And the award for the best knitwear goes to…
We’re loving the outfits on the red carpet at Cannes, so we thought we’d pull together some of our favourite knitwear movie moments in celebration of the famous film festival. In no particular order, here are our celluloid highlights. Share your own nominees in the comments.
THE SEXY ONE
Look, but don’t touch. But TOUCH! The pink dress worn by Nastassja Kinski in Wim Wenders’ film, Paris, Texas is one hot patootie. In fact, it was the inspiration behind Wool and the Gang’s Quarterback Dress.
An honorable mention in this category also goes to Nicholas Hoult’s white mohair sweater in A Single Man. Someone’s even spliced together a showreel of its screen appearances. Enough said.
THE POST-APOCALYPTIC ONE
Katniss Everdeen’s hunting cowl, as seen on screen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire took the crafternet by storm. If you don’t believe us, go forth and Google – at the time of searching, Etsy alone had around 450 search results for patterns and ready-made Katniss cowls. Somethin’ like a phenomenon.
THE one for the dudes
Sure, Joel and Ethan are heading up the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival, but we’re not biased. The Dude’s cardigan has got to be one of the most recognisable pieces of movie knitwear out there. It’s actually called the Westerley cardigan and is made by US heritage brand, Pendleton. The one worn in the film belonged to actor Jeff Bridges, who wore his own clothes for the role of the legendary slacker. Chances are that if you’re a knitter aged 30-45, at least one of your male friends will have asked you to knit this for them. And you probably said NO.
An honorable mention should also go to ALL the knitwear in Inside Llewyn Davis. It gives very good Aran sweater plus Justin Timberlake in a tight v-neck.
THE CRIMINALLY CHIC ONE
If we were gonna rob a bank this is what we’d wear. Faye Dunaway’s Bonnie twinned her nipped-in waist sweater with a beret to classically chic effect. Wanna steal her style? How about knitting up a WATG Bonnie Beret?
The real life Bonnie Parker was plenty stylish too – just check out the black and white image below. There’s even speculation that Bonnie may have knitted this outfit herself from a Minerva Paris pattern book of the time. Indeed, after one of the Barrow Gang was shot during a hold-up, Parker was said to have ‘prised open his wound with knitting needles and poured rubbing alcohol into it’.
The Scary One
Danny’s Apollo 11 sweater in The Shining has its own conspiracy theory and some people believe that it’s part of an apology from the film’s director, Stanley Kubrick, for his part in faking the Moon Landings. Whoa, Nelly… That aside, it’s a pretty rockin’ sweater, and an homage featured in Coach’s FW 2014 collection.
THE AQUATIC ONE
Wes Anderson’s inspiration for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou came from his childhood hero, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Like the Steve Zissou’s team, Cousteau’s crew all wore red knit hats as part of their uniform. Start your own team with our WATG homage to this iconic headwear – the Zissou Hat.
Additional hat trivia: the University of Texas knit cap worn by one of the pirates in the film is a nod to Wes Anderson’s alma mater – he studied there alongside Anderson-regular Owen Wilson.
The Xmas One
This category has A LOT on offer, but WATG HQ has a soft spot for Bridget Jones’s Diary, so for us it has to be Mark Darcy’s reindeer roll-neck sweater. At first glance it’s enough to turn our Bridge right off, though once she learns to love the man beneath the sweater, even its snowman sibling can’t chill the fire in her heart. Plus his mum made him wear it.
The Magical One
Gah, this was a tough choice. The Weasley Sweater was a close contender, but after much squabbling we plumped for the Hogwart’s First Year Scarf from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Yellow and maroon, Harry and pals’ scarves are knitted in the colours of House Gryffindor. The Potter world is full of knitters – Mrs Weasley and her sweaters, Dobby and his socks, Hermione and her hats for house-elves – even Hagrid did a bit of knitting on a train.
Wanna do a bit of knitting of your own? If you want to make your own Hogwart’s-inspired scarf check out our WATG x Giles Stripy Scarface pattern.
Which movie knits get your needles clicking?
Le choix est très difficile mais je choisis “THE CRIMINALLY CHIC ONE”
Not a film, but great knits are on Twin Peaks!
Yes! Have you seen this? http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/10/ranking-of-all-117-sweaters-seen-on-twin-peaks.html
I like your take on this topic is well-written and original. I would never have thought of this.
Thanks Claire! Do you have any favourites to add? : )
Definitely the Harry Potter scarves!
I am a sucker for the postwar era knits that were coming out of the East End and featured in films such as Vera Drake and most recently in Call the Midwife. Last year’s CTM crimbo episode showed a lovely cable knit beanie on Kacey Ainsworth’s character. In Vera Drake, Ethel, Vera’s daughter was always wearing smart jumpers and scarves. Pattern searching is frustrating, as I’m of the well endowed line and have yet to figure out how to tailor/convert patterns. I’m content to admire from afar. For now.