There are many techniques you can use to help build your world, or ground your setting, or give dimensions to your characters. You can use music, you can create elaborate sets, but one of the best ways is the costumes you create.

People make instant judgments about a character within moments on the screen and the outfits are a really important part of that first impression. More than this, you can also use costumes as a way for storytelling, what do they say about this world, what do they say about how a character is progressing. 

Costumes can build worlds, tell us details we can only see, but also they can just make us say ‘hot damn’ look at that beading on that dress, that must have taken hours to do. So without further ado, these are the costumes that made us say ‘hot damn’ in 2019. Be warned that there may be some slight spoilers ahead for the films in question. Also. Please click on the banners to be taken to the full review.     

Avengers: Endgame

One of the many ways Avengers stuck that landing was in creating the memorable set pieces and the many different costumes were a core component of it.           

Directed by – Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Costumes by – Judianna Makovsky           

Jojo Rabbit

Every costume in this film is an extension of their character, for better or worse.       

Directed by – Taika Waititi
Costumes by – Wendy Cork

Knives Out

Weaponised knitted sweaters

Directed by – Rian Johnson
Costumes by – Jenny Eagan

Rocketman

Directed by – Dexter Fletcher
Costumes by – Julian Day

It does kind of help when you have all of Elton John’s history of amazing and off-beat costumes to choose from

Shazam!

Shazam!

Subdued and the bold and brash, a film of juxtapositions

Directed by – David F. Sandberg
Costumes by – Leah Butler

And the Winner is!!!!!

Knitted sweaters for miles and miles, this is Knives Out. Each of the costumes makes you able to sum up an entire character in one moment. It is a delight from start to finish.