Costume Designs

Design costumes for a play. You must choose and analyze a play (one act or full length) and based on your discoveries - conceive a basic conceptual costume design approach for the major characters. This project should include not only written descriptions, but also visual research (photographs, paintings, illustrations by OTHER artists) and/or drawings, renderings of your own – that YOU make, scan and post on to your Blog. This option should include at least (300 words of written description and at least 10 visual images ).

Costume Designs For A Doll's House: By Amanda Olmstead

Nora Helmer: "house wife," middle class. Nora is a flighty, young house wife who lives in the middle class society. She would not have very fancy dresses, but they would still be elegant in nature. One of her dresses would be a dark maroon or crimson color, with hints of dark green in the ruffles. The shirt she has on underneath the jacket of the dress would be a cream. She would also have a feathered bonnet or hat. Another dress she would wear would be a cream color with dark blue bows, ribbons, and ruffles on it. When she goes outside, she would have white gloves, and a small overcoat. Her shoes would be black and white tie-up boots. Her hair would also be done in a curled or simple up-do. She would also wear a dangly earring to match her attire.

Torvald Helmer: banker, middle class. Torvald Helmer is in middle class society. He is a banker and is very proud of his new position. However, he acts like he is part of the upper class society. Many men of the 1870's wore hats and trench coats for their outer clothing. Upper class men wore top hats, whereas, middle class men wore bowlers. Although he is in the middle class, to impress his co-workers, he would wear a black top hat, with a black ribbon around the base of the hat. To contrast Dr. Rank, I put Torvald in a black trench coat. The suite style I have chosen to design for Helmer is a black jacket, with black pinstripe pants. I also have him wearing a white button up shirt with a white vest. To bring some color into this ensemble, I added a tie that is slightly lighter than dark or navy blue. His footwear would be a simple, black dress shoe, with possibly a small heal. Helmer would also have a groomed mustache.

Dr. Rank: doctor, middle class. Dr. Rank is in middle class society. He is neither in poverty, nor is he considered in the upper class. For his outerwear, I put Dr. Rank in an elegant, yet simple brown bowler. I also have him in a tan trench coat. Men also wore suites. Like today's businessmen, the suites included dress slacks, button-up dress shirt, jacket, and a tie. For Dr. Rank, I have designed a pinstripe dark brown pant, with a touch of dark blue for the pin stripe. His jacket would also be this color of dark blue. He would have on a dark brown tie and a white button-up shirt. I also have him wearing a grey vest with buttons underneath the jacket, over the white shirt. His footwear would be a simple, black dress shoe or even boot, with possibly a small heal. Dr. Rank also has a grey or darker beard. For his accessories, I have him with a dark brown, leather medicine bag and a black cane.

Mrs. Linde: old friend lived in poverty. Because Mrs. Linde had to once live her life in poverty, her dress would not be as elegant and frilly as Nora's. It would still, however, have a middle class since about it. It would be a light grey, almost white dress with lavender ruffles and ribbon, with black lacey trim. She would also be in black and white tie-up boots. She would also have on maybe a simple pearl earring.


Krogstad: Lawyer, higher class than the Helmer's. Krogstad is very arrogant about his position and higher rank than the Helmer’s. He would also wear a fancy top hat, elegant trench coat with a cane. He would also have white gloves for his outerwear. For his inner wear, he would wear black dress boots. He would also have a black, very elegant overcoat. His pants would be light tan with a light brown pinstripe. I would also have him in a dark grey vest over his white button-up shirt. He would have a matching dark grey, ascot-type bow tie. He would also wear a groomed mustache and beard.


Bob, Emmy, and Ivar: Torvald and Nora's children. The boys would be in tan and dark blue trousers. The youngest boy would have a shorter trouser that could even be considered knickerbockers. They would also have on jackets that matched their pants with a dark brown belt around their waste. The oldest one would wear a small ascot/scarf like bowtie. Emmy, the girl, would wear a short, calf length dress. It would be red and white with ruffles. She would also have a red ribbon in her hair. She would wear white stockings and black tie-up boots.