Ozmopolitan costumes

There's no place like home . . .

Texture, pattern, and tone: these are what make the costumes for the citizens of Oz so incredible! There isn't an unadorned surface, and besides the many different shades of green present in each costume, there are purples, blues, golds, and reds popping out in unexpected places!

Susan Hilferty said that when she was designing the costumes for the Emerald City dwellers, she put a lot of fur and feathers into them, showing the people's rather disturbing and exploitative feelings towards the animals they live side-by-side with. The feather plumes and huge fur collars are attractive and eye-catching, but when you consider them in this context, they are pretty eerie.

Each member of the cast in the Emerald City scenes has a unique accessory, and is often identified in the script by this, such as "Woman with Parasol", or "woman with Fan".

A contrast to the bright, flashy Emerald City costumes, the Ozian costumes are earthy and humble-seeming, but on closer inspection are just as textured and full of detail.

Shape is another important element in these costumes, with many being held out by hoops and wires to distend them.Asymmetry is everywhere, of course! The fabrics are coarser and not as glamorous, giving the rest of Oz a rougher, slightly more dangerous  appearance than the elite residents of the Emerald City.

Last updated 1/9/2007