14 Movie Costumes That Are More Important To The Story Than You Thought

Costumes can communicate much more information about a character's personality than we realize.

Stephanie

• Published in Film & TV
• March 13, 2022

More often than not, we tend to overlook the clothing and costumes in our favorite movies. But it turns out we really shouldn't.

Costumes can communicate much more information about a character's personality than we may even realize. And they can help an actor transform into their character seamlessly.

You may not consciously realize it, but costume designers often include hidden messages in their designs. Subconsciously, the costumes in a film may impact your feelings towards a particular character or even help you to understand the plot.

After all, one of the first ways we as people start to express ourselves and our individuality is through our clothing choices. Whether we're sassy, lazy, angry, or cheerful, our attitudes shine through our attire.

And the same can be said for movie characters. Just think of James Bond and his immaculate tuxedo, or Indiana Jones and his fedora.

It's a fair assumption that many people would associate those clothing items with those particular characters. And that's precisely what the directors and costume designers are hoping for.

Costume design adds a subtle but important element of dimension to a film. After all, can you imagine watching your favorite movie or TV show with every character dressed the same way?

We have a list of 14 films that are hiding messages in their costumes that you've probably never noticed before. Scroll down to take a look.

1. The Phantom of the Opera

At the beginning of Phantom of the Opera, Christine is dressed the same as all the other dancers. But as Christine transforms, her clothing begins to show her new status as a star.

2. Twilight

The Cullen family crest is present throughout the Twilight saga, symbolizing the importance of family to the characters. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward all wear leather bracelets featuring the crest, while the girls wear necklaces, and Carlisle wears a silver ring.

3. (500) Days of Summer

At the film's start, we see clips of Tom and Summer's childhoods - Tom is brown, and Summer is blue. After Tom meets Summer, a lot of blue starts to appear around him.

4. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

To demonstrate the special connection between Donna and Sophie, costume designer Michele Clapton used a butterfly. Donna wore a butterfly pendant, and later on, we see Sophie wearing a butterfly dress to church.

The butterfly is a symbol of their bond.

5. Little Women

In Little Women, Jo and Laurie often wear the same vests. According to the costume designer, this is to symbolize their close bond.

Costume designer Jacqueline Durran says she also designed a specific outfit for Jo to wear while she writes. Her green jacket emphasizes her strength and determination.

6. The Iron Lady

In The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep wears a lot of blue, her character Margaret Thatcher's favorite color. However, when she retires as Prime Minister, she wears a red suit for the first time, showing her strength as well as her relinquishment of power.

7. Princess Jasmine is always dressed in bright colors and stands out from every other character.

Most of Princess Jasmine's clothes are very bright colors to symbolize her strong character. Her classic bright turquoise suit is covered in beads, and her veil has a peacock on it.

The peacock is a metaphor. A peacock trapped in the royal garden is searching for freedom, just like the princess.

8. Juno

Juno always wears stripes, which are often used to show how different a character is from all the others. Stripes also give off a playful, quirky, and childish vibe.

9. The Shape of Water

At the start of the film, Elisa wears plain, pale clothing. She has trouble communicating with others and is essentially an invisible woman.

But towards the end of the movie, Elisa falls in love, and we start to see a transformation. She begins wearing red clothes, showing her previously hidden passion.

10. Knives Out

Ransom is a wealthy man, but you would never know it going by his clothes. He wears a sweater with holes in it and shabby cuffs. The costume designer is trying to show how little respect Ransom has for money or what others think of him.

11. Titanic

According to costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott, the colors in Rose's dresses were purposely chosen to show the audience Rose's fierce character. At the start of the movie, she wears a red dress with black lace symbolizing her strong personality being quashed by society.

Rose is wearing the same dress at the end of the movie, only in white. The change of color shows that there are no longer any obstacles surrounding Jack and Rose's love.

12. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The wardrobe of Madame Céline Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis is an undeniable mix of different eras. The combination of styles indicates her eccentricity with her red hat and coat from the '20s and her dress from the '30s.

13. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Michelle Pfeiffer's character Queen Ingrith is pure evil, but she is always seen in light clothing. Instead, the jewelry she wears is what depicts her intense personality.

14. The Help

In The Help, the servants wear uniforms and are not allowed to wear makeup or jewelry. But on their days off, we get to see their true personalities shine.

Have you noticed any interesting details about characters' costumes while watching your favorite films? Do you always notice the subtle hints the costume directors leave for you?

If you've noticed any that aren't already on our list, we would love to hear about them. Let us know in the comment section below.

Stephanie