Every once in a while, a coat emerges that truly catches the public’s attention. Yes, a coat. Think about it. Humphrey Bogart’s trench in Casablanca is influential to this day, and Barbra Streisand’s leopard print number in Funny Girl had everyone saying, “Hello, gorgeous.” More recently, Jennifer Lopez’s lynx fur in Hustlers pre-empted the modern Mob Wives trend by two years. Now, another outfit topper has caught the public’s attention, and for good reason.
I’m talking about Demi Moore’s sunshine yellow wool coat in The Substance. It seems strange to discuss a coat in a film like Coralie Fargeat’s body horror flick, which has scenes so gruesome it’s making audiences nauseous. Costuming is not necessarily the focus of the two-hour and twenty-minute wild ride, in which Moore plays 50-year-old Elisabeth Sparkle, a star of yesteryear recently laid off from her ’80s-era fitness hour, Sparkle Your Life with Elisabeth. In an attempt to stay relevant, Elisabeth takes a gamble on ‘the substance,’ a treatment that promises to unleash “a better version of yourself.” This “better version” comes in the form of Margaret Qualley’s Sue, a perky young duplicate of Elisabeth who waltzes out of Moore’s spine (yes, spine) and into stardom. Unfortunately, the two women can’t figure out how to play nice, and as they battle for the spotlight, things begin to decay, literally.
Standing in contrast against The Substance’s gory palette is the film’s wardrobe—created by Emmanuelle Youchnovski—which is all bright blues and metallic pinks. Elisabeth’s outfits, specifically, are comprised almost solely of primary colors. The most eye-catching piece in her closet, though, is undoubtedly her coat, which she dons throughout the film, the one constant amid deterioration.
And boy, is it a good coat. First of all, the color, a shocking, daffodil yellow—bright and cheerful, rich yet still digestible—sits perfectly on the spectrum between lemon and mustard. It also helps that Elisabeth isn’t scared to add more color on top of the already brilliant piece, wearing it with burnt orange gloves and a rich red bag. She throws it over a purple blouse while still managing to avoid looking like a mascot for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Then, there’s the shape—the enormous lapels that cover Moore’s chest, resembling the bottom of a lion’s mane when belted. The epaulets direct the eye to the voluminous sleeves, controlled by the straps that cap off each wrist. It boasts that perfectly oversized fit, large but not overwhelming, cozy but most definitely still chic.
The coat acts as Elisabeth’s outward armor throughout the story. As she becomes more vulnerable and raw, she continues to reach for her yellow wool as a sense of protection. Even in the moments when she longs to hide, she cannot help but throw on outerwear that can be seen from the International Space Station. But who doesn’t want to be cocooned in rich wool, enveloped in a color that mimics the sun, the bringer of life?
For the same reason, it’s no surprise that the public is just as taken with this item. Many are already planning to dress as Elisabeth for Halloween, ordering their dupes as we speak. The piece has also fostered a plethora of memes, the modern indicator of an object’s influence. Just like the leather trench coats of The Matrix or Gwyneth Paltrow’s fur in The Royal Tenenbaums, this cultural moment is poised to have a major sartorial impact, so don’t be surprised if you spot some Big Bird-esque outerwear on the streets this winter.
Yellow coats to unlock a “better version of yourself”:
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