mewithoutyoumovie.com
This story is part of Ravishly's Cinpehile Style series spotlighting fashionable looks in some of our favorite—and often obscure—films. Read more in the series here.
Say what you will about their teeth, but the British style can be hard to beat. From the punk rock and mod scenes to the Swinging Sixties, Sienna Miller and the synonymous-with-sex Kate Moss, the Brits know a thing or two about understated cool and the glory of street smart casual. British cinema, on the other hand, is often decidedly blue-collar and rugged, lacking any eye-candy to linger on. Unless you're watching Me Without You, a glinting retro gem that tackles some big questions—the slippery nature of friendship, identity, and womanhood—all set against some gritty glam.
The Plot: The film opens when the two girls—Holly (Michelle Williams) and Marina (Anna Friel) are just twelve years old, restless and precocious. The film traces their rather toxic and intense friendship as they grow into adulthood, toggling between men, careers and self-love/loathing.
The Ambiance: Holly and Marina are the best of frenenemies, forging their future together amid the gloomy—but gorgeous—backdrop of the Isle of Wight. The girls bide their time chain-smoking cigarettes in the bathtub, taking drugs, and sleeping around. (Sometimes with the same men.) Contrasting the often stark, grey interiors are the girls' come-hither wardrobes and their ever-evolving hairstyles. The aesthetics are pitch perfect—from the chartreuse furniture and creeping ivy—evoking another time and place with a subtly that's kind of sublime.
The style: Played by one of England's most stunning faces (Anna Friel) Marina is the effervescent—yet edgy—social butterfly who never finishes college. She is a marvel of wigs, hair extensions and an impressive variety of pop-culture references. Particularly ravishing is her 80s stint, with crimped blond hair, intricate layers of hot-pink tulle and prom gowns donned with fishnets; every costume this chameleon tries on mirrors her inner vulnerabilities and troubles. Holly, the sensible one modestly displays the beatnik influences, boasting turtlenecks, barrettes and thick sweaters; there's something strong and sturdy about her style—just like her personality.
Watch and learn: First of all, the abundance of rooms depicted throughout Marina's life is an undeniable style lesson in creating impossibly girlie, cool-as-all-get-out, Kinfolk magazine worthy interiors offering everything from eccentric lamps and colorful parasols to pink chiffon curtains, plump chintz pillows and dressing tables cluttered with adoreable kitsch. Her bedroom attire is also enviable, resembling the playful luxury of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Holly, the epitome of 'sensible' dressing, will appeal to your inner country girl; sweet and soft with a touch of the tomboy.
But beyond the ineffable style and tawdry tumult of their friendship, this film will inspire you to hold on tight to your girlfriends, no matter what happens.
