Nora Ephron: Director of timeless elegance

As the polar express enters the station, Christmas hits the UK like a glittery wave. Mittens and scarves come out from our closets while John Lewis applies SPF ‘local Christmas markets. We witness the same transformation each year, but it holds up like holiday leftovers do in the fridge. Not only does December embellish our homes, but it also has the ability to romanticise everything from morning coffees to bedtime holiday movies—including the ones seemingly scripted by AI. 

There is something romantic about the holidays; perhaps it’s the seductive red that is taking the season by storm, or, more likely, the shot of Baileys we add to what last month was a sober drink. Whatever it is, everyone seems to be getting hit by Cupid’s holiday arrows this year.

While my roommate, as one of Cupid’s victims, is on the other side of the wall falling for the British and early twenties version of Mr. Big, I too am starting to get attached. Less tangible, my seasonal obsession includes romanticising my life with the help of two simple things: chocolate-covered Brazil nuts and Nora Ephron.

Though I’ll never pass on a Hallmark Christmas movie, year after year, Ephron is the one who continues to settle me into my ‘Christmas spirit’, from the warmth of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ to the passion in ‘When Harry Met Sally’. I’m embarrassed to admit that even though I will happily fight my uncle at the Thanksgiving table during election years, I don’t feel triggered by the innumerable mansplaining that Harry imposes on Sally. Instead, I’m pulled into Ephron’s trance that consists of an endearing soundtrack, unconditional love, and foremost, self-reliant and poised women. 

Confident female leads remain unchanged in all of Ephron’s movies, and I believe that by immersing myself into their characters is what enables her movies to inspire me to romanticise my life from their self-assured point of view. As much as I enjoy daydreaming about moving to Paris with Stanley Tucci (Julie & Julia) and feeling enamoured by the whimsical aesthetic of The Shop Around the Corner Bookstore in ‘You’ve Got Mail’, the fashion in Ephron’s films may be what infatuates me the most. There is, without a doubt, a resemblance in the style within all of her work, and I argue it’s an intentional approach to emphasise the strength in her female characters. 

From a traditional standpoint, Ephron’s heroines are unique in their cheeky charm, which contrasts intriguingly with their paradoxical eloquence and elegant style. Though her female characters abide to what is considered a ‘classy’ sense of style, she makes sure to convey that they are independent from the outdated ideals which have been associated with that particular kind of fashion. Turtlenecks, dainty but captivating jewels, and mild coloured cardigans wrapped around a polo shirt are a staple for the women of Ephron. These are all elementary items that set the tone for commanded respect, helping each woman hold their head up high. It is also notable that in many of Ephron’s films, the love interests wear quite compatible outfits in terms of ‘dress code’ and colour coordination. As a lover of earlier made rom-coms, I find this to be refreshing as it transmits an undertone of equality between the genders in terms of ‘traditional’ movies. I’m fully aware that my loafers, trench-coat, and brown leather belt won’t make my life a sequel of ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, but the timeless elegance I’ve adopted from my Ephron binge is, however, manifesting the standards of her female characters.

With high standards come high knee socks, proven as Meg Ryan’s staple in ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Anyone familiar with the rom-com genre will be well-versed in its renowned diner scene. Sally Albright enlightens her co-star, Harry Burns, and his ignorant understanding of women—likely having faked an orgasm with him—by publicly faking an orgasm herself. Sally Albright, appearing poised at the table in her chic cardigan, contradicts expectations by wearing high knee socks in this very scene. This is an unpredictable choice, much like her invigorating act, and asserts her independence, rendering traditional assumptions made by men like Harry.

I’m unsure whether a public climax, or Meryl Streep (Julia, in ‘Julie & Julia’) brilliantly classifying ‘eating’ as a kind of hobby, inspires me more. Ephron’s female characters have a clever way of permeating confidence in an effortless manner, and I’m determined that it’s in virtue of their great finesse that I’m subconsciously romanticising my life after hours of consuming Nora Ephron—more so than the romantic relationships in the films themselves. As the days get darker and social batteries are universally charged to a high of 5%, there is no blame in feigning the magic brought upon by a rom-com; in fact, it’s encouraged. Taking inspiration from the Ephron style will only help carry through life’s existing plot twists with grace, ‘like a lady’.