Cinematic Style: Felicity Jones in Like Crazy

In my sartorial adventures I'd like to say there's times I oscillate between wanting to dress like I'm a fully grown, exciting person who knows exactly what they like and what their 'style' is, and wanting to mess up my attempt at order intentionally just so I can feel as mismatched on the exterior as my mind is usually.  Mostly it's the latter just because my attraction to neutral basics means everything always matches even if I don't intend it.  I'm not really sure where I sit with the term 'style', and whether it's ingrained or if it grows as you grow or changes with you, but I definitely do think that it's something you possess whether it's consciously considered or not.  Now this isn't a revolutionary idea, but reflexively speaking I don't think anyone really ever closely examines why they've decided to change old sartorial habits or embrace new ones, aside from what society dictates.  We wear corporate attire to professional jobs, we wear something more comfortable on the weekend.  Most people don't consider what they used to wear five years ago on the weekend to what they do now, or even remember at all.  Is this a reflection of society mindlessly embracing trends, or do we just not stop to see how we've changed sartorially because it's perhaps vain?

Felicity Jones in Like Crazy is a perfect example of the sartorial changes adolescence and young adulthood present.  A story which explores the strains of a long-distance relationship over a period of seven or so years, Jones plays Anna, a British exchange student in Los Angeles who falls in love with local Jacob (played by Anton Yelchin).  Forced to return to London after overstaying her visa and attempting to return to the US, the film explores the depths of fledgling intimacy with emotional warmth, but also hope and despair as the two swim and sink in love.

What attracted me so much to Jones' style was her effervescence and poise on screen.  Her growth from a teenager to a twenty-something spans the passage of time and starts with untamed hair, mismatched jewellery, colour and loosely fitting shirts, and ends with classic silhouettes that are fitted, considered and neutral. Although older than her character in real life, the freshness of Jones remains like magic throughout the movie...I mean if I had her complexion at her age, let alone now, I'd probably be making sure my face was on the big screen too.

Saying that, while the passage of time in Like Crazy and the change of clothing indicates a transformation of physical maturity, if we pull this idea back into real life I don't think this is always the case intellectually.  Even in the film the intelligence of Anna shines through even when she's still a senior in college and an aspiring writer.  The change in sartorial aesthetics might be a reflection of the growth of the character, or a technique used to harbour the transition of time, but I really appreciate the film's decision to not change Anna's nature entirely to justify this.  It's effortless - perhaps contrary to the relationship - and allows for this really nice simplism of character whose depth isn't undermined at all.  Like Crazy was shot on a tiny budget, with Jones doing her own hair and make-up, and the dialogue entirely improvised.  This naturalism in film making - you judge whether it's extreme or not - isn't seen often and for that I really enjoyed watching Jones' character blossom.  Her wardrobe is uncomplicated, intelligent and gracious in thought.