Get the L.A. hipster look from 500 Days of Summer

Modern romantic comedies can seem formulaic. Simply cast two attractive actors, watch their onscreen alter egos clash before falling in love cueing a happy ending that leaves you smiling as you exit the theatre. Easy peasy – except no-one told Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, the writers of the critically acclaimed 500 Days of Summer. It’s a rom-com, but not as you know it – the story is told from the male’s perspective, heartbreak occurs and the usual lashings of brands and designer labels are noticeably absent. Not that this dearth of Hollywood gloss diminishes the desirability of the clothes. On the contrary, they’re gorgeous and becoming very much sought-after. They’re just a little different. A bit like 500 Days of Summer…

The offbeat indie follows romantic dreamer Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his passion for free spirit Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). He believes in love, she doesn’t, yet they both share a flair for individual dressing, one that is being hyped as the look of today’s generation X, with Deschanel’s Summer being touted as “the new Annie Hall”.

It’s an unintentional comparison, Woody Allen’s Ralph Lauren-sporting heroine not directly influencing the look or style of Summer; however it suggests that Summer could be more than a disposable pin-up, achieving a rare and elusive appeal that endures seasonal catwalk crazes. “I wanted the clothes to be classic and have a life beyond this time,” reveals the film’s Emmy-nominated costume designer, Hope Hanafin. “People will be watching this film 20 years from now and looking at the clothes.”

But let’s not speculate about what the style could mean, but what it does mean today to the many fashion followers keen to emulate the looks of both Summer and Tom, as we show you how…