Why we are so obsessed with The Queen’s Gambit

I will be honest with you: I don’t know anything about chess except the famous expression “checkmate” and I am not even sure how and when it is used in chess, and the name Garry Kasparaov, probably because he is the best-known chess player in the world.

But when I saw the trailer of the new Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, I immediately felt the urge to binge watch it, and not for the chess games of course, but because I immediately fell under Beth Harmon’s spell. For those who haven’t watched the series yet, Beth is the main character of The Queen’s Gambit. She is actually the essence of the series.

 

Brilliantly played by British actress Isla Johnston as young Beth and by American-Argentine-British actress Anya Taylor-Joy as adult, Beth is a young orphan with an astounding talent for chess, substance abuse issues and a troubled past, who will become with time the first female world champion. The story is of course not real, as so far there is unfortunately no female world champions in the male-dominated sport that is chess, but one can only hope, right? This limited series, consisting of only 7 episodes, is in fact an adaptation of Walter Tevis' 1983 novel of the same name,

 

 

The Queen's Gambit is one of the most-watched shows on Netflix right now, which isn't surprising at all. The limited series is blowing away anyone who watches it, not only because of the brilliant talent of the actors, or for the chess suspense, but also because it is the perfect dosage of drama, intrigue, romance, psychology, women empowerment, and fashion. Spoiler alert! Beth is not only a chess prodigy, she loves fashion and cannot resist the urge to go shopping, plus she has “taste to go with her other gifts" as a jealous Cleo said with some bitterness in her voice.

 

 

So, let’s take a few minutes to talk about Beth’s style and looks, the girl surely made us want to have a trip back in time to the 50’s and the 60’s! French Costume Designer Gabriele Binder paid tribute to Audrey Hepburn and Edie Sedgwick's '60s Style, and did an amazing job, as every outfit was intentionally designed and selected. Here are some of the looks that got us really hung up on:

 

 

 

Checkered prints

Chess means a check pattern, and Beth is clearly into checkered prints. From the blouse to the coat and the dress, she slayed this print in several episodes.

 

 

 

 

 

Cardigans

For a sleek and cozy look, Beth often chose to wear cardigans, whether over a dress, a sweater or a blouse.

 

 

 

Accessories

Can we tell you how obsessed we are with Beth’s accessories? From the swimming cap that made diving in a pool a fashion statement, to the headbands (Ugh that perfect hair!), the sunglasses behind which she hides her mischievous gaze, to the hats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you couldn’t get enough of Beth’s amazing wardrobe, we have some good news for you: The Brooklyn Museum and Netflix have teamed up to offer the fans of both The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit a closer look at some of the most iconic looks from those two hit shows through a virtual costume exhibition.

 

We loved the plot, we loved watching genius at work, we loved the costumes and the rich set design, but the ending left us all wanting for more, and fans are already begging Netflix for a Season 2. Will our prayers be answered?