Paris, Texas: Maxing Out On Style And Substance

Paris, Texas is an award-winning film that holds an extremely special place in so many people's hearts. It is the kind of film that sticks with you forever. Each element of the film on its own could win awards, from the deeply moving writing, to Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski's unforgettable performances. Even for those who have not seen the film, there are elements that transcend the cinema.

The costuming is what left the biggest cultural mark in our opinion. You can hardly read an article about fashion in film without seeing the iconic pink sweater dress worn by Natassja Kinski's character, Jane. A dress that is pretty much impossible to find a copy of. 

The dress is iconic, not just in its uniqueness, but how it perfectly embodies the character. It shows her as warm, as the lost wife who Harry Dean Stanton's character has been searching for. Here we see so clearly the perfect intersection of fashion and story that the director does so well.

Clothes aren't the only way through which story and character are communicated, it's the whole styling of the person. Natassja Kinski's blonde bob frames her face so well it's always the center of our attention. She is our focus in the same way as she is for Harry Dean Stanton's character, we pay attention to her no matter what. 

Since so much storytelling is done through just her facial expressions, this focus is vital. She is our vessel for understanding.

Wim Wenders, the director, is drawn to Americana above all else and that can be seen nowhere clearer than in this stunning ode to what it truly means to pursue the American dream.