When Bridgerton first aired back in December 2020, we were in the midst of the pandemic. I, like many others, had spent months navigating a rather bleak world of Covid tests, alarming news bulletins, homeschooling, isolation from family and friends, the list goes on, so when Netflix debuted a new period drama, I was all in. I was ready to watch something light, romantic and fun, something that would enable me to escape the narrow and uncertain world I was living in.
The series did not disappoint. It was fresh, witty, sexy and gorgeous to look at. There was colour and beauty, decadence and frivolity and, I believe, the look of the show was integral to its initial success. The way Bridgerton made viewers feel through its distinctive aesthetic was equal to the plot in keeping viewers coming back for more. And as the seasons have continued I’ve been alert to how the locations, scenery and costumes have evolved to support the main plot points and characters. This commitment by the production team to the style of the show is little commented on but an important part of its success. Therefore in this newsletter, inspired by Elizabeth Holmes’s wildly popular So Many Thoughts newsletter where she dissects the power of fashion, I take a look at the costumes of Season 3 and how they speak to the interiority of the characters and the overall tone of the show.
Throughout Bridgerton, viewers have seen a stunning array of costumes from the production team. It is a huge endeavour that requires months, even years of planning, with 7500 pieces of wardrobe made for Season 1. While the fashion takes its inspiration from the Regency period - you will notice the use of the empire line shape of the gowns - the costumes are not designed to be historically accurate. They are instead a blend of the contemporary and the traditional and nowhere is this more obvious than in the decision to not use bonnets for the ladies, in a period where almost all would have worn them.
The design brief for Season 1 was about distinct colour palettes for each family, which set up the characters in this new Regency world quickly and clearly. For example, the Bridgerton’s (the main family on which the plot centres) dress almost exclusively in Wedgwood blue, indicating their elevated position in society. It is classic and elegant, reflecting their confidence as esteemed members of the Ton.
In contrast the new-moneyed Featherington’s are presented in bold citrus colours that seem at odds with their refined environment. They stand out and indeed are outsiders in a society they have only just entered. Their clothes reflect how little they understand the rules of this world.
Lady Danbury and the Duke of Hastings in Season 1 take on a darker palette of deep reds and crimson shades to indicate their closeness to royalty. Danbury is also rarely seen without her cane and hat, both costume props that remind viewers of her masculine power, as a wealthy widow with the ear of the Queen.
Fast forward to Season 2 and fan favourite Kate Sharma (who when we first meet her is an uptight spinster but eventually goes on to become Viscountess Bridgerton) wears rich jewel toned jacquard gowns of teal and purple and jackets, set off with jewellery and hair decorations that are a nod to her Indian heritage.
For Season 3 the costuming has evolved again:
“It’s more textural, a little more blurry,” Costume designer John Glaser told Vogue, “We layered fabrics – for instance, we’d take a warmer colour and a cooler colour and combine them, so when you’re looking at a dress, you’re not totally sure if it’s blue or green.”
By now the audience knows the characters well clearing the way for the team to be more playful in the way they communicate the storyline through clothes. While the focus of the first episode is clearly Penelope Featherington’s style transformation when she declares to dressmaker Genevieve that, “I do not wish to see a citrus colour ever again,” there are much subtler ‘Easter eggs’ planted throughout the season to reflect Penelope’s inner thoughts and feelings.
The key transformation scene where Penelope undergoes a Cinderella makeover, sees her arrive at the ball in a stunning emerald green beaded gown. It is the first time that Colin begins to see his childhood friend in a different way and therefore has to be dramatic enough to stand in contrast to the ubiquitous white, silver and pastel hues of the rest of the Ton. Interestingly, it is a nod to the eventual blending of Colin and Penelope’s families, as Bridgerton blue and Featherington yellow combine to make green. It is a colour that the costume designers play with throughout the season but tone down to make much softer as Penelope becomes more accepted by society.
However, in a season all about getting to know your true self, Penelope’s gowns are often hard to pin down. With the use of sheer fabrics and clever overlays, the viewer is left wondering about colour choices. As Pen wrestles with who she wants to be, so her clothes are a continuing mix of textures and shades until the final episode when she is seen with the Bridgerton clan in Wedgwood blue, indicating that she has finally found her place and security within the family.
As for Colin, he goes on his own sartorial journey, shedding the baby blue frock coats that defined him in the previous two seasons for a ‘sexy pirate’ look when he returns from his travels abroad. Now, his colour palette leans towards dark blues and browns and fabrics including leather and denim. To highlight the confidence he has gained as a ‘man of the world’ the costume team favoured open shirts, chunky belts and boots for the scene when he returns home, so he is less boy next door and more Byronic romantic hero.
Eloise’s fashion arc also reflects her growing sophistication. Gone are the high collars and blouses and in their place are more mature necklines, long embroidered coats, and embellished gowns that echo her growing friendship with the flamboyant Cressida Cowper. And as Eloise begins to accept her transition to a woman of society rather than a debutante she embraces her femininity and seems to have fun with it. Gone are the days where she was actively uncomfortable in her clothes, when she was constantly chafing against the literal and metaphorical restrictions the fabric imposed, now she is owning it. And this change extends further to her styling, which has something of the Audrey Hepburn about it, with elegant up dos replacing the loose waves of previous seasons.
For me the other key fashion moment of Season 3 is Kate Sharma, the new Viscountess. Although Kate and Anthony make fleeting appearances in this season, it is wonderful to see through Kate’s fashion choices, a woman stepping into her new role whilst firmly incorporating her Indian roots. Now she is married she can afford to take more sartorial risks and I am definitely here for them. She now favours earthier colours, sari-inspired ball gowns and has the confidence to expose more flesh mirroring her confidence in her relationship with Anthony.
So far during three seasons of Bridgerton the costume designers have wowed us with their creativity and use of fashion as a storytelling tool. For super fans the style of each character is an indication of their emotions, love interests, maturity and narrative arc and beyond that, they are just fabulous to look at. I can’t wait to see what they do next!
Who is your Bridgerton fashion icon? Do you enjoy decoding the fashion of the show? Let me know your thoughts.
Kate truly shined like a diamond in her beautiful gowns this season!