Watching & Wearing: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Woody Allen began his European adventure a decade ago with the rain-soaked, moody Match Point (of course, it was set in London). Since then, he’s opted for sunnier locales – Paris in the summertime, Rome, the Cote d’Azur, and Barcelona – with correspondingly sunnier narratives. The clothes, too, are appropriately light: white cotton button-ups, linen sundresses, and an abundance of the khaki trousers that have been an Allen mainstay since at least 1975.

In 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona', two Americans – reserved, slightly uptight Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and the adventurous Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) – go on a holiday to Spain, where they’re soon propositioned by Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). Both become involved with him, but discover there’s more competition for his time and affections – and when that competition comes in the form of Penelope Cruz, you’re fighting a losing battle.

Cruz, like Bardem, plays a tempestuous artist in the film. Her wardrobe is filled with easy, casually sexy dresses that seemed designed to fall off her shoulder in just the right way. We love the wispy, lacy whites she wears both in and out of the house.

Our take will do just as well in Bombay as in Barcelona. Layer our Amara ivory cotton slip – with delicate lace at the borders – with the Amara ivory khadi overlay, which has a graceful empire waist.
After 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona', watch the nostalgic, dreamy 'Midnight in Paris' for its literary cred and flapper chic – but give 'To Rome with Love' a miss if you want to preserve your interest in either Allen or Cruz.