Clothing can reflect us, but in the world of film, as one of the means of expression, it should. This seems to be forgotten in many modern films. Characters walk around dressed in the simplest way, and even if they are given a costume that is appropriate to the film, it remains just a motley, aesthetically pleasing but nevertheless generic piece of material that tells us nothing about the character. In a film, every element should be planned to play a role in conveying the story of a given character as best as possible.

Visual characterization

Appearance can be an emphasis on a character’s nature, social status or the function he plays in his world and in the story. Steven Spielberg, who has a great understanding of the language of cinema, was able to describe a character with one scene and one look at the physical appearance. In the very first scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark each item of clothing highlights what is interesting about Indiana Jones. The hat, that we associate with cowboys brings to mind a loner, a figure of mystery. The leather jacket is a symbol of a rebel, a person who doesn’t always play by the rules. However, the shirt visible underneath , we associate with a certain dignity and elegance. The bag slung over the shoulder suggests a person who is perpetually on the run, traveling. The whip hanging at the belt adds a kind of exoticism and intrigues with unconventionality. The overall image, presenting a charismatic traveler, has forever enshrined itself as an icon among cinematic look and will remain a  perfect standard to which future new adventure films will refer.

Harrison Ford in „RaIders of the Lost Ark” Directed by: Steven Spielberg; Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm Ltd.

In the first Jurassic Park movie the look emphasized the conflict of characters between the two key figures. Alan Grant, in his loose, light-colored excavation clothes, with a scarf and hat as a whole, suggests an old-school, traditional person for whom field work is an essential part of life. This contrasts with the black-clad Ian Malcolm, whose tailored pants, perpetually unbuttoned shirt, pendant and leather jacket suggest someone who is confident, feisty and has perhaps a bit too exuberant ego.

Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neil in „Jurassic Park” Directed by: Steven Spielberg; Universal Pictures

Symbolism

The portrayal of a character in a film or scene can also carry symbolism. Specific images or colors are etched into our consciousness as representations of various motives or attitudes. On this principle, the colors of a character’s clothing are often used to present inner conflict or risk of going to the wrong side. This is how, in the original Star Wars trilogy or Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, the heroes’ “romance” with evil is manifested through the slow change, respectively of the entirety of their clothing or undershirt, from white to black. The black swan motif, present in the culture and used in Darren Aaronofsky’s Black Swan, helps to emphasize the character’s perfectionism and obsessions without disregarding her delicacy and vulnerability.

Natalie Portman in „Black Swan” Directed by: Darren Aronofsky; Searchlight Pictures

In the case of some works, the symbol is not borrowed but created for the needs of the artwork. Netflix’s animated series Blue Eye Samurai presents traditional Japanese makeup as a subjection to the stereotypical role of women in 16th century society. Filmmakers are using this created symbolism later, in a scene when characters chance for a peaceful and conventional way of life is lost, with the main character’s makeup blurred by tears. A similar use of makeup can be found in Todd Phillips’ The Joker, where the clown’s makeup emphasizes the character’s “liberation” from morality and break with the restrictions of society.

„Blue Eye Samurai” Written by: Amber Noizumi, Michael Green; Netflix

Carrying the style

Some stories are so timeless that they come back like a boomerang. Every few years there is a new artist who tries to tell it anew, in his own style, touching on new aspects through the story. Probably no character is as good representation of this as Batman. Bruce Wayne has been incredibly lucky from an artistic point of view. Each of the interpretations of this character on the silver screen is signed by a distinctive artist with a unique style. This translates into the visual image of the character, in the costume design you can see what the director emphasized and in what style he operated.

Tim Burton’s two films show a shift away from realism to theatricality. Played by Michael Keaton, the character is dressed to “look.” This costume is not practical, the thick layer of rubber limits mobility, and the hard cowl, molded as a whole, completely prevents head movement. In the presented world, however, it doesn’t matter because it fits the convention of a gothic, dark fairy tale continuing the tradition of expressionism in cinema. Every time we see the protagonist he is imposing. Costume forms the silhouette of a large bat, a creature of the night that resembles ghoulish Gothic sculptures.

Michael Keaton in „Batman” Directed by: Tim Burton; Warner Bros.

Schumacher’s films have moved away from the gloom, romanticism and eerie atmosphere of their predecessors in favor of bombasticity, glamour and a festival of colorful lighting. Thus, the simplicity of the gothic silhouette of the predecessor’s costumes was transformed into something more extravagant.  The designs were more detailed and more ornamentation appeared. The sculpted, and perhaps slightly exaggerated, musculature began to be clearly visible. The material used itself was much less matte, and some of the emerging variants featured shiny silver accessories.

Val Kilmer in „Batman Forever” Directed by: Joel Schumacher; Warner Bros.

2005 brought us a brand new vision, from then young, up-and-coming British director, who today needs no introduction to anyone – Christopher Nolan. He poured his love of practical effects, traditional filmmaking and cinematic realism into the author’s trilogy. You can also notice a strong inspiration taken from Bond, with which the director never hid. All this resulted in a completely new image of the character. The uniform costume was replaced by a much more mobile-looking armor, divided into a mass of segments. The figure lost its intimidating silhouette and statuesque appearance, and the very “symbolic elements” of the comic image were lost in the multitude of panels and protectors. Instead, it gained a realistic vibe based on the equipment of SWAT units.

Christian Bale in „The Dark Knight” Directed by: Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros.

The next expressive filmmaker who made another attempt to present this character in cinema was Zack Snyder. His interpretation of this character, like his entire filmography, was characterized by pathos and haughtiness. His Batman was bitter, brutal and antipathetic. Zack presents the characters themselves as “gods,” beings from mythology, monumental and detached from human problems in favor of “higher goals.” This also put a stamp on the image of the dark knight. Attempts to show armor were rebuffed. The character wore a relatively thin material clearly emphasizing the physical body shape of Ben Affleck, who plays him. Drawing heavily from comic books and looking like ancient sculptures depicting figures from the Pantheon.

Ben Affleck in „Batman v Superman” Directed by: Zack Snyder; Warner Bros.

The latest vision of the story comes from the Matt Reeves-directed in 2022 The Batman. This director’s films are very “character-centric.” They are characterized by a strong immersion into the psyche of the main characters, usually building the plot around an internal conflict. In addition, the director is not afraid of using fantastical elements and setting them in a down-to-earth style. This also distinguishes this version from Nolan’s films, the world presented is “grounded-not realistic.” He has shown us a seemingly realistic world, which, however, is not afraid of the gothic and gloomy style so essential to this character. Such is the appearance of the character. Batman is dressed in armor inspired by Russian pressure suits, in many places marked by damage and signs of wear showing the protagonist’s fatigue. The design of the costume itself is very much related to the comic book image, emphasizing many symbolic elements. Also noticeable is the attention to detail for which Matt Reeves is known. Each element is a functional tool visually outlining the character’s paranoia about preparing for any eventuality. On top of all this, the director’s focus on the character’s psyche manifests itself in the design of the mask with very large eye openings. This allows the actor – Robert Pattinson to fully portray the character’s madness and emotions, helping to delve into the character’s inner vulnerability.

Robert Pattinson in „The Batman” Directed by: Matt Reeves; Warner Bros.

Storytelling

Character’s appearance can also be used directly to tell a story. Elements of the image can show us the history of the character, being integral to where the hero or heroine comes from and what he or she is going through. The aforementioned example is The Batman where Matt Reeves uses the costume and its elements to show specific aspects of the character’s past, such as trauma-induced paranoia or fatigue. In addition to that he is using the costume itself and its elements as tools used by the main character throughout the film.

Robert Pattinson in „The Batman” Directed by: Matt Reeves; Warner Bros.

The clothing, also mentioned above, of Mizu in Blue Eye Samurai is a kind of testimony to the character’s history. The glasses and hat hide the color of the character’s eyes but also tell us that the character has been hiding her identity all her life. The sword of distinctive metal is part of Mizu’s childhood under the guidance of a master blacksmith. The metal plates on her calves and forearms are also used repeatedly in the story and play an important role in many aspects of the character’s past. George Miller’s Mad Max Fury Road uses Furiosa’s prosthesis and Max’s orthosis to highlight the characters’ harsh past and conditions.

„Blue Eye Samurai” Written by: Amber Noizumi, Michael Green; Netflix

Costumes can also refer to a story outside the depicted world. Tell about aspects and events that influenced how the film looks and why it was made. The director, costume designers and the team working on the film Barbie put a lot of work into the creations in which the characters are presented on the screen. The outfits worn by the characters in Greta Gerwig’s film are a detailed transfer of the dolls’ looks throughout the history of the brand. Each individual design refers to a specific toy model. This shows the complexity of the work and the amount of effort that went into the production. It also allows fans to catch the references and appreciate how the designers transferred the looks from the boxes to the silver screen. As a result, the picture, through the costumes, not only tells the story contained within the script, but also alludes to the history of the real world. Greta Gerwig uses one of the elements of her work to pay homage to her inspiration, connecting the depicted world with ours on a metatextual level.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in „Barbie” Directed by: Greta Gerwig; Warner Bros.

This article is only a fraction of how appearance and clothing can build characters and take an active role in the visual storytelling of which the film is, after all, a celebration. One could dwell so much further. For example, about how costumes can relate to local culture and traditional clothing, or create new ones within fantasy worlds based on those of the real one. However, the purpose of this article was not to list everything but to encourage you to pay closer attention and appreciate the work of filmmakers and costume designers and to discover, as a viewer, new ways in which filmmakers use this aspect in film art.