Look-of-the-Day

Tonight, the 86th Academy Awards will air, and our final “Look-of-the-Day” from an Oscar-nominated film is Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets.  Hunt won Best Actress for her portrayal as Carol Connelly, a single mom who works as a waitress, and ends up romantically-involved with an high-maintenance, best-selling OCD author named Martin Udall (played by Jack Nicholson).  It’s one of this editor’s all-time favorite movies.  Here, Carol enters for their first date in a lovely, patent leather-belted red shirt dress with white polka dots and matching buttons.  Ali Basye of On This Day in Fashion references costume designer Molly Maginnis’ comments about the outfit from the book Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design, “Jim Brooks told me repeatedly that this was the most important costume in the movie… It was important that the dress have the feel of a housedress and yet make Helen’s character feel like she looks great.”  Martin, always charming, takes the wind right out of her, by commenting, “I don’t get this place. They make me buy a new outfit, and they let you in with a house dress.”  Carol is ready to walk out on him, but he convinces her to stay, by revealing the best compliment of all. <3