Beth Harmon Style Analysis: The Meanings Behind the Fashion of a Genius | The Queen’s Gambit

[Music] the queen's gambit tells the story of orphan chess prodigy beth harmon who struggles emotionally and with addiction in a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world beth is not only known for her genius but also her stylish mod looks as she travels around the world ranking up in chess tournaments against the greatest players in the mid-1950s into the 1960s costume designer gabrielle binder created beth's looks to be a reflection of her inner self as she was growing up and becoming more confident decisively chic elegant and sophisticated throughout the course of the show often materializing elements of the game into her personal style to capture her thoughts on the journey as well as her love for the game tangibly chess not only inspires her looks but also the world as she becomes more cultured through her travels to places such as new york city paris and moscow as a young girl beth was very reserved and stolen until she began to play chess which made her very intuitive and clever as she indulged in the game and books on it am i good enough now [Music] to tell you the truth of a child you're astounding during this time she began to develop a dependency on pills so that she could visualize the board and play games in her mind it gave her a sense of control and allowed her to take comfort and logic she was adopted and by the age of 16 was competing in the us open championship though adopted beth is still detached from the world around her and strives to have chess in her life in any form at school she doesn't feel that she belongs there as there is this disconnect between her and the girls around her beth goes shopping with her adoptive mother and they share a moment together while browsing at the store signifying their relationship as mother and daughter through clothing this is very special to beth because this is not the first time that something like this has happened prior to her death beth's biological mother embroidered her name with a heart design into a worn green dress the dress provided comfort and a connection to her the simple muted light green hue is described by the costume designer as her home color that makes her feel like her mother is with her beth again has another moment like this at the store binder states it's at this moment that she is searching everywhere for something and someone to connect to and in the absence of a real person she connects with the dress on the mannequin so clothing gives her a connection to the world the same way they dress from her childhood gave her a connection to her biological mother the act of shopping brings beth and her adoptive mother closer as they go on to bond over their shared love of fashion beauty and travel which is an extension of how they care for one another beth still feels that she is too different than the people around her because she does not get any enjoyment out of the things that she is quote unquote supposed to and sees the world in a very different way she doesn't carry the same values or identity as the rest of the girls beth's isolation and past make escapism very appealing she indirectly learned to cope with pills at a young age and does so again as a teenager hence developing an addiction and dependency to mind altering substances addiction is a disorder in which an individual takes a substance or engages in behaviors that are pleasurable but eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences this is marked by psychological or sociological dependence tolerance and withdrawal beth's addiction is driven by her need for hypnosis in order to get into a certain state of mind and clear her emotions well what i need are the pills the booze i need my mind cloudy to win i can't visualize the games without them really you think that's what you hear the connection between this and chess is actually a very real experience psychology has proven that playing chess lulls the mind into a state of hypnosis players will function in a trance that is regulated by the pulsating rhyme of the game in a experiment a player was put under hypnosis and performed just as usual proving that chess requires some abstraction of time and space beth begins to compete in tournaments and her mother supports her in her endeavors they travel together to compete and at this point beth is still a young girl finding herself she is learning how outfits can be an extension of oneself and create an image on identity other characters are beginning to notice beth for her looks that are always very put together feminine and beautiful towns that is you my stars you look wow thanks you're welcome in this outfit we see her beginning to mimic visual elements of the chessboard in a more subtle mature way rather than straightforward and girlish the styling approach here will become more prominent in her fashion this also gauges her mental being the degree of the lines the structure of the pieces and the tones of the patterns will give viewers a glimpse into beth's state of mind in mexico beth incorporates more bright colors and wears rigid cultivated looks the half beauty in the details for instance in this look titled afternoon tea these shoulder straps have a crosshatch pattern that mirror the lines of the board in the same manner that the fabric overlaps in the center of the dress beth begins to introduce 1960s new york culture pieces into her wardrobe through silhouette and pattern much like benny who stands out against the typical chess player they both embrace looks that are very untraditional yet captivating here is beth's casual go-to outfit that is very effortless yet polished consisting of a tee and trousers with a light flare the simplicity and divisions of black and white mirror the divisions of the chessboard she wears this in her free time at home to spending time with her friends it's a very versatile outfit that is laid back yet self-assured her more casual outfits are fitted and well-proportioned she often wears a high-waisted pant or skirt and a top that consists of a mock neck or collar while in paris beth is mesmerized by women's fashion even in her down time she takes note of this look for example while studying she does so very stylishly like this look where she relaxes in a soft pullover and black pant a timeless look that is functional yet sleek and modern for her first european chess tournament she buys a black and beige acrylic jersey fabric dress inspired by french designer pierre cardone a designer who had great interest in architecture which translated into his work as geometric shapes i went on to be a trademark in the 60s this dress has an ease to it but also a very high fashion aesthetic beth purchases many high fashion outfits while in paris making it quite evident that she has a preference for elegant designs of mid 60s french designers i lived here who dress the way that women do here so smart with their nice dresses and their perfect haircuts her being drawn to this type of fashion not only suits her look but also her personality as designers were beginning to break fashion traditions and mere social movements of this time much like how beth was breaking the norms of being a woman in chess what do you say to those in the chess federation who accuse you of being too glamorous to be a serious chess player [Music] i would say that it's much easier to play chess without the burden of an adam's apple this is also connecting her with her mother who enjoyed high fashion her mother would often wear a homemade recreation of a dior design after her passing bath is seen wearing pieces from her mother's wardrobe and incorporating it into her fashion and another pierre cardone inspired green dress for one of her most crucial matches the dress is delicate and dynamic its simplicity mirrors the one that she wore as a child it is much more elevated the hue of her dress is her home color and beth sports this and attempt to be strong and composed after her loss in the tournament her dependency peaks beth pushes away all those who care for her fashion is more bold and cold for instance in this scene her cap is her light green color and then she has a high fashion dark mod look she is putting up walls and coming off as intimidating it's a way to push people away she reconnects with her old friend jolene after the passing of the man who taught her chess jolene gives her support love and the push needed to get her out of her rut so that beth could stop holding herself back i'm not here to save you now i can barely save me i'm here because you need me to be here it's what family does it's what we are this is where beth's addiction has a turning point and she begins to stop her self-destructive tendencies now that she is in moscow beth is looking much more sophisticated wearing very delicate chic pieces that are very powerful like this white mock neck paired with a coat mirrors the structure of her mothers but the waist is cinched in in moscow her style matures greatly she still has the chest and high fashion elements in her style but evolves them to be more put together much like how she is putting herself together her satorial fashion makes her stand out like this little black dress a piece known for its long lasting nature and versatility paired off with a unique checkered coat that is much more bold in comparison to those around her it signifies her newfound confidence as she is interviewed and signs autographs in a new country she is still a fashion conscious but in a more serious manner that matches her demeanor to compete for instance in this ensemble with a decorative bow adornment and detailing across the back shoulders it's elegant yet intellectual while being feminine she is ruthless yet graceful in a more open nature she wears a black and white shift dress much like many of her looks it has strong lines and is too toned in black and white she wears this look of duality to a tournament in russia showing that she is very comfortable with her place in chess the end game outfit is one of the last in the series a dress with minimal simplicity that directly mirrors her as a child come back to the color from the beginning maybe nobody will really see it but i guess everybody will feel it it's a round circle and you come back home she plays the game with her strength and is sober ultimately winning in the final look fittingly titled the white queen beth wears a fully white look with a black top underneath the hat and jacket paired together were intentionally made to mimic the profile of the white queen in chess visually showing how beth has won this is not just a look of a chess victory but one of inner victory as well she did not lose herself despite all the hardships that she went through even though she is now famous she walks the streets of moscow happily playing with local chess players she is still holding her unwavering identity inside she is a woman who shamelessly enjoys the finer things in life such as clothing beauty and travel but she's also still that humble kind and studious girl asking her mother for a chess board and connecting to the dress on the mannequin despite having all odds against her beth always embraced herself never giving in to who she was supposed to become in the eyes of others though she was the one holding herself back she was able to overcome this by letting go of her self-destructive tendencies to go on to a life that she worked so hard to create as a young girl she stated she enjoyed chess because it was predictable the control and she got hurt it was her own fault this was her approach in life as she set out on this journey to become a master her intellectual high fashion provided the comfort she needed wherever she went she clothed herself in pieces that tangibly encapsulated her loved ones and her greatest love of chess i hope you enjoyed this video if you did please subscribe like turn on notifications thank you so much for watching you

Channel: Clever & Chic

Views: 83,488

Rating: 4.9454618 out of 5

Keywords: beth harmon, the queens gambit, the queen's gambit, fashion, high fashion, Gabriele Binder, 50s fashion, 60s fashion, style analysis, clever and chic, givenchy, pierre cardin, chanel, little black dress, beth harmon style, beth harmon fashion, dior, fashion psychology, psychology, the wise mind

Id: s4sdFlpqd34

Length: 14min 6sec (846 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 30 2020