Costume Design for Blood Brothers

?

Mickey (Child)

Messy hair - young, no inhibitions

Muddy make-up - rough-and-tumble play; contrasts the immaculate Eddie

Oversized shirt and shorts - second hand from Sammy

Clothes are in colourful but mismatched colours - bright and outgoing personality; little taste

Shoes with holes - cannot afford new ones (class)

1 of 14

Mickey (Teenager)

Tidier hair - trying to impress Linda

Casually worn oversized working-class school uniform including jumper - second hand; shows class

His tie is red - highlights political views

Shoes have holes - cannot afford new ones

2 of 14

Mickey (Adult)

Messy hair - has stopped caring about anything

Make-up to make him seem tired - wearied by life and by time in prison

Grey Adidas tracksuit - shows class; bleak colour reflects internal mood

Pockets for drugs

Adidas trainers - lost his individuality and has become just one of the masses

3 of 14

Eddie (Child)

Immaculately gelled hair - care Mrs Lyons takes over his appearance

Crisp white shirt and grey shorts made from silks - highlights class

Long grey socks with two horizontal blue stripes around the top - blue connotes political views; style of socks is typical of the time

Black polished shoes - he spends most of his time indoors and does not play the same dirty games as Mickey

4 of 14

Eddie (Teenager)

Immaculately gelled hair - takes care over his appearance

Middle-class school uniform including blazer made from silks - highlights class

His tie is blue - connotes political views

Black polished shoes - he prides himself on being an exemplary student

Locket hidden under shirt - knows he should not be wearing it

5 of 14

Eddie (Adult)

Hair is immaculately gelled - takes pride in his appearance as he has an important job

Crisp white shirt, grey trousers and blue tie - blue connotes his political views while the grey and the white show he lacks he lacks individuality

Black blazer - foreshadows death

Slim black shoes with buckle -- typical of the 70s for men

6 of 14

Linda (Child)

Hair in plaits - connotes youth; practical for playing games

Make-up to make face look dirty - enjoys playing rough games with the boys

Faded flowery dress, cotton - cheap material and probably a hand-me-down from an older sister who was more typically girly

Shorts are worn underneath this and holey trainers - really a bit of a tomboy so more practical and prefers these clothes; her family cannot afford new ones

7 of 14

Linda (Teenager)

Hair is down - trying to attract Mickey and becomes more girly

Cheap lipstick - wants to mimic upper classes

Working-class school uniform made from cotton - cheap material at the time

Her tie is red - connotes working-class political views and also her feisty nature

Shiny black shoes - takes more care

8 of 14

Linda (Adult)

Hair in a ponytail - practical for doing housework

Make-up to appear tired - has stopped caring and gets little sleep

Floral cotton dress - typical pattern for working-class in the 70s; cheap material

Shapeless apron - practical; cannot afford well-fitted clothes

Grey shoes - drab nature of life

9 of 14

Mrs Johnstone

Hair is back - housework/cleaning

Cheap lipstick - wants to appear more attractive (like Marilyn Monroe)

Plain shapeless cotton dress in drab colours - cheap material and design; colours convey prospects of working-class single mother

Two aprons

Flowery and bright - conveys mood when feels good about self (eg. Marilyn Monroe 1&2, Bright New Day etc)

Plain beige - feels despairing and insufficient or worried (eg. Marilyn Monroe 3, Easy Terms etc)

Plain worn shoes - probably hasn't bought a new pair since marriage

10 of 14

Mrs Lyons

Hair up in a tight bun - shows her tight control and power; parts come unloose throughout the play as her mental health deteriorates

Make-up transforms from immaculate lipstick to showing age and tiredness as the play progresses

Crisp silk blouse - expensive material conveys class; pristine to show her obsession with appearances; the colour changes throughout to reflect her shifting moods

Grey midi skirt - grey shows that truth is blurred and nothing is certain; the style is typical of middle-class women in the mid-late 20th century

Purple high heeled shoes - heels give her extra height to symbolise her power over others; purple is considered a royal colour

11 of 14

Mrs Lyons' Blouses

First appearance (returns with shopping and places shoes on the table)

White to convey innocent and elicit sympathy from Mrs Johnstone

When she convinces Mrs Johnstone to give her a baby and then start of Act 2

Pink connotes ideas of love, family and innocence

Through the rest of Act 1

Dark blue to convey middle-class and to connote her right-wing political views; darker colour reflects how she is becoming more paranoid

Visiting Mrs Johnstone after seeing the locket

Red to convey paranoia, guilt, desperation and madness

Informs Mickey of the affair and onwards

Black as she is in complete despair and mourns her felt loss of Eddie; foreshadows twins' death

12 of 14

Narrator

Hat - masks face and creates mystery over identity

A black suit - connotes funerals/death; conveys middle/upper-class as he has the power

Tie changes colour eg. black and red for death and guilt

Smart black tap shoes - can hear tapping when he walks which is ominous

13 of 14

Mr Lyons

Immaculate hair - takes great care over appearance for work

White shirt and brown suit made of silk - he does not wear black as he is completely unaware of the transaction and has no idea of the twins' impending death; material shows class

His tie is blue - political right-wing viewpoints

Smart brown shoes with buckles - typical of thee 1970s

14 of 14

Comments

WHY_NOT

Report

Amazing. This REALLY Helped

WHY_NOT

Report

Thanx

H.D.A.

Report

thanks a lot g, we dont have to fail now thank u so much

H.D.A.

Report

our performance is next week

Starwars420

Report

bruh

freyasb

Report

thank you so much!!!!!!!!

Michelle277

Report

As if I'm writing this stuff down the night before my mock xD

theymademesignup

Report

cheers

matilda234

Report

this is so helpful,thankyou

thahaa15

Report

THANK YOU G 

Naer2981001

Report

thank you so much

Similar Drama resources:

See all Drama resources »See all Blood Brothers resources »