TV Tuesday: Bedazzled

[yourlibrarian]

Do you care about the fashion choices of TV characters? Do you think fashion adds to their characterization? Do you have any TV style icons who inspired you to try something new?

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

There are definitely shows whose fashion was something I always looked forward to seeing. The obvious choice is Project Runway where there was almost always one or more outfits I'd "Ooh" at. One of my favorite designers was Dmitry Sholokhov, and I was really glad when he twice returned to appear in the All Stars seasons.

But I remember getting a friend to try Miss Fisher by telling her that she'd love the outfits (and she did, and watched the whole series too!) Some shows had great outfits, like Mad Men and there are various period shows like Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age or The Great which I suspect got quite a bit of their audience from people wanting to see the clothes. Mrs. Maisel is another good example. Although it wasn't period at the time, the men's clothes in Miami Vice were trend setting.

More recently I was impressed by the costuming for Mon Mothma specifically, but also the work done on all of Andor which had to vary so widely. I also really like various coats made for Selena Gomes in Only Murders. (Apparently they're even available for purchase!
https://www.victoriajacket.com/product-category/only-murders-in-the-building-2024-outfits

Almost forgot Avasarala in The Expanse!

[dirty_diana]

Avasarala always looked iconic. I forgot to think of fashionable reality tv till you mentioned Project Runway, but what the hosts wear to fit the eccentric castle owner vibe is a whole thing on various versions of The Traitors.

[yourlibrarian]

You reminded me about the clothing choices for the hosts and judges of Dancing with the Stars. The costume designers on that show have mad skills in general, but there have been some great outfits. I notice, for example, that they've begun putting Derek Hough in outfits with a large broche each week.

[alchemicink]

I love paying attention to what characters are wearing, particularly in period dramas. I just find historic costumes aesthetically interesting (even if they're not very accurate.) My current favorite for this is Miss Scarlet. (Lots of pretty dresses and hats.)

Sci-fi shows can be hit or miss with costuming for me. I did really enjoy the varied fashion on Star Trek Deep Space Nine, especially because you get to see a lot of civilian clothes too, not just Starfleet uniforms.

My personal favorite fictional fashion icon was Watson from Elementary. Lucy Liu looked stunning in everything, but I really enjoyed how her style changed over the seasons. It's been a while since I watched through the series, but I remember always thinking that her outfits were the best

[yourlibrarian]

Yes, the period accuracy can vary a lot! I don't remember DS9 specifically but you're right about the variety of civilian clothes. Of course William Ware Theiss had a lot of admirers for his work on the original Trek. The outfit for Leslie Parrish in Who Mourns for Adonis was a particular standout.

[dirty_diana]

Ooh Watson's looks were always so great.

[tinny]

My personal favorite fictional fashion icon was Watson from Elementary.

Yes! I just said that in my own comment before reading yours. *high five*

[caramarie]

The first thing that popped into my head was Freddie from Hannibal – I'm not fancy enough to look like that but she had such fantastic outfits! Alana in the final season too – I feel like her style changed quite a bit over the course of the show.

I also love a good historical hat in a kdrama :D

[yourlibrarian]

I love looking at hats as well. And especially for long running shows it's interesting to see how a wardrobe can change.

[jo]

I don't normally pay much attention to what people are wearing in what I'm watching, but one exception was Tea Leoni's wardrobe in Madame Secretary. I remember one suit in particular that I loved and tried to find something similar online, but failed. I did love the wardrobe in Outlander (still do), and used to follow the show's original head costume/wardrobe person, Terry Dresbach, on Twitter back in the day. She also had a blog where she explained how they created some of the more iconic items from the early season, e.g. Claire's wedding dress and the efforts and research they did into designing the First Nations' wardrobe, etc. It's not from a TV show, but I LOVED the yellow coat Demi Moore's character wears in The Substance. I found a couple of places online that recreate clothing from TV and movies and was sorely tempted to order one...

One thing that I do notice and that annoys the daylights out of me is female cops/detectives wearing effin' HEELS and then actually chasing perps. What sane cop/detective would actually wear such inappropriate footwear?

[yourlibrarian]

I find it very interesting to hear about how costuming decisions are made as well. I seem to remember a fannish essay on wardrobing choices in Supernatural which had some great commentary.

OMG yes. So much ridiculous footwear worn by women on TV. As you pointed out cops and other roles where she has to be active or running make the choice particularly painful to see (and no doubt experience). Although less ridiculous I remember thinking of some game show hosts who undoubtedly have to stand for hours while filming in painfully high heels.

[dirty_diana]

I love tv clothing! I love just looking at cool outfits, but I also enjoy deciphering the storytelling happening via clothing, like my most recent example for this is Penny's Bridgerton s3 outfits, where she starts dressing like one of the Bridgertons visually while she transitions to being an actual Bridgerton story-wise. Or how Constance in Musketeers starts dressing in blue and fleur-de-lis (implication being, not voiced till the very end, that she's an honorary Musketeer). Love that kind of stuff.

Rich people shows can especially be the best, because those characters can wear anything. One of my favourite fandom eras of all time is Gossip Girl (2007) fandom, which had both a huge clothing budget and buy in from designers to create the rich, fashionable New Yorkers vibe, and we would spend every week talking about the clothes as much as the stories. Entire blogs dedicated to it, etc. It was such a good time.

[yourlibrarian]

Oh, I didn't recognize that about Constance! Neat 😃

I seem to remember that the clothes in Gossip Girls were also chosen to be marketable to aspirational viewers. It was definitely a big factor in the show.

[tinny]

Not usually, I'm not much into fashion in the first place. But there are some that I actually did like:

Watson from Elementary is one, she wore a few things that I actually would have loved to own, but was unable to get (or afford). I debated making my own but never got around to it.

Dex from Stumptown had the greatest shirts, I really adored those, and would totally have worn them.

Morgane on HPI wears the loudest clothes, tiger/jaguar prints and neon colors and tie dye, and most of which is very much up my alley (although I wouldn't wear skirts as short as her, but I know someone who does and loves them wholeheartedly). The fun thing about this is that Audrey Fleurot (who plays Morgane) buys the costumes herself, mostly on second hand websites, and her only rule for Morgane outfits is that Audrey herself would never wear any of them willingly. LOL. But I would! :D

[yourlibrarian]

Ha! That's definitely one way of getting into character. I've forgotten Dex's wardrobe at this point but am glad to remember Stumptown.

[shadowkat]

Yes, I enjoy either mocking or lusting after television and film character fashion choices. I have actually looked up and considered buying a few things I've seen on a soap opera a couple of times. Not lately. And watching A Simple Favor last night? I wanted to hunt down the linens and a couple of furniture items.

[yourlibrarian]

Yes, sometimes it's the house or furnishings that are so desirable!

[shadowkat]

The movie Simple Favor made me lust after the furnishings. Whoever the set designer was - I want them to get me stuff. LOL!