Transforming an Icon's Attire: The Modern Reinvention of Beetlejuice's Wardrobe
The outfits featured in the 1988 movie had such a significant impact that imitations of Aggie Guerard Rodgers' designs have become staples in the Halloween costume industry. Lydia Deetz's iconic red tulle wedding dress, worn by a 16-year-old Winona Ryder in the film, has become the go-to outfit for cool girls during Halloween celebrations. The trend was further popularized in 2018 when model Bella Hadid wore a precise replica of the scarlet gown alongside singer The Weeknd, who dressed up as Michael Keaton in his famous burgundy tux.
The revamped 2024 version of the movie, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," faced high expectations from fans, with costume designer Colleen Attwood ensuring a nod to the original's iconic looks. Despite the movie's rich fashion history, Attwood found room for improvement, refinement, and even experimentation. During a Zoom interview, Attwood discussed her inspirations for the costumes, elaborating on her choices for the underworld's bureaucratic waiting room, the aging process for Beetlejuice's outfit, and the creation of Lydia's wedding dress.
CNN: What inspired you when designing the costumes for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”?
Attwood: For the underworld (a bureaucratic waiting room of sorts, for ghosts like Beetlejuice), I drew inspiration from the 1970s. We had characters with various colors, so I chose hues that complemented blue faces without being too bright or overwhelming. This led to a '70s-inspired color palette.
For those in the underworld for extended durations, I incorporated styles from different decades, such as the 1920s, '30s, '40s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. Though various periods were present, the overall palette remained minimalistic within a set boundary.
Inspiration for the "Bob's," the shrinkers (or zombies) in the underworld, came from old Century 21 Real Estate men who wore matching gold-toned blazers, brown ties, and white shirts. I had specific ideas for this portion of the world.
CNN: How did you approach designing costumes for a film with numerous historic fashion moments?
When working with iconic characters, it's essential to acknowledge their original appearances. Beetlejuice's signature striped suit remained, but Attwood gave it a fresher, worn-out look, while still acknowledging its history. By using more organic materials and an aging process that involved dyeing and fraying, she was able to show Beetlejuice's aging process while paying tribute to the original costume design.
The same approach was taken for Beetlejuice's wedding tuxedo, which had the appearance of a cheap, rented tux, but with improved fits. Attwood prescribed a challenge that was both enjoyable and rewarding, allowing them to honor the original designer's work while adapting to 2024's fashion trends.
CNN: What techniques did you use for the aging process of the costumes?
The aging process started with dipping the fabric in a color to create a dirty effect. After the garment was made, liquid dye paints were used to add green mildewy edges to the black and white fabric, making it appear softer and aged. The edges of cuffs, pant bottoms, and the area around the neck were discolored to give the garment an unclean and worn-out appearance. The aging process could take 2-3 days to complete, as each layer required time to dry.
CNN: Warner Brothers. provided you with the original wedding tux from the archives for Michael Keaton. What was that experience like and did you have the chance to see any other costumes from Rodger's archives?
The original tuxedo was a simple, off-the-rack tuxedo. While it wasn't particularly impressive, Attwood wasn't overly enthusiastic about it, as she was focused on creating her own version of the costume. Unfortunately, Attwood did not get the opportunity to view the original wedding dress in person.
CNN: What was your process for recreating Lydia’s iconic wedding dress?
Attwood's starting point for Lydia's wedding dress was its Victorian silhouette. By skewing langue from France and using various lace combinations, she was able to create a lighter, more breathable version of the original, yet still maintaining the dress's Victorian essence.
CNN: Do you prefer creating costumes from scratch or working with vintage clothing?
Attwood enjoys both creating costumes from scratch and repurposing vintage clothing, as she loves exploring and playing with different time periods and combining them to create unique worlds. This diverse approach to designing costumes made the project special and enjoyable for Attwood.
In discussing her inspirations for the costumes in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," Colleen Attwood mentioned drawing inspiration from various fashion decades for the waiting room's inhabitants, creating a mix of '70s, '20s, '30s, '40s, '80s, and '90s styles while keeping the overall palette minimalistic. When addressing how she approached designing costumes for the film with numerous historic fashion moments, Attwood explained the importance of acknowledging the original appearances, such as keeping Beetlejuice's striped suit but giving it a worn-out look to honor the original design while incorporating 2024 fashion trends.
