Nowadays, we can imagine how historical events occur thanks to movies. In many movies, costumes are incorporated as a part of the spectacle. The costume consists of clothing, earrings, footwear, and accessories, and all of them are worn by actors. Costume describes the setting of the story as well as determines the social class of the character being portrayed. whether it’s a contemporary story or epic, it helps the viewers figure out in which a historical period of a film is set as well as the locale in which it occurs.
However, sometimes, characters are wore something random. For example, it is obvious that princesses wear corsets and wide skirts but in some films, they didn’t. No matter what its purpose was, costume designers made the movie look like a tangled mess.
Below are 10 movies where costume designers messed up but we just ignored them. If you're looking for more, read these articles:
Costume Designers Made A Mess In Movies Without Anyone Noticing and
15 Movies Where Designers Messed Up Costumes But We Just Ignored.
#1 Corsets on bare skin, The Tudors
Source: © The Tudors / Showtime and co-producers, © unknown author / A Young Lady Aged 21 / Tate Britain / Wikimedia Commons
Natalie Dormer’s character in “The Tudors” wears a gorgeous dress that looks the one of the maid of honor of Queen Elizabeth I. But, she put on the corset over her naked body without an undershirt.
Source: © The Tudors / Showtime and co-producers
In the movie, even men ignore undershirts. It was probably because they shot plenty of takes so their ones were soaked with sweat.
#2 Boots instead of shoes, Anonymous
Source: © Anonymous / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers
We see that characters wear boots in the throne room and bedrooms. But at that time, men just wear them only when riding horses and indoors.
#3 Made-up jewelry, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Source: © Elizabeth: The Golden Age / Universal Pictures and co-producers
Source: © Nicholas Hilliard / Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I / Walker Art Gallery / Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth I didn’t attach such a flower to her hair. It was just the costume designer’s fantasy headwear in the second photo.
#4 Doublet design, Anonymous
Source: © Anonymous / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers, © Anglo/Netherlandish School / National Trust, Montacute House / Wikimedia Commons
The leather doublets characters wear in “Anonymous” look like cool biker jackets. They are different from the ones in the 16
th century.
#5 Hands without gloves, Pride & Prejudice
Source: © Pride & Prejudice / Universal Pictures and co-producers
The movie is set in the last decade of the 18
th century when women wore gloves. But Keira Knightley’s character didn’t.
#6 Short hair, The Hollow Crown
Source: © The Hollow Crown / Neal Street Productions and co-producers, © unknown author / King Richard III / National Portrait Gallery / Wikimedia Commons
It’s strange to see Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III with short hair. You can compare the on-screen character to his image in the portrait.
#7 The design and fabric in Beauty and the Beast
Source: © Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
Source: © Los Angeles County Museum of Art / Wikimedia Commons, © CC BY-SA 4.0
According to fashion historian Bernadette Banner, the story takes place in the 18
th century but Bella’s costume doesn’t match the period. In the 1740s, the dress silhouette had wider hips formed by the framework under the skirt.
Source: © Beauty and the Beast / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers, © LACMA / Wikimedia Commons, © CC-BY-SA-4.0
Furthermore, we can see a straighter line when women wear corsets and Belle’s corset doesn’t look like that.
#8 An open neck in Mirror Mirror
Source: © Mirror Mirror / Relativity Media and co-producers, © Lucas Cranach the Elder / Portrait of Princess Sibylle of Cleve / Klassik Stiftung Weimar / The Yorck Project / Wikimedia Commons
As we know, the classic story of Snow White is a German tale and is supposed to be in the 16th century. Look at the portrait above, you see her contemporary Princess Sibylle von Cleves. Her loose hair and the jeweled wreath of orange blossoms indicate that this is a bridal painting. But the main character’s dress in “Mirror Mirror” has nothing to do with the period.
#9 The Other Boleyn Girl
Source: © The Other Boleyn Girl / BBC Films, © Master John at the National Portrait Gallery, London / Wkipedia
The costume designers of this flick used crinoline to create volume and give the dresses the dome-like shape. Moreover, they refrain from using farthingale.
#10 Mary Queen of Scots
Source: © Mary Queen of Scots / StudioCanal
The movie’s event takes place in the 16
th century but most of the costumes were made from denim, which appeared in the 19
th century. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne said that using rough jean fabric made the characters more attractive and more understandable.
