an educated style

The best costumes in a film illustrate not only time and place but character. Lone Scherfig's An Education is an exercise in pre-swinging 1960s.

Through wardrobe, costume designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux (Emmy winner for The Lost Prince) illuminates the characters' personal journeys.

Dicks-Mireaux elaborates: "One of the most important things is that Jenny's transformation has to be the image of how Peter's character wants his little girl to be." Ditching her prep school uniform for a hustling cad, Jenny (an impeccable performance by Carey Mulligan) dons an updo and uncomfortably adult frocks to try to impress him and his crew.

My favorite is this dress with the crimsonish strap (it looks much better in the film).

Supporting character Helen (a fun performance by the lovely and versatile Rosamund Pike) plays a dizty Catherine Deneuve-ish vixen. Dicks-Mireaux provides many great looks for her too.

Check out the bow!

The choice of cat eye glasses and tweeds adds layers to Olivia Williams's affecting portrayl as an uptight school marm.

Read more about the costumes in An Education on Vanity Fair's site