faux pearls | This Mumma's Style

Julie & Julia

My husband Jeramy and I recently watched the movie Julie & Julia
together. It was my third time seeing the film, and his first. Every time I watch it, I find myself not only culinarily inspired (and hungry!), but I also love all of the costuming of the two main characters, Julia Child and Julie Powell.

Meryl Streep as Julia wears clothes iconic of the time period during which she was studying and teaching in France: the late 1940’s into the 1950’s. Long skirts and dresses, high-heeled pumps, collared button down blouses, fantastic a-line party dresses, and of course, pearls.

Amy Adams as Julie has a style that is a mix of modern and vintage-inspired. She wears a lot of funky brooches, belted skirts, feminine blouses, and her own faux pearls.

Since I have recently discovered my own love for belting, all of the outfits with high-waisted silhouettes worn in the film had me shouting “See! Look they are doing it!” at Jeramy, who thinks my belting choices are weird. I tell him that he just doesn’t understand vintage-inspired style.

I thought it would be a kind of fun little project to re-create some of my favorite outfits from films or other media, and to try to do so cheaply, as a way of demonstrating how to use inspiration from external sources for one’s own style. Also, to show that it doesn’t require a lot of cash to build an outfit, if you plan a little.

So, here is my first re-creation. An outfit of Julie’s from a scene where she is being scolded by her boss. When I first saw this, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the tucked-in turtleneck with the high-waist of the skirt, however, I have since come to love it, and “potato sack skirts” are now one of my favorite styles.

Here is Amy Adams (aka Julie):

And here is my re-creation:
The entire outfit comes to a total of only $43.34! Granted, I don’t include hose or shoes here, because I could not see them, but if I were to wear this I would add a pair of dark tights and some black pumps. Also, since it is currently summer, turtlenecks are hard to come by. This one from Target was in the clearance section, and therefore subject to availability in stores, but come fall this problem would be easily resolved, though possibly at a bit more cost. (Although, you could probably thrift one any time of year for about the same price as this one on clearance!)