How fashion shapes a character
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Clothes can shape a character on screen. How a character dresses; be it muted, flashy, or anywhere in between, has a significant impact on how the audience sees him or her intellectually and emotionally. The fashion choice in film establishes in the minds of viewers the kind of characters the actors play before narrative and dialogue.
The role of a costume designer or wardrobe stylist in film is one that is often overlooked. However, it is one of the most encompassing and visualised factors in a film. Costume is considered vital as it allows the story of the movie to be told and implicitly shows the character’s identity. It is an essential element in film as it establishes a symbiotic relationship between fashion and personality.
For instance, fans were quick to point out when there was a wardrobe malfunction. Behind Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones who wears a full armour, equipped with a sword and knee-high boots, was an extra passing by wearing blue jeans and a Patagonia jacket. The clothing that he wore did not match the time period or the genre of the film. Hence, it is crucial for costume designers or wardrobe stylists to meticulously plan out what the roles must wear in order to blend in with the scene.
Image: Game of Thrones cast in jeans
Costume designers create clothes according to the script. They must know who their characters are and what kind of person they are. Therefore, they must try to envision a wardrobe that best fits the character as if they exist in real life. The primary guideline for a costume designer or a wardrobe stylist is to decide what the character should wear, the colour palette, the period the movie is set in, as well as what message they wish to convey.
Costume is an expression; when the scene starts, we as audience can analyse the characters based on what they are wearing - it gives us a premise of their uniqueness and style. The direction of the script impacts the clothes - it creates a feel or realistic visual or fantasy.
Costume designers or wardrobe stylists create and provide garments for an array of roles – lead actresses and actors, supporting roles, stunt doubles and extras. Each position has its own unique part to play on screen, so their costumes may differ from each other.
The costume is used to shift the focus on a specific detail or a particular role. It’s a critical factor in understanding and analysing what is currently happening on screen. Costume designers may use colour as a way for the audience to distinguish the main action with what is happening in the background.
For further illustration, let’s take a look at Emily in Paris created by Darren Star and directed by Andrew Flemming. They collaborated with none other than Patricia Field as the wardrobe stylist. Field has an extensive portfolio – she worked in The Devil Wears Prada and is famous for the hit series Sex and The City.
The story follows a 22-year-old girl named Emily, who at first worked at a PR firm in Chicago. She is then swooped and stationed in Savior, a PR firm in Paris which endeavours as a social media maven were nothing less than challenging. Before Emily moved to Paris, she wore flannels that portrayed a girl who is down-to-earth - an all-American girl. But as she embarked to Paris, she transformed herself into a fashionista.
It's fair to say that the costume is unrealistic. When it comes to portraying a 22-year-old who works at a PR firm in Paris, the wardrobe lacks authenticity. For the majority, it's unattainable for a 22-year-old junior employee to own a massive collection of Chanel coats and bags, Christian Louboutin heels, Margiela Tabi boots and top-to-bottom Kenzo look, or even to wear a lace Chanel crop top as a running top.
It's cliché how she's wearing designer brands in Paris as an attempt to set her place in the firm. There wasn't a cohesiveness that gave Emily a distinct personality. Her clothes do not reflect her character, background, or job.
Image: Lily Collins in Emily in Paris. The stylist of the show is criticised for assembling unrealistic fashion choices for a junior employee
Although she embodies youthfulness with hints of a modern-day young Carrie Bradshaw, the clothes in Emily in Paris are far too escapist, leaving the audience feeling as though there is no human depth. There was no relatability with Emily's clothing with the audience's social aspect.
Generally, in a movie, the character continuously develops. They may go through emotional, psychological, or physical changes; they may face challenges like divorce, financial problems, depression, or illness. The director and costume designer must discuss and decide what they wear based on the situation.
The character’s wardrobe is one of the easiest ways to convey information about who they are in that exact scene. The visual aspect can be listed as age, social status, behaviours, gender and background.
One of the best examples can be found in Euphoria. Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, portrays how fashion can shape characters in film. Rue, in almost all her scenes, opts to dress as Marlene Dietrich, a famous singer and actress during the 1930s.
She was famous for performing in night clubs and usually wore suits in her shows where she performed male songs. Dietrich inspires Rue’s non-binary costume. To a huge extent, this costume shows the film’s persistent effort aimed at addressing the constructs that influence our culture and breaking social boundaries, and look appealing while doing so.
At some point in the series, Rue finds herself on the verge of serious drug addiction. During this period, she is often wearing a button-down or graphic tee with baggy trousers and sneakers. This signifies how Rue does not abide by the traditional ideas of feminine fashion.
Unlike other characters, Rue’s makeup in the Halloween episode is dark, messy and has a little sprinkle of glitter. This smoky appearance depicts her current life, where she struggles to find joy and herself amidst falling in love with her best friend and developing a drug addiction.
Another character in Euphoria who depicts how fashion can shape characters on screen is Kat Hernandez. In the first half of the series, Kat dresses in a nun costume similar to that of Thana from a 1980s thriller, Ms. 45. Thana wears a nun outfit as a disguise as she seeks revenge on the men who attacked her. Kat portrays almost a similar vengeance in the first season as she becomes determined to take revenge by using a sex tape as an inspiration to launch a successful online business.
Kat’s bold personality radiates through her beauty and style, especially in the Halloween episode, where she dresses as a dark-beauty dream with clear upside-down crosses cascading down from her gothic look. The decision to dress like a nun portrays Kat’s character evolution, where she transforms from an innocent individual she once was to a confident woman who is comfortable with expressing her sexuality and herself.
To grab audience attention, clothing becomes a means of persuasion. Clothes are used as a tool to show resemblance or similarity to the audience. For example, when we think of helmets, camouflage clothing and boots, we may think of soldiers or movies about war. It shows viewers how they can equate themselves with the characters concerning their own lived experience.
As a result, when characters go through transformations, we see an evolution of what they wear, and so costume designers or wardrobe stylists create stylistic changes that show the shift.