Being Agent 99.

All right. I think it's time for a new style post.

As some of you reading this blog may have garnered, I am an actor. Due to the slow nature of the business as of late, I recently returned to doing theatre in order to stay loose and creatively fulfilled (in addition to taking my normal acting classes, which are a challenge in and of themselves, but that's another story). My latest show, which closed two weeks ago today, was a production of Get Smart, an adaption of the classic 1960s TV show. It was a fantastic production on so many levels - great source material, a very talented cast, a fantastic director, etc. And one
of the elements that I enjoyed most about doing the show were my costumes.

For those of you unfamiliar with Get Smart (or for those of you who have only seen the funny but incomparable 2008 film), The show itself focused on the exploits of CONTROL's Agents 86, Maxwell Smart (played with spot-on comedic relish by the excellent Don Adams) and 99 (Barbara Feldon). For many, Agent 99 was perhaps the ultimate modern career woman of the 1960s, proving that women in high-ranking positions could be both beautiful and capable, and her wardrobe reflected this, consisting primarily of shift dresses and gorgeous skirt-blouse combos. (Since Feldon, a former model, was in fact taller than her costar Adams, 99 was never seen in heels.)

The 2008 movie adaption, which starred Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway as Max and 99, updated the show for its modern setting. The film's wardrobe showcased Hathaway's athletic figure with many a little black dress, while paying homage to the original show with an impressive array of sleek trenches and Chanel bags.

Our production, meanwhile, fell somewhere in the middle. While Feldon and Hathaway both embodied 99 as a leggy brunette, I'm a petite redhead. The director, Michael, did his best to combat the possible fallout from Mel Brooks enthusiasts by outfitting me in classy monochrome shifts (one of them authentically from the 60s - I wish I had decent pictures of it!) and black pumps. I'm a huge appreciator of the 60s and the style it brought, and recently, upon finding this dress during one of my shopping excursions, had to buy it:

Simple, yes. But I can't help thinking that 99 would approve.