When Bad Fit Strikes: Ellen Page in Inception

July 21, 2010

It’s official, I’m a “fit” nerd.

I saw the movie Inception over the weekend (which is a great movie by the way), but one thing really bugged the hell out of me. All this blogging and obsessing and shopping and altering has infiltrated my brain so much, that as I sat there sitting in a room full of people enthralled by the story line, all I could think was…

“What bad fit!”

This is Ellen Page, who stars in the movie Inception. Ellen Page is also really petite. IMDB places her at 5’1″, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she were closer to 5’0″ or 4’11″.

This is not a still from the movie, but this is what she wore in one of the scenes. Now, am I crazy, or is that suit jacket a big ol’ mess?

My main problems with it are in the collar. Look how much room is between the collar and the back of her neck. A properly fitting jacket should sit flush along the back of the neck. The jacket has pitched backward, which means there is too much fabric back there. I’ve had this exact same thing happen to me with jackets before. Also look at how raised the lapel is. This should be flat against her chest. And look at the fit in the bust. Too tight? All that creasing around the bust is distracting right?

My guess is the wardrobe stylists could not find a jacket that fit her well, and instead took one that was too big and took it in. They skipped over the collar (which I imagine is hard to alter), and instead focused their efforts on taking in the sides…but way too much. I also wish they had slimmed the upper arm on this suit, as that is distracting me too.

My Theory jackets (here and here) in size 00 fit waaay better than this right off the rack!

This only proves that even petite celebrities with expensive clothes and stylists have a hard time finding good fit.

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  • PetiteAsianGirl

    My first thought was exactly the same as yours…it looks like this jacket had been altered, but not thoroughly, therefore its original proportions are off. The sides may have been slimmed (too much), but that's about IT! I am really curious now about the brand of this suit.

    I had no idea she was that petite…and you're right, if IMDB says 5'1" then it is not impractical to assume 1 or 2 inches shorter.

  • curls-and-pearls

    The arms look baggy to me on that suit and even the details on the suit (pattern on the arm) are throwing me off. You have a very good eye to catch this in the movie. My untrained eye didn't even notice! The suit was not flattering at all, the body of the jacket almost looks like a vest.

  • Alterations Needed

    PAG – I'm curious about the brand of this suit too. The super slim sleeve opening doesn't look like an American suit to me…maybe it's European? And there's weird stitching everywhere like Curls-and-pearls noted. They would have been way better off reading our blogs and putting her in a perfectly fitting Theory suit!

    curls-and-pearls – You're right, the details on the arm, and even the lapel and down the sides are really distracting me. Strange choice in suit. And yeah, it does kinda fit more like a vest. Weird.

    I must say though, I do really like the menswear watch she's wearing. Especially that cognac brown with the light gray! =)

  • Ping

    that is the worst fitting suit ever! the shoulders look funky too. what is up with the bad hair too?!? she needs a mirror!

  • Anonymous

    It does look a little odd. . . But then again, when all's said and done, this is a costume. The look and fit of the suit might have more to do with the artistic choice of costume designer. It kind of reminds me of Uma Thurman's look in Gattica.

  • Amanda

    Ahaha – I was too busy trying to figure if some ridiculous bits in the movie was logically possible to notice the flaws. I did like her casual dressing though! Very French chic.

  • Anonymous

    ^ Artistic choice is possibility but I choose to believe the movie's stylist had no idea how to fit a petite women in menswear =)

    In contrast, the male cast (especially Joseph Gordon-Levitt) were impeccably dressed.

    I just looked up the costume designer. His name is Jeffrey Kurland and he also dressed the cast of Ocean's Eleven as well as Revenge of the Nerds II lol.

  • Alterations Needed

    Anon (9:47AM) – I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I was attracted to the kid from '3rd Rock From the Sun'…but man did he look good in a three piece suit!

    Interesting about the costume designer…he knows his menswear…but needs to work on dressing his women!

  • simplyvonne

    I love love that movie even though I was a bit confused..were going back again this weekend to rewatch it lol

    I didnt even notice the fit but when i rewatch it..im going to look for it :D

  • Lisa – respect the shoes

    Thats kind of awesome that you can spot a jacket and know what's wrong with it.

    For me, I would just think that is a crappy-fitting jacket and call it a day.

    And that is probably exactly (haha) why I have some crappy-fitting clothes in my closet and don't know the first thing about how they should or could be saved.

  • CynthiaC

    This comes back to my point about stylists and wardrobe people not understanding petite issues! That said, I think Ellen has a bit of a protruding ribcage/barrel chest/whatever it's called for a girl (like me!!), which makes some tops and jackets hard to fit.

  • Nelah

    I just can't help myself but laughed when you said how blogging, altering, fitting and shopping have infiltrated your brain. I have to agree this outfit doesn't compliment her figure at all. Other than a bad fitting job, I think the fabric looks hard like a cardboard paper which makes her look shapeless. Some fabrics are just not meant to be used in a particular design..that's my two cents.

  • HM63

    I'm seeing Inception on Imax tonight. Yay! Both of my kids have already seen it twice. They picked up all sorts of new things 2nd time through.

    Anyway, I digress…..Now I'm going to be distracted looking at Ellen's darned suit. Thanks, AN!! ;)

  • Stylepint

    That suit isn't flattering, but I haven't seen Inception yet, so I can't say what it looks like for sure. But from the photo, it does look bad. The armhole area is bothering me since it's so slim at the wrist, but bulky up top. And if they made her jacket a 2 button blazer instead of a 3 button one, it would fit better on the bust, but it changes the style a bit.

    With movie productions, not only are costumes bought and altered (or some made from scratch), but they have a deadline. Sometimes, they don't always have enough time to fix something, so they make the more noticeable adjustments and hope that nobody catches the rest. LOL.

    It's great that you can figure out exactly what's wrong with the jacket…I still need to learn how to do that. I know it looks funny, but I can't quite pinpoint every part that doesn't work. =)

  • CynthiaC

    @Styleprint: They could have easily taped or pinned down the lapel. As for the bust being too tight or collar being too big: Wouldn't they have noticed that at a fitting BEFORE the shoot?

    Just a thought!

    (I wrote about this in Shorty Stories too!)

  • D

    I was thinking the same! I was like, WOW, she's petite like me, or she seems to be petite! And then As I was looking at her suit, I noticed that it was slim but kinda off. Thanks for making me realize what it was. I love people like you! I have been reading petite blogs like yours and reallypetite and PAGS for a few months now. I am so in love!

  • PetiteXXS

    Looking at that pic just makes me want to yank down her jacket for some reason! The fit is really not flattering at all and the upper arm bagginess also bothers me quite a bit.

    I really want to see the movie now… everyone keeps saying it's really good. I know what you mean about the 'kid' from 3rd Rock From The Sun… I take it he grew up well? :)

  • Alterations Needed

    simplyvonne – That movie is definitely worth a second watch. So many questions! Do let me know what you think of the suit now that you'll be looking out for it.

    Lisa – I think it's my scientifically trained mind…I always ask "why?". =) Just stick with us petite bloggers and your wardrobe will be ok.

    Nelah – Good point, the fabric might be too stiff for her frame. I know I've had that problem before too.

    HM63 – Glad I could drag you down into my level of crazy! Just try to tear your eyes away from the suit long enough to keep track of the story line! =)

    Stylepint – I don't believe that you wouldn't be able to figure that out. Your awesome altering skills probably make you a better judge of fit than me!

    D – Thanks for reading! I'm glad my ramblings are interesting to someone…lol.

    PetiteXXS – Oh the arm bagginess! Every time I look at it, it bothers me more and more…lol. Definitely see the movie, it's really good. It might not be Joseph Gordon-Levitt exactly…it might just be the three piece suit he wears. You could dress a cactus in a three piece suit and I'd probably be interested.

  • MoneyMaus

    The FIRST things I noticed on her suit in the pictures (haven't seen the movie yet – but going this weekend!) were 1) ridiculously too tight bust and 2) bagginess on the arms!

    YIKES! It would have been way cuter if it was a vest over a button-down instead, and probably more feminine. ;) Ellen should check out your blog, even if her outfit was a costume. The fit/lack thereof is always noticeable!

  • Angie

    Hahaha this made me laugh :) I have the same experience watching movies sometimes

  • Laurie

    When I saw her wearing that suit in the movie, my first thought was…"That looks HORRIBLE." I don't know what the wardrobe people were thinking but they could have come up with something better than that.

    As for her height, I don't know, but I bet she weighs less than 100 lbs.

  • HM63

    "As for her height, I don't know, but I bet she weighs less than 100 lbs."
    Yes she's tiny, with a "boyish" figure…straight up and down with no curves.

    I think the main problem with the suit jacket is that it was too tight. As for quality though, you have to keep the character in mind. This character wore pretty basic casual attire in her real world so she wouldn't necessarily dream herself in an upscale suit.

    I too thought Joseph G.L. was smokin. I still think of him as the kid from 3rd Rock. I feel slightly cougarish looking at him as a man. :)

    ps. Excellent movie. IMAX was amazing! Must see again.

  • Jackie

    I agree! You think she could get a tailor for that! OMG.

  • Elizabeth Ann

    I read this post before seeing the movie and admit that I was on the lookout for that suit. They must have adjusted or taped down or done something to the suit in the film. The fit doesn't look nearly as bad in the on screen shots.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, seriously? It's just a movie for crying out loud! Who cares if her suit didn't fit "properly"; she was only wearing it for about 10 minutes of screentime. If you're letting an "ill-fitting suit" which was shown on screen for less than 30 minutes bother you, then I think you need a new hobby. The wardrobe folks on set got it as close to looking perfect as possible. Moreover, I think it looks all right on her as she was playing a character in a movie, not in some candid shot of her everyday attire. Give me a break.

  • Alterations Needed

    Anon (August 11, 2010) – You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and thank you for sharing yours here. That the wardrobe folks on set got the suit "as perfect as possible" and still failed in getting it to fit Ellen Page properly is exactly what's sad here. Suiting, especially, needs to fit to perfection, and the fact a petite woman couldn't be fitted properly is what I found interesting. I love when clothing fits well, so, yeah, seeing this did bother me. I don't think being bothered by this is a bad thing at all. It just makes me better dressed for it (I hope)!

  • Anonymous

    Wow, seriously? It's just a movie for crying out loud! Who cares if her suit didn't fit "properly"; she was only wearing it for about 10 minutes of screentime. If you're letting an "ill-fitting suit" which was shown on screen for less than 30 minutes bother you, then I think you need a new hobby. The wardrobe folks on set got it as close to looking perfect as possible. Moreover, I think it looks all right on her as she was playing a character in a movie, not in some candid shot of her everyday attire. Give me a break.

  • Jackie

    I agree! You think she could get a tailor for that! OMG.

  • Laurie

    When I saw her wearing that suit in the movie, my first thought was…"That looks HORRIBLE." I don't know what the wardrobe people were thinking but they could have come up with something better than that.

    As for her height, I don't know, but I bet she weighs less than 100 lbs.

  • Alterations Needed

    simplyvonne – That movie is definitely worth a second watch. So many questions! Do let me know what you think of the suit now that you'll be looking out for it.

    Lisa – I think it's my scientifically trained mind…I always ask "why?". =) Just stick with us petite bloggers and your wardrobe will be ok.

    Nelah – Good point, the fabric might be too stiff for her frame. I know I've had that problem before too.

    HM63 – Glad I could drag you down into my level of crazy! Just try to tear your eyes away from the suit long enough to keep track of the story line! =)

    Stylepint – I don't believe that you wouldn't be able to figure that out. Your awesome altering skills probably make you a better judge of fit than me!

    D – Thanks for reading! I'm glad my ramblings are interesting to someone…lol.

    PetiteXXS – Oh the arm bagginess! Every time I look at it, it bothers me more and more…lol. Definitely see the movie, it's really good. It might not be Joseph Gordon-Levitt exactly…it might just be the three piece suit he wears. You could dress a cactus in a three piece suit and I'd probably be interested.

  • Elizabeth Ann

    I read this post before seeing the movie and admit that I was on the lookout for that suit. They must have adjusted or taped down or done something to the suit in the film. The fit doesn't look nearly as bad in the on screen shots.

  • HM63

    I'm seeing Inception on Imax tonight. Yay! Both of my kids have already seen it twice. They picked up all sorts of new things 2nd time through.

    Anyway, I digress…..Now I'm going to be distracted looking at Ellen's darned suit. Thanks, AN!! ;)

  • CynthiaC

    This comes back to my point about stylists and wardrobe people not understanding petite issues! That said, I think Ellen has a bit of a protruding ribcage/barrel chest/whatever it's called for a girl (like me!!), which makes some tops and jackets hard to fit.

  • PetiteAsianGirl

    My first thought was exactly the same as yours…it looks like this jacket had been altered, but not thoroughly, therefore its original proportions are off. The sides may have been slimmed (too much), but that's about IT! I am really curious now about the brand of this suit.

    I had no idea she was that petite…and you're right, if IMDB says 5'1" then it is not impractical to assume 1 or 2 inches shorter.

  • Andy

    I think she looks extremely pretty with the tightly bunned hair.

  • Llers

    As a self proclaimed movie critic and a lover of all forms of formal fashion I actually really think she was supposed to look that way. From watching the movie I think she was supposed to look 1) serious beyond belief and 2) kind of like a male even though she was in female clothing. There were extras that were close to her height who did not look like she did also I would like to point out that this was a candid shot and in the movie she does not have all these flaws which could be due to good editing or more work was done on her outfit. I am also petite and I did not think she looked as awful as everyone on here is touting. I think she looked pretty good. 

  • Ellen’s Future Husband

    Ellen Page looks smashing in anything.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_N6LKFIMERWOEH3HZOOQPGSDRRA Sammy

      If by smashing you mean a 5-year old. 

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