The Idea of You
Hi Rent the Runway! I have an idea for you. Airbnb recently launched a select set of homes under the new categorization of “icons”. One of the eleven properties in the portfolio is the Malibu Barbie dream house.
Now take the Amazon Prime film, The Idea of You. It stars Anne Hathaway as the love interest of lead singer from made-up band, August Moon. And contrary to rumors, the book was not a piece of fan fiction or about the imagined experience of dating a Jonas Brother. Nor was it simply a romance novel.
I’ll admit that I went into the film with all the standard assumptions outlined above. And while I’m here to talk about Soléne’s clothes more than her character’s complexity, she was just that, which in turn gives her wardrobe power. Its thoughtful details aren’t just aesthetically cohesive or pleasing; they add to who she is.
There's a story behind Soléne’s hand full of rings, compared to the various versions of herself. There’s her oversized sunglasses, camp hat, extra long bangs and that wild denim caftan that all serve as symbols of how she must protect herself from the threats of the outside world. But she also wears velvet halters, lace-up tops and a little Lavin cream dress to show off the alter ego of her personality. And one can’t forget the watch! That accessory is yet another whole symbolic accessory with its own story arc.
I say all of this because deep down don’t we all want to dress in the perfectly appropriate version of ourselves for the moment at hand? This film, without having to say anything, communicates with stylish looks transitioning from armor to amor (<3)!
Would a Rent the Runway Solén capsule collection be such a wild and crazy idea?? It could feature key pieces featured in the film, all imbued with an extra layer of cultural relevance.
And then there’s Solén’s home. It can’t be switched up like clothes, so it has to communicate the more evergreen elements of personality. But lucky for movie watchers, her craftsman-style bungalow in Silverlake shows off her style so well. It’s dark, moody and layered but also bright and vibrant, with natural touches like hand-thrown bowls that bring a bit of her gallery’s style into the home. And sorry to pick this light Netflix film apart but I’m impressed by the way all the styling hangs together to further explain who she is. Finally, what makes the story of her style so seemingly satisfying, at least to me, is it’s uniquely predictable.
The real punchline of this post is that someone — cough cough CC Gruber — pointed out to me, “Hey is this not the house we saw on the Virginia Highlands Home Tour last year?” It is indeed!