Every once in a while you come across a film that truly reminds you of why you ever loved the horror genre to being with. Recently I sat down and watched Society from 1989, and it was that kinda movie for me. NOTHING say’s “summer’s right around the corner” than a bunch of incestuous alien beings that parade as society’s best boring hot rich people. This one hits all the marks, even the ones you didn’t know you had. And the fashion, as of course we will see, does not disappoint.

We have four main babes in this one. We have Patrice Jennings playing Bill’s incredibly hot sister Jenny Whitney. We have awesome horror babe and HFR goddess Heidi Kozak Haddad playing Bill’s short-lived but bangin’ girlfriend Shauna (Baywatch lovers, don’t let this name fool you 😉 ) We have the gorgeous Devin DeVasquez playing Bill’s new love interest Clarissa Carlyn who may or may not be an alien but knows how to wear a bedazzled jean jacket, and lastly, Bill’s scary hot mom, Nan Whitney, played by the lovely Concetta D’Agnese (Connie Danease). Four mega babes pull us in with their charm and perfect skin wearing their best and worst looks until the bitter end. Before we dive in, let’s shout out to Robin Lewis West, the costume designer for this film, here at HFR I am forever grateful for your work. Without which I wouldn’t be able to write these stupid things. Lets goooooo.

Hot sisters ALWAYS go first, so lets break down sweet Jenny Whitney’s outfit choices. We meet her in her dressing room and we are not disappointed. We knew that rich boy Bill’s sister would be wearing all white lingerie. We just knew it. It’s pure, it’s wholesome, but oh so skimpy. We are into it.

When she puts on a Rosé champagne colored dress with a big front bow we are even more entranced in her goodie girl rich babe world. The dress says sophisticated but the lace panties underneath know they are here to play. The matching shoes, sitting atop the vanity is SUCH a statement here. Why pick them up from off the ground when you can gracefully grab them from your vanity? Everything about this girls life is ease and splendor. The choice of a strapless makes complete sense, she’s not a little girl anymore and how dare you mess with straps on the eve of your coming out party.

The dainty pinky ring on her left hand says SO MUCH. It’s understated, it’s classy, it’s small, its on the pinky finger of all choices. It’s so Jenny.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the hair, this is one of the only times we see sis shy away from her naturally curly locks to go through a quick blow-dry and a soft mousse. It’s not trying too hard. It’s effortless hot. The length is perfect. She’s a manicured babe through and through. And though this choice is an ode to her prim and proper upbringing, it also makes sense that this is a special occasion.

The champagne pink isn’t doing anything above and beyond for Jenny”s skin tone or blonde hair, I think this choice is intentional. Using this subdued and safe color pallet for her from the start tells the audience that she is kind, safe, calm, basic, and unassuming. That is of course, until that gross sweaty bulge on her back starts to come alive and we begin to think differently.

Perfect champagne pink with a perfect strawberry lip and a pointed diamond necklace in a 16″ is so classic rich hot white girl it hurts. The dress could not fit Jenny any better. It’s like it was made specifically for her and we are thankful for the detail to tailoring and fitting in the costuming process on this one.

When we see Jenny again, she’s in florals. Nothing is more feminine and sweet than a fucking floral fully buttoned cardigan sweater. Oozing the façade of someone wholesome. What screams at us here is the beautiful blending of the rose color on her sweater to the color of the bougie rich high-back antique chair and curtains. She is quite literally a part of this place, tethered in every way to this “society” and it’s not looking good.

The natural curl choice here is wonderful. She’s so much more little girl than grown up here, which is great timing because it’s after she dines and copulates with everyone in town at her sweet and slimy soiree. We get the innocence, but we know it’s all for show.

Later on we see her in a cute, silk lace cami pajama set which NEEDED to be worn without a bra so thank god for that choice, paired with a satin aqua robe. Aside from being massaged by her father as her mother makes sexual stretching noises on the bed, Jenny is true to form, representing young sexual innocence in soft colors and subdued natural makeup.

When we see sis again, for the last time with clothes on, she’s ready for the bang-out orgy of the century. Of course this means she’s gonna bust out another strapless number. We wouldn’t want it any other way. This time she chooses a tight black and white gown, finally highlighting her good and bad side. Here’s the thing, this black and white dress is reminiscent of a skunk. A thick long black streak down the middle of a skin-tight white-sided dress and we get the imagery. We get the impact. Skunks are cute AND disgusting and that is EXACTLY how we feel about sister Jenny in the end.

Oh, mother dearest, how fucking weird you are. High society quiet with a lip ready to be pursed and a growl-laugh ready to pierce. This is our very first glimpse of mother Nan Whitney, played by Concetta D’Agnese.

The full face made-up with a dark lip and the clutched white robe – by this first snippet, we know that mom is extra and we know we are going to get a whole lot of bougie.

Ah, a dark cobalt blue suit dress with black buttons with black and gold accessories to match. Mom even matches her outfits to her home decor. How nice. What do we know about the color blue? That it’s calming, serene, and trusting. What a choice for mother to wear. She’s trying so desperately to express these attributes but what we get from this look is anything but calming. It’s sexy and scary all at the same time. We are terrified but also not going to close our eyes.

Though Nan’s hairstyle is quite hideous in this scene, she completes it (and tames it) with that black bow. Odd choice.

All I can say about the moment in the garden with the tray of snails is that the peach pink track suit with peach pink headband is letting us know just how much mom is into her matching outfits. Or is it a direct correlation to the amount of control this woman needs to have? It’s never a good look when you seem a bit too anal. Nan’s giving us that vibe right now. Also, we know she’s a babe that works out with full jewelry intact. Huge earrings, a watch, her wedding ring, a good sized necklace, god knows what else. That is INSANE. We don’t trust her, and neither does Bill.

There is a lot I can say about Nan here with this neutral pallet. She pairs this long sleeve white blouse and tan skirt with a chunky layered gold chain belt with a long gold chain necklace AND layered pearls?? She matches those pearls with her huge single pearl wedding ring finger that I swear to god was a diamond ring in another scene. I think it’s safe to say that Nan doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing anymore by this point. Equal parts terrifying and confusing, she has lost us entirely. But, before we write her off completely, is this exactly what we need to get from her? She is mystery, she is scary, she is the monarch of society that is all about calm control. I mean, she doesn’t say more than a few words in the whole film. Are we just experiencing what everyone else experiences? Baffled and in awe of the quiet chaos that she is, but a babe we will never truly know.

We see Nan again in a short but sweet moment of bedroom bliss with her wonderful family. She’s in fuzzy heels, she’s in a matching fuzzy-trimmed pink robe that goes with her pink lingerie and her tits are OUUUUT. Her insane but gorgeous red curls are also out to play instead of being brushed and straightened. She’s getting ready for the big night.

There is nothing that says ultimate societal royalty than emerald green. Nan goes all out for her final scenes, of course like she does best matching a beautiful emerald dress to her large dangle earrings. Nan’s hair is at its absolute best here and we are thankful for the moment we get because we all know up in that bedroom it doesn’t last long. Maybe green is the perfect choice for her here, she’s in full balance and harmony with herself, her friends, partners and her life. Long live the Whitney queen.

Next up is Shauna, Bill Whitney’s under-appreciated and super cute high school cheerleader girlfriend.

Always rocking a bright bubblegum lip, she knows how to balance school, cheer, AND a wigged out boyfriend.

We love a thick blue varsity school sweater that’s way too hot for any sort of indoor situation and a homemade button with your boyfriends name on it. She’s sweet, she’s humble and she’s devoted.

When we see Shauna after the gym scene, on the beach in a bright hot pink two piece with gold trim, it’s clear that she’s got brains and beauty. It’s the perfect beach choice, especially with the simple jewelry she wears. Medium gold hoops and a gold chain. Effortless.

We get a brief confrontation with Shauna and Bill when she’s all charm school and pissed in a faux argyle powdery pink sweater with pearls to go with it. It’s dressy, it’s wholesome, its teenage dream. But ultimately this look is not the best and it actually helps us as the audience move on from her when she tells Bill that they shouldn’t go out anymore. We are over her. Until, of course, we see her again.

Later, Shauna comes ripping into the driveway of Bills gorgeous estate in something more divine than words can express. This zip-up-the-back acid wash soft denim LONG SLEEVE v-neck dress is one of the MOST incredible outfits I have ever witnessed in a horror movie. And for Shauna, it screams attitude and the ultimate “look what you’ve been missing” vibe. Yet, Shauna is the one who drove to Bill, she’s the one that goes to him…. and we are not surprised.

The fucking cow boy boots and yellow gold jewelry accents elevate this dress to a whole new platform. It’s truly unreal. The bubblegum lip has been swapped for a more subdued pink and the heart earrings are absolutely the right choices for teen dream Shauna. It’s young and grown up all at the same time.

All I have left to say about this acid wash dress is that boy would I want to roll up in something like this If I was about to confront my ex boyfriend while he holds a blowup doll. It’s funny though, and maybe so true to character, that even though Shauna looks better than anyone on the planet in this dress and in this moment, she will forever be haunted by the teenage claws of insurmountable insecurity so she will never truly know that Bill has missed out on everything by losing her – not the other way around.

Which brings us to the last scene we get of Shauna’s perfect beauty and her return to bubblegum lip. Shauna is every 16 year old girl in this scene. She is our essential past form. Gorgeous and tortured knowing that the guy we like is already parked out front of a new chicks house a few days after he didn’t take us to that super popular party we were desperate to attend. I hope that when the tears started to fall that we were smart enough to be wearing this pastel pink sweater to help catch them. But most of all, we would be remiss if we didn’t adorn on our perfect heads the simple and effective ode to our dying youth, a sunglasses barrette. Shauna, we hope you eventually found what you were looking for.

Our final girl, Clarissa Carlyn played by the lovely Devin DeVasquez. Is she an alien? Is she super weird? Does she have stunning hair? We are never quite sure about the first question but it’s a yes to the last two. Here’s how you know someone is super weird, not only by what they say, but by what they wear. And we know from the very start that Clarissa is weird as hell.

Red and purple, a classic 80s combination that will live forever in our hearts because it might never make a comeback. This skin tight long sleeve red dress with purple abstract overlay and chunky black belt is a sure fire way to turn heads, and that’s exactly what Clarissa wants. The weirdness comes with the lighter purple barrette and red and silver dangle earrings. There is far too much going on with this look.

We get a breath of fresh gorgeous air when we see Clarissa again. This time on the beach in a teal bikini that looks to be painted on. At least we also know she’s a girl that matches her nail color to her lipstick and I will never be mad at a woman that goes this direction. We are on Clarissa’s side in this scene.

This bikini bottom dips down in front and in the back which is suuuuuuuch a good look. Clarissa’s not afraid and she may not be hiding anything physically, but something is up with her and we are dying to find out.

When we see Clarissa at the popular party later, she is a sight to behold in all black, sequins, lace, and crazy curly hair. More mystery, less weirdness, the enticing seductress look is being pulled off well by her in a gorgeous deep red rose lip and silver necklace.

Her weirdness falls by the wayside in this scene and we are all wondering who she is and what she will do. This outfit with the all black, bra as a shirt and tiny jacket over top says femme fatale more than anything at this party and we are here for it.

All we can say about Clarissa is that she’s a girl that knows what she wants and goes for it. That’s the lesson. The pink robe that she wears before getting naked with Bill Whitney is cute and cuddly – just a façade – because when she gets all twisted and contorted we know that her true colors are beginning to unravel.

The next time we see Clarissa is when her true weirdness comes back to us and just like that nothing about her makes sense. Hair slicked back, a light purple cropped cami with a cropped light wash jean jacket over it covered in stitching, beads, jewels and bedazzle. The only way that this choice makes sense is that Clarissa is absolutely an alien and therefore just trying her hardest to fit into a human girl mold and do her best with outfit choices. I would sleep in a fucking car too if I ever wore something like this.

The last moments we get of Clarissa are at the final orgy party. We think for a moment that Clarissa is going to become sex soup like all the rest of them but instead fights to get Bill out of there alive. At least we know she’s on his side, but we still don’t know why. The dark blue short skirted dress she wears for this party is a good choice, she is able to blend in, after all isn’t she one of them? She decides on a side pony for her hair and that is her alien self trying to look younger than she possibly is. Clarissa is a terribly confusing character, we never know what her motivations are and why she does literally everything that she does in this film. As a character she doesn’t move us through her decisions, we are just watching and waiting for her to give us answers. Rest assured, the answeres never come in words or in her outfits and she rides off into the dawn with Bill Whitney as they have a weird sex life together and she will one day reveal to him that she is an alien that needs a new wardrobe.

Until next time babes,

Grace Lovera