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Blue Jasmine: The Wardrobe

Today’s post is the fourth in my wardrobe recap series, and is covers the fashion from one of the most requested movies so far – Blue Jasmine.

Blue Jasmine

I love this movie, and have seen it countless times since it came out. I always choose to watch it on a flights, so I don’t have to bother anyone else when I rewind back to look at my favorite fashions. I love Cate Blanchett’s style in it. I’ve heard criticism that Cate’s wardrobe was deliberately crafted to be quite a bit “showy,” and yes, I’m in agreement! There’s a lot of big names, big jewels, and logos. Cate doesn’t play that understated, old money, Upper East Side woman who wears no jewelry and lots of Zoran. But in my opinion, it’s perfect for the character, and plus she looks great.

Most of the images are from my own screen shots of the movie, but I did manage to find lots of great, high quality promotional stills as well to supplement. Let’s dive in!

The first look, and one of the most iconic from the movie – the classic white Chanel jacket, the Chanel costume pearls, the silk shirt, the Hermes Birkin bag with the Hermes silk scarf tied around it, the Hermes “H” Constance belt.

Blue Jasmine 1

Wow, that is a lot of recognizable labels, huh? In my opinion, probably one or a few too many for myself perfectly to feel comfortable – but Cate looks great, and of course expensive. I think Chanel white tweed also looks spectacular on blonds.

Blue Jasmine 2

Thinking about a dinner party in better times, in a custom Oscar de la Renta twinset. Love the mix in her jewelry of yellow and white diamonds – even her earrings mix the two! The sequined knit look is one that I’ve always found it hard to go “cheaper” on. You can find a lovely statement cardigan from Lanvin that runs over $2K (but boy, is it beautiful!).

Blue Jasmine Oscar

Hanging out casually in a white shirt (dress)?. I included this photo as it has some nice shots of Cate’s jewelry, including what looks like a Cartier watch. Cate mixes white and yellow gold throughout the movie.

white shirt

Next, another casual outfit with the ever recognizable Louis Vuitton Speedy bag. My favorite item in this outfit however, is the parka. I love parkas (especially with some fur detailing) and I’ve never felt guilty about splurging over them as I actually wear them, and often!

Burberry makes fantastic versions each year, and for a less expensive option, I’d check out this fur detailed version by Trina Turk.

Blue Jasmine 3

Blue Jasmine 4

Back on the streets in a flashback to her “old life”, Cate looking sleek in all black layers, and a Chanel jacket and accessories (bag and pearls). You usually see Cate in lighter colors throughout Blue Jasmine – whites, creams, taupes. It’s nice to see some black here.

Blue Jasmine 5

In a classic shift dress, perfectly tailored to her body.

Here’s a lovely version by Cynthia Steffe – and under $250!

Blue Jasmine 6

Helping her sister shop at Fendi – another perfectly fitted shift, and in a beautiful shade of yellow.

For a similar shift, I really love this Dolce & Gabbana version (and can totally see Cate’s character wearing it). The price is dear though! This DVF shift dress is also lovely, and a mere fraction of the price.

Cate fendi

Relaxing in past times at their beach home, in a light blue silk blouse and long chain necklace.

This kind of blouse is can be found for less at a variety of mall stores – here’s a great silk version from Ann Taylor.

Blue Jasmine 8

Another flashback, this one with Cate in a gorgeous floral gown (but the star of the show is really the jewelry).

Blue Jasmine 9

And now, for another famous look from the movie…

Blue Jasmine 10

…this beautiful combination of a silk dress, a Missoni (for Target!) gold cardigan, some gold jewelry, and of course the Birkin.

If you’re looking for a similar cardigan with some nice detail, I would recommend this sparkle J.Crew cardigan (and the price is nice too!).

blue jasmine missoni

Relaxing in cotton neutrals.

Blue Jasmine 12

Wearing her favorite white Chanel jacket again, this time with a white cotton shirt, and casual jeans.

Blue Jasmine 14

Looking flawless in a red Carolina Herrera gown. This color is beautiful on Cate!

For a similar gown, I’d look at this Giambattista Valli for a splurge, or this BCBG version at nearly 1/10th the price.

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One of my favorite looks from the movie – this is the scene where she’s so happy that a charming man is able to name all the labels she’s wearing! The beaded cardigan with that gold sheath dress? Wow!

Blue Jasmine 17

A more disheveled Cate, at home in a cable knit sweater. I’m pretty sure the sweater is via Ralph Lauren (the v-neck version is my personal favorite, I have multiples).

Blue Jasmine 18

Giving her new man a quick peck. Only that much ocean facing real estate can inspire such a show of passion!

jasmine02.jpg

One of my personal favorite looks from the movie – it reminds me a bit of Katherine Hepburn. The same aqua sweater from earlier tossed over the shoulders, cream blouse, perfectly tailored slacks. And of course, the Birkin.

Blue Jasmine 20

Even while a bit messy and babysitting in a pizza parlour, Cate still has great clothes. A classic trench, done in what looks like a more waterproof nylon, perfect for casual days. Burberry makes a version which is almost spot on.

Blue Jasmine 22

Cate getting some good news! I love this color pink on her, I think it’s very flattering for her skin tone.

Find a very similar version here from Loft.

proposal

Another flashback, again in aqua.

flashback

I grabbed a few stills from this scene – so you could all see the spectacular jewels! I love those drop solitaire earrings.

Blue Jasmine 26

The other hand raised now…look at that wedding set!

Blue Jasmine 25

And a final outfit from the film, the beaded cardigan Cate was originally wearing when she met her man – reused over this silk blouse tucked into a pencil skirt.

Blue Jasmine 27

Blue Jasmine 28

Gorgeous and classic.

If I could list a few lessons from Blue Jasmine, they’d be:

1. Don’t neglect your jewelry. Cate’s jewelry pieces are always a huge part of her outfits, and often reflect the colors in her clothes as well. They’re the perfect compliment and “pull” everything together. Yes, Cate has a lot of really expensive pieces. I don’t think you need nearly as much. Just a few gold/silver toned pieces that you enjoy wearing would be enough.

2. If you’ve got an expensive bag – use it! So many women (myself included), start off with an expensive bag and then we vow to ourselves – “this is all we need”. Yet, over the years, we seem to accumulate more and more. Probably in better times Cate had a whole closet of fabulous bags, but in Blue Jasmine she’s mostly seen schlepping around her gold Birkin. It becomes a signature piece of hers. And why shouldn’t it, at the prices Hermes charges?

3. Know your colors. I’ve repeated this in past wardrobe recaps, and Cate is just another wonderful example of this mantra. She looks so wonderful in creams, golds, and light grays, and does very well with aqua as a contrast. And you see her wearing, and re-wearing, these colors throughout. Imagine how easy it’d be to match everything with a wardrobe like hers!

I hope you enjoyed this wardrobe recap! I’d love to hear your own thoughts on Blue Jasmine, in the comments!

34 Comments

  • Reply
    Pret a Porter P
    May 19, 2014 at 8:10 am

    It certainly makes dressing much easier when you have your own color palette. I love the jewelry shots, especially when she’s wearing the rings on her pinky and ring finger. (Cate could wear a garbage bag and look fabulous), so I’m not surprised at how well everything suits her.

    I’m really enjoying these posts, keep them coming! 🙂

  • Reply
    Groupthink7
    May 19, 2014 at 8:24 am

    Good Morning Katherine,

    Good recap of the movie Blue Jasmine. I loved this movie. Woody Allen’s movies are really satirical in nature but kind of sad as well. I totally believe in using all of your bags more frequently instead of just buying more and more bags. I am in the final stages of selling bags that I have paid $$$$ of dollars for and never really wore them. I find that I have a disdain for monogram bags more and more; and felt the urge to purge them.

    As with colors, my co-workers joke me about my neutral palette. In my closet, you will find a lot of black, gray, navy blue, taupe, and white. I love neutral colors. The only pop of color I may add into my wardrobe is a red lip, red bag, or red shoes. Red is my favorite color. My closet and wardrobe makes sense.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      May 19, 2014 at 1:07 pm

      I love a pop of red too 🙂 I’ve been trying to experiment with purple…we’ll see how that goes!

      • Reply
        Glenda
        May 20, 2014 at 9:12 am

        Groupthink7, your wardrobe sounds wonderful to me. That dash of red just makes everything else look spectacular and elegant I’m sure. I’m with you on monograms, on labels of any kind, really: I don’t want my wardrobe pieces to spark conversations; I want to be seen as elegant, and as a person with whom you can talk about ideas, beauty in nature, books, etc.

        Katherine, I believe purple would be a beautiful signature color for you!

  • Reply
    diane
    May 19, 2014 at 8:52 am

    Katherine,
    I nearly passed out when I read the first paragraph. When I was in college, I saw Zoran clothing for the first time. I swore that when I was more mature (older….which I now am), I would wear his designs. At some point over the decades since then, his designs seem to have disappeared….at least I have not been able to find them. Are they still “out there”?

    I, too, loved the wardrobe in this movie. I think Cate carried off the status styles very well. Since you mentioned Katherine Hepburn, how about adding one of her movies to your list?

    • Reply
      Katherine
      May 19, 2014 at 1:09 pm

      I think Zoran stopped sometime around 2011…at least publicly. Sad huh?

      I love KH’s style and will have to think about that! Thanks for the suggestion!

  • Reply
    a
    May 19, 2014 at 10:54 am

    I love your film wardrobe recaps – another goldmine of classic, timeless wardrobe is in Italian films from the 60s, especially Antonioni films. Boy, did the actresses like Monica Vitti and Jeanne Moreau look like the women we’d all like to be when we grow up.

    Cate, as always, is brilliant. Like Tilda, she is a chameleon actress – she always captures the physicality and emotionality of her characters. It must be hard to maintain such a physique, but she has almost never worn anything weird on the red carpet and always looked like a million bucks. Not only is she one of the finest actresses of all time IMO, but also a fashion icon.

    I couldn’t sit through Blue Jasmine. Her character was intolerable to watch, and I know Woody was going for that. All the disasters she went through were really caused by the actions of her instability and vanity. Even with Chanel and Hermes, I had to take breaks Blue Jasmine.

  • Reply
    thehoustongirl
    May 19, 2014 at 11:45 am

    I definitely agree with you about wardrobe staple pieces, and knowing what looks good on you (vibrant pieces for me!). I don’t have a lot of bags, but I try to make the ones I have count. I’m definitely been following advice from you over the years about being careful about purchases. I’m desperately trying to stick to 36 pieces this year! (It’s been tough and I’m not even halfway! Not counting camisole and underwear or sock stuff, which would be awful!)

    thehoustongirl.wordpress.com

  • Reply
    Ella
    May 19, 2014 at 11:49 am

    I love these recaps! They are some of my favorite posts – something about the combination of the pics, the analysis, and your takeaways. Well done!

  • Reply
    Belen
    May 19, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Oooh, I’ve been meaning to watch this movie, so just in case and to avoid any spoilers I scrolled down really fast and only looked at the pictures. Briefly. The clothes look very pretty… I think ;-P
    I’ll come back to this post once I’ve seen it!

  • Reply
    Anna
    May 19, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    Thank you for another great review, Katherine!

    I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of her wardrobe precisely because it was obviously opulent. A Birkin could look understated if she’d had Rene or Gwyneth’s wardrobe (from your previous reviews), but all those recognizable pieces made it stand out in a predictable and rather tasteless way. I gather this was the point, but it serves a good example of what not to do.

  • Reply
    AhCapp
    May 19, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing. Jasmine’s wardrobe has many classic pieces which so well together. This again serves as a reminder that a well made classic piece is always in fashion be it now or in the future. 🙂 I really love her jewellery, that classic chanel jacket and that dress with a drape front. I hope you can help us locate some similar items in the future at a quarter of their original prices. 🙂

  • Reply
    Oonagh
    May 19, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    Thanks for this – I totally agree that these colours looked great on Kate Blanchett.
    Something I picked up on re: her costumes for this film was that nothing she wore was recent, it was all designer labels but pieces from about five years ago, and she wore things more than once, which of course worked for the character’s back story and was very clever of the costume designer.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      May 20, 2014 at 7:53 am

      That’s a very interesting tidbit! Thank you for sharing!

    • Reply
      Jan P
      May 20, 2014 at 4:30 pm

      She was also living out of two large LV suitcases (in regards to her recycled outfits). 🙂

      Loved the movie and also saw it during a flight. I can’t imagine how I would ever convince my husband to watch along with me.

  • Reply
    Line
    May 19, 2014 at 11:58 pm

    I really like your blog, but in this series when you talk about the clothes in many of my favorite Movies, i love it, so very nice. Thank you!!

  • Reply
    susan
    May 20, 2014 at 5:30 am

    Adoring these posts combining film and fashion, or rather, style. Its so great to see these screen caps and really appreciate the detail of the wardrobe. I think one of the things that really struck me is how good Cate (and I suspect a lot of less physically blessed women also would) looks in a structured jacket. That Chanel looks great with a smart dress, trousers, jeans. Hideously impractical in cream of course, but I notice Zara is doing an almost identical version (pockets on both side) for about £60 in UK at the moment. Not going to look like Chanel of course, but an effective Summer option. Susan, London

    • Reply
      Katherine
      May 20, 2014 at 7:53 am

      Hi Lauren, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that jacket! Thank you!

      • Reply
        Lauren
        September 7, 2014 at 5:05 pm

        Yes, It’s a wonderful jacket! Love it! Thanks for this great post on Blue Jasmine fashions! Love your writing!

  • Reply
    Glenda
    May 20, 2014 at 9:22 am

    The color choices and color combinations were, for me, the most interesting and thought-provoking things about Jasmine’s style. There rest were more of a model of what to avoid doing…

    I’ve seen quite a bit of Zoran on ebay…well, more than I ever thought I would see. Right now there are about 85 items of Zoran clothing there.

    Thanks once again for these movie-style posts, Katherine; I love them!

  • Reply
    tata
    May 20, 2014 at 11:22 am

    Cool article I read a while back about the waredrobe of this movie… supposedly Woody Allen gave a costume designer a total budget of $35k to outfit all the characters in the movie. Interesting to see how it was done!

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/08/29/an-insiders-guide-to-cate-blanchetts-designer-outfits-in-blue-jasmine/

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    May 20, 2014 at 3:49 pm

    I love these posts and none of them are movies I’ve ever seen. I just watched A Perfect Murder on Sunday and I saw The Thomas Crown Affair a couple weeks ago. I can’t wait to see this one.

  • Reply
    Graceful Shopper
    May 22, 2014 at 7:58 am

    Katherine I love this series that you’re doing!! I haven’t watched any of these three movies so the wardrobe reviews were so much fun to read! Love your critique and thoughts on them. You have a great eye for spotting some of these designs. Please do more, thanks!!

  • Reply
    The Talented Mr. Ripley: The Wardrobe » Feather Factor
    July 21, 2014 at 8:06 am

    […] they translate even today. I’ve featured both Gwyneth (in A Perfect Murder) and Cate (in Blue Jasmine) before, and it was fun to get to see them both in this one movie. […]

  • Reply
    Lauren
    September 7, 2014 at 5:03 pm

    Love, love, love that Chanel jacket!

  • Reply
    plaintain1
    February 17, 2015 at 3:01 am

    I loved this movie. I saw it for the first time, last week. But what do you think is the relationship of the Chanel jacket, when she is wearing it at the beginning of the movie, and when she is wearing it at the end? I just thought it so sad that whatever she believed the designer labels stood for, she thought they could do something for her i.e, the world can see who she is and what she stands for, but of course, it doesn’t work that way. What was disturbing is at the beginning of the movie the Chanel jacket, a white jacket with a black trim, ends up looking, at the end of the film, over worn, dirty, and even unrecognizable as a label. I take it that the jacket is only of value provided its wearer is. As Jasmine mentally and socially descends, no matter what she wears, will serve no purpose or give any impact.

  • Reply
    Cassie
    September 26, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    Plz tell me what brand and where can I find the gold Oxford/kitten heeled looked shoes she’s wears in a couple of scenes. Thank u!!!!! Cass.

  • Reply
    Fliss
    November 26, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    I loved the movie and my most favorite pieces were the Chanel jacket and the white cotton shirt. The shirt just looked stunning. I was hoping to find out what label it was from in your post. Does anyone know?
    Thank you

  • Reply
    Mary
    April 17, 2016 at 6:44 am

    I loved your blog . Thanks for sharing it
    I am from Argentina . Do you know if I can buy somwhere by internet a similar pearl
    Necklace of Jasmine ? I loved it
    Mary

  • Reply
    Mary Austin
    March 10, 2018 at 3:09 pm

    I’m still looking for the drop earrings (not round solitaire) but the earrings with a drop solid rectangle shape diamond/zircon. They were worn near the very end of the movie.

  • Reply
    Shonda
    August 16, 2018 at 4:12 pm

    What bag was she carrying in the shopping at Fendi scene?

  • Reply
    Allie
    December 11, 2022 at 3:16 pm

    Hermès, not Hermes; diacritical marks matter.

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