down with a good film or TV show. While the media can provide us with entertainment, it can also inspire our daily lives–what we hope to experience and feel, the places we dream of visiting, and of course, the way we choose to dress.

Today, many young people find inspiration for fashion on apps like Instagram, Tiktok and Pinterest. While these platforms are great starting points, they feed consumers a limited scope of looks, funneling the same micro-trends and aesthetics. If you are absolutely craving something a bit more unique, then turning to cinema and television can open up a new world of personal style! 

Here are a few films and series that will help you plan your perfect cozy (and style inspiring) night in! 

The Conformist

Bertolucci’s The Conformist is a complex film about Italian fascism leading up to the second world war. Its plot is largely communicated by the magnificent mise-en-scene: the light, the set, and for our purposes, the costumes. The initial setting in fascist Italy is sharp, stiff and devise. Thus, the cast is dressed in dark stiff suits and divisive black and white patterns. While you may look splendid in stripes – and perhaps uptight or subdued is your vibe – in the visuals of Paris, found primarily in the second half of the film, fashion truly takes flight. Paris invites in rich colors and textures, introducing soft silks, vibrant sweater sets, and luxurious fur coats. The looks of Paris are free and lively, qualities that can lift our spirits and bring light into our wardrobes this winter. As a Columbia or Barnard student, you can find The Conformist on Kanopy through Columbia University Libraries. 

The Series of Unfortunate Events 

If you are keen to jump into a surrealism-inspired, ultra imaginative look, check out Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix. Aside from its stacked cast including Joan Cusack and Neil Patrick Harris, this 3-season show is absolutely bursting with bizarre costumes and disguises. As it follows the Baudelaire Orphans on their twisted journey, the series encounters a variety of characters uniquely dressed in bright shiny raincoats, tailored pastel suits, whimsical clownish skirt sets and so very much more. For those dipping their toes in the surreal, but hoping still to maintain a sleek and chic look, then the costumes of antagonist Esme Squalor may check all your boxes. Adapt her aesthetic with caution – you wouldn’t want to take on her wicked personality. 

Made in Heaven 

Documenting the lives of two wedding planners, Tara and Faiza, in Delhi, Made in Heaven overflows with luxury, fashion, and extravagance. As Cosmopolitan India puts it, “Tara and Faiza’s fashion choices are going to rule your wardrobe wishlist this season.” If you identify with the return of boho-chic, then trust me, that statement will ring true! From Tara’s patterned maxi dresses paired with scarves and traditional chokers to Faiza’s printed blazers and linens, adapting the show’s style will bring you free-spitied glamour. Made in Heaven is vibrant—both visually and narratively—making it the perfect pick for a dull winter evening. Stream it now on Amazon Prime.

Twin Peaks

If you are into avant garde, murder mystery, sci-fi, horror,drama, comedy, thriller, soap operas (as described on the very active r/TwinPeaks), then David Lynch;s Twin Peaks is the series for you. Twin Peaks’s teenage characters will feed you 80s looks featuring knits, tartans, fringes and a whole lot of denim that can help you see your wardrobe anew, and be easily integrated into your winter style.

Pachinko 
Pachinko will greatly expand your style vocabulary as it follows four generations of a Korean Family from 1915-1989. Carefully created by Korean costume designer Kyunghwa Chae, the series moves across both time and land, with scenes set in Korea, Japan and the United States. To authentically represent each era in fashion, 80% of the costumes were handmade. Pachinko’s costumes feature natural dyes and textured patterns, perfect inspiration for those looking to add value and depth to their daily style.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 

Perhaps you are over the elegance and the surreal and want to switch things up entirely… then Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo may just be your next style muse. With two versions of the murder mystery for you to check out – the 2009 Swedish version (2009) and the American version (2011) – you will find no shortage of Scandi-punk inspo! It is just the right amount of edgy and utilitarian to leave you feeling powerful all winter long. 

The big screen has an incredible way of expanding your imagination and opening up wardrobes of possibility. Fictional characters and worlds alike have the power to push us to dress differently, think differently, and see fashion from entirely new angles. This winter season, let yourself melt into the coziest couch, put on your favorite show, and let the inspiration flow!