Costume design Archives - karyngood.comkaryngood.com

Bridgerton features approximately 7,500 costume pieces!

The Netflix series Bridgerton costume designer, Ellen Mirojnick, explained to Vogue that “each family and character tells a story through their clothes. Given the sheer number of people on camera, the Bridgerton costume department had to create elaborate outfits complete with headpieces and gloves. Quickly numbering in the thousands, the show had an entire warehouse dedicated to wardrobe and 238 people in the costume department.”

She also explained why we didn’t see bonnets and the linen dresses authentic to the time period and why the costumes are a contemporary nod to the regency era. I love the fresh approach, the diversity, and the entertaining and witty nod to women in positions of power in an era that worked hard to restrict the advancement of women.

My second favourite is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. When is the next season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel coming? We need you Midge!

It’s funny, it’s profane, the clothes in this show. Are. The. Best. And how can we not love Midge as she pursues her passion in spite of overwhelming odds.

“Why do women have to pretend to be something that they’re not? Why do we have to pretend to be stupid when we’re not stupid? Why do we have to pretend to be helpless when we’re not helpless? Why do we have to pretend to be sorry when we have nothing to be sorry about? Why do we have to pretend we’re not hungry when we’re hungry?” – Midge Maisel

Donna Zakowska, costumer designer for The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel who’s stunning way with colour says, “These sort of elements really assert the character’s personality. In a way, Midge is a character that never gives in, even if something terrible is going on. It’s always about putting your best foot forward and an optimism that runs in the character.”

I love Midge’s undaunted spirit and her need to speak her mind, to be heard, and stubborn when confronted with a world that means to keep her inside the box it designated for her. And her clothes tell that story. The colour she wears as she goes about her daily life and the black dresses and pearls she wears on stage when she performs her stream of consciousness comedy act. It is, indeed, marvelous.

The following quote is taken from The Secret Lives of Costumes. It’s a great look into the world of costume design.

“I take my cues from the characters and their surroundings as written in the play, as well as from the stylistic choices of the production. In the same way that an actor builds upon the framework of traits and actions of his or her character in the story, I read what the character does and says for clues about what they might wear. I also need to think about how best to reflect a character’s evolution through the development of the story. Sometimes the character is best served by creating contrast between how a character behaves and what he or she looks like.” Judith Bowden, Canadian Designer

It’s something to think about when creating characters and that it can be much more than adding in interesting bits and quirks. We need to think about style in terms of character development. We all know Eliza Doolittle undergoes a transformation in My Fair Lady. Usually a character’s evolution is not that obvious in terms of wardrobe. Nor is usually as lavish as in Bridgerton or as bold as in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But using subtle changes can make an impact, too.

Do you love a certain TV character’s style? Have a favorite costume from a movie? Use wardrobe changes as a tool in your own writing?

We all have a personal style. A way of putting things together that makes us unique. We all have a closet containing items we love, the one’s that boost our confidence. Those articles of clothing that make you stand a little taller or sit a little straighter. Then we have the casual stuff. Maybe even the quirky. The pieces we need to make up our work wardrobe. Because of course I’m sitting here all nicely showered and dressed to make the most of my day. Not planted in front of the computer wearing a monstrous, seen-better-days, black cardigan and wrinkled pajamas.

Because that closet also contains the not so great choices. The cast-offs. The clothes that somehow shrunk in the wash and are now a bit tight. That rockin’ outfit from the eighties you’re hanging on to for no good reason. We do always dress perfectly. We all succumb to stop-and-grab shopping. Stacey and Clinton aren’t on hand to be our personal shoppers whenever we need them. If they were I’d never waste another dollar on stuff that seemed like a good idea at the time. We have good days and bad days and -there’s-not-enough-time days.

Just like our characters.

Some of my favorite fashion quotes from TV characters.

“I like my money right where I can see it…hanging in my closet.” Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

“I get up at dawn to look this good!” Mimi Bobeck, The Drew Carey Show

“I say go with black. It makes you look all villainy.” Damon Salvatore, The Vampire Diaries

“Oh, no! Hipster. No. Do not think we are on the same team, we have nothing in common. I wear knit hats when it’s cold out, you wear knit hats because of Coldplay.” Max, 2 Broke Girls

When it comes to creating a character’s personal style it’s not only fun but necessary to emphasize personality. Every one of the characters quoted above can be considered over the top. Not only by what they say and how they act, but how they dress. Their style reinforces their personality. And a character’s style can change to enhance the advancement of the plot or the help showcase their character arc. Like us humans out in the real world, characters have their good days and their bad ones, often in extremes. How they dress or put themselves together can help reflect their state of mind.

Which takes me on a little detour into costume design? Besides the obvious fact of characters having to wear clothes and having those clothes be appropriate to the story and setting, I didn’t know a lot about the process. I’m still a rank amateur. But I’ve picked up a few hints watching bonus reels.

Example: The 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice – The costume designer spoke about Mr. Darcy’s wardrobe and how uptight and buttoned up he was at the beginning of the movie. How they gradually loosened him up in terms of wardrobe choices and fabrics to reinforce the changes to his character.

Makes sense, right?

The following quote is taken from The Secret Lives of Costumes. It’s a great look into the world of costume design.

“I take my cues from the characters and their surroundings as written in the play, as well as from the stylistic choices of the production. In the same way that an actor builds upon the framework of traits and actions of his or her character in the story, I read what the character does and says for clues about what they might wear. I also need to think about how best to reflect a character’s evolution through the development of the story. Sometimes the character is best served by creating contrast between how a character behaves and what he or she looks like.” Judith Bowden, Canadian Designer

It’s something to think about when creating characters. Or during the editing process when you’re busy adding in the interesting bits and quirks. We need to think about style in terms of character development, even if it’s not obvious or part of the plot. We all know Eliza Doolittle undergoes a transformation in My Fair Lady. Usually it’s not that obvious in terms of wardrobe. Using subtle changes can make an impact, too.

My current work-in-progress, Off the Grid, is a romantic suspense novella. It will probably end up around 25, 000 words. That’s not a lot of time. Every costume change counts. Dr. Sophie Monroe is a dedicated physician and activist. She doesn’t give a lot of thought to her fashion choices. Caleb Quinn has just been named one of Canada’s Top Lawyers Under Forty. He dresses with purpose and is impeccably groomed. it’s my job is to show how things fall apart and how they put them back together again. By reading up on costume design I’ve learned a few tips and techniques I can apply to the written word and how I can use it to emphasize these changes.

Do you love a certain TV character’s style? Have a favorite costume from a movie? Use wardrobe changes as a tool in your own writing?