Tuesday 27 November 2012

The Hour is Nigh

Let me tell you about a BBC drama production, especially for those of you who live outside the UK.

It is called The Hour and it is set in the late 1950s around a news and current affairs programme at BBC's Television House, London, called, funny enough, The Hour. The second series is currently on our screens at the moment and to be perfectly honest with you I'm not too sure of the story lines - I only watch it for the clothes!

Beautiful late 1950 fashions - pencil skirts, suits, wide-legged trousers, hats, cocktail dresses, full skirted dresses - it's fabulous.


 I'm not even too sure about the characters' names, but on the left is the foreign affairs correspondent who wears trousers (shocking) and shirts, just like my Katherine Hepburn inspiration for SWAP 13. No one messes with her: her wit is rapid and her put-downs relentless.

Beside her is the heroine of the series - the producer of the The Hour. Her clothes are what I'd like my wardrobe to look like and she wears these fitted dresses and stilettos with such ease and comfort while trying to get a television programme on the air and the presenter is in prison and such dilemmas ruin her day. She comes to work in her emerald green cocktail dress from the night before and changes in the office into this amazing blue fitted suit with yellow silk blouse. That's the type of life she leads.










I managed to get some crappy screen shots this week to show you the clothes.






The protagonist is the main presenter of the The Hour - his name is Hector - who is public schooled, well connected, served as an officer in the recent WWII, married money but is a womaniser, alcoholic and not very dependable. However, his long suffering wife has the most glamourous wardrobe you've ever seen.

And  just where have we seen this dress before?

Oh, it's Vogue vintage 1043 and look, here I am wearing it too. Even if I say so myself - I think mine fits better






Then Hector has a bit of a fling with a younger woman and she is bringing the start of the glamour of the very early '60s into the show.


















And there's this other journalist, Freddie, who has married a French girl and she is introducing the easy, relaxed and casual fashion from Europe - short hair, skinny pants, big shirts, but I couldn't get a picture of her and her style. She looks like and dresses like Audrey Hepburn - my other SWAP 13 inspiration!

In typical BBC style the show covers heavy social issues like racial discrimination; high level corruption in the government and police; the pressure of a current affairs TV show and so on. It is not as superficial as Mad Men bed hopping and as bucolic as Downton Abbey but could well match both of these for costume design.

I have one tiny gripe though - INVISIBLE ZIPS!

24 comments:

  1. You do have a great fit on your dress! You could make it up again in a dressy fabric and have quite a "show stopper" for Christmas.

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    1. I'd thought of that as I watched last week's show - another thing to add to the ever growing list of things to do and sew. Thanks Karin

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  2. I love the fabric on your dress - it looks vintage. Haven't managed to see The Hour yet, but it does look good.

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    1. Thanks Rarity, welcome to blogland.

      Everyone, go check out Rarity's first post http://rarityscloset.blogspot.co.uk/ - this dress is worthy of The Hour.

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  3. Oh, I'm jealous...The Hour does show here, on BBC America - but it is not one of my basic channels (would have to pay more to get it, sometimes cable TV is really uncooperative!)Love that your dress is on the show, so wonderful! Meanwhile, my mom and I have cleared our Sunday night schedules starting Jan. 6, to watch episode 3 of Downton Abbey. Yes, the showing in the States begins then...

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    1. There are some delicious dresses in series three of Downton - won't give the game away though....

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  4. I think that people are longing for beautiful clothes, hence the popularity of all these programs. Thank you for wearing beautiful clothes, posting them and being such an inspiration.

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    1. Nay, YOU are inspirational, I follow in your shadow. But yes, we all long for beautiful clothes, is that not why we make out own?

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  5. I love the BBC! I watch a few things here and there: Coupling, MI5, Downton Abbey, I guess are the biggies. Of course MAD MEN! (PS: I married Don Draper. It was as if Don's life was extracted from my hubby's.)

    The clothes from all of those shows are amazing. I can't wait for The Hour to hit BBC America. I'll be totally in!

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    1. You're in for a treat. How nice for you that art is imitating life! I hope your hubby is better behaved!

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    2. My Walt is Don matured. He knows he needs to behave himself. ;)

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    3. PS: I downloaded the first season from iTunes! Yay!

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    4. Enjoy the clothes!

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  6. Gorgeous! Love the print and you look movie start glam!

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  7. Thanks Lynda, this was supposed to be the Jubilee dress, designed in the same year, but it rained, so wasn't worn.

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  8. My, oh, My! Your dress is much better than the inspiration!

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  9. Loved hearing about this program. Maybe it will eventually cross the Pond.

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  10. What a smashing dress. I'll keep an eye out for the programme on youtube because I love that era.

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  11. Oh I see what you mean about the costumes, I might have to give this show another chance. I gave up in the first series as I thought the cast was too young to be in such powere positions so it felt like I was watching Bugsy Malone but the second series has had great reviews.

    Oh, what's the story on those zips....

    Your dress is perfect.

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  12. Ok, that Vogue and your multiple dusters are my favorite makes! I loved your rainy photo shoot! I've got to chek out this show!

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    1. Ah yes the rain! I remember that too.

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  13. Your Vogue 1043 fits fabulously! The fabric is gorgeous; well done!

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    1. Thanks Miranda, the fabric is actually from Ikea's home furnishing dept!

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  14. I see the first series of The Hour is on Netflix. Must watch this week.

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