Movie Monday: The Last Station

Ah-ha! This one slipped by me! A historic film, full of costumes came out in January and I missed it! The Last Station (2009) tells the story of the great Leo Tolstoy (author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina) and his wife Countess Sofya and the quarrel which went on between them during the last year of his life.

So if Tolstoy died in 1910, we should expect to find Russian Edwardian Fashion. By the way, did you know that King Edward and Tsar Nicholas were cousins? They also sported similar beards!

Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841 - 1910) and Nicholas II of Russia (1868 - 1918)

So what about the movie's costumes?

Helen Mirren as Countess Sofya and James McAvoy as Valentin Bulgakov, The Last Station (2009)

Ladies' shirt and skirt: check! Great big hats: check! Men's shirt and vest: also check! By the way, the shirt worn here by James McAvoy is a traditional Russian shirt called a Kosovorotka. We see it better in the next picture, worn there by Christopher Plummer.

The Last Station (2009)

A kosovorotka is long, often reaching mid-thigh, has long sleeves and has an off the center opening at the neck which is buttoned. It is usually worn with a belt and can be embroidered. This type of shirt s also called a tolstovka (Tolstoy shirt) because, in his last years, the author choose to wear this type of garment previously associated with peasants.

Linen Tolstovka shirt, RusClothing.com

Knowing my Sweetheart's affection for all things Russian, I bet I'll have to make one sooner or later.

Costumes for this movie were designed by Monika Jacobs, who was also responsible for the look of Lola Rent (1998).