Detail, Simplicity 8629 by Firefly Path. Image: Simplicity.
This Halloween, a look at faerie costumes.
Jareth’s fairy ball in Labyrinth (1986) Costume design: Ellis Flyte and Brian Froud. Image: The Atlantic / TriStar Pictures.
Part Tinkerbell, part Titania, today’s fairy look can be traced back to Brian Froud and Alan Lee’s 1978 book, Faeries. Froud collaborated on the costumes for Jim Henson’s cult fantasy, Labyrinth (1986), while Lee became best known for his conceptual design work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The year before Labyrinth, Ridley Scott’s Legend (1985) introduced the Tinkerbell-like Oona. Costume designer Charles Knode had previously worked with Scott on Blade Runner.
Oona (Annabelle Lanyon) in Legend (1985) Costume design: Charles Knode. Image: Pinterest.
The ’90s soon brought Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991), with Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell. In this Dream-inspired couture editorial by Koto Bolofo, the opening image channels Peter Pan — or is it Puck, with a McQueen-clad Titania?
At the Jardins de Giverny in Atelier Versace and Givenchy haute couture by Alexander McQueen, L’Officiel, September 1998. Photo: Koto Bolofo. Editor: Guylaine Tilleau. Image: jalougallery.
At the end of the decade, Michael Hoffman’s big-screen version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999) — the first in over sixty years — featured costumes by the award-winning Gabriella Pescucci (The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Age of Innocence).
Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999) Costume design: Gabriella Pescucci. Image: IMDb.
Froud and Lee’s Faeries was reissued for its 25th anniversary in 2002, the same year as Koto Bolofo’s “Tinker Belle’s Forest” editorial in Vogue Nippon.
Founded in 2005, Faerie Magazine recently featured Los Angeles’ Firefly Path on the cover. (Free download here.)
Firefly Path with Fancy Fairy Wings on the cover of Faerie Magazine, Summer 2017. Photo: Ether and Smith (Ellen McGowan). Image: Enchanted Living.
In the new millennium, fairies became an otherworldly ingredient in the urban fantasy subgenre. Holly Black’s children’s series saw a film adaptation as The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008). HBO’s True Blood introduced “the Fae” a few seasons into the show, with costume designer Audrey Fisher dressing her fairies — Claudine, Maurella, even Queen Mab — in ethereal pieces from designers like LA’s Sue Wong and Marianna Harutunian.
A glimpse of Claudine (Lara Pulver) in True Blood, season 3 (2010) Costume design: Audrey Fisher. Image: HBO.Lara Pulver as Claudine in True Blood, season 3 (2010) Costume design: Audrey Fisher. Image: IMDb.Maurella (Kristina Anapau) wears Sue Wong and Marianna Harutunian in True Blood, season 4 (2011) Costume design: Audrey Fisher. Image: Marianna Harutunian on Etsy.
In 2015, the New York Times’ T magazine featured Faerie Magazine in its Holiday issue:
“The Faerie Fantasy,” T magazine, Holiday 2015. Photos: Marko Metzinger, Lynn Theisen. Image: The New York Times.
The next spring saw a new BBC production of Shakespeare’s Dream, adapted by Russell T Davies and with costumes by Ray Holman (Torchwood, Fleabag).
Maxine Peake as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016) Costume design: Ray Holman. Image: BBC.
And now the Seelies, as the Fair Folk are known in Shadowhunters, have their own spinoff trilogy.
Lola Flanery as the Seelie Queen in Shadowhunters, season 2 (2017) Costume design: Shelley Mansell. Image: fandom.
Fairies have long been a fancy-dress standby, but a more recent trend is fairy costume patterns for adults. This empire maxi dress from Andrea Schewe adds wings, cape, and a crown for tissue lamé.
Simplicity 9454 by Andrea Schewe (2000) Image: Etsy.
Disco fairy rings are in store with this Simplicity design from the mid-aughts. From Elaine Heigl Designs, it has a ruffled skirt, corset, and top for sheer knits. Wings not included.
Simplicity 4902 by Elaine Heigl Designs (2004) Image: Etsy.
Also from Elaine Heigl, this fairy costume has several variations, including trousers. (“Purchased Wings.”)
Simplicity 3632 by Elaine Heigl Designs (2007) Image: Etsy.
In the teens, Cosplay by McCall’s released patterns for a horned headdress, and DIY fairy wings with matching hat and stockings — this last by cosplayer Becka Noel.
M2101 Hornery (2017) Image: Cosplay by McCall’s.M2104 Ala Glow by Becka Noel (2017) Image: Cosplay by McCall’s.
Simplicity has licensed several Firefly Path designs, including this highly detailed fairy princess ensemble. For your faerie wedding, designer JoEllen Elam Conway also sells Firefly Path bridal gowns and capes in her Etsy shop.
Simplicity 8629 by Firefly Path (2017) Image: Simplicity.
How on-trend is faerie dressing? Out this month, Vogue’s latest book is Fantasy & Fashion.
Happy Halloween!
Saoirse Ronan wears Chanel couture on the cover of Vogue: Fantasy & Fashion (Abrams 2020). Photo: Steven Meisel. Editor: Grace Coddington. Image: Vogue.com.
Queens of the Game in McCall’s lookbook, Spring 2014. Image: Issuu.
Dear HBO, Have you considered costume pattern licensing? With a new trailer for season 6, and season 5 out on DVD, here’s a look at completely official Game of Thrones sewing patterns sewing patterns inspired by Game of Thrones.
Fantasy Play in Simplicity’s lookbook, 2014. Image: Andrea Schewe.Dark Faerie Tales in Simplicity’s lookbook, Summer 2015. Image: 3D Issue.
Costume designer Michele Clapton won three Emmys for her work on the first five seasons of Game of Thrones. Season 6 will see a new costume designer for the series: April Ferry, who designed the Emmy Award-winning costumes for HBO’s Rome (2005-2007)—which also starred Tobias Menzies, Indira Varma, and Ciarán Hinds. (Read a Costume Designers Guild bio here.)
Still of Ciarán Hinds as Julius Caesar in Rome (2005) Image: HBO / IMdB.
Update: Michele Clapton returned as costume designer during season 6, winning two more Emmys for “The Winds of Winter” and season 7’s “Beyond the Wall.”
Costume for Daenerys Targaryen from “Beyond the Wall.” Image: Making Game of Thrones.
Given the two-way relationship between Game of Thrones’ costume design and fashion, the costumes are interesting even if you don’t watch the show. (Full disclosure: I’ve made more than a few Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire costumes, including S2 Daenerys, book Quaithe, and Lyanna Stark.)
Cersei Lannister costume from Game of Thrones, season 1-2. Image: Bell Media.Alexander McQueen for Givenchy haute couture, Fall/Winter 1997-98 (Eclect Dissect). Image: The Costume Institute.
McCall’s
In spring, 2014, McCall’s released patterns for the most popular women’s Game of Thrones costumes, Daenerys Targaryen and Cersei Lannister. Both M6940 and M6941 are available as printable downloads. (I made M6940 for my Lyanna Stark costume; preview here.)
Last month, the company launched a new Cosplay by McCall’s line with three patterns including a unisex Westerosi cloak, M2016, “for those for whom winter can’t come soon enough” (press release here). Their pattern for the cross-fastened cloak worn by the people of Westeros (including Jon Snow, Eddard Stark, and the Stark children at Winterfell) includes an optional fur capelet. There’s also a hooded version similar to Sansa Stark’s hooded cloak:
Cosplay by McCall’s 2016 (2016) Cloak XHooded view of McCall’s 2016 (2016) Image: Cosplay by McCall’s.
Simplicity
Simplicity’s Game of Thrones costume patterns emerge in full plumage, but quickly change colours to evade capture.
Andrea Schewe’s Game of Thrones adaptations for Simplicity also started appearing in 2014. Simplicity 1347 combines three Daenerys outfits—wedding dress, Dothraki Khaleesi, and Qarth court dress—with the elf Tauriel from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). (Now out of print, but see S1010.)
Simplicity 1487 includes court dresses for Cersei Lannister and Sansa Stark. (Now out of print, but see S1009.)
Simplicity 1487 (2014) Cersei Lannister and Sansa Stark costumes. Image via Etsy.
Simplicity 1246 has costumes for Margaery Tyrell and Daenerys, specifically the split dress and cape she wears as leader of the Unsullied. (This version out of print, but see S1008.)
Simplicity 1246 (2014) Margaery Tyrell and Daenerys Targaryen costumes.
Simplicity 1137 includes two Sansa Stark costumes. Michele Clapton conceived both as showing Sansa’s own handiwork: the dress with flower-embellished neckline from season 1 and ‘Dark Sansa’ from the end of season 4. The necklace refers to Sansa’s needle—“a jewelry idea of [Arya’s sword] Needle.” (See Fashionista’s interview; for more on Game of Thrones’ embroidery see Elizabeth Snead’s article in The Hollywood Reporter and embroiderer Michele Carragher’s website.) Andrea Schewe has posted tips on making the feathered neckpiece. (Still in print with new envelope, S1137.)
Simplicity 1137 (2015) Sansa Stark costumes.Sansa Stark costume, Game of Thrones, season 1. Image: Michele Carragher.Dark Sansa collar detail, Game of Thrones, season 4. Image: Fashionably Geek.
Game of Thrones meets Star Wars in Simplicity 8074, a pattern for season 5’s Sand Snakes Obara and Nymeria with Rey from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) (still S8074):
Simplicity 8074 (2016) Warrior costumes: Sand Snakes and Rey.Sand Snakes costumes from Game of Thrones, season 5. Image: Making Game of Thrones.
HBO is owned by Time Warner, which has existing pattern licensing for DC Comics. Do you think HBO should license Game of Thrones patterns? I’d be first in line for a King’s Landing halter dress or Varys’ kimono.
Update (June 2018):Game of Thrones and Star Wars meet again in S8718 — season 7 Arya Stark with Rey from Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017):
Simplicity 8718 (2018) Warrior costumes: Rey and Arya.Arya Stark sketch for Game of Thrones, season 7. Image: Making Game of Thrones.
Update (August 2018): evil queen Cersei and Dragonstone Dany were among Simplicity’s fall costume patterns:
Simplicity 8768 (2018) Cersei and Daenerys costumes.Cersei Lannister costume on the back cover of Simplicity’s Autumn 2018 catalogue. Image: Simplicity.
And Burda’s new Renaissance costumes work for characters like Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister. Game of Thrones wedding, anyone?
Burda 6398 (2018) Image: Simplicity.Burda 6399 (2018) Image: Simplicity.
Update (September 2018): Just in time for Halloween, McCall’s released Game of Thrones season 7 costume patterns for Dany, Arya, and mad queen Cersei. Winter is coming…
McCall’s 7854 (2018) Daenerys Targaryen. Image: McCall’s.McCall’s 7855 (2018) Arya Stark costume. Image: McCall’s.McCall’s 7856 (2018) Cersei Lannister costume. Image: McCall’s.Battle of the Throne: Game of Thrones-inspired costumes in the McCall’s Fall 2018 lookbook. Image: Issuu.
PatternVault 