[For my post, I’m operating under the assumption that you’ve already seen Woody Allen’s Annie Hall and Manhattan. If not, besides watching them immediately for your personal well being, check the links or trust my movie-in-a-sentence: Annie Hall non-linearly follows the relationship of neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen, essentially playing himself) and young, aspiring singer/actress straight from the heartland, Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Manhattan is Woody’s love story to his city and follows the interconnecting relationships of Isaac (Woody Allen again playing himself), Mary (Dianne Keaton again as Annie Hall if she’d been an elite academic), Yale (Michael Murphy as Isaac’s best friend), and Tracy (Mariel Hemingway as Isaac’s 17 year old lover).]
Woody's favorite shot of New York City from the Brooklyn Bridge, which he uses in both Annie Hall and Manhattan.
Woody Allen is many things: director, screenwriter, comedian, actor, playwright, and even, clarinetist. Fashion influence is probably not one of the first things that comes to mind, but Woody Allen’s films have had a significant impact on the fashion world and popular style in general, especially in Annie Hall and Manhattan. His revolutionary use of menswear in his female characters’ wardrobes provides insight into their roles in the film, and on a larger scale altered the concept of what defines womenswear.
“I love what you’re wearing,” Alvy tells Annie as they stand in front of her Manhattan apartment. Dressed in khaki pants, an untucked white oxford button down with an oversized tie under a black buttoned vest, topped with a black hat tilted back just a bit, Annie is the definition of womens’ menswear. It’s the first time they’ve met and even before their relationship has really begun, their outfits already provide clues as to their roles within the romance. Compared to Alvy, (dressed in a monotone all white outfit offset of by thick rimmed glasses) Annie already appears to be wearing the pants in the relationship (bad pun, I know), and as the film progresses we see how true this really is.
Before going further into Annie’s wardrobe and the meanings behind her clothes, it’s important to know how her style came about. Woody can’t take complete credit for Annie’s fantastic fashion sense-the back-story is Diane Keaton (who really is Annie Hall; Annie is her nickname, and Hall is her given last name) came to set in button downs and vests and blazers, and with a little help from costume designer Ruth Morley and Mr. Ralph Lauren, Diane’s style became Annie’s as well.
As we see the two of them grow closer in the film, it’s interesting to note how their wardrobes and outfits seem to become more and more similar as well. Alvy’s everyday uniform consists of flannel or plaid shirts with slacks or jeans plus his ubiquitous thick-rimmed glasses (a look that makes him a modern day hipster too, but I digress) is later expanded to include jackets and blazers, Annie’s favorite outerwear. Conversely, flannel and glasses seems to infiltrate Annie’s outfits later as well, subtly showing the relationship the two share.
This combination of styles comes to a point fairly early on in the film when they are falling in love at a bookstore. Alvy wears a plaid shirt of various browns, belted and tucked into khaki pants, topped off with a tweed jacket and his signature glasses, while Annie wears a blue and white plaid shirt belted and tucked into green slacks, topped off with a black blazer and tortoiseshell thick rimmed glasses. The similarities between the two are all too obvious, and of course dressing like bookends in a bookstore is admittedly funny. But on a more involved level the fact that they are dressed so alike at this point gives us insight to their feelings for one another, while additionally hinting at the powerful effect they have over one another.
There are too many vests, plaid button downs, and ties for me to possibly recount, but I will mention the final scene of the film, which proves how menswear truly does underscore Annie and Alvy’s relationship. Alvy and Annie run into each other after they’ve broken up at the movies and get coffee afterwards, and we see them through the coffee shop window: Alvy’s in khaki pants, an olive green button down and that same tweed jacket from the bookshop, and Annie’s in jeans with the legs rolled up and a flannel shirt. Each of them have stolen an element from the other’s style (Alvy the jacket, Annie the flannel) to keep as their own, an implied sign of the effect they’ve had over each other during their relationship.
Menswear for the women in Manhattan plays nearly as central a role as in Annie Hall, yet examining its use still highlights prominent aspects of their relationships. Most importantly, it underscores the relation between Mary and Tracy: as the two leading ladies there are numerous parallels to draw between them, and a more salient one is the use of men’s clothing in their outfits. The first time Mary, Tracy, and Isaac all meet is actually when their clothes make the most impact. Isaac and Tracy run into Yale and Mary at a gallery: Tracy wears an untucked light men’s button down (remember, Manhattan is black and white, meaning colors aren’t nearly as important besides warm and cool) with a black sweater draped over her shoulders. Mary wears a white men’s button down as well, but hers is tucked in and topped with a black blazer. Sartorially, Tracy’s outfit is essentially a less mature version of Mary’s, showing her youth as well as Mary’s dominance between the two. Throughout the film Mary is more dominantly seen in menswear pieces (especially that black blazer, and she even wears a white one over a dress to a black tie event), while schoolgirl Tracy stays in sweaters.
As in Annie Hall, it’s the final scene in Manhattan where menswear again demonstrates character change and maturity. Isaac runs to catch Tracy before she leaves for London, and we see her standing in the lobby of her building wearing an oversized blazer and an almost floor length skirt. Tracy has “manned up” in real life by attempting to get over Isaac as well as deciding to go to London, and her more prominent integration of the blazer is visual proof of this. Of course, she still keeps her girlish youth with the skirt, but the blazer is an undeniable sign of her maturity.
Today it’s obviously no revelation for women to wear clothes found in any man’s closet, but back in the late 70’s, Annie’s button downs and blazers were revolutionary for women’s fashion. After Annie Hall came out, the look of menswear for women crossed over into popular culture as well. Just like Annie, women didn’t simply take certain pieces of menswear and integrate them into their wardrobes: instead, they wore it all, creating an androgynous look that spread from stealing items from boyfriend’s closets all the way to couture designers creating menswear looks specifically for women.
There’s another revival of Annie Hall and Manhattan style today, spreading even farther than just menswear pieces to include flannel fabric and plaid designs as well. Boyfriend blazers, flannel button downs, vests, and thick rimmed glasses can be found everywhere from the runway to the suburban mall, and have become the definition of modern indie style today. It’s a sign of the power film can have when something on screen takes on a life of its own and effects popular culture, and menswear in Annie Hall and Manhattan did just that for women while additionally revealing certain characteristics of the characters within the film.
The Charles is also playing Annie Hall on Thursday the 24th at 9PM!
Photo from miss vichan (flickr Creative Commons)
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