Gift of Magi Costume Design

By Brittany Brandt
Period Research: The Silhouette of the 1900s-1910s
● The S-curve form imposed on women’s bodies in 1900
was the result of a straight-fronted corset that
started lower on the bustline than the corsets had
a few years previously.
● The shape of the corset allowed the bosom to hang
low and unarticulated in front while the hips were
pushed backwards.
● From 1900-1910 the silhouette would change from the
hourglass to straight up & down lines as it went
from the end of the bustle, to the lacy & romantic
Edwardian ideal, into “Belle Epoque”, through
“Titanic”, & into “Art Nouveau” – after which
fashion changed completely & forever with the start
of World War 1.

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/20sil/hd_20sil.htm
Period Research: The “Gibson Girl” Phenomenon - MIddle Class
● Charles Dana Gibson’s drawing portrayed the iconic
ideal white middle class woman at the turn of the
century and set the standard for feminine beauty
from 1890s to the end of World War 1.
● He created a female archetype that was beautiful,
witty, aloof, but commanding.
● Gibson made a huge impact on American culture by
creating a gauge by which beauty could be
understood and measured.
● The Gibson Girl was invented as a marketing tool.
● She became a constant beauty upon which new,
modern ready to wear clothes could be displayed
upon.
● The Gibson Girl was everywhere and every girl
wanted to be her.
https://scalar.usc.edu/works/suffrage-on-display/gibson-girl?path=chapter-three-our-hat-is-in-the-ring
Period Research: Work Wear - “The Suit”
● Working women found the suit a useful, all purpose
outfit for the commercial workplace
● A woman didn’t have to have help to get dressed in a
suit
● Designers added the “shirtwaist” (today’s “blouse”) to
the design which replaced revers & chemisettes to make
all of the ensemble fully functional & flexible for the
situation or weather
● The “suit” with “shirt waist” added, became fashionable
& popular for not only for work during the day, but
also for travel, evening wear, country wear, & general
daily use
● Middle & upper class women wore suits with shirt-waist
blouses
● Lower classes & rural women wore suits with a basic
bodice & skirt early in the era. Later they wore just
Skirt & Shirtwaist - 1904 the blouse & skirt

https://silhouettescostumes.com/the-eras-we-build/1899-1914-work-play/
Period Research: Men’s WorkWear - Working Class
● Working class Edwardian men still had the misfortune
of being able to afford only secondhand clothes and
very cheap ready-made clothing.
● Men’s workwear clothing had to be durable, dark, and
loose enough to accommodate freedom of movement.
● There was little emphasis on style of clothing, as
long as it was practical.
● The fit of the men’s working class was always poor.
● Pants were held up by suspenders or a belt pulled
tight and jackets rarely matched.
● Clothing was rarely washed and almost always dirty.
● Middle-class men in “business” did their best to
dress the upper class part, but usually failed
either by buying cheap clothing, wearing outdated
styles, or breaking fashion etiquette rules.

https://vintagedancer.com/1900s/1910s-mens-working-class-clothing/
Period Research: Men WorkWear - Sack Suits
● The sack suit was very simple, and it did retain its basic form
throughout the twentieth century, but this does not mean that it
didn't go through a variety of subtle changes.
● In the first years of the twentieth century the coat was buttoned
high on the chest, fastened with four buttons, and had a very small
collar and lapels, folds on the front of the coats.
● After about 1910, however, sack suit coats more commonly had three
buttons and larger collar and lapels.
● Suit coat pockets, typically appearing at the hip line, could either
have a simple slit opening or a flap.
● Trousers often showed variation in their fit and detailing.
● The presence or absence of cuffs and the presence and sharpness of
creases and pleats were both areas where fashion made its influence
felt.
● In the early 1900s trousers were loosely fitted, but the peg-top
craze of 1908 through 1914 saw men's trousers get baggy in the hips
and very slim at the ankles.
● Vests might be worn in contrasting colors and patterns, with silk
piping at the edges and pockets, or with fancy collars.

http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Modern-World-1900-1918/
Sack-Suit.html#ixzz7KoMEu7ZW
 Della
I pictured Della wearing this
outfit because it fits the
socioeconomic of her character.

I also felt that it was nice

while also simple enough to fit
her economic class.

Gift of the Magi

 Jim
When I was looking through suit options i saw
this picture and I like the ue of the
corduroy/striped pants.
I also like the use of the bowlers hat
compared to the other options.
I think this gives him sophistication with not
making it too expensive.
I like the idea of making them different
colors slightly. The top part of the suit
being a black and the pants being a dark grey
or even a brown.

Gift of the Magi

 I like the idea of giving Dot a light blue to
Dot represent a sense of wealth and I like the
idea of the frills at the end of the sleeve.

I think this helps portray that she is better

off than her sister Della

I would like a lighter coat for her, but the

same design as the picture.

Gift of the Magi

 Clarice I chose this for Clarice because this
pattern helps make the fabric look more
clean and it’s a nice enough dress that
can be used for someone who needs
something to be durable and long lasting.

I also like these bicycle shoes because

they have a low heel on them.

Gift of the Magi

 Digsby
I like the brown suit so there is a
difference between all the men.

I specifically chose this color brown

because I like the tone of it.

I like the Flap Cap because I imagine he

has yet to be able to afford a bowler hat
or a fedora hat.

Gift of the Magi

 Art
I like the whole look of this image with the
fedora hat, the shoes, and the 3 piece suit.

The gray aids in the idea that I want all the

men to be wearing a different color.

They all work at the same place so they should

all dress the same but also different.

Gift of the Magi

 Madame Vodskaya
I want her dress to look like this and I
am okay with any color as long as it is a
pastel or white.

She is a countess from russia so I think

this somewhat fits that region of fashion
with an American style.

Gift of the Magi

 Donna Marie I like the idea of this dress because it
shows the wealth that she has. I wanted
her to be the wealthiest sister because
she has moved far away.

I like the yellow because I want

something lively but also innocent.

Gift of the Magi

 Lady Boot Clerk
I chose this because I like the idea of
the female ensembles wearing darker
colors, so that the main girls will
stand out.

This dress fit the profile that I was

looking for a lady selling boots.

Gift of the Magi

 Male Watch Clerk
I would like for this Caroler to
have the sack suit and have them
wear spectacles.

The spectacles provide something

different for the audience to see.

I feel like the bowtie also gives

them another thing to look at.

Gift of the Magi

 Woman with Umbrella
This Caroler would be wearing a woman’s
walking suit of the time and they would
be carrying an umbrella.

I like the idea of using the walking

suit because I want her to be wearing a
jacket because she also has an
umbrella, whether if she is using the
umbrella for the sun or for rain.

Gift of the Magi

 Carolers
I would like the Carolers to be dressed in
darker clothing that was popular during the
time period.
I want the emphasis to be on the main
characters.
I would like for the women to be wearing the
suits that is in the period research slide,
unless specified for the special carolers.
The men would be wearing ditto suits,
because I want something different for them.

Gift of the Magi