Analyzing Bella Baxter's Costumes in Poor Things

[00:00:00]analyzing the outfits in poor things yorgos Lanos is known for his unusual films and 2023 is poor things is no exception based on the 1992 novel of the same name poor things focuses on Bella Baxter a woman who is brought back to life via a brain transplant and proceeds to embark on a journey of self-discovery the film received polarized responses from the public with some praising its depiction of female sexuality while While others called it exploitative and harmful I personally don't feel like joining in on that discourse I just want to talk about the costuming which was universally cited as a standout with costume designer Holly wadington receiving several awards for her work the costumes are just as bizarre and beautiful as the film itself and serve as a way of developing the characters and fleshing out their surreal World although poor things is set during the tail end of the Victorian era the clothing is extremely experimental combining motifs that were popular in a variety of time periods in order to create its distinctive steampunk adjacent aesthetic today we're going to be taking a look at the outfits worn by the film's protagonist Bella Baxter from their real life Inspirations to their historical accuracy to their subtle symbolism because this is YouTube I won't be able to talk about or show everything that goes on in the film due to its explicit nature but there will still be some spoilers you've been warned now let's get into it the film begins with a young English woman then known as Victoria blessington plummeting to her death off of a bridge her body is then discovered and commandeered by Dr Godwin Baxter who uses it to carry out a diabolical experiment he removes the brain of Victoria's unborn child transfers it into her own head then brings her back to life and she is subsequently reborn and raised as Bella Baxter although the exact reasons behind Victoria's decision are a mystery for most of the film we come to discover that she felt trapped by her circumstances and saw death as her only viable means of escape this early Ensemble is used to distinguish the differences between Victoria and Bella from the get-go the color itself is representative of how blue Victoria feels while the Deep Jewel tone creates a stark contrast to the soft pastels that Bella wears for the rest of the film the color mirrors Victoria's surroundings like the sky and sea creating a monochromatic visual that literally shows how she's been swallowed up by the world leaving her with no sense of passion or hope she's literally and metaphorically drowning although the film is set in London during the 1880s the outfits are rooted in fashion trends of the 1890s with this Ensemble being the most faithful to that time period as the most historically accurate outfit in the film Victoria is instantly positioned as someone who spent her life abiding by society's expectations of her even when it was detrimental to her own well-being as such she's a standin for many Victorian era women representing the complicated emotions and issues they experienced behind closed doors according to costume designer Holly wadington who actually wore an homage to the stress of the Oscars the director didn't want to make a full-blown period drama and he pushed her to reimagine trends of the era to better fit the direction of the Fantastical story this required a good deal of research on her end which involved studying antique fashion plates reading historical accounts and compiling visual references from all over the world as someone who spent days researching just the final costumes I can't imagine what wadington was going through when she was actually creating them but at least it's the 21st century and not the 1800s anymore thanks to Opera a handy dandy web browser all the information I needed to make this video was right at my fingertips and with all of their great features it's easier to work smarter not harder I honestly have no idea how I lived all these years without it if you're anything like me and can get easily sidetracked Opera's Arya feature is a lifesaver quickly answering any questions you have right when you have them no problem is too big or too small for Arya So Gone are the days where you'd have to go on an entire side quest just to figure out when the Victorian era began and ended during the research process for any video I wind up with dozens of Articles to sift through which can get pretty overwhelming so I love that Opera's tab Island feature helps me stay organized since you can quickly group the tab Islands by topic it's way easier to find what you're looking for plus you don't need to have a million windows open at once my computer has never run more smoothly it's like it got a new brain or something with a built-in VPN Opera makes sure that no matter what you're doing online all of your information stays private and with their free ad blocker getting rid of pesky ads is only a click away no extensions needed if you're searching for a better browsing experience try out Opera today by clicking the link in my description now let's get back to the video gar ments of the late 19th century were incredibly ornate featuring lace beading embroidery and Feathers but wadington got rid of this traditional ornamentation and opted for something more AV on guard instead there was a big focus on texture not only experimenting with a wide array of modern Fabrics but also manipulating them to create more depth this blue dress has elaborate folds running down its sleeves which are intended to resemble the shoulder plates on a suit of armor which alludes to Victoria's violent husband's position as a military General the stiff collar almost appears to be choking her showing how she's being held back by the constraints of the era women have been wearing some form of supportive undergarments for centuries and we continue to do so today but during the Victorian era the corset was all the rage although its use was widespread across different social classes there was a good deal of controversy surrounding corsets in the mid 1800s the dress Reform movement emerged which saw early feminists calling for women to free themselves of the the restricted styles that were popular at the time and wear more sensible clothing instead some dress reformists claimed that the use of corsets contributed to women's health issues an idea that many doctors of the time period latched on to saying that it was especially harmful to wear them during pregnancy although this led to a mild case of moral Panic with many men denouncing the use of corsets women continued to wear them throughout the 19th century as they not only helped them achieve the popular silhouette of the time period but were also a necessity as they provide Ed additional support for their heavy skirts the fat of tight lacing which drew the most criticism from doctors and dress reformists wasn't as common a practice as anti- corset wearers proclaimed corsets effectively served the same purpose as bras do today and many women of the time period even stated that they actually found them to be quite comfortable so no people weren't randomly fainting in the streets because they couldn't breathe Victoria is shown to be wearing a maternity corset which were developed in the wake of the aforementioned corset controversy and were advertised as a necessity for expectant mothers with some companies even claiming that they were prescribed by physicians and even after women's fashion relaxed in the 1920s maternity corsets remained in use to some extent until the 1940s this is the first and last time that we see the character in any form of corsetry highlighting how she will be far less restricted in her new life the film switches to black and white when Bella is in her early development stages with this Lack of Color being representative of her negative emotions and naive although her physical mental and emotional capabilities are that of a toddler we're still able to understand that she's unhappy as she's being kept from her greatest desires under the guise of protection and propriety although this colorless sequence makes up a good portion of the film The Costume designer wasn't made aware of the decision until after the entire wardrobe had been created which is why Bella's outfits lack the high contrast details that are typical of a black and white prodct project but luckily the emphasis on texture worked in their favor creating a visually Dynamic look in spite of the muted colors these outfits were made up of pink fleshy tones which director yorgos Lanos compared to a rotten apple wadington was fascinated by this idea using the color of apples in different states of Decay combined with human flesh and bodily organs to dictate the direction of the rest of Bella's wardrobe this resulted in an array of yellows Browns greens pinks and reds with these organic colors serving as a reference to Bella's own circumstances she's Godwin's creation someone who otherwise would have been decomposing in the ground Bella is infantilized by everyone in the house with Godwin acting as her father and Mrs Prim as her nanny and Mrs Prim is actually the one who picks out Bella's clothing every day in this sense Bella is like a living doll being treated as a mere object a pretty Fascination instead of an actual person tying into the idea a that she lacks any agency at this point her attire is dominated by motifs associated with children like quilted Fabrics Ruffles drawers sear sucker and night gowns on occasion we see Bella pair these items with bustles or giant sleeved blouses popular elements of Victorian attire but she's missing all the pieces that would make it proper for the time period the idea behind this is that Mrs Prim initially puts her in full dress but as the day carries on Bella discards any part of the outfit like the SKT or heels that get in the way of playtime wadington Drew inspiration for this from her own children saying quote I notice that they often tend to shed clothing as the day progresses without any self-consciousness they end up with pants on their head and bits of clothing missing Godwin dots on Bella just as any father would no longer showing the impartiality needed of a scientist and as such allows her to dress and act as she pleases The Only Exception is when they all venture outside for a picnic Bella's first time out of the house and this is also one of the only instances when Godwin firmly tells her no after she sets out on her Grand Adventure Godwin attempts to replace her with another experiment but having been hurt once before he is much colder towards Felicity something made apparent not only by his distant Behavior but also his firm insistence that she always be dressed in appropriate attire in order to ensure optimal conditions he doesn't coddle her like he did Bella because he doesn't see her as his child the bustle Bella occasionally wears is inspired by an actual trend from the Victorian era which saw the shape of women's skirts being exaggerated towards the rear although by the 1890s it was already on its way out the silhouette has made numerous appearances in the film industry but the bustle cage itself doesn't usually make its way on screen as it's exclusively worn underneath one's clothes this unfamiliarity with the Garment results in modern viewers finding the entire look strange tying not only into the bizarre situation but also Bella's unconventional Behavior this bustle which wadington compared to a lobster tail is more modern in its construction being directly inspired by Montclair puffer jackets furthering this sense of peculiarity compared to the bustles of the 1870s and 1880s the skirts of the 1890s were fairly simple in response to this sleeves became more elaborate resulting in the popularity of the leg of mutton style while these sleeves started off rather small they grew larger and larger over the course of the decade before eventually falling out of fashion at the turn of the 20th century apart from the shape of Bella's skirts these gigantic sleeves are what makes the film's 1890s Inspirations obvious and the production didn't take as many creative liberties with their size as you'd think with wadington following actual antique sewing patterns when constructing them these leg of mutton sleeves are worn throughout the film and were symbolic of the character's Defiance of the patriarchy by making her physically take up more space although the Victorian era is a popular setting in film and TV for some reason the 1890s always gets the short end of the stick with Fashions of that time period rarely making appearances but if you're like me and get a kick out of these giant sleeves here are a few other films that feature Trends from that era 1946's the Harvey girls 1947's an Ideal Husband 1969's Hello Dolly and 2015's Crimson Peak although Emma Stone is known for her red locks the actress is actually a natural blonde and as if wanting to distance her from any of the characters she'd played in the past they gave her a drastically different look for the film Stone said the color was actually a mistake on her part as she was originally meant to be a dark brunette but Lanos loved the contrast between the jet black hair and her very pale skin drawing comparisons to an Egon shial painting she's work actually influenced the film in other ways as well including the color palette and raw sexual imagery Bella's black hair personally reminds me of Frankenstein's monster a story that poor things is effectively a subversion of throughout the Victorian era respectable women were expected to wear their hair up in public and although there are a good deal of photos of women with their hair loose it was mainly for artistic purposes haircuts weren't exactly common place at the time so women's hair would grow to incredible lengths and the Seven Southerland sisters even made a living touring the country with their hair as a major selling point because seeing a woman's hair undone was so rare it was considered a very intimate romantic and even sexual act with that in mind we can interpret Bella's habit of wearing her hair loose not only as a reference to her burgeoning sexuality but also another instance of her indifference towards social norms for modern viewers her long hair also draws comparisons to hairstyles of the 1970s mirroring Bella's free spirit and her more modern mindset when Bella tells Godwin of her plans to leave home she wears a blouse and skirt looking far more put together than she does the rest of the time the outfit represents Bella's growing pains and her desire to be independent and by Dawning this Ensemble it forces Godwin to see her as a young woman not a child as she's packing to leave we see an array of clothes make their way into her suitcase foreshadowing the outlandish outfits to come upon arriving in Lisbon Bella's first real Adventure the movie explodes with color with both she and the audience seeing the world in all of its Glory thanks to Mrs Prim she's initially dressed in more proper attire wearing a blue traveling suit with a white ruffled bodice while it's similar in silhouette and color to the outfit worn when she was still Victoria blessington there's more sweetness and softness to it with wadington comparing it visually to sugared almonds even in this more formal outfit she isn't wearing a corset which was a purposeful choice on the Productions end as they felt Bella would never humor an article of clothing that was so inhibiting with wadington saying quote while corsets are beautiful and I appreciate them they force the body into a particular shape they're entirely imbued with ideas of control dictating a way of looking walking and maintaining a posture that's predetermined by somebody else Bella is unbridled and uncontainable she's free she can't be molded and hasn't been shaped by societal Norms having her in a corset would have felt wrong again a properly fitted corset wouldn't have felt like torture but I digress with the film focusing on Bella's Liberation they needed to have her look like a modern woman one who wouldn't wear the undergarments of the time period because she thought they were pointless one character who does wear a corset is Duncan wurn not only symbolizing his egotistical nature but also demonstrating how some men during the Victorian era did sport corsets to a pier slummer after engaging in some Furious jumping Bella is left unattended while Duncan naps and this boredom prompts her to venture out into the city on her own as she isn't aware of proper etiquette and no longer has Mrs prim's help she wears what she's most comfortable in her underwear which are a pair of 1930s tap pants so named because they were often worn by tap dancers Bella isn't wearing this as a fashion statement it's that she simply hasn't been taught to feel shame for her clothing choices making it clear that this is more of an impulsive decision than a rebellious one this state of half dress is playful and while it's reminiscent of what she wore back at Godwin's house the satin tap pants don't feel quite as juvenile as the lace drawers she' previously sported these tap pants aren't the only 20th century influences on her Ensemble either with Bella's boots being from the 1960s although they are reminiscent of shoe styles from the 1800s with their side panels Bella's sunglasses look futuristic but they were in fact antiques from the late 19th century during this time period tinted glasses weren't a fashionable accessory but instead worn out of necessity by those who were sensitive to light the specific style in the film were known as Railway spectacles and were often worn by passengers taking open rail transport who are subjected to smoke wind and sunlight these sunglasses serve as a reminder that Bella is unfamiliar with the ways of the world and is therefore more susceptible to being harmed this combination of time periods feels like another call back to Frankenstein's monster who was similarly stitched together out of different parts at dinner when Duncan wishes to present her to his High Society friends Bella is dressed in a gold gown although the two initially bonded over their lack of interest in what is polites it's at this moment that we understand that Duncan only cares about that sort of thing when it benefits him otherwise he finds Bella's eccentricities embarrassing with its shiny fabric giant bows and excessive trim the dress is far more gudy and garish than Bella's usual attire and considering Duncan's fish personality we can infer that this was something he purched purchased in the belief that it would make Bella and therefore himself appear more welltoo the two argue for the first time with Bella physically striking him and although she seems to go along with Duncan's petulant demands when they finally return to their table she throws it back at him by responding inappropriately with the phrases he told her to limit herself to this is a sort of warning on her end telling him that she will not allow him to boss her around as he pleases which is mirrored in the colors she's sporting with the black and yellow being reminiscent of a bee a creature that attacks when provoked she sets out on her own once again while wearing a pink jacket and skirt a white top and tap pants and a large black hat the outfit is Bella's attempt at dressing herself properly although we can see that she hasn't quite nailed it yet hence the sheerness of her skirt this mish mash of pieces was intended to resemble how children play dress up with their parents clothes a reminder of Bella's developing mental state she isn't quite ready to be a fancy lady as evidenced by her passing out drunk in the middle of the day and getting into a physical altercation on the Dance Floor something mirrored by the increasing casualness of her outfit First losing the Hat then the jacket then finally the skirt this dishevelment creates a more sensual look making it appear as though Bella has just emerged from a session of furious jumping and we see more men act lasciviously towards her as a result this outfit's pink Hues are symbolic of Bella's blossoming sexuality femininity and and immaturity while also referencing the colors of certain female body parts although the skirt mimics the bustle shape with a series of Ruffles its transparent quality makes it appear far more modern while also highlighting Bella's unpredictable dance moves throughout the film we see Bella rewear different articles of clothing and this outfit is no exception helping ground the otherwise surreal film in reality when she's tricked by Duncan and brought onto a ship so he can keep a closer eye on her she wearing just the white tap pants and top which is a great example of how cyclical fashion is as it looks like something I'd see on Pinterest today when she sets off to explore these new surroundings Bella throws on a PE green puff sleeve dressing gown which she wears a handful of other times in the film either as a cover up or more experimentally as a faux evening dress compared to the heavy quilted dressing gowns she wore at Godwin's house this feels a lot more grown up highlighting her mental and sexual Evolution it mimics a popular silhouette of the 1890s just with modern styling and fabrics and it actually reminds me a good deal of the robe in Crimson Peak which is just to die for Bella's emotional state is quite complicated when she first gets on the boat as she's growing increasingly irritated by Duncan's whining but is simultaneously excited for a new adventure this dissonance is reflected in her attire which is colorful to the point it's practically an eyes sore and the amount of cloth feels stifling compared to what she'd been wearing previously in and Lisbon the outfit includes a handful of Trends from the 1890s that we'd yet to see symbolizing how Bella is at risk of losing her independence as Duncan attempts to pressure her into conforming she wears a yellow ruffled capelet which had transformed from a functional piece of outerwear to something more fashionable in the 1890s as well as a blue plastone a collar with cloth details that fell to the chest to make the simple bodices of the time just a bit more interesting up until this point Bella's journey of self Discovery had been focused on the physical but this is when she begins to broaden her Horizons intellectually not only taking up reading but also befriending people who have no intention of exploiting her having found a group of friends that she feels she can be herself around she reverts to her usual Bella style of bodices and tap pants with her mind maturing exponentially something Duncan actually complains about this blue outfit feels more thought out than some of her others and it's personally my favorite of all of her looks in the hopes of learning more about the Human Condition Bella visits Alexandria with Harry an event that drastically Alters her perception of humanity and herself while the all-white outfit is initially symbolic of Bella's innocence it comes to stand for her privilege visually aligning her with everyone else on the ship who has chosen to ignore the poor people who literally reside beneath them the extravagance and formality of the dress is a reflection of the social class Bella actually belongs to and how she isn't as much of a rebel as we've been LED to believe from head to toe she looks perfectly refined and put together juxtaposing the inner turmoil she feels upon discovering the horrors that she been oblivious to despite the atrocities that have happened to her she isn't Starving in the streets and she acknowledges how unfair that is sewing the seeds for her journey as the film continues no longer an ignorant child Bella's clothing becomes more proper mirroring this new found sense of awareness and we see her continue to wear full dress of her own valtion she's not focused on just having fun anymore they're a bigger fish to fry when she and Duncan are unceremoniously thrown from the ship and left to fend for themselves in Paris Bella Dawn a yellow coat Peach blouse and gray skirt the yellow shade is consistent with her pre-existing color palette and against all of the Grays and Blues in the background it shows how her sense of optimism continues to Prevail in spite of hardship not to mention how captivating people find her to be the coat is the most eye-catching part of The Ensemble and while it might first off comparisons to the bright rain coats worn by children as seen in it or Coraline upon closer inspection there's more to it than meets the eye made out of latex the coat was meant to resemble a Victorian era condom A fitting Choice considering Bella plans to seek employment at a brothel it also calls back to the latex lab coats worn by Godwin and Mrs Prim during their experiments as if implying that while that's their messy business this is going to be Bella's Bella begins wearing heavy makeup consisting of dark eyeshadows red lips and bold blush which at the time weren't worn by members of polite Society hinting at her new found profession the outfits worn during these scenes aren't true to what was actually worn at Victorian Arab brothel which typically included corsets stockings and Boots items that still have a sexual connotation today wadington wanted to actively work against these sexy stereotypes by leaning towards more organic and human visuals during Bella's time at the brothel she wear a good deal of skin tones accented by hints of green or yellow with these flesh tones being used to imply nudity even in the rare moments when she's clothed her yellows which were more buttery early on in the film become acidic showing how she's become slightly bitter in the face of all this debauchery she's not all sunshine and egg Tarts anymore due to the nature of her work she wears very little apart from the occasional dressing gown or top pant The Styling of these looks and those of other working women were inspired by the artwork of Oto Dix and George gross who frequently depicted those who were considered social outcasts there's a deleted scene while Bella is working at the brothel which shows her objecting to their callous doctor and questioning why The Men Who frequent The Establishment aren't required to do these invasive tests as well the outfit is nothing new but I felt like I had to mention the scene as it's the final push Bella needs to study medicine and I have no idea why they didn't include it since it makes her motivations even stronger I am not sorry if I know the world I can improve it this is not how a doctor behaves to a patient a doctor is kind with a commitment to the betterment of society as she begins dabbling in socialism and expressing interest in becoming a doctor her outfits take on a more masculine and academic tone reflecting where she's at in her development whether it's to blend in with the boys or to be taken more seriously whilst attending a human anatomy lecture Bella wears a tailored coat starch shirt and necktie however we can still see her penchant for non-conformity as she isn't wearing a skirt to make her attire proper with the knee high socks and short hem there's something a bit sensual about the outfit but it still comes across as more serious than her pastel tap pants and sheer blouses highlighting how much Bella has matured intellectually emotionally and sexually the darker color palette is also symbolic of how Bella isn't as naive as she once was now understanding on many levels how depraved people can be when she returns to London to visit the dying Godwin she wears the same black coat but this time with a matching floorlength skirt while people had taken to wearing darker colors as a sign of mourning for centuries during the Victorian era it developed into another restrictive set of rules for people to abide by as such we can interpret Bella's all Black Ensemble as a form of Victorian morning attire an expression of the sorrow she feels over Godwin's inevitable death as well as her grief over the circumstances revolving her creation going to the bridge that she had once slept from we can see some similarities between the two outfits in regard to their color and silhouette allowing the audience to infer that Bella wishes to uncover more about her past in order to better understand herself setting up what happens later when she asks Max to marry her Bella is once again in her condom coat along with a gingham skirt and cream turtleneck sweater apart from the coat the outfit is fairly muted in color highlighting Bella's new personality which is more reserved although she does still have her fair share of quirks and said quirkiness is reflected in her wedding Ensemble instead of a more traditional Veil hanging from the back of her head bis is wrapped around her face in another reference to Auto dicks the sleeves are some of the largest we've seen thus far having rope-like details which remind me of the corded petticoats of the mid 19th century although wadington has cited French fashion designer meline vion as her inspiration behind the look during the Victorian era white wedding dresses were seen as an opportunity for conspic us consumption allowing the bride's family to show off their wealth in front of their peers although it wouldn't have been customary in the 1880s Bella's white dress reads as traditional to Modern audiences allowing us to interpret that to some degree Bella is going through with the marriage to try to please Godwin so when a more tempting offer comes Waltzing through the door she doesn't hesitate to take it when she moves back into the blessington manor Bella wears her former self's clothing and experiences similarly depressing emotions described as ugly Byington herself the burnt orange color is completely unlike anything we've seen bware so far showing how this imprisonment has left her feeling disoriented the gold military motifs allude to Alfie's tyrannical Behavior while the purle plastone is representative of how he intends to force her to become the quintessential Victorian woman I find this to be a wonderful full circle moment with Victoria being able to get revenge on her husband through Bella all while she's wearing the stifling clothes that represented Victoria's unhappy existence this look would later serve as the inspiration for Emma Stone's Louis Vuitton dress at the baftas which ironically people hated when switching out her Wicked husband's brain for that of a goat Bella Dawns a lab coat one that has her signature puffed sleeves and it's a great way of showing that she's taken control of her life she's no longer the creation she's the Creator at the end of the film when Bella has taken over the bter home and is studying for her Physician's exam she achieves her final form she's wearing the same cream turtleneck from earlier along with a brown split skirt the outfit is minimalistic and relaxed lacking the Ruffles pastels and randomness of her prior outfits showing how she's become more mature and grounded as time has passed she's no longer a child being deceived by others but an adult who has fully come into her own although this outfit looks like something you could find today both items are taken directly from the time period with the sweater being a recreation of one that's exhibited at the Met in the 1890s a bicycle craze swept American and European society and women joined in on the physical activity on mass however the long skirts and fitted bodices of the time period made cycling challenging resulting in women Dawning nicker boers a pair of trousers but the masculine clothing item was incredibly controversial with many men opposing their use in response female cyclists took to wearing split skirts with which are effectively the precursor to modern-day kolots although they were called split skirts in actuality they were pants they just had a loose enough fit that it gave the illusion of wearing a skirt both her sweater and split skirt are representative of how things were becoming less restrictive for women at the turn of the 20th century not only being able to wear more casual and comfortable clothing but also participating in activities that had once been exclusively for men with Bella studying to be a doctor an occup a women had previously been shunned from this outfit embodies her goals for the future as well as her Newfound agency it's truly a happy ending with Bloomers Ruffles puff sleeves neck ties and Boots all trending these last few years Bella Baxter is as much a fashion icon today as she would have been a hundred years ago and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes pinterest's latest it girl which of Bella Baxter's outfits were your favorite I hope you enjoyed this video don't forget to like like And subscribe and I'll see you soon bye