Carol

Carol is a movie set in the 1950s. It deals with the social constructs that existed back then surrounding gender roles and sexuality. Carol, a housewife, begins an affair with young photographer Therese. Their costumes reflect their age, their influence on each other, and the growth they experience through their time together.

When we are first introduced to the characters, their costumes inform their past. From a outsiders perspective, Carol seems to be a glamorous housewife. She is beautiful, wealthy, and friendly. She wears a mink coat, leather gloves, and a scarf. It wouldn't seem like anything is wrong in her life.

Therese is a young aspiring photographer. Her costumes in the beginning reflect her innocence. She wears headbands, berets, plaid, and collared shirts; a quasi schoolgirl look. Compared to Carol, they look so different it wouldn't seem they have anything in common.

They two couldn't dress more oppositely.

As the characters develop a relationship, their costumes reflect their internal changes. Carol begins to dress a little softer, embracing some plaid accents into her wardrobe. Therese wears more sophisticated clothing such as silk blouses.

But, their relationship can't continue due to the laws of the times, and they must part. During this section of the movie, Carol struggles to cope with her impending divorce and losing custody of her daughter. Her costumes get darker and at some moments she doesn't style her hair. 

Therese goest through a dramatic costume transformation. She cuts her hair into a more mature look and starts to dress very elegantly. Through her relationship with Carol, she has blossomed from a girl into a woman. 

Costume designer Sandy Powell excels in subtly showing the natural growth of human beings after an experience. 

What Costumes Are Really Trying To Say

The costumes in film aren't just to look at. They are as much a part of the story as the dialogue, plot, scenery, and characters. It is truly the hidden art form of cinema. The website Indie Film Hustle described the role of a costume designer perfectly, "Costume Design plays an essential but seemingly quiet role in making a movie memorable and making the characters awesome, whether the character was meant to blend into their environment or stand out from it. Costumes can be described as aids by which film makers tell their stories."  The costume can inform so much of the movie as well connect the audience to the story.

Indie Film Hustle points out some metaphorical connections between costumes and the time period they take place. For example, Gone with the Wind takes place during the American Civil War era. When Scarlett O'Hara's character attempts to make her own dress, she symbolizes the period of Reconstruction that follows the war.

Another example of how costumes can transmit plot details is the costume design of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. While the other characters are dressed to reflect the time period of the late 1800s, Willy Wonka's costume stands out in color and design, showing that he is a person ahead of his time. By making his costume a stark contrast to the rest of the group, Wonka is considered "out of this world," aiding to both the plot line and his personal character development.

When costume design is done right, it quietly and subtly informs the audience about the plot. Without the costumes, big idea moments could not be conveyed discreetly.

Miss Congeniality

Miss Congeniality is one of my favorite films. Loving this movie and its content agrees with an earlier statement I made in which I claimed that RomCom movies always have the best fashion. I still stand by that statement, and this movie supports my hypothesis.  This movie takes the classic tale of a down on her luck, unfashionable woman and turns her into a confident, stylish lady. While I do believe the clothes don't hold all the magic in a "transformation," I do understand how a little closet update can really give someone the confidence boost they need. In this scenario, Sandra Bullocks character is put in an uncomfortable situation of transforming into a pageant winner. But, without going out of her comfort zone, she would not learn and grow as a character; an internal transformation always exceeds any type of external change.  

The following sequence shows how FBI Agent Hart takes on the persona of Gracie Lou Freebush, the winner of the Miss New Jersey Beauty Pageant.

Though Sandra Bullocks' character looks amazing in her new clothes, shedding her old uniform and putting on a new one did not change the core of her personality. By stepping into unfamiliar territory, she opened her heart to new friends. Without this external change, the internal growth would not be possible. 

Pretty Woman

The year is 1990. Julia Roberts is a young fresh face listed next to hot shot actor Richard Gere. Julia plays a sex worker who makes her way into the heart of a stone cold lawyer. The movie follows Julia's character Vivian as she transitions into a lifestyle of luxury, but her costume in the first half of the movie is iconic. 

Julia wears a tie-dye mini skirt that is attached to a white tank top by a silver ring. She starts off wearing a blonde bob wig, but then lets her red hair flow. Costume designer Marilyn Vance created this look, influencing every generation of Julia Roberts wannabes.

This outfit is easily one of the most recognizable costumes around Halloween. Girls of all ages dress as Vivian and catch the eye of many fans of the movie. Even Julia's own niece Emma Roberts dressed as her one year.

This costume has inspired, impressed, and shaped many female generations since the movies release. This movie not only teaches women to be body positive, proud, and tough, but shows that no matter how anyone dresses, the most important thing in life is inner beauty. No matter how this costume is recreated or worn, it represents a strong female role model. 

Costume Designer Sandy Powell

Sandy Powell is one of the most famous costume designers of the 21th century. Her recent work includes-

• The Young Victoria 
• The Favourite 
• Cinderella 
• Carol 
• The Wolf of Wall Street
• Mary Poppins Returns

Though she has designed costumes for films that take place within the last 20 years, she primarily designs costumes for period pieces. The Young Victoria, The Favourite, and Cinderella all take place somewhere around 1750 to 1880. Powell expertly captures the essence of these time periods by taking into consideration class struggle, popular trends, colors, patterns, and political affairs.

Though movies such as Carol, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Mary Poppins Returns take place more recently, Powell continues her great work on designing costumes for these time periods. The costumes seen in these movies also capture the essence of each time period, displaying complicated topics such as the sadness of the depression, the gender roles of the 50s, and the absurd wealth of the 80s and 90s.

Powell has won many awards for her work. Most recently she has won the following awards.

• British Academy Film Awards (2009, 2018)
• Costume Designer Guild Award (2009, 2018)
• Academy Award (2004, 2009)

Sandy Powell will go down in history as one of the most famous female costume designers. Her work is remarkable, respected, and admired. 

4 Films That Influenced Fashion

Here are the top 4 Films that influenced fashion and style!


1. Grease
Although Grease didn't come out until the late 70s, the movie displays popular clothing styles from the 1950s. The ladies wear poodle skirts, cat eye glasses, swing dresses, and of course, leather. This movie makes audiences nostalgic for the fashion of the 50s, thus influencing style with all things retro.

2. Annie Hall

Annie Hall is weird, quirky, and completely individualistic. Her baggy clothing and masculine choices influenced women everywhere. Annie Hall broke the boundaries of gender conforming clothing and showed that women can feel secure in themselves no matter what they wear. 

3. Clueless
The 90s trend of clothing has never been more popular than right now. Clueless is the pinnacle of mastering this trend and provides countless ideas for how to dress like it is 1992. Cher and her friends wear knee high socks, plaid, chunky shoes, and sheer tops. They embody the carefree and easy going schoolgirl look.

4. Desperately Seeking Susan
This movie is a time capsule for 80s fashion. Capris, leggings, bright colors, mesh tops, gloves, hair-bows, studded boots, and bustiers are only a few clothing items that appear in the movie. Along with the teased hair, thick eyeliner, and painted nails, Madonna and Rosanna Arquette defined the rock and roll chick style of the 80s.

These four movies influenced fashion and styling everywhere. People today still look to these movies for inspiration when picking outfits or trying a new look.

Little Black Dress

The little black dress is a staple of Hollywood films. It is the pinnacle of elegance, style, and grace. No matter which actress wears it, what the plot line is, and what design the dress has, it always serves as a  classic and important feature in any film.

Marilyn Monroe

In the film The Asphalt Jungle, Marilyn wears a sexy and form fitting black dress. With her draped against the door, the dress accentuates her beauty. It is one of Monroe's earliest films, setting her up for her amazing career that followed. 

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn made a lifetime impression for her grace, elegance, and wisdom. It is only fitting that the little black dress she wears in the popular film Breakfast At Tiffany's makes the cut. Women everywhere and in every decade try to recreate her iconic look, making her a symbol of style. 

Reese Witherspoon

A modern classic style icon is the ever famous Elle Woods played by Reese Witherspoon. In this film, Elle trades her cushy California life for law school. When hired at a law firm, she trades in her pink clothes for sophisticated black, showing that she can have it all.  

RomCom Costumes are the Best

The leading ladies in RomCom movies are always dressed impeccably. In this genre of film the starlets wear the most stylish dresses, suits, skirts, and everything in between. Not only do these fashion choices inspire viewers' own outfits, but also inspire women to put their best foot forward (and a cute outfit never hurt anyone).

In the movie What A Girl Wants starring Amanda Bynes, costume designer Shay Cunliffe made sure audiences understood that being true to ones self is the most important thing in life. Cunliffe dressed Amanda Bynes in rock and roll chic, a stark juxtaposition to the movie's antagonist  Christa Cole who was dressed in prim and proper suits. Audiences see how Bynes character perseveres, stays true to herself, and maintains her sense of self (and her style).

The same applies for Jennifer Garners' character in 13 Going on 30. Designer Susie DeSanto kept Garners' character in innocent and youthful clothing, highlighting her good nature and spritely spirit. While other characters dress in black, leather, and lace, Garners' character sticks to florals, cottons, and bright colors. By the end of the movie, Garners' character saves the company and teaches her peers the value in kindness, all the while looking fabulous.

RomCom movies can be heartwarming, tender, and inspiring. The leading ladies in these films dress to impress. They motivate their viewers to stay true to their self and their style.

The Beginning

The first Academy Award award for costume design was given out in 1949 at the 21st Academy Awards.  At first, there were two awards given; one for films in color and one for films in black and white. For black and white film, Roger K. Furse won for his work on Hamlet. For films in color, two women Dorothy Jeakins and Barbara Karinska won for their work on Joan of Arc. Eventually, the two categories of color film and black and white film merged together into the award we know today. As seen in the winners of the first Academy Award and from there onward, most of the films nominated for costume design fall under the genres of historical, musical, or fantasies. A film that fits under the genre of contemporary is not nominated for the costumes. 

The costumes designed by Roger K. Furse in Hamlet featured many embellishments, long ornate gowns, and elegant silhouettes. Although the movie is black and white, viewers can see the detail and brilliance of the costumes. The costume worn by Laurence Olivier is still in existence and has been in many museums. 

The costumes designed by Dorothy Jenkins and Barbara Karinska in Joan of Arc featured elegant suits of armor, colorful textiles, and excellent construction. The two female designers used their advantage with colored film to show the different levels in class through various color pallets- dull colors for the poor and brighter colors for the rich.