Patty Hewes from 'Damages'
Far be it from us to disrespect the tailored black suit and crisp white shirt. It's the outfit that works for every woman in every profession at every age.
Yet it can become a uniform.
Glenn Close's character, Patty Hewes, the brilliant and powerful lawyer of FX's Wednesday drama Damages, wanted more for her look.
Wearing a light blue jacket, gray slacks, a light gray jersey top and brown suede pumps, Close's Hewes looks professional yet feminine. She also looks as if she went into her closet, quickly selected this and continued with her day. Patty isn't the sort of woman who would comb stores for hours looking for a blouse to go with a skirt, or spend undue time on her hair and makeup, both of which are kept very simple for this role.
"Patty is not someone who likes to spend a lot of time on herself," Close says, resting in her dressing room.
"In establishing Patty Hewes season one, it was important for everybody involved to define who she was," says Frank Fleming, the show's costume designer. "Season two, it's sort of a natural progression. Glenn and I felt, in having the conversation, a certain softness we would like to convey. The goal is to always make it look effortless but very crisp and forward. Keep in mind it is Patty Hewes, not Glenn Close."
Fleming shops for Patty's clothes at the upscale department stores Bergdorf Goodman and Saks.
"Between KZK (show creators Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler) and the network we are given a generous budget to capture who and what that woman is each week," Fleming says. "And it's a challenge in the current economy actually to be able to go to Bergdorf's and Saks."
Like anyone, Patty mixes and matches her jackets with slacks, skirts and dresses. Her clothes consistently look sophisticated, effortless and proper without ever being stiff.
"Her character wears a great deal of Akris and Domenico Vacca," Fleming says. He describes Akris as befitting someone like Patty, who would want a clean, soft line.
This year she's also wearing a lot of Loro Piana.
"They do a lot of knits and beautiful cashmere and sweaters and outerwear and do nice tailored shirts," he says. "I would describe it as a very rich, luxurious version, one or two steps ahead of Ralph Lauren purple label."
Patty's been in jeans and a casual shirt, a gown and the usual high-end work wear. But what will we never see the indomitable Patty in?
Fleming pauses, reluctant to commit to never, but he eventually says, "Probably never stretch pants and a loud T-shirt. She is appropriate and straightforward, yet there is something that draws you into her."
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