Final Costume Designs

Below are my final designs for the characters in Top Girls;

Marlene

I am pleased with my design for Marlene, it shows her powerful position by capturing the inspiration of Margaret Thatcher. The style of her suit is very much on trend, I felt she would have treated herself to a new suit for her promotion. I am still to source a blazer jacket, but have successfully found an ideal blouse and skirt. Both were from online vintage stores.

Joyce

Joyce's costume reflects the working life she leads; holding down four cleaning jobs I thought by wearing an 80's summer dress that is smart and with an apron it displays the correct image to the audience. She wears slippers as in each scene she is home and has probably already had a hard day at work. This costume is suitable for all Joyce's scenes as she would not worry bout new clothes. This outfit is her uniform and has been for some time, it has a function and is not desirable.   

Angie

Angie is a teenager who is autistic. I felt a child like outfit would be dungarees. The dungarees may communicate to a modern audience this childlike character, but also at the time this style was very much in fashion. A huge inspiration was the early 80s band Dexys Midnight Runners. Like any teenager today Angie would have chased the fashions of the time and idolise her favourite band while her image reflects this. The dress that Marlene gives her is pretty and fashionable. I feel Marlene would attempt to make her look more grown up and lady like, so maybe very different to her usual style, but she loves it because Marlene gave it to her.

Kit

The script describes Kit in a dress. I pictured her being slightly more girlie in image than Angie, but in the similar laid back style Angie would be wearing as Kit idolises her. The main similarities between the costumes being the converse trainers and denim. This denim jacket and dress are also fashionable at the time as I feel Kit would want to impress Angie.

Win                                                                                                                                       Nell

Win is the slightly gentler character, so I decided to place her in a suit jacket and chinos, creating a softer silhouette. The costume is very on trend in the early 80s, the inspiration taken from the August 1979 addition of Vogue.

Nell is the 'next Marlene' so I decided to dress her in a similar way, keeping the blue colour scheme in the check of her suit. The edges and silhouette of her clothing is sharper than Wins to reflect her sharp character. 

Louise                                                                                                                               Shona

Louise thinks of herself as a man, so in doing so wouldn't dress in a feminine way. I decided to put her in flat shoes a suit jacket and trousers to so practicality not style.

 Shona is the young character with no experience, I decided to design a dress for her that would be her attempt at looking older. 

 Jeanine

Jeanine is the traditional woman who wants to get married, I designed her in quite pain clothing to reflect the way the 'Top Girs' see her. They see getting married as a weakness, and quite old fashioned. 

Waitress                                                                                                                                     Mrs Kidd

 The Waitress is wearing a plain and traditional dress and apron, she blends into the background easily when she is ignored by the 'Top Girls'.

Mrs Kidd is the traditional woman, the dutiful wife. I designed her in this woollen red dress, which appears quite frumpy, reflecting her old values and the toll her husbands anger has had on her, yet is fashionable so as to keep her reputation clear.  

 Pope Joan

Pope Joan is seen in all her regalia. I designed a lighter costume to allow more movement for the physical scene. The colours used reflect the almost royal and pure tones the Pope should represent.

Isabella Bird

For Isabella I looked into travellers fashions of the 19th century. My main inspiration came from the film 'The Piano'; believing Isabella Bird to look like the character Aga. The costume is practical in comparison to others of the time, it hs no real fuss about it very much like her character.

Dull Gret

Dull Gret is exactly how you see her in the painting; dressed in armour and an apron carrying a sword and a basket.

Lady Nijo

I designed Lady Nijo's costume to look like the 8 layered gown she talks of incorporating the fine silks she boasts about. The bright colours used reflect her flamboyant nature and love for clothes.

Patient Griselda 

For this design I looked at existing painting of Griselda and took inspiration from them. I used colours that appear in the painting and represent a very medieval look.