A former Costume Design graduate reviews Bridgerton’s costumes | all 3 seasons breakdown & analysis 

Just to clarify bc I did NOT explain myself well, I don’t actually think the designer bought fabric from Joann’s, the fabric just looks like it COULD have come from Joann’s! Also sorry for the Joann’s slander in the video, I’ve passed it down from my college professors lol.

Apparently, Eloise's S3 costume with the coat and the muff was done to hide the fact that the actress had broken her wrist, and she was in a cast.

Yeah Daphnes costumes in season 1 were very underwhelming. Cresidas designs in season 3 were UNHINGED.

I cant believe people like kate's costumes in s3 better. As a brown girl, she looked WAYYY better in s2. I almost felt like her s3 costumes were a hatecrime. The "indian" inspiration was a joke. Her s2 sleeves and colour palette were way more in line with south indian clothing

The fit of these dresses was bugging me and I couldn't put my finger on it until I realized it's the bust construction. The reason the nightgowns look better is that they have the historically accurate gathered bodices that give a much softer and more pleasing bust shape. For some reason they made all the outer dresses with a modern princess seam and barely any shaping; it flattens their boobs and also makes them look like they all came from David's Bridal. It's so disappointing.

I think with Penelope the difference (to Kate) is that she is supposed to look like that her mother doesn't put much effort in spending money on her, in a daughter without any prospect for marriage. And then s3 happens in which Penelope is actually spending her own money on her dresses. Overall it's purposeful. And while I don't always like the fashion in Bridgerton, I think they go for a look which is rarely seen in other shows. Also: thank you for the great analysis. :D

In regards to Eloise's hair styles - historically hair was worn up at maturity, which for the ton meant when a young woman was presented at court. Hair would be worn long before that.

A lot of the costumes give me "Highschool Prom but Regency"

Yeah they spoke about how Audrey Hepburn was apart of the inspiration for Eloise so its cool you clocked it. Also the actress looks so great in seafoam green, wildly enough so does Penelope when she also wears the seafoam green

Season 1 feels like a bunch of dresses were made, strictly by patterns, and then maybe tried to tailor to the actor

I have been HOPING for more costume opinions, thank you for making this video! I kind of like that Eloise has just piles of stuff around her face in season 1 - its like shes hiding, and she doesn't feel like she belongs in that world, and doesnt want to be noticed. And I loved the tweedy jacket thing on Francesca (but not really anyone else). They sort of felt like armor, as opposed to the wispy fabric that other characters wore, which is in line with her character seeking peace and solitude and calm away from the crowd. Also I think Penelope's wedding dress was beautiful, but to me it just didn't feel right. There's a dress she wore early in season 3 (I think when Varley compliments her), with the dark blue floral embroidery in lovely sections, and a tiny little sheer jacket, and something about that look feels so in harmony with Nicola's beauty in a way that Penelope's wedding dress didn't. The satin and structure of the wedding dress felt harsh and stiff and made her seem like she was trying to be older than she was, whereas those softer sheer fabrics just make her look so stunning and natural and mature. I wish we could have saved that wedding dress style for another actress and given Penelope/Nicola something more ethereal and light. Also am in full agreement about Kate, I love her costumes, am sad we don't get to see more haha Would love to hear your thoughts on the Extras throughout the series, especially on s3 - the mains get to have their fun, but I feel like the extras and minor characters really impact the vibe of each season, especially this latest one (where everyone looks like a featherington?)

The awful colors and tacky look of the Featherington’s is a big plot point of the books. Penelope hated the colors she was forced to wear, but it was always at her mother’s insistence.

I agree with you on almost all points, except that I really liked the simplicity of season 1 and think that they went a bit too far with the minor cast and background actors in season 3 (to a point that I was like...wait...should I know their names??). My favorite season is definitely season 2 and I love that that seems to be the general consensus so really I have no notes on that one, just very good all around including the Anthony glow up. For Penelope in season 3 I have some good, some bad. I really really liked the color choices for her transformation, with how they went bold with that deep green at first and then let her find herself with the softer tones. The embroidery detailing was also really really nice! However...I personally have a big issue with the underthings. Like...as someone who is closer to Penelope in plumpness than the any of the other actresses in the show I was so excited that she would get to show the world that you can be bigger and still look beautiful and sexy, and like..she did look beautiful (bc how can you not with that face). But with the way they specifically gave her a corset, that was more a modern fashion corset than anything historical I have ever seen and was clearly made to make her look slimmer and more "hourglass shaped," I was just so disappointed. It just reads to me like "yes you can be beautiful and sexy if you are bigger, but only if you are shaped correctly." They didn't even let her body breathe in the nightgown scenes...she is still wearing that corset underneath the damn nightgown...why?? Your have a leading lady with a great natural body and absolutely gorgeous large boobs (and she is very proud about that) and you confine her in a tight corset at all times??? In the historical sexy times show??? Booooo!! Sry for the rambling but man that aspect really disappointed me so much I had to get it off my chest lol

ik ppl have mentioned it already and you briefly referenced the fact it's supposed to look a bit tacky, but penelope is supposed to stand out w her dresses and look garish and tacky - for one, the featherington's like you mentioned, are new money and esp in s2, they're struggling financially after lord featherington's death. but for the most part, lady featherington intentionally dressed her daughters in yellow, green, orange, pink etc aka citrus colours (it's an intentional colour palette for the featherington's) bc she wants her daughters to be seen - she genuinely thinks they look beautiful.

I loved your take on the costumes. Definitely hope theres more color in the mens costumes in the future

Okay I so so agree about loving the costuming on the older ladies!!! Sadly the often overlook older women in costume dramas but they really do so well in Bridgeton

i thought the spencer’s were often ugly but i loved that eloise wore them. her higher neckline post debut prevented anyone from seeing cleavage. it was like her modesty was an intentional protest against being seen as an object.

Ik season 3 costumes for background characters are being hated on her being too “bright and bold” but personally I LOVE IT! I just love that the costuming department brought COLOR! The vibrancy, the details and embroidery of all the dresses and men’s costumes were 10/10 for me!! Personally, S1 and S2 was cute and I get people loved the simplicity of the costumes but idkkkk S3 ate in the costumes for me

Some of the costumes are a little bit hit-or-miss I do like the over-the-topness which contributes to the overall frothy spirit. And at least the Featherington fabrics are supposed to look cheap, there's a reference somewhere of the modiste hinting that these are the left-over fabrics (that no-one wanted). 36:45 usually the "greeny blues" are considered the cool blues, and the red-leaning ones as the warm blues.

The corsets... I've seen a lot of costumers and historical fashion experts complain about how stupid and unnecessary the use of long-line corsets for regency style dress is, but can we also take a moment to discuss how *bad* it looks? Almost every f-ing scene, we are seeing a hard ridge of something poking out from underneath the dresses across the upper hip and it looks like utter garbage. 11:36 when you're discussing how bad the bustline looks on Phoebe/Daphne, wtf is that ridge poking out across her abdomen?!? WHY?!? It's bad enough that the actors are being forced into apparently ill-fitted undergarments (based on their complaints of how uncomfortable they were), but undergarments that don't even make sense with the clothes on top of them and make the clothes look *worse*? Who tf thought this was a good idea?

Maybe an unpopular opinion herw but i didn't like kate's costumes in s3. She looks so beautiful but with the hair and makeup is just too much, especially the one she wore at the engagement party(??) with the sheer high neck overlay

this was so fun!!! love seeing your costume analysis

I’d love to see you review the outfits of the borgias

Simons green pin that he wears was his mothers.

7:04 I believe that purple dress of Daphne is from season 2.

You keep saying teal. I either see green or blue, but not teal.

Have you seen the video where the costume designer explains the costumes?, he knows it's not "accurate" and he doesn't give a crap, algo he hates bonets thats why we don't see any in the series.

The fabric in the first season was printed not embroidered. At least that's what it looked like to me. Horrible costumes in all. Usually I love the men's costumes, but again very, very boring.

I hated the green dress she wears in season two. The ugliest dress ever