Often when I go to a movie I'm too busy looking at the costumes and the production design to really enjoy the story, so I sit through a second showing of the film just to enjoy it. That's what I need to do for tonight's episode of The Closer, "Home Improvement." We're on hiatus this week, usually at noon when we're shooting, we screen the episode in the Chaplin Theater, then I can watch the episode again at home and write my blog, but tonight I was a viewer just like y'all. And I was overwhelmed and visually overloaded by all the costumes and accessories and actors and gnomes!

We introduced Gavin Q. Baker, played to effete perfection by the brilliant Mark Pellegrino. When James Duff described Gavin Q. Baker to me he said, "Gavin needs a flourish, how 'bout a scarf?" I didn't feel a scarf was appropriate for a $10.00 a minute lawyer so I walked around the wardrobe offices and pondered and thought, and pondered some more. Most city and national figures favor wearing an American flag pin in their lapel, so Gavin, even though he's a private attorney, needed a pin ... and not just a pin but a brooch and where did I start shopping but in my late mother's jewelry box. My father showered my mother, Evelyn, with jewelry. He often would take me shopping so that I could pick out just the right bauble, bangle or bead and he'd let me take full credit for it and I would give her the trinket. When my mother, Evelyn was alive she would take great pleasure in seeing her collectibles worn by an actress, and I thought-- when did you wear this mom? the stories that the jewelry could tell, the gift, the kiss the special moment she might choose the right pin or earring or necklace to wear on a special occasion with my dad or her bridge club or to the theater or a funeral ... so, I pulled one of her many jewelry boxes from their special place and opened the lid and memories came welling back. Each piece reminded me too, of the year, the holiday, her perfume, her gown. I chose for Gavin two stunning brooches, the first seen on camera tonight on his Roger Stuart signature midnight suit lapel with his Charvet shirt and tie, was a gold and jet concave carved cameo, it was one of my favorite pins I had picked for Evelyn, because most cameos are a bas relief and this was different. The second brooch was to be worn in the story on a Saturday, so I wanted something a little more casual -- HA -- my fingers immediately sought out an heirloom pin from the 1800's, old gold with a hand painted Chinese pastoral scene, it was my great grandma's. Both were stunning bits of ephemera for this eccentric lawyer to sport. I shared the stories with the actor Mark and I think he was dazzled by the thought put into his character not only the words from the writers but the clothing and accessories. Gavin, a man of great taste, also wore a Cartier (knock off) 2 carat diamond pinky ring and a real black diamond and gold "commitment" ring designed by Adam Neeley of Laguna Beach, as well as vintage replica gold Cartier wristwatch. The Saturday change he kept the finger jewelry on but changed his watch to a Patek Philippe rose gold oversized dial time piece. I'm having a ball with Gavin and his accessories.

Brenda was no slouch in "Home Improvement." Gabriel makes the comment "nice dress" and it was - -a Michael Kors navy double faced wool v-neck 3/4 length sleeved sheath from Neiman's, her shoes that were featured prominently, thanks to our director Sheelin Chocksey, were candy apple red patent leather Jimmy Choos. BLJ's Saturday change was a JC Penney American Living jersey knit dress in chocolate with a persimmon and white abstract floral print, a burnt orange Pure Collection cashmere cardigan and her white leather pumps ... it is before Labor Day!

My two Los Feliz married couples were exaggerated versions of real Los Feliz and Silver Lake couples, labels and up to the minute trends like maxi dresses and crocheted draped sweaters, little silk sun dresses with cropped cotton sportcoats, leather jackets with rock and roll t's and skinny jeans, fitted suits with monochromatic shirt and tie for the guys. The jewelry on Malin was from my friend Lynn Quoy of Denver who alas is no longer designing, luckily I had this double garnet necklace in my Closer archives. The little screamer Kayla was spoiled to death in an Ella Moss striped tunic from Neiman Marcus, a crochet vest from Nordstom and leggings from Fred Segal, just where the mommies from the hills shop till they drop.

One thing that I think has made The Closer costumed characters so successful is the layers of thought that goes into each character, their socioeconomic spending habits, their homes; the cars they drive. Often t.v. and film designers just shop the high end stores not giving much thought to the fact that the character may not be able to afford a Barney's jacket or the Gucci shoe or the Dolce dress, OR that the character can in fact buy a Charvet shirt in every color, i.e. Gavin Q Baker, but for the most part I have always shopped where that character could afford, even for my detectives, and that gives The Closer a real sense of reality in this very unreal world of t.v.

I'm lucky that I grew up in a family that valued good clothes, blue jeans, fine jewelry, beat up cowboy boots, and eclectic art but also were comfortable in hamburger joints, 5 star restaurants and in old pick up trucks...that growing up has informed me in my deciphering of who and what a character is all about. And I'm also lucky that I have my Mom's jewelry box to paw through...otherwise we could never afford the accessories!