It was 20 years ago today...

...that I watched the Twin Peaks premier movie. Television was changed that night, and so was I.




That being said, I don't intend to talk about the show as groundbreaking television - I'll leave that to other blogs for which the topic is more appropriate (see links below). And I truly love a mystery... however, what I would like to chat about is how the look of the show really appealed to my interest in vintage.

From the very beginning, the sets and costumes offered a sense of stepping back in time, yet still living in the present. The sets are rife with terrific vintage lamps, pictures, furniture, bric-a-brac, and gadgets. Every interior seems to have its own style - ranging from Northwestern lodge to Polynesian/tropical to old-fashioned motel. Sometimes, I just watch for interesting things in the background. This fabulous lamp appears at the very beginning of the pilot...


The young female characters, particularly Audrey Horne, often wore clothing that evoked the 1950s - plaid skirts, twin sets, pencil skirts, and even a Pendleton 49er or two. Here's a typical Audrey ensemble...


And, by golly, I sure love the fun vintage-style Double R Diner waitress uniforms...


Can't tell you the last time I was in a diner where the wait staff wore uniforms like that. Wait, maybe I can. It must have been at least 15 years ago, and it was unusual even then.

Some of the male characters can be seen wearing vintage motorcycle jackets, classic plaid flannel shirts, bowling shirts, and even a vintage red and black plaid hunting jacket...




If you watch Twin Peaks, look for Dr. Jacoby's wacky neckties. He's got quite a collection to wear with his high-waisted zoot-suit-style pants...


Now, here's one of my favorite vintage dresses, which shows up in the second season....

Who doesn't love vibrant red chiffon and Greek goddess-styling?

I'm afraid I could go on endlessly about the look of my favorite television show of all time, but I'll pull in the reigns now. Twin Peaks is worth watching for more reasons than I care to list here, but if you only watch for the vintage-y costumes and sets, you'll find a fabulous feast for the eyes.

Twin Peaks sites:
Twin Peaks Archive

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Twin Peaks Fest

David Lynch & Mark Frost sites:
David Lynch.com
By Mark Frost
Dugpa
Interview Project