What makes us love period dramas is how a bygone world has been presented to us, complete with detail. And of those details, the most eye-catching is the costume design. The right clothes of the time period are key to allow the audience to settle into the make-believe world, albeit temporarily. Without a doubt, costume is an important element that is nailed to perfection, or as close to it as possible. Here are some of the best costumes of the decadent world of period TV and movies.
The Great Gatsby (2011)
If there’s any movie that gets 20’s roaring fashion right, it is The Great Gatsby. The film is a must pick when it comes to memorable costume design, courtesy of Catherine Martin. Style in that decade remains unique in the history of fashion, for the glitz and glamour winded down quickly after the First World War. Martin also collaborated with Brooks Brothers, who are not only mentioned in the original book, but were also F. Scott Fitzgerald’s go-to outfitter. Needless to say, she won an Oscar for her work in this film.
Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)
How can one not include this series in their best-dressed list? Peaky Blinders is undoubtedly one of the best period drama series out there, period. Ironically, for a male-dominated plot, the major costume designers affiliated are all women. Alison McCosh, the primary costume designer, has worked diligently to match the historical accuracy of that time. The Shelby Company dresses in very similar colors throughout all seasons, yet include elements that show their separation from the working class and the elite of Birmingham and London. The black-themed three-pieces and the newspaper hat made Shelby fashion, and the Peaky Blinders a cult favorite for its admirers.
The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
The effortless Anya Taylor-Joy makes The Queen’s Gambit an easy favorite. The series is what retro is supposed to look and feel like, especially the more extravagant Las Vegas and Paris in the mid-50s. Gabriele Binder is the brains behind Taylor-Joy’s easy but timeless looks, which mostly star minimalism as the driving factor. Paired with the classic bob and a dainty wristwatch, Taylor-Joy is seamless as Beth Harmon in the series. Fashion is also key to Harmon’s thought process, who views it as a visual indicator of change and success in her life. Her looks speak the truth of her character: simple, but powerful.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Going by popular lore, designer Milena Canonero did pure justice to the style of the extravagant Marie Antoinette. The styling is exclusively feminine, with pretty pastels on a rampage for most of the film. Canonero dressed Kirsten Dunst in the fashion of the futile French royalty, in an attempt to show how detached the palace was from its violent kingdom outside. Costume design doesn’t get better than this – the royalty is dressed so perfectly, that the audience can get a sense of their high-headedness from the lavishness of the outfits itself. Needless to say, Canonero went on to win the Oscar for Costume Design that year.
Emma. (2020)
A Jane Austen adaptation cannot be dealt with lightly, and hence Alexandra Byrne brought in her genius to the job. This is regency fashion done right, with easy silhouettes and popping colors for the protagonist. Emma’s wardrobe is a reflection of her mindset: of a young woman who did a lot to be active in the social circle. Her scheming mind is always veiled with her flowy dresses, almost in a way that people wouldn’t know that if they didn’t interact with her for a long time. Emma is a great play on how fashion is used to tell the audience things that are not explicit in the story.