Often overlooked in movies, costume design is one of the most critical parts of the filmmaking process. If it is a period drama, what the characters are wearing can completely break the imersive quality of a movie, making everything in the movie questionable in terms of historical accuracy. Although many movies and television shows are not historically accurate when it comes to the costumes — shows like Bridgerton and Regency Era movies are notable culprits when it comes to this — making the audience think that these costumes are accurate is key.
British director Edgar Wright may be known for how his movies strike the hearts of a particular demographic of moviegoers, but his movies have more than what may initially meet the eye. They are fast-paced, full of technical skills and shots that string together a story in a way that enhances not only the ambiance, but the overarching stories of the characters as well. There is one particular detail that ties all of these characteristics together, if not the most overlooked factor: costume design. Wright’s use of costumes in his films tells a story within a story, dropping clues about the characters even before the plot and climax drive forward. These are some of his movies ranked according to their costume design.
4 Shaun of the Dead
StudioCanal
Released in 2004, Shaun of the Dead is about Shaun (Simon Pegg), an electronics salesman failing in all aspects of his life. He does not get along with his family or colleagues, and his girlfriend has just dumped him. But then there’s a twist: the zombie apocalypse unfolds rather quickly, overtaking London. Annie Hardinge was the costume designer for Shaun of the Dead, which seems pretty straightforward when thinking about zombie movies. But it is not. The character of Shaun himself, adorned in a tie and a work uniform splattered with blood, eventually loses his name tag — something that tethers him to his former life. The story of each character’s respective personality shows up in the clothing that they are wearing, signifying their roles in the story and what they may be later on. The friends banding together for survival look like everyday people one would find on the streets of London, but then there are the zombies. Covered in blood splatters, but still wearing modern attire, they are symbolically seen as something inhumane.
3 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Universal Pictures
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World quickly rose to become a cult classic, and stars Michael Cena in a role that may define his acting career for an entire generation. The movie also is Wright’s most well-known release so far. Cera is Scott Pilgrim, a nerdy musician trying to get a record deal with his band and is trying to get the girl of his dreams, but, to do so, he needs to defeat all of her evil exes. Laura Jean Shannon is responsible for this movie’s costume designer, and, like Shaun of the Dead, she does an incredible job of carving out each character’s personality and the differing arcs of the stories. Ramona, Scott’s love interest, embodies the notion of “not like the other girls” throughout the movie in more ways than one, but when it comes to what she looks like, she sports bright pink then blue hair, fishnets, and steampunk goggles. Scott’s attire changes throughout the movie, but he can often be seen in superhero shirts, signifying that he is the hero of his own story as well as a nerd.
2 Baby Driver
TriStar Pictures
2017’s Baby Driver is a lesson in sound design and mixing, which led to a string of award nominations when it came out. An orphan called Baby is a getaway driver in Atlanta, Georgia, and is recruited to work for a criminal named Doc. When he meets a local girl at a diner and falls in love with her, he tries to get away from the life of crime that he has created for himself, but discovers that is not that easy. Courtney Hoffman was the costume designer for Baby Driver, which offers a different kind of lesson: color theory. In an interview with Nerdist, Hoffman describes that each of the characters was assigned a color. This palette defined their personalities, enhanced by the kind of clothes they were often depicted in, as well as how their fates may play out by the end of the movie.
1 Last Night in Soho
Focus Features
Wright’s most recent release is Last Night in Soho, a psychological horror that shifts back and forth between two different periods. A modern girl obsessed with the 1960s dreams of one day becoming a fashion designer, but those plans come to a screeching halt when she keeps dreaming about a girl in the 60s trying to become a singer at a nightclub. She becomes smitten with the confident young singer and tries to embody her in real life, but then the film takes a deep psychological and dark turn. As Eloise, the movie’s protagonist, tries to be a fashion designer, fashion plays a critical, but a nuanced, role in the story. The clothing and styles must shift between the 1960s and the current day, also being adjusted for specific character arcs, such as Eloise’s transformation as she tries to become more like the singer she sees in her dreams. As for Sadie, the singer, she starts with more innocent cuts and colors, but as the story darks, so do the colors she wears and the fabric gets tighter. Odile Dicks-Mireaux is the costume designer for Last Night in Soho.
