What would you call the female lead’s style in Ludwig? (Anna Maxwell Martin)

[Mixymaxymoxy]

Has anyone watched Ludwig on the BBC? I’ve watched the first series and started on the second. Anne Maxwell Martin plays the female lead, and I am just fascinated by her character’s style. Her hair is a very odd bob with a too short fringe and looks like she has cut it herself with kitchen scissors. Her dress style in the second season is an odd mix of old fashioned school girl (knock knees, short pleated skirts, white ankle socks and big Clarks shoes), and 70s/80s woman - striped polonecks, maroon anorak. It’s like she’s dressed from a school jumble sale.

What style is this? Why have they chosen it and who dresses like this in real life?

I think I’m fascinated because its so far from anything i could ever wear (big boobs, big hips). And I love the house her character lives in - I guess a lot of the clothing choices reflect that 70s / 80s vibe.

It is a bit Toast but not quite there. There is a childish like quality they are going for. I think the Enid Blyton analogy mentioned by a PP works well and works with the character and the plot.

I hate those too short fringes

I haven’t seen any of this series yet (and I’m not keen on ankle socks ever), but I thought AMM looked wonderful in the first series!

She had told him she was going to a job in Leeds as a cover, but she was actually going to find her husband's ex-partner, so that wasn't mad behaviour.

The costumes are truly terrible. No adult woman around fifty dresses like that. It’s Thelma from Scooby Do meets Japanese schoolgirl . I don’t remember her clothes in the last series so they can’t have been this bad, surely ? I find her clothes so dire that they are really distracting and irritating, and her whole character this season seems more hammed up and annoying. I like AMM as an actress normally so I think it’s the script, direction and ridiculous costumes rather than her.
The mini skirts with bare legs and ankle socks .. she is dressed like a five year old. Although a five year old would have thick tights if it was chilly enough for the layers she has on her top half, eg a blouse, knitwear and coat.
It’s definitely not ‘dark academia’.. that would involve long skirts, black opaque tights and overcoats. I assume they want her to look eccentric, but this is just unbelievable rather than interesting.

I also love the house like pp. And her car, I have car envy. Someone with that house and car would not be trotting about like she was dressed by her Mum to go off to the infants.

I enjoyed how the character was styled in the first series, haven't seen the second yet. From what I recall though, the very short mini isn't very toast, but does fit with dark academia. Looking forward to watching the 2nd series.

I also like her car. Her outfits are a "kooky" step too far. That said, I thought watching her on Who do You think you are her personal style was eclectic.
I think the hairstyle looks like it may be a wig.
I do hope so for AMMs sake.

I wouldn’t say Toast at all. Toast is drama teacher smockwear. That leather jacket she wore with pussy bow blouse with mini skirt and clumpy shoes is more ‘vintage shop eclectic’ imo.

I haven’t watched this season yet but from these posts sounds a bit like my style 🙈🤣. I wear ankle socks (inc white ones) with skirts and dresses and clumpy loafers or Mary Jane shoes.

im always begging my hairdresser to cut my fringe shorter and she never does and then I cut it myself at home with nail scissors!

I was distracted by the white socks and sensible shoes, but also thought “hmm, that looks very comfy”.

I’m with you there. 😂

I think “anti-fashion” is probably the closest description. In S1 she looked quirky but still quite put together, whereas S2 feels deliberately mismatched and slightly frumpy. The short skirt, ankle socks and chunky shoes almost make her look like an adult version of someone from the Famous Five!
I actually think it works for the character though. It makes her seem a bit awkward and completely uninterested in looking fashionable, rather than like the costume department is trying to recreate a particular decade. The maroon jacket is still a crime against humanity though 😂

She dresses exactly like how I used to dress as a student in the mid-80s!

I think the vibe is supposed to indicate that time has stood still since James & John's father left. They are still living in the same house (with the same furniture it appears), they are still driving the same car, and Lucy is still wearing the same clothes.

I think it gives the impression of: I don't care what I wear, I've still got these clothes that fit, so I'll carry on wearing them.

I’d say it’s a hybrid of man-repeller/left-leaning Liberal/Dark Academia. I preferred her style and character in Amandaland.

What style is this?

TU clothing?

I have really tried with this show but I just can't.

I don't like anything about AMMs look and I really don't like her house/car either.
The whole program just jars me.

I've given up.

X

The 'geek girl' sixth formers dress like this. Specifically the sock, sandals and bobs. It's a retro academic look. They also like to look like they need glasses by squinting a lot - if they do need glasses, they wear round ones, generally.

It fits the quirkiness of the show. and her amateur detective almost Velma characterisation.

I love the styling - but it's very similar (I think) to the vibe of Sex Education and A good girls guide to murder - contemporary but also with consistently quirky vintage elements to just stop it being too modern.
I think the idea that it's reflecting her energy becoming a bit more chaotic is brilliant - she is turning into a renegade girl detective. Great fun.

I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who noticed this or has been irritated by it. I thought the ankle socks and that short skirt were a step too far in the wrong direction and did nothing for her character. She doesn’t strike me as a woman who would ordinarily wear a PE skirt so why have one to be able to pull blindly from the wardrobe in the first place?
I love an eclectic mix, vintage and modern “frump” or “nerd” or whatever, but that’s not what I’m seeing on her.

I met AMM in real life not long ago (when I say 'met' , I was sitting about 8 rows away from her in a cinema auditorium).

She dresses very similarly herself - a bit less quirky.

Agree with the time standing still idea. Also, her and John’s shared childhood is referenced more frequently so I fell it links in to that.

Love others’ Famous Five observations. Wonder if they’ll crack open the ginger beer at some point?’

i agree that I feel her styling has gone too odd this series and I’m finding it distracting. Series one I felt it was quirky but stylish. Series two so far I can’t get over the ankle socks!

I think they are trying to make her more quirky, but just looks weird and trying too hard to force that narrative IMO.

Hideous.