13 Movies Where "Costume Magicians" Dropped Subtle Hints, Showing What Might Happen Ahead

Jessica Wilson
Jan 07, 2023
Jan 07, 2023

Even if you believe you know your favorite films like the back of your hand, there's a high possibility you've overlooked some small details. We're here to shed some light on what you need to know, and we're concentrating on incredible movie costume designs.
Do you know that Edith Head has the most Oscar wins (8) and nominations (35) in the history of the Academy Awards? Costume designers nowadays appear to carefully go into the movie's plots and the characters' backgrounds before putting life into their creations, which is undoubtedly an inspiration for many in the industry.
There may be an entire story hidden in the characters' clothes and how it changes (or doesn't!) as the film unfolds, and spotting it all takes a keen eye and sharp wit. Scroll down to discover some of the most remarkable features concealed in movie costumes, and you'll find the best ones as you scroll down.

#1 Back to the Future II

Source: © Back to the Future Part II / Amblin Entertainment

As attentive viewers of the trilogy have recognized, the design of Doc's shirt in Back to the Future 2 foreshadows the events in the sequel. It shows two horses pursuing a steam train, although Dr. Emmett and Marty are attempting to hijack a train in Back to the Future III, which takes place in the Wild West.

#2 Black Swan

Source: © Black Swan / Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents) and co-producers

Black Swan uses some techniques to ensure that the audience knows and even experiences Nina's existence as closely as possible. Clearly, one of the most significant factors is clothing. During an interview, costume designer Amy Westcott stated that the color palette of Nina's clothing is the only way to understand her evolution.
For example, at the start of the film, while Nina is still acting innocently and childishly, her outfits are mostly pastel and pink. However, as she begins to lose herself in her new role and her connections with the other characters become more tumultuous, her clothes take on darker hues. Finally, her garments symbolize what she desires to be: a black swan.

#3 Bridgerton

Source: © Bridgerton / Netflix

Ellen Mirojnick, who costumed the characters in Basic Instinct, Maleficent, and many other films, was in charge of the costumes in this series. She and her team designed all of the clothes from scratch, concealing various meaningful elements inside them.
Daphne, for example, wears powdery blue outfits that speak of her innocence before marriage. When she becomes Duchess, her color palette becomes richer and duskier.

Source: © Bridgerton / Netflix, © War and Peace / Paramount Pictures

Marc Pilcher was in charge of the hairstyles and makeup in Bridgeton. He was inspired to develop Daphne's look by cult Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn and her role in War and Peace in particular. These two heroines share elegance, simplicity, and adorable curls on their foreheads.

#4 Emily in Paris

Source: © Sex and the City / HBO, © Emily in Paris / Jax Media

Patricia Field, best known for her work on Sex and the City, worked as the series' costume design consultant. “For me, Emily in Paris in certain ways was an elongated version of Carrie in Sex and the City,” Patricia Field explains. That is why the appearances of the characters in both series are so similar. Both Sarah Jessica Parker's and Lily Collins' characters, for example, wear berets and look stunning in them.

#5 Fight Club

Source: © Fight Club / 20th Century Fox and co-producers

Tyler's outfit makes it clear that he is a creation of the narrator's imagination. While the narrator's clothing blends into the background, Tyler's costumes contrast with his surroundings and the other characters. The outfit designers appear to be emphasizing that this character has no reason to be there in this way.

#6 Game of Thrones

Source: © Game of Thrones / HBO

The characters' stories can be revealed through their outfits, as shown in Game of Thrones. In the first season, Cersei is not single; instead, she is completely dependent on her husband and feels imprisoned like a bird.
The costume designer claimed that the embroidery accurately depicted the actress's real situation: “She is a beautiful woman with a hidden desire for power and a wish to be regarded as an equal in the male-dominated world she inhabits. At that stage, she lives in the shadow of her husband, King Robert Baratheon, who holds power over her and the kingdom.” Additionally, in the designer's vision, this bird represents the planning and twittering she engages in behind the scenes.

Source: © Game of Thrones / HBO

The clothing also highlighted the relationship between the characters. Let's take a closer look at the Tyrell household women. Margaery's attire resembles her grandma Olenna's clothing a lot. Their belts are essentially identical. Because Olenna is the family's matriarch, she has more spikes and stems.

#7 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Source: © Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / Warner Bros., © PA Images / Getty Images

Smart internet users noted that Queen Elizabeth's outfit was remarkably similar to Dolores Umbridge's pink attire. We don't know if the clothing designers did this on purpose, but it wonderfully reveals the woman's personality. Because she has complete freedom at Hogwarts, despotic Umbridge feels like a true queen.

#8 Hocus Pocus

Source: © Hocus Pocus / Walt Disney Pictures

In a recent interview, the costume designer revealed that they purposefully dyed Max's hoodie the shades of the Sanderson sisters: red, green, and lilac.

#9 Jurassic World

Source: © Jurassic World / Universal Pictures, © Jurassic Park / Universal Pictures

The humorous Jurassic Park reference was left by the film's creators. Bryce Dallas Howard wears her shirt the same way Laura Dern did when she says, "I'm ready," rolling up her sleeves and tying it at the bottom.

#10 Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Sophie is dressed as a butterfly during the baptism scene. When we meet Donna in a flashback as a young woman, she is wearing a pendant with a big butterfly. This represents the bond between mother and daughter as well as Donna's unbridled energy, which allows her to go wherever it takes her.

#11 Promising Young Woman

The trauma Cassie experienced has left her in a severe state of depression. But she conceals her feelings from other people beneath her dress. Pretty girly outfits serve as a mask for anger and a desire for revenge.
The costume designer asserts that Cassie's attire conveys vital messages to others, including: “I’m fine, I am careless and completely harmless.” The filmmakers even gave her an unplanned halo in one of the episodes to highlight her innocence.

The friendship pendant, on the other hand, which she seldom ever takes off, reveals her genuine emotions. She is heartbroken about what happened to her friend, but nobody else around her seems to be.

#12 Pulp Fiction

The persona played by Quentin Tarantino is wearing a T-shirt with a beaming globe. This is Orbit magazine's logo for Detroit. The first publication to interview Tarantino about his directing career and feature him on the cover was Orbit. Maybe this is how Quentin chose to express his appreciation to the publisher who had previously done him a great favor.

#13 Widows

The primary character, Veronica, changes throughout the entire film as her personality does. Her outfit gets darker as she uncovers more mysteries about her husband.

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