The Making of the Muse: The Muse: Mrs. Flax

Though the pink and black polka dot dress was Cher's iconic look from the 1990 film Mermaids, today I was channeling her patterned pedal pushers and high heels look above. Mrs. Flax, the quirky, free spirited single mother clearly pushed the envelope fashion-wise in 1963. Her looks were far sexier and form fitting than her fellow sweater-set wearing housewives. The character of Mrs. Flax is irresistible in the same way that Holly Golightly and Scarlett O'Hara are, all the men want her and all the women want to be her. Aside from that her verbal sparring with her prim daughter, Charlotte, played by Winona Ryder keeps the film hilarious from start to finish. I think the costume choices are the perfect example of how the clothes you wear not only express your personality, but also shapes ho you feel when you're wearing them. These pants make you want to dance around the kitchen to Jimmy Soul's "If You Wanna Be Happy" or Eydie Gorme's "Blame It On The Bossa Nova". Or at least that's how they make me feel, maybe your clothes make you feel like that all the time. Either way its a fun movie with a Wonder Years like nostalgia, great music, and a sufficiently sappy plot. Its also set rigt around this time of year, the beginning of school through New Year's Day so it feels right with the change of seasons. Fun local connection, in the scene where Katie is at her swim meet the two girls in matching bathing suits and bathing caps are actually from my hometown. The film was shoot on location in Rockport, MA about an hour from here and they cast extras from local swim teams for those scenes, and these two sisters from Cumberland were chosen. It was kind of a big deal around here at the time (1990, so I was too young to really remember) and my mother always helpfully reminds me of that fact when we watch the movie.