Cashmere Mafia - What's Up With the Clothes?

Have you watched Cashmere Mafia? I like it. I have watched the first few episodes that have already aired, and I am definitely entertained, but one thing is standing out that keeps bothering me.

The Clothes.

Let's start with one character whose clothes aren't as big a deal because of her line of work. I had another problem here. I thought Bonnie Somerville was great as always, but they may have to watch her character getting too "hip", I mean she's a business exec, albeit for in the fashion industry (or is it the cosmetics industry? - they haven't been clear about this), but that doesn't mean she would abandon all business acumen, so some of the clothes and speech are truly out of place. I mean, she sorta rocks the ghetto fab look, while dining with the ladies who lunch and wear pearls. She's probably the only one who can really get away with it since she does something in an industry involving photo shoots and cosmetics. But, that doesn't mean we need to see her with a serious 80s hairdo. I didn't know it was legal to still use that amount of AquaNet.

The bigger issue - what in the world is Patricia Field doing as the costume designer on this show? It's one thing when that's for Carrie, who was a freelance writer, on Sex and the City (and it was barely okay then, but it fit much better). But this isn't SATC. And someone probably needs to make sure Darren Star knows that and doesn't try to recreate that SATC magic on every new show he does. These women are friends from business school, they are wealthy by their own doing, upper echelon, Upper East Side divas, they may have their own style, but they won't be totally just flaunting something so remarkably different than the rest, let's keep things a bit realistic. Let's take Lucy Liu, do her outfits (and her matching hair) really seem like something a magazine editor is going to wear? She doesn't own the magazine, she runs it. The very tight hot pink suit with black silk or lace camisole and the hair in the high ponytail, is a perfect example of what I am talkng about. It was just too much. The biggest problem with the clothes is that a statement isn't made by one accessory and one main article of clothing, but with the hair, nails, jewelry, shoes, blouse, skirt, belt, etc. Tone things down a bit.

I am really enjoying this show thus far, but let us all remember there is only one Sex and the City and that show has unfortunately aired its last episode. This show is about four women friends, but in Corporate America, beating men at their own game and doing it their own way. But they are clearly aware they still have to play the game, so no one should be showing up to work in a hot pink suit and a ponytail reminiscent of Sandy at Frenchy's slumber party in the movie Grease.