13 Examples of Costumes That Gave Us Clues to the Movie’s Meaning

Designing costumes for movies and series goes far beyond simply thinking about a pretty outfit. The pieces used in artistic productions tend to be an essential part of the plot or even serve as a complement to the story or a certain character, whether due to their characteristics, colors or style.

O awesome.club lists below some feature films in which the chosen costume gives clues or reveals fundamental details of the plot.

Wes Anderson is a director known for valuing set design and costumes. For his film The Grand Budapest Hotel, his usual costume designer, Milena Canonero, was inspired by sketches by the Italian tailor Umberto Tirelli to create the uniforms for the hotel’s staff.

In the case of the character Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the look formed by the short coat and hat with the inscription Lobby Boy (something like “lobby boy”) characterizes him as an apprentice of Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes). The latter’s look has a classic and elegant appearance, but also with an eccentric touch also seen in the character itself.

Miranda Priestly is one of the most remembered villains of the last decade, thanks in large part to the masterful Meryl Streep, who gave the character a very particular touch. One of the details that immediately identifies her as the plot’s evil appears in her opening scene, which is directly linked to the film’s title.

And indeed, the first time she appears in the feature, Miranda is wearing a Prada bag.

Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood turned out to be a great homage made by Quentin Tarantino to the style of movies he was used to growing up during the 60s and 70s. The director and his costume designer, Arianne Phillips, they were very meticulous in even the smallest details of the characters.

For example, the cowboy boots worn by Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) symbolize the way he tries to be a tough guy with his film and TV roles, while the dainty loafers donned by his stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) represent that he is, effectively, a tough guy.

The character Aragorn is one of the most important characters in the fantastic film adaptation made by Peter Jackson based on the books by J. R. R. Tolkien. To take his performance to another level, actor Viggo Mortensen was fully dedicated when defining the costume to be used by the character. He even wore the clothes in his free time, with the intention of adapting to the mobility provided by the pieces.

In addition, a great detail can be seen from the second film: Aragorn starts to use Boromir’s bracelets, killed in the first feature film of the franchise, with the intention of honoring him throughout the rest of the adventure.

If you thought the costume used by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was familiar, it was really a tribute to Sean Connery’s look when he brought James Bond to life in 007 Against Goldfinger. Thus, one of cinema’s most important heroes made reference to another.

Interestingly, some time later Indiana and Connery shared the screen during Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In the plot, Connery lived the father of the character played by Ford.

One of the most remembered scenes in La La Land: Singing Seasons is the one that shows the characters played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone dancing on the side of a highway. There is a subtle but significant detail in the sequence: Stone’s character takes off her high heels and exchanges them for tap shoes.

Initially, it may seem like something not so important, but we noticed that the character does not wear heels again until the end of her relationship, representing an effort made by her to fit in with her partner.

One of the most interesting elements of Dune, the new great adaptation of the classic science fiction work, is the mystery surrounding the look of the Bene Gesserit, always wrapped in tunics and dark veils that guarantee them a dark and, at the same time, attractive look. .

According to costume designer Jacqueline West, the tunics were based on tarot cards, the chess queen and medieval nuns. All of this is consistent with both the objects used and the characters’ ability to predict the future.

At first glance, Ant-Man’s and his partner Wasp’s uniforms look like armor commonly seen on superheroes. However, when we look at the chest region in both clothes, we can see a silhouette similar to an ant’s head in the first costume and a face that resembles a wasp in the second.

The adaptation of Anna Karenina made in 2012 very appropriately mixed the clothes used in the imperial Russia of 1870 with a little influence of the fashion of the 1950s. Anna Karenina based on darker dresses. Kitty Alexandrovna’s innocence is enhanced by classic white.

In certain cases, the most imperceptible details are capable of adding aspects to the characterization of the characters. In the case of Chris Evans in Knives Out, what appears to be a simple hole in his sweater aptly represents the indifference and lack of respect shown in the film.

Ewan McGregor gave life to a flamboyant villain in the movie Harley Quinn alongside the Birds of Prey. In the story, he has such a selfish personality that almost all of his personal objects are customized to suit his own taste. In the character’s pajamas, this was taken to another level when we take into account that the pieces show his face printed on the fabric.

Angelina Jolie gave a lot of personality and magnetism to Maleficent, the classic villain of Sleeping Beauty. One of the most significant changes we could see between the first and second films is in the costumes. In the sequence, the producers decided to change the exuberant fabrics for a softer silk, which would better adapt to the wings of the iconic character.

Tim Burton is a director always remembered for giving a lot of personality to the worlds he creates. For his version of Alice in Wonderland, he decided to use the costume to mark the change in the protagonist’s personality. She begins the film in a sky blue dress reminiscent of the animated version of the story. In the course of the plot, Alice evolves into clothes more characteristic of the director’s style.

Do you remember any other movie that impressed you because of the costumes? If you were going to wear the look of a famous character, what would you choose? Comment!