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Great '20s Fashion from Aussie Miniseries 'Underbelly: Razor'

By Lilit Marcus

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  • This is Tilly Devine, a former teen prostitute in London who married an Australian sailor and became the most succesful madam in Sydney.
  • This is Kate Leigh. She's a new grandma, a devout Catholic, and makes a fortune from selling alcohol and cocaine at her nightclubs.
  • This is Nellie Cameron, "the most notorious prostitute of her generation." Although she's from a good family, she loves sex and getting men to fight over her. Often, her slips and teddies peek out from under long sweaters and coats.
  • Tilly is desperate to prove that she has risen above her station in life, which she does by wearing immaculate makeup, a perfect platinum Marcel, and as much jewelry as she can fit on herself at once.
  • The oldest of the three main female characters and the only one not involved in the sex trade, Kate sports larger-brimmed hats and clothes in heavier fabrics like wool and brocade. She also keeps her hair long and wears it pinned up or knotted.
  • Nellie's various boyfriends keep her in furs, but the cloches, strong lips, and arched brows are all her own.
  • Tilly wears really great furs and even better hats.
  • When Kate's doing business at one of her clubs, she lets loose with flowy dresses and occasional bare arms. She's never without her crosses, though.
  • And because of the whole prostitute thing, Nellie also sports some gorgeous lingerie, often in nude or blush colors that hint at nakedness.
  • Did I mention she had great hats? Because yeah. Great hats.
  • When she's not working, Nellie occasionally takes a break from the gangster's moll look and wears colorful patterns that hint at her free-spirited side.
  • When Tilly visited her family back in England, she sported this more conservative yellow blouse as part of her "I am a rich lady now so suck on that" look.


The Australian thirteen-part miniseries Underbelly: Razor concludes its run this Sunday. The show is the fourth series of Underbelly, which chooses a new location and characters each year. Set in 1920s and early 1930s Sydney, the main characters on this show are all strong, independent, flawed women. Kate Leigh (Danielle Cormack) made a fortune from selling alcohol and cocaine, causing a local newspaper to dub her "the worst woman in Sydney." Tilly Devine (Chelsea Preston-Crayford) was a teen prostitute in London and is now the most successful madam in Sydney. Nellie Cameron (Anna McGahan) is a girl from a good family who voluntarily got into the sex trade, to the horror of her parents. Each one gets great, meaty storylines - and even better fashion. Whether it's cloches, furs, or pearls, each of these three women rocks gorgeous vintage looks. Beyond that, the clothes also give clues about their characters and hint at what will happen next.
· Underbelly [IMDB]
· First Look: Isla Fisher as Myrtle in 'The Great Gatsby' [Racked]

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