The Costumer

Many of us are inspired by the costumes in historical movies and television shows. Costume making, preparation, and wear are always considered in high-budget movies and TV shows. Here are some 2008 highlights of some of my very favorite costumes.

The Other Boelyn Girl. This book-to-movie adaptation wasn’t phenomenal, but the clothing was remarkable. Aside from simply using the most luxurious clothing of the era, the two female protagonists (portrayed by Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson) don clothing specifically flattering to their complexions and figures.

Wall-E. You might think this computer animated Disney feature is an odd pick for this list, but I add it because of the creativity involved. When selecting the outfits of the obese intergalactic humans, the creators of the movie made the uniform nature in which they were dressed a notable plot point, also selling “blue as the new red!” In this capacity, costume functioned to illustrate a real social point applicable in the real world.

The Tudors. Who could ignore the lush mastery of the wardrobes present in The Tudors (Showtime)? Aside from the usual brilliance obtainable for period pieces, this show focused largely on King Henry VIII an his evolving wardrobe. It’s rare that we see a diversity of male styles in historical shows. Aside from Henry’s clothing, the show also demonstrated how men of various clerical and governmental professions, as well as merchants, were supposed to dress.

Then there are Iron Man and Indiana Jones–the former being an excellent movie, the latter being sucktastic. What do they have in common? Very handsome and well-dressed male protagonists. I, for one, am thankful that Indy hasn’t changed his style. I’d wear that hat any day!

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