Monday, September 30, 2019

Mary Richards' Clothes S1E4

This time we get three firsts. 

First casual at home outfit, first repeat outfit and first truly stunning outfit.

Long pants with a high-neck sweater.

Again Minnesota so lots of sweaters to come.

Kind of your standard textured sweater.

Floor length quilted bath robe.

Pink....

....very quilted....

....to reveal....

The first repeat outfit, her nightgown from a couple shows back.

This is the first truly stunning outfit.

When she comes through that kitchen door....just WOW!

Seems to be some kind of light sweater & skirt from the same material ...

...in a fantastic shade of purple.

Add Rhoda's mothers' gifts and it's good for the office.

Mary Richards' Clothes S1E3

Five scenes, five outfits.

One office, an exercise, one for the dentist and two for separate nights at a meeting for divorced people.

Another one piece office dress.

Some interesting pocket details.

The necklace seem kind of odd.

Exercising with Rhoda.  Standard tights and sweatshirt.

Some workout towels......

...very brightly colored.

First night with the divorced club.  Another mid-thigh length dress.  Sparkly.

Some kind of wide laced up belt.

With a collar treatment similar to the belt, with some eyelets.

Sweater and skirt combo for the dentist.  This was the only decent shot of the outfit.

Second night at the divorced meeting. A zippered orange dress.

A segmented gold belt....

...truncated collar....

....and buttons on the cuffs.

Mary Richards' Clothes S1E2

This episode is Mary's first of many lousy parties. 

Three scenes in the show, but only two outfits.

Her second 'business suit'.  This one looks like it may be made from a woolen type fabric that men's suits are often made.

Nice jacket to match the pleated skirt. Orange turtleneck.  I love turtlenecks.

Same outfit from the office sans the jacket.

A black belt with large rivets and a buckle.

Again turtleneck.

The patchwork quilt floor length skirt. Hideous.

It just really does not compliment her at all.

However the blouse is nice.  That's all for Episode 2.

Mary Richards' Clothes S1E1


Nearly a decade after her ground breaking work on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore went even further by becoming a template for "the modern woman" of the 70's.

She dressed very well for an Associate Producer on a TV station. She wears a different outfit in nearly every new scene, three or four per episode.

So here I am going to embark on a complete over-examination of Mary's  clothes. It was one of the many reasons I loved this show (and Mary).

Please understand I know virtually nothing about fashion or clothing, so I will be using my usual nomenclature of silly names for things. Each image will have a caption to follow along. I will try and provide a long shot, medium shot and close-up, if possible.

Comments welcome, especially ones describing what things might really be called.

The opening credits include four jackets and two hats.  First the brown single breasted coat.  You just see flashs of this one.

Another quick flash of some kind of fur coat, looks like fox to me, plus a great smile.

Next a floor length (maybe dark blue) coat.  She lives in Minnesota so she has lots of coats.

Then, of course, the double breasted black coat with a fur cap.

Then the same coat with......
......the blue cap, which of course......

....gets tossed in the air.
Mary's first visit to her new apartment she walks in wearing short sheepskin jacket with fur accents.
They dressed Phyllis in a very different style, yet still modern. 
More of that terrific smile.
Close-up of fur details.
Underneath the sheepskin coat was The Interview Outfit.  White shirt, belt, bag and mini (or is that a midi?) pleated skirt.
She of course gets the job.
Her first (of many) nightgowns.
They never went too sexy with these.
Her first day a WJM, she wears a tweed jacket and thigh length buttoned skirt....
...with a white shirt and multi-colored scarf.

A lot of detail went into her clothes.
This is her first date outfit. Bell bottom pants with matching vest. (while she's waiting for the date to arrive a drunk Lou Grant shows up).
Accented with a chain belt.
Sticking with the 'not too sexy' theme Mary un-does one more button on her shirt.....

....then chickens out.....

....as she knew she would.