“You are what you wear” they say. There is no doubt that the physical aspect of how we present ourselves is often a reflection of who we are (or want to be, in some cases). While society may dictate what you can or cannot wear, how you wear it is every bit personal.
Subconsciously, many of us dress to impress. As our personality evolves, so does our choice of clothing – which is why what you may have preferred in your twenties may not be your go-to style in the thirties. Most people are aware of how the clothes they wear sends powerful signals to their peers and strangers.
When it comes to making a period drama, a lot of time is invested by designers into giving characters the look that best fits their personality and origin. Sometime back, Baahubali made news for the costume choices of its lead cast and the team that worked on the costumes instantly shot to fame.
Internationally, Michele Clapton, April Ferry and their team have been in the limelight for their work in the Game of Thrones series.
The costumes have been consistently recognised with awards and appreciations. Every season, the characters get a makeover depending on how their character graph moves. The costumes provide vital clues about the thought process of the character itself and are therefore a significant part of the series.
Much more than an outfit
Right from the beginning, the designers at Game of Thrones strove to establish a clear style for each of the seven kingdoms. The noblemen and ladies in waiting usually imbibe the style of the lead cast.
The costumes also tie back nicely to the political climate. For instance, one can observe the ladies in Westeros copying Cersei’s fashion sensibilities early in the series. Later, when Queen Margery gains political mileage, one can observe them imitating her dressing style.
Another thing worth noting is that some characters seem to be easily influenced by the people around them - these people then imbibe the styles of powerful men and women around them. Some others, however, like their personality, defy societal norms and create their own signature style.
So what can we observe about season 7, looking at the costumes of the major cast? Needless to say, since winter is officially here, the cast is dressed in warm, dark clothing – we see a lot of wool, leather and other heavy fabrics.
Barring a few characters like the sand snakes, everybody seems to be taking out their heavy jackets and capes.
Sansa Stark
Sansa’s character arc has been very interesting. From being trusting and gullible , she has evolved into a careful person who is very aware of the dangers that lurk around her. One can see how Sansa always changes her style of dressing, often imitating the person she looks up to.
When she first comes to King's Landing, she starts wearing her hair like Cersei and starts donning delicate silks like the other ladies at the King’s court. Later, however, when she finds hope in Margery Tyrell, she starts imitating her clothing style and even wearing her hair like Margery. As she heads east to Vale, she finds comfort in wearing deep dark colours (even her hair is dyed black) like Peter Baelish and finally her appearance becomes very subdued when she stays with the Boltons.
When Sansa finally returns to the North and joins Jon Snow in season 7, we get a glimpse of a very guarded Sansa dressed in vibrant colors that her mother once wore. It is as if Sansa has finally found her calling – embraces the fact that she belongs to the North.
One cannot, however, discount her hair. Sansa’s hairstyle now resembles Cersei from her early days (season 1) and Sansa herself admits that she has learnt a fair deal from Cersei.
Euron Greyjoy
A character who loves attention (good or bad), his clothing finally seems to follow his personality. This character got a major makeover from season 6. There were memes about him being dressed for the Westeros Fashion week.
He looks like a rockstar and certainly has the attitude of one! While some people have called his makeover ridiculous, it is clever in some ways. The way the guy saunters in, talks (taunting Jaime) and behaves recklessly - possibly this might impress Cersei. Since Jaime has become all mature and level headed, Euron could be seen teaming up with Cersei to inflict some serious pain on the "good guys".
Euron’s style is flamboyant much like his personality.
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys is one character who has worn a number of interesting outfits. From sheer seductive dresses in season 1 to her black outfit in season 7, one can see that her wardrobe has become less whimsical and more serious.
Sometimes, there are subtle hints to her feminine side – like even when she is wearing her pants and boots, she drowns them under flowy dresses. As Dany returns to Dragonstone in season 7, we get a breathtaking shot of her landing on the shores and walking in this dark power shoulder outfit. Now, Dany has always loved her capes and padded-shoulder outfits.
But she finally lets go of the delicate cuts and goes for a more “I mean business” look. It is as though she is ready for combat. The colours of her outfit also seem to match with Drogon – dark black shades with a hint of red. Red and black are also the colours of the House Targeryan, so it does seem befitting for her to wear those at this stage in the series.
The combat friendly outfit does mean Dany is looking to ride Drogon and go to battle – only time will tell if this is something we will get to see.
Cersei Lannister
Cersei continues to sport the gunmetal clothing she wore for the season 6 finale. There is a lot of speculation around what this may mean. For starters, she seems to have given up on the Lannister family colours and trademark gold accessories – this signifies that Cersei is trying to distance herself from the loss she has suffered.
In fact, one can hardly spot the Lannister emblems on her physical self. For a woman who loved elaborate jewellery and hairdos, this minimalist look does seem eerie. Her pixie cut and a new crown and accessories seem to match the very iron throne.
Needless to say, Cersei is fast becoming the mad queen – blood thirsty and angry. She is very detached and all she seeks is revenge!
It is certainly interesting how much one can read about the character's mood from their costumes. The costumes often give us a peek into what is going on in the character's head.
As the plot progresses, one can observe the characters evolve with their clothing. Some characters like Peter Baelis, the Red Lady and Varys the spider have stuck to their trademark looks through the seven seasons, telling us that their personalities are strong and do not get easily influenced by their surroundings.