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In my time working with the faculty I grew a greater appreciation for costumers. I noticed how the faculty who complained about costumes emulated the way that I could previously complain. Since I now understand how upsetting that can be, given the work that goes into costuming I am more gracious about the choices the costumers make. I also understand that, while costumers may not be flattering or to my personal style, I get that they are needed to further the story. The challenge of helping others against their will taught me to be a more flexible and kind to the people who are just trying to help.

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vogue article used for research on how to show the sisters personality in their clothing

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vogue article used for research on how to show the sisters personality in their clothing

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Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women has been on our minds since the first trailer was released, and now that the movie is out, we can talk about every little detail-particularly its sumptuous costumes.

The March sisters-Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen)-are dressed in carefully selected period-era clothes throughout the movie: Low-key enough to befit their middle-class social status, yet intricate enough to catch the eye, the girls' clothes perfectly reflect who they are (and, as in the case of an expensive bolt of cloth Meg buys, who they hope to be).

Vogue spoke to Little Women costume designer Jacqueline Durran, an Oscar and BAFTA Award winner who has previously designed costumes for Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, about the process of dressing the stars of one of this year's biggest movies.
What was your first step in envisioning the costumes for Little Women?
I created a mood board, researching a lot of period-accurate paintings to get a feel for the era. I searched through old photos looking for the essence of Jo, Meg, etc., then I went through all of that with Greta. I looked at early photos of female radicals and people living different kinds of lives at the same time as Louisa May Alcott.

How did you distinguish visually between the four sisters?
It all arises from character. For example, Jo is the writer, the tomboy, and the most nonconformist, so her costume doesn't include a corset, which lends a freedom to how she can move. Each girl has an older and younger version of her character; we originally thought we might see Jo wearing a skirt when she's older in New York, but it just didn't feel right.
The New England background of the movie is more neutral, but the colors seen onscreen are vivid enough to make the film look lively. Did you intend that?
Each girl had a core color palette that we played with; it wasn't a firm rule, but we wanted it to be repetitive and consistent. Meg's was green and lavender, Beth's was brown and pink, Amy's was light blue, and Jo's was red and indigo. The colors are actually pulled from the notebooks that Marmee (played by Laura Dern in the movie) gives the girls in the book, and we added lavender for Meg.

How does each individual sister's style reflect her character?
Even as a child, Amy is the most decorated. She loves fancy clothes, a trait that carries on into adulthood; when she's in Paris, you know she'd be going for the biggest style impact possible. Her style is influenced by Impressionist paintings, which she admires but despairs of matching with her own artwork; she's the most fashion-forward for 1897, and she'd be maximizing her costume even while painting, even in mourning. Meanwhile, Beth doesn't dress for occasions; she stays at home, acting as the glue of the family, and doesn't really care what she wears.
What about Meg? There's a famous scene in the book, that's also reflected in the film, involving her and an expensive dress that doesn't "haunt her delightfully, as a new dress should."
There are no real cues in the book about what Meg's new dress should look like. We do know it's supposed to be dove-gray, but they chose new fabric in a different color [for the film]. The dress never gets made, so Meg is just choosing the cloth.

How did you distinguish Marmee from her daughters in terms of costume?
Marmee was probably the hardest costume. I was inspired by Louisa May Alcott's mother, who was a radical herself, and Laura [Dern] interpreted that Marmee should be a radical woman, even though she's from a good East Coast family. Marmee is an adult and an important person in her community, so her clothes needed to be quite Victorian to contrast with the girls. Still, she's progressive, so it was tricky to show both. If she wore a dark cape, we'd add a red ribbon, to show that Marmee is nonconformist.
How period-accurate are the costumes?
Well, if this was the Victorian era, the girls would have been wearing an elaborate system of bloomers/a chemise, a corset, a hoop, a petticoat, a skirt, and a bodice. We took certain liberties; for example, Beth and Jo don't wear all that. Jo uses bloomers as trousers. Meg aspires to be a proper lady once she's married, so we start seeing her in a corset and hoop, whereas Jo was never aspiring to that. There's a sartorial line between Meg and Jo, and Beth and Amy.
What about Laurie? Timothée Chalamet looks amazing in the movie.
All the suits were specially designed to suit Timothée. We took license with the period, because those 1860s boxy jackets weren't a great look for him. It was important to us to portray him as a true bohemian and a partner to Jo. I prepared pieces of his costume, and then when Timothée got dressed, he would decide how he was going to wear that costume and make the look fresh. There were times when he should have been wearing a jacket, but he didn't want to; we were all about knowing the rules, and breaking them selectively.

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Breaking the Rules: The Costumes of 'Little Women'

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Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women has been on our minds since the first trailer was released, and now that the movie is out, we can talk about every little detail-particularly its sumptuous costumes.

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I have always loved fashion. When I initially entered theater, the costumes were the reason why. When the preview came around I realized this was my chance to dive into my dormant interest. The research process taught me a great deal about fashion history. I learned how empire-waists were created because of the political atmosphere at the time and more. I found all of this very interesting as I had never thought to explore it.

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nylon article on the importance of color theory in furthering the story through visuals.

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nylon article on the importance of color theory in furthering the story through visuals.

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this article taught me about the important reasoning of why the little women are dressed in darker clothing. I learned that it was not just to be visually appealing but that it also helped the actors convey their characters to the audience.

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1994’s ‘Little Women’ Fashion Featured Some Of Today’s Most Popular Trends

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Ahead of Greta Gerwig’s adaptation, we look at Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 ‘Little Women’ fashion, starring Winona Ryder and Kirsten Dunst.

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I have never really been one to take lead of anything until this year. I never thought my ideas were any better than those around me and I held a tendency to keep them to myself. When I accidentally volunteered to lead costuming I was stressed to say the least. I entered the project with a blank mind and a hint of terror. After research on the subject I crafted ideas and shared them with my group mates. None of them judged me, in fact they actually embraced my ideas. I realized that all my fear was pointless and that it all actually was in my head.

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new yorker interview on the costumer in the movie

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new yorker interview on the costumer in the movie

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This and the vogue article gave me insight into how a professional would handle the job as a stylist.

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How Jacqueline Durran, the “Little Women” Costume Designer, Remixes Styles and Eras

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The costume designer, who on Monday was nominated for an Academy Award for “Little Women,” employs unexpected pairings to make vintage clothes look covetable to the modern viewer.

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I felt like I continued to struggle to take a leadership position during TYA as I did in the preview. My peers were very confident in their ideas and I felt a little less secure in mine which lead me to contribute less. I felt that the other directors overshadowed me and like there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I also felt like I was left out from the conversation a great deal. The other directors frequently conversed without me despite my persistent efforts to be included. I found that my fear of being judged for my ideas ultimately lead me to struggle to be heard when I needed to be. In retrospect I feel like it would have been best to have different directors from different grades because I feel like that would eliminate the problems that pre-existing relationships pose.

Due to my other directors' refusal to include me in their vision, I felt like I was no longer a director but instead I was pushed aside to only contribute to set changes and assist the directors. When I would contribute my ideas I was met with rejection or I was just blatantly ignored. I felt like the other directors viewed me as incompetent because I did not have as many ideas as they did. I assume that part of their rejection towards my contributions arose because it was a very stressful time for the three of us. Not only were we facing struggles as directors but also as students and people. We struggled to motivate the cast members to study their lines and blocking but we also struggled to complete large portions of our capstone projects, oodles of tests, and personal troubles as they created an excess of stress so I really do not blame either of them or hold any resentment toward Kyla or Georgia. The three of us are quite good friends. I just need to work on my tendency to avoid conflict by staying silent because I feel like that was the reason I slowly disappeared as we carried on in the process.

Aside from my struggle to assert myself, I found the process very enriching. It gave me a chance to produce a product I was proud of and build a show from the ground up. Like the preview, I was able to learn new skills as a director that I would not be able to learn otherwise. It was fun blocking the show and taking control over the piece despite the fact I may have been apprehensive originally. All in all I am very proud of work and the work of my classmates.

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This article was a great help when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the moving parts of the show. The authors main idea is that people should lean on one another when they direct instead of feeling the need to deal with everything. It taught me that just because I need help from those around me (like lights, costuming, sound) I am still a capable individual.

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Advice for First-Time Theatre Directors - Dramatics Magazine

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The key to a smooth experience as a director is to ask the right questions. Here are important considerations for first-time theatre directors.

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My inspiration for the goons.

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We were very inspired by Alice and Wonderland and the general plot of that so when we were crafting the scenes we wanted things to be very colorful like they were in Alice and Wonderland.