Seams & Streams: Wardrobe in Film
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As films advance with HD pictures and different sound systems, we are often left to think about what makes these films so intriguing. Is it the plot, setting, or orchestra? Although these are a few captivating ways to draw an audience in, there is another extremely overlooked strategy: the wardrobe. The wardrobe can completely change our views toward the film, as we are oblivious to hidden messages portrayed through it. A character’s wardrobe is not solely an attention grabber but a hidden blueprint that directors use to represent personality and values. I want to introduce a film where this behind-the-scenes approach is put to great use: The Great Gatsby (2013).
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One of the ways Baz Luhrmann's 2013 rendition of The Great Gatsby is conspicuous is through the saturation of color within the film. The emphasis on color is specifically seen through the characters' wardrobe in which we subconsciously tie emotions and feelings toward certain characters based on the colors they wear. The two main characters we immediately think of when it comes to extravagant wardrobes are Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. Gatsby is mostly seen wearing yellow throughout the film. Whether this be yellow ties, yellow suits, or yellow hats. Following this, the audience can conceptualize Gatsby as a very uplifting character, as the color yellow is tied to positive energy, an example being sunshine. Contrasting this, we see Buchanan wearing darker colors, such as navy blues and blacks. Buchanan is known to be a very negative, cynical and pessimistic character, and these dark blues comply with his personality. He is literally a ‘blue’ person.
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One of my personal favorite wardrobes in the film – and I hope we can all agree on this – is Daisy Buchanan’s wardrobe. Her wardrobe complements her looks and personality so well, thus I want to bring to fruition an idea that viewers of the film may not have picked up on. In the beginning of the film, Daisy wears mainly creams and whites. We see her wearing white dresses, white hats, and white accessories. Daisy is portrayed as a very innocent character who brings uplifting joy to every character. Even Nick Carraway describes Daisy as “the golden girl,” depicting her as a light and optimistic character. An article in Very Well Mind delves deeper into the meaning behind the color white, stating that according to color psychology, “a bride wearing white was often thought to convey the bride’s virginity.” This takes Daisy’s depiction to the next level, as in the beginning scenes of the film she is held to an adolescent and modest standard.
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As we reach the later scenes in the film, we start to see gradual incorporations of the color purple into Daisy’s wardrobe. Of course, who would Daisy be without her lavish style, right? However, looking deeper into Daisy’s character as her wardrobe shifts, we realize that she begins to become a very mysterious character. Daisy starts to hide occurrences from other characters and eventually even the audience. In compliance with this idea, purple has been incorporated into the wardrobes of mysterious and evil characters. Some examples of this include the Disney villains Ursula and Maleficent. Throughout the film, the changes in Daisy’s wardrobe become more noticeable as she develops her devious and mysterious allure. Her cashmere coats and silk dresses start to become solely purple, portraying her as a character who actually isn’t so innocent.
The next time you watch a film that has a wardrobe with an encapsulating color scheme, remember that outfit choices are more important than we may think. Different pieces of clothing and accessories can actually foreshadow later events within the film, allowing us to develop a deeper sense of the hidden meanings within the film. Pay close attention to this because there’s more to this premise than meets the eye.
Strike Out,
Author: Jade Chancis
Editor: Grace Groover
Tallahassee