Style Study
Shakespeare

Shakespeare is regarded as the best playwright of all time. His works have gone on to be adapted by filmmakers such as Laurence Olivier and Baz Luhrmann. Here are our top five favourite Shakespearean fashion icons.

No 1. Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, mostly due to it's numerous adaptations. Costumes for the film follow a similar pattern of embellishment and embroidery in keeping with the Tudor period and Italian Renaissance fashion. The Globe Theatre productions (2010) are the closest in similarity to costumes used in Shakespeare's time and include rolled sleeves, trimmings and patterned fabrics. Juliet's costumes range in colour from vibrant reds to royal blues which all allude to her royal background and her importance as a character.

No 2. Macbeth

The Tragedy of Macbeth, often shortened to simply Macbeth is another Shakespearean tragedy which focuses on murder and the desire for power. Set in Scotland the play dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition and has a very dark tone overall. Like Hamlet, the costumes reflect the social status of the characters as well as their personalities, the two play’s two main characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are often attired in luxurious fabrics of darker hues, though this varies with production.

No 4. Hamlet

The Tragedy of Hamlet, often shortened to simply Hamlet, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies and centres around ghosts, madness, revenge and love. Set primarily in a castle most of the costumes in Hamlet are in keeping with the setting and are classic upperclass Tudor attire made of velvet and leather and featuring embroidery and lace. One of only two female characters in the play Ophelia, Hamlet’s potential wife is dressed very differently to that of the other characters, often depicted in long billowing washed out white gowns that resemble night dresses.

No 4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

One of Shakespeare’s most visually appealing plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream is set in a mystical forest, most of the costumes inspired by the natural world and include flowers, fur or feathers worked into the garment. Tyrone Guthrie’s 1937 production at the Old Vic Theatre starring actress Vivien Leigh as Queen Titania is my favourite costume used for the Fairy Queen, a structured ballgown adorned with garlands of roses and crystallised leaves in shades of silver and white. Titania’s costumes are often pale yet heavily embellished marking her out from the other characters in the production. The fit of Titania's costume is reminiscent of Christian Dior’s Haute Couture line during the 1930’s and features a padded silhouette that nips in at the waist.

No 5. Othello

Othello or The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, is another of Shakespeare's famous tragedies that focus on death, jealousy and power. Set in Venice the costumes in Othello are similar to that of Romeo and Juliet, taking inspiration from the Italian Renaissance. They feature trimmings and embroidery, a lot of the characters wearing shades of red, gold and white. The play explores the theme of racism and sees the actors dress not only according to station but race also, the main character Othello often seen in more humbling clothes than that of Iago and Desdemona.