9 Times When Costume Designers Messed Up But Created Real Masterpieces That Everybody Loved

• 3:40 pm October 16, 2022
• suhas

One of the most significant parts of any historical drama is the clothing design. Costume designers must work within a fairly well-defined box. However, this does not imply that they must be bound by so-called historical circumstances. Accuracy isn't always necessary or relevant to a story. Remember, we're talking about historical films for fun, not documentaries for school. Many period costumes are unattractive and even prudish in comparison to modern sensibilities. It can also be unpleasant. As a result, in certain films, the designers purposefully adjusted the details to match the personalities of the characters and fit the overall concept of the film. However, the costume designers achieve a great balance that makes a piece credible while simultaneously adding a touch of enchantment.

#1 Elizabeth I: The Golden Age

The filmmakers made a number of historical errors. Elizabeth I loved delicate lace, valuable stones, and elaborate stitching. However, in order to prevent distracting from the plot, the costume designers purposely restricted the number of ornamentation to a minimal. The color and texture helped to identify the queen's personality in relation to the other characters. In contrast to her real-life attire, which was often light-colored and faded, the queen appeared on screen in clothes with a rich colour palette.

Furthermore, the queen's clothing lacked the farthingale, which is a flat, wide frame worn beneath a garment to give it the shape of an inverted glass. Cate Blanchett's shape in the film is sleek and delicate, free of the hypertrophied shoulders that were a defining feature of the era. Nonetheless, the designers achieved a realistic appearance and received an Oscar for Best Costume Design.

#2 The Great Gatsby

While the men's costumes in the film are very true, Miuccia Prada's designs for the ladies changed significantly. In the film, the audience saw tight-fitting clothing, V-shaped necklines, and closed backs rather than the straight gowns with brilliant waistlines that were typical of the time period.

If you look attentively, you'll see a liberal use of costume designer accessories, such as unusual tights and stilettos with an exposed heel. This added to the film's attractiveness.

#3 The Other Boleyn Girl

The costume designers for this film were instructed not to use farthingale. Instead, they used crinoline to enhance volume and give the clothes the dome-like shape that became popular in subsequent decades.

The movie's costume designers created the green color, which was rather rare for the Tudor era. Prior to the nineteenth century, cloth makers would use two types of dyes to achieve the green color — blue and yellow — which resulted in exceedingly low dye quality. That's why Anna had so little opportunity to show off her emerald-colored gowns in real life. However, it was this color that became the film's predominant color.

Also read: These 10 Designers Had One Job And They Blew It!

#4 Mary Queen of Scots

While the majority of the costumes in the film were made from denim, which didn't arrive until the 19th century, the action takes place in the 16th century. According to costume designer Alexandra Byrne, the characters became more lovable and understandable to viewers when dressed in this dirty denim fabric. Because of this out-of-character material, the Elizabethan era saw its fair share of imaginative hooliganism, and historical play began to adopt new hues.

#5 Shakespeare in Love

Despite the film's wholly fictitious plot, the action revolves around a real historical figure in a real-time epoch – Elizabethan times. To prevent limiting mobility and diverting attention away from the main character, the costume designers streamlined historically accurate attire and omitted the ornate décor that was fashionable at the time.

The appearance of the men’s outfits was changed as well. To prevent the characters from looking ridiculous in tights, the cinema studio made both the jackets and the pants a bit longer. The viewers eventually witnessed a wonderful love story that had nothing to do with actual history. It seemed that everyone was satisfied, though.

#6 Little Women

The narrative of the March sisters is told in "Little Women." During Queen Victoria's reign, pants, petticoats, hoops, and corsets were mandatory elements of a lady's wardrobe. However, in order to properly communicate each character's personality, the outfit designers stripped Beth and Jo of some of these aspects. Beth does not wear a crinoline, whereas Jo wears a man's vest.

#7 Dirty Dancing

Jennifer Grey's part stunned everyone with her high-waisted jean shorts. However, the costume designers neglected the fact that trendy everyday apparel in the 1960s, when the film is set, was not made of denim. Denim was used for hard labour rather than beautiful clothing back then.

#8 Cleopatra

Sequins, synthetic materials, high heels, tight dresses, bustiers, and "beehive" hairstyles... They do not correspond to the time period shown in the film

Even though it may sound unusual, the '60s glitter and all the aesthetic details did not detract from the film. In contrast, fans appreciated a big film in which Cleopatra donned 38 different outfits (despite the fact that 65 were initially planned!). The tremendous work of costume designers made this feasible.

#9 Pride & Prejudice

While Keira Knightley's character's attire in the film is nearly correct, the appearance of her shoes isn't quite right. Because rubber Wellington boots were not invented until 40 years after the events of Jane Austen's novel, we can see Elizabeth wearing them in various places.