The Role of Wardrobe in a Movie

When you think about the key components of a movie, you might think about the actors, the stage/scenery, the plot, etc. What most people don’t realize though is how crucial the wardrobe of a movie can be. Clothing influences everyday life in terms of how people feel and present themselves, so it only makes sense that some sort of influence would come from the clothes in a movie. How much of an influence? Well, probably more than you would think. Let’s take a look at how impactful clothes really can be in the success of a movie as a whole.

Clothing is a great tool for film makers to use for defining the status of certain characters. For instance, a character in a post-apocalyptic movie might be dressed in rugged military like attire, while a character from a well-to-do family may have a wardrobe consisting of designer labels.The clothes in the movie I am Legend worn by Will Smith’s character and Sandra Bullock’s wardrobe in The Blind Side are both examples of how status can be defined via the costumer’s and film makers’ choices.

The looks help depict how people will interact with one another in the film, and they also give the audience a sense of who the character is even before a word is said. Sexy clothing marks a completely different personality type than relaxed sportswear. Viewers can pull a lot just from seeing what someone is wearing in a scene.

Clothing, in some cases, also defines a movie entirely. Even if you think about movies like 101 Dalmatians, Cruella De Vil was a fashion designer. Thus wardrobe played an integral role for her character. Same could be said for the characters in The Devil Wears Prada. Elle Woods in Legally Blonde did not work for fashion, but she had to be dressed in a certain way to help her stand out from the other suits in the law firm. Clothing is more influential in the tone of a movie than most people realize, and film makers must keep that in mind throughout production.

Maybe the best part about all of this though is that wardrobe acts as a silent influencer. Most people take no account of it whatsoever, and yet they are impacted by it every time they watch a film. In fact, a lot of times people will pull ideas from the clothing they saw in a movie without even realizing that they did so. A new scarf here or a pair of jeans there – all inspired from something in a movie. The clothes in a movie may not always be the main focus but without the work of the wardrobe and costumer designers the essence of a character and a movie would be less complete.

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The Role of Wardrobe in a Movie

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