12 Popular Films In Which The Costume Designers Left Hints For Viewers But They Probably Missed It
The attire in a movie means a lot more than you might think
Costume designers don’t just dress characters, they leave breadcrumbs. Sometimes it’s a tiny tear in a sweater, sometimes it’s a whole pattern hidden in plain sight, and sometimes it’s a color choice that practically screams who a character is before they even open their mouth.
And the wild part is how often viewers miss it, even when the movie practically hands the clue to you. In Knives Out, Chris Evans’ sweater hole is doing more emotional heavy lifting than most people realize. In Dune, the Bene Gesserit’s dark veils and robes are loaded with symbolism. Meanwhile, Ant-Man and the Wasp hides faces and silhouettes in the chests of their suits, and Anna Karenina uses dress colors like a cheat code for personality.
Here’s the thing, once you start looking at the outfits like they’re part of the plot, you’ll never watch these scenes the same way again.
1. Chris Evans’ Sweater in Knives Out
Sometimes even the smallest wardrobe details can add up to significant meaning. In the movie Knives Out, Chris Evans’ character’s seemingly unimportant sweater hole effectively conveys his contempt and indifference.
? Knives Out / Lionsgate and co-producers2. The Costumes of the Bene Gesserit in Dune
The mystery surrounding the Bene Gesserit figures, who are dressed in dark robes and veils that surely give them a very melancholy yet compelling touch, is one of the most interesting aspects of Dune.
Their costumes, which align with the artifacts and their ability to forecast the future, are inspired by Tarot cards, the queen in the game of chess, and medieval nuns, according to costume designer Jacqueline West.
Twitter3. The Indiana Jones Costume in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
It's true that Harrison Ford’s outfit in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a tribute to the one worn by Sean Connery’s James Bond in Goldfinger. In this way, one of the most famous action heroes in Western cinema pays respect to another.
Connery portrayed the father of the character played by Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, thus Indiana and Connery would later appear together on screen.
? Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom / Paramount Pictures and co-producers, © Goldfinger / Eon Productions
4. The Colors of the Dresses in Anna Karenina
The 2012 adaptation of Anna Karenina succeeded in combining the clothing of 1870s Imperial Russia with 1950s style. It also made use of color details to distinguish between its characters, highlighting Kitty Alexandrovna’s innocence with traditional white and Anna Karenina’s rebellious nature with darker clothing.
? Anna Karenina / Universal Pictures and co-producers
5. Hidden Details in the Ant-Man and The Wasp Costumes
At first glance, Ant-Man and The Wasp’s costumes appear to be typical superhero outfits. However, if we examine the chests of both suits more closely, we will see a face with a wasp-like countenance on The Wasp’s outfit and a silhouette resembling an ant’s head on the Ant-Man suit.
? Ant-Man & The Wasp / Marvel Studios and co-producers
6. Mia’s Shoes at the La La Land Ball
The roadside dance between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s characters is one of La La Land’s most iconic scenes. In that scene, Stone’s character takes off her heels and changes into tap shoes, which is a small but significant detail.
The character doesn’t wear heels again until the end of their relationship, which at first glance may not appear to convey much, but actually represents the huge effort she made to fit in with him.
? La La Land / Summit Entertainment and co-producers
7. Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth’s Clothes in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino’s tribute to the cinema he grew up with in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, proved to be a triumph. The costume designs for the characters were meticulously thought out by the filmmaker and his costume designer, Arianne Phillips.
For example, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Leonardo DiCaprio’s stunt double, wears dainty loafers to show that he is a tough person, while Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) wears cowboy boots to symbolize how he attempts to feel like a tough guy through his film or television roles.
? Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood / Columbia Pictures and co-producers
And if you thought costume clues were intense, the bride who banned one bridesmaid from wearing her dress takes it further.
8. The Attire of the Employees in The Grand Budapest Hotel
Set and costume design are important to Wes Anderson. His regular costume designer, Milena Canonero, was inspired by the sketches of Italian tailor Umberto Tirelli to design the outfits of the hotel staff for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Tony Revolori’s portrayal of Zero Moustafa clearly identifies him as Monsieur Gustave’s (Ralph Fiennes) apprentice, thanks to his short-jacket attire and Lobby Boy cap, whereas Fiennes’ character-appropriate costume is both classically elegant and eccentric.
Twitter
9. Ewan McGregor’s Pajamas in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
In the Harley Quinn movie, Ewan McGregor plays a flamboyant antagonist with such an arrogant personality that almost all of his personal belongings are customized in their own way. With his pajamas, this was taken a step further because his face is clearly seen in the cloth pattern.
? Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn / Clubhouse Pictures (II) and co-producers
10. Costume Changes in Maleficent Movies
Maleficent, the iconic villain from Sleeping Beauty, received a lot of charm and personality from Angelina Jolie. The outfits, which in the sequel had to change from rich fabrics to lighter silk that better matched the wings of the iconic character, are one of the most noticeable differences between the first and second movies.
? Maleficient / Jolie Pas and co-producers, © Maleficent: Mistress of Evil / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
11. Alice’s Clothes in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The worlds that director Tim Burton creates are known for having a lot of personality. He tried to use the costumes in Alice in Wonderland to show how the main character’s personality changed throughout the journey, beginning with a bright blue dress reminiscent of the cartoon version and changing to outfits more in line with the director’s style.
? Alice in Wonderland / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
12. Aragorn and Boromir’s Bracers in the LOTR Trilogy
One of the most significant characters in Peter Jackson’s outstanding adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s works is Aragorn. The character’s costume was carefully considered by actor Viggo Mortensen, who wore the garments even in his free time to better adjust them to his mobility.
This helped him elevate his performance. Additionally, a notable detail from the second movie is that he wears Boromir’s armbands to honor his memory during the remainder of the journey.
Boromir was his fallen companion in the first movie.
? The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King / New Line Cinema and co-producers, © The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring / New Line Cinema and co-producers
That sweater hole in <em>Knives Out</em> is the kind of detail you’d normally ignore, until you realize it matches the attitude on Chris Evans’ face the whole time.
Then <em>Dune</em> pulls the same trick with the Bene Gesserit, where their dark robes and veils feel dramatic, but the inspiration behind them is even sharper.
Next, <em>Ant-Man and the Wasp</em> flips the script by hiding a wasp-like face on The Wasp’s chest and an ant-like silhouette on Ant-Man’s, right under the mask-level attention.
And by the time you get to the ball in <em>La La Land</em>, Mia’s shoes and the whole scene’s styling make it feel like the movie is quietly cueing you to look down instead of straight ahead.
Well, this was quite a list. Due to their colors, details, or styles, these outfits can either be a crucial part of the plot or a complement to a narrative or character.
Which of them piqued your interest the most? Let us know which movie's costumes impressed you the most by leaving a comment below.
After you spot one clue, the costumes stop being decoration and start acting like plot points.
For more “style versus safety” drama, read what the expert said about airplane attire in emergencies.
