Kate McleishThe recent release of Her directed by Spike Jonze; tells the story of a lonely protagonist (Joaquin Phoenix) cast as writer Theodore Twombly who finds himself wrapped up in a near future utopian modern romance.
Charming, sophisticated and endearing; Theodore is a sensitive soul who graces a smart quintessential appearance complete with a neat pair of specs and chevron moustache.
Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut was shot on location in LA and blended with skyscraper scenes of the Pudong Business District in Shanghai. Visually encapsulating with bittersweet melancholy, Her has been so well received its nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the forthcoming 86th Academy Awards.
Theodore’s Style Credentials
Quirky, casual and unassumingly practical is Theodore’s guide to personal style. With attire suitably fit for his creative office environment- writing an endless supply of love letters under a company guise; Theodore’s low-key approach to styling is conventional with a preppy twist. His daily look in Her consisted of workmen style cropped jackets; high waisted wool slacks trousers and button down shirts in plain subtle colours and checks.
Inkeeping with a consistent colour marketing strategy for Her with the shade of red featured on the advert billboards, was a key fashion colour accent in the film. Theodore was often seen dressed in a variety of garments with the visual colour connotations in reference to love, energy, vitality, emotion, courage and fun; channelling those characteristics of Theodore’s personality.
Opening Ceremony
Casually dapper, utilitarian, classic and timeless; Theodore’s staples were an intrinsic collection of shirts and tees in subtle shades of blue, yellow and white. US multinational retail brand Opening Ceremony founded in 2002; collaborated with stylist and costume designer Casey Storm to create a wholesome approach to Utopian style in Her.
Instead of utilising clichéd sci-fi inspired fabrics, techniques and execution; Theodore’s personal style was designed to be comfortable, unpretentious and conventionally appealing. Having previously worked with Jonze in costume for Where The Wild Things Are, Storm’s latest project in creating Theodore’s look (as well as the dress of other characters) was another great achievement. Successfully balancing practicality with unusual quirks like the extended zipper on slacks style trousers and the safety pin placed on Theodore’s pocket to prop up his computer gadget camera.
The fashion design in the picture represented a not so distant future evolution of our current style; so not to harshly impose any eccentric style rules and combining advances in technology. The unisex collaboration in Her between Opening Ceremony, Casey Storm and Spike Jonze was so cleverly stripped back, letting Theodore’s style speak volumes in the smart department. He exuded a content and relaxed ease, often showcasing his imaginative streak that was intrinsic to his fashion choices.
With Opening Ceremony taking such a unique approach to design, branding and sales promotion; it has meant that many of the styles featured in Her are actually available to buy online. From the slacks trousers, tees and shearling jackets to shirts & sweats complete with that iconic little safety pin; these garments are priced reasonably in dollars and give you the chance to steal a slice of Theodore’s style.
The Theodore Twombly Style File…
To achieve Theodore’s look; that compromises of practicality with a pinch of geek chic, he is rarely seen throughout the film without a well-pressed shirt and trousers. Choose from a collection of high quality transitional pieces to get his look…
Shirts; smart button down Oxford’s are the way to go…
Trousers; quintessentially casual chinos smartened up with a formal cut…
Suits Trousers With a Difference…
Shoes; keep things simple and choose a high quality pair of Derby shoes, comfy and versatile they will add a practical edge to your look.
Bags; backpacks and messengers don’t leave home without one…
Conclusion
Every now and again we come across a unique style icon, be it an actor, musician or anyone we see passing in the street that we feel intrigued by. Even though Theodore Twombly is a fictional character, his personal style is somewhat ordinary, manageable and very real. It’s the kind of style that is so straightforward you can’t go wrong. We look to the future in mystery not knowing what kind of trends or new fashion fads are in store for us. The key to a confident persona is a relaxed and tentative nature towards detail, quality and cut. If anything; we can take from Theodore Twombly’s style; be yourself, stick to what you like and be consistent in your daily staples. Don’t be afraid to own the same shirt in five colours, if it’s the perfect fit then hang onto it!