episode 404 - July 28, 2008

Wow! Great acting and even greater costumes in this episode 404 Cherry Bomb. When Brenda is called to the scene of the crime I chose a fabulous new old Irene, with spectacular pocket details with buttons buttons whose got the buttons...Brenda Leigh that's who. She needed to be powerful and in control and I achieved that with this re-worked 1940's suit, in a gray slubby silk. Think Barbara Stanwyck or Roz Russel interviewing the bad dad and even badder seed! I found this suit again on good ole ebay and it was from Neiman Marcus in Dallas. Brenda chose a two tone black and gray 40's style pump from Kenneth Cole Reaction, last season. After our Chief Johnson met her match in the bad dad, Daniel Baldwin, the character is a real woman hater and I just had to make Brenda so ultra feminine that it would just get his goat. I chose this little cotton day dress from the 1960's that featured the prettiest muted floral print in dusty cocoa, cream, aqua blue and green, and topped the sweet dress with a Pure Collection cropped sweater in cocoa blush cashmere, the Pure folks actually call the color Porcini. You know if you want to re-create Brenda's eclectic looks just visit your local thrift store or vintage shoppe and pick up a fabulous old suit with great details and check out your department store chains this fall and choose a soft as butter cashmere sweater and poof...you've become Brenda Leigh Johnson.

Gabriel continues to pick up on Brenda's color schemes and chooses a tie or shirt that echos Miss Brenda perfectly. His second change featured one of Corey's favorite suits an architectural wonder from Paul Smith, great shoulder line and British tailoring all the way to Notting Hill, of course Corey can wear a paper bag and look good.

It was great to see Daniel Baldwin again, we'd worked together on a pilot in 2002 for the same producers that bring you The Closer, he really nailed the part of the macho sherrif and angry dad. We outfitted him in suits and separates from a place in downtown L.A. where real cops go to shop, the store harkens back to when men's suit shops flourished and you didn't just go to Macy's or Bloomies for everything. The store is Roger Stuart 213 627-9661 ask for Malik or Fernando or the stores namesake, Roger Stuart if you ever want to shop like a cop.

The poor little victim of this horrible crime was laid out on her bed in a flannel nitegown from Lanz of Salzburg, they still do the very best soft flannel prints in the world and other than the Vermont Country Store are rather hard to find. We got ours direct from the manufacturer and are always happy when that happens. You probably recognize the character of Michelle, Andrea Bowen from her role on Desparate Housewives as Terri Hatcher's daughter. The Head Mistress of the school, which was actually a private academy in Pasadena CA is one of my very favorite character actresses, Jillian Armenante she looked perfectly up-tight in a black Kasper jacket and matching dress from Macy's and I accessorized her suit with a matching vintage stick pin and earrings that was bequeathed to me by a little old lady, not from Pasadena. I was the lucky recipient of all of her vintage rhinestone and semi precious jewelery sets, everything from brooches, earrings and bracelets. Her shoes were a new version of what my 6th grade teacher Mrs. Bradshaw wore, old lady orthopaedic shoes, but Jillians were really cool Via Spiga pewter metallic leather with about a 4 inch heel...just think back to your old teachers and did they ever really wear sexy shoes????

The poor victim Ally unfortunately had to wear a school uniform all the time, but we jazzed up the traditional with an incredible original choker designed by an actor friend Nico Tortorelli, he braids jute and adds crystals or rocks and things like Tibeten prayer bells or shark teeth, his pieces are really wearable art and it was very special to have him design this for us. I "stole" a pair of vintage and well worn Frye boots from my shopper Tracey White, they're called the short round toed Engineer Boot, check them out at the Frye website.

It is truly so much fun to create these Reel-Life characters for our Closer World. We get an actor cast most likely the day before they work and thank god we've done our homework and I've already designed the character in my mind or on paper. Nine times out of ten, my original idea makes it to the screen with little or no changes unless the actor or actress is too big or too small or god or Goldielocks willing, "just right". Well, my little murder mavens, time to go to the set and check out our actors...this week we have Willie Ray and Clay Johnson in for a visit, that won't air till later on, but it's always a joy to have the parents here to drive Miss Brenda a little bit crazy. Until next week, the Closet Door is Closed!

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