Costume Critique: Bleach

Bleach Costume Critique

Another anime! Surprised? Probably not. This is what I mostly watch *shrug*. This is an old time favorite of mine that I started waaaay back in high school, and I started it from the beginning again recently and totally loving every minute of it. The original character design of Bleach is done by the author Tite Kubo

4) There are four main characters which are a different species from the other main characters and they certainly stand out, but overall, there aren't any differences between major and minor characters. Same black uniforms. The only factor that makes major characters stand out from minor is the hair and accessories worn by them. Most unimportant characters have dull hair colors (black and brown) and simple hairstyles. The more important characters will have flashier hair, scarves, accessories, tattoos, ect, ect. Aside from the characters in the black uniforms (the humans), the unimportant background human characters (when you actually see them) are very similar. Cut and paste hair styles and clothes. Sometimes even the faces aren’t completely designed/defined.

(traditional soul reaper uniform)

5) The challenge of any anime with a wide variety of characters is deciding which one is your favorite. For the most part, every character is dressed in the same uniform: black, traditional Japanese Shihakusho. Therefore, most of them don’t stand out or aren't anything special. It’s not until the third season that some variety enters with some new villains! The main theme of the villain’s Shihakusho is inversed of the soul reapers: the main color is white with black sashes and trims and very diverse and unique to each character.

(A few examples)

Lauren Hadley, Costume Critique

Fairy Godmother can’t get all the credit for creating the magnificent ball gown worn by Cinderella in the 2015 motion picture. Recognition should also be given to Sandy Powell, the lead costume designer on the set of Cinderella. Powell has been nominated ten times for an Academy Award for Costume Design, and has also won three for her work on Shakespeare in Love, The Aviator, and The Young Victoria.

I feel that Powell had a huge responsibility as lead costume designer. Not only did she have to recreate the iconic ball gown and glass slippers, but she had to do it in a way which was new, yet familiar. Costumes play a huge role in the story of Cinderella because they help distinguish evil characters from the good ones, and help viewers follow the different stages of Cinderella’s life. For example, through the costumes we can see when she is a struggling, mistreated stepdaughter and when she was transformed into a princess. The evil step-mother, played by Cate Blanchett wore a lot of greens and blacks. Her red hair also added to the evilness of her character. The ugly step-sisters wore obnoxious costumes with every color of the rainbow which supported their obnoxious personalities.

ELLE fashion magazine released an article about Powell’s work on Cinderella, and they stated something I completely agree about and is what I liked most about Powell’s work. They said, “She gave each character, from Lily James’ amiable Cinderella to Cate Blanchett’s cruel stepmother, her own palette and silhouette, resulting in a fantastical collection of dresses you will not-so-secretly want to wear.”

An observation I made right away while watching the production was that many, if not all, of the female characters wore corsets. I believe the use of corsets were essential in creating the Victorian look. However, all I could think of was how uncomfortable that would be to wear during the long hours of filming. Despite my thoughts of uncomfortable-ness, Powell thought otherwise. In a recent interview she said, “If the corset is made well by a proper corset-maker and fit to the exact measurements of the person wearing it, there should be no pain whatsoever. You put it on, it feels tight, and eventually it loosens up and molds itself to your body. A lot of actors actually like it.”

My favorite piece of the movie was of course Cinderella’s ball gown, I’m sure all would agree. I love how butterflies were added to the collar of the dress which added uniqueness and individualized the dress to the character’s love of butterflies. I loved how overly puffy it was. A ball gown isn't a ball gown if it isn't big and cupcake like. I love the color palette used. Of course, the light Cinderella blue as seen in Disney’s version. But I also noticed hints of purple show through as she danced. It was beautiful. I couldn't help but covet her dress.

I was most fascinated with the glass slippers and how they were able to create them. Powell said, “The glass had to sparkle and shine, which took me to crystal. And the only place to go for crystal was Swarovski. We approached them and asked them if they were interested in collaborating.” What I found most interested was how the glass slipper seen in the movie was actually a visual effect and was transposed onto her foot.

Lauren Hadley, Final, Proposal

The production which I have been inspired by for my final project, is Walt Disney’s Peter Pan, which was based off of the play The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up by J. M. Barrie.          

   

The character, Peter Pan, is best known for being adventurous and never wanting to grow up. Barrie never mentioned the physical appearance of Peter Pan in his first play and rather, left it up to the imagination of the readers. In another adaption written by Barrie entitled Peter Pan and Wendy, he describes Peter as a beautiful boy with a beautiful smile. He also described him as, "clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that flow from trees."

In the original productions of Peter Pan, his character was played by a woman and they wore red. As the story and character of Peter Pan has developed over the years, and as Disney portrayed him in the movie, he wears the color green. In the Disney film, Peter wears a green tunic, and green leggings and this is topped of which a green cap with a red feather. 

I choose to costume Peter Pan because his character is close to my family’s heart. My husband’s hero ever since he was a little boy was Peter Pan.  In the words of my husband, “Peter Pan is the only child who will never grow up. Peter Pan, he is the only one in Neverland who can fly because he is the only one who always has happy thoughts. Because happy thoughts are necessary to fly, you cannot fly without happy thoughts. And Peter Pan, is the only one who is virtuous, with virtuous thoughts.  The other lost boys who try to fly with pixie dust, can fall and drop to their death if they have unvirtuous thoughts.” Thankfully, my husband, who resembles Peter Pan, has graciously volunteered to be my model for this assignment.

For my final project, I decided to costume a modern-day Peter Pan. I want to create a look which portrays the innocence and adventurous side of Peter Pan, with a twist. I imagined a green top of some sort, a darker shade of green bottoms and brown shoes. To incorporate the cap worn in Disney’s portrayal of Peter Pan, a beanie, or baseball cap can be worn. 

As for the needed supplies to complete this costume. I took my husband to Fabric Mart and had him pick out a green fabric which he liked. He choose a forest green fabric with tiny cream colored flowers covering it. He then choose a pattern which I will work of off. He wanted a short-sleeved, buttoned shirt. While we were at the fabric store, we also bought buttons for the shirt. I hope to find green bottoms in the Closet, if not I am sure I can borrow some or find some at a thrift store. I can also find a patter for shorts, and maybe find a green fabric from the fabric room. The hat, I might have to create myself. And my husband already has several brown shoes I can choose from. I am hoping I will be able to finish this by the time the fashion show is during class time, but I know I can come in for lab hours and work on it. 

 

Taylor Final Project Proposal: The Mad Hatter

As I was thinking about my favorite costumes in this world, I was led to an inspiration of mine: Coleen Atwood. Coleen Atwood, as I have previously presented to you is very well known for  movies, such as Edward Scissor hands, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Alice in Wonderland. I figured out the challenge that I want to take one: I want to be the Mad Hatter!

Make up is crazy

Many of you know Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The aesthetics in that movie are phenomenal. The movie is a dark, colorful play on the original book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, brought to you by the oh so famous "acid trip." 

The Mad hatter is interesting.  His character was inspired by the phrase "mad as a hatter," referring of course to the fact that back in the old days, felt fabric used to be cured with mercury. The hat makers would thus inhale the mercury fumes and go mad from the neurological damage otherwise known as Hatter's disease. The Hatter is quite crazy. The things that he says makes no sense and the things that he does are peculiar. His facial expressions match that of one who is criminally insane. I feel that the reason he's my favorite character is because he is crazy.

There are many reasons why I want to costume as the Mad Hatter. When I thought of the Mad Hatter, a light bulb hit me in the face with inspiration (figuratively speaking of course). The Mad Hatter is a beautiful character, much more complex than the Old Disney version let on. He's insane, but he's good in his own way.  At least, this is the portrayal given by Johnny Depp, one of my all time favorite actors. He brought out a human side to the character. I liked it.

Another big reason why I want to be the hatter is because of all of the colors. He's eccentric. I want to be very dark and colorful, similar to what Colleen Atwood did. I want my make up to be crazy and my hair to be crazy. I'm just glad that my hair is already red so I can cross a wig off of my to do list. I hate wigs.

There are a few things that I need to do in order to bring this costume about.

1. Firstly, I need to see what the upstairs costume closet has. I know that there's a mad hatter hat up there.  I intend on using it and making it my own at the same time.

2. I need to get any eccentric cool fabric that I need to make this thing. I want this Mad Hatter to be female, obviously. I plan on putting her in a poufy eccentric skirt.

3. I'm going to need a sewing machine and a serger. If I make the overcoat or whatever, I'm going to need to make that inside nice.

4. I'm probably going to need help on following a pattern. There are some things that I don't perfectly remember from my principles of clothing construction class.

I'm stoked, dude.