If ‘the clothes make the man,’ then most assuredly, the costume makes the character.
For months now, my 12-year-old twins and I have looked forward to the debut of Hollywood Costume at VMFA. We can now testify, it was worth the wait.
Grab your crew and run to VMFA—at breakneck speed—as if a giant boulder were rolling behind you! (And yes, you’ll see Indiana Jones’ ensemble once you get there.)
If you need some conversation-starting leaping points to spur your family’s enjoyment of the star-studded exhibition, here are some snippets from our post-visit chat/review:
Before this exhibit arrived here in Richmond (it was organized by London’s Victoria & Albert Museum), some people in the art world were debating about whether or not costumes are actually ‘fine art.’ Do you think costumes are really art? Why?
He-Twin: “It’s definitely art; art is in all different mediums…we just don’t always see it.
She-Twin: “Yes, they are art; they were created with a lot of imagination by humans.”
You bring up an interesting point, what do you think about the people who design and create such character-specific costumes?
She-Twin: “They must have a strong idea of each character’s personality when they design the costume.”
He-Twin: “I bet it takes a really long time to make just one costume like the ones we just saw.”
Which costume do you think took the longest to make?
He-Twin: “The peacock one.” (Hedy Lamarr’s costume from Sampson and Delilah)
She-Twin: “I think the Queen Elizabeth one that had the pumpkin seeds woven in it.”
Which was your favorite?
He-Twin: The Harry Potter costume, because it was like a school uniform with a magical feel. ..the pose was holding a wand.
I wasn’t expecting to see that very famous Marilyn Monroe dress from The Seven-Year Itch. Did anything you saw in the exhibit surprise you?
He-Twin: “I was surprised to see the witch hat from The Wizard of Oz. It was really cool.”
She-Twin: “I was surprised to see some of the accessories…like the purse from Legally Blonde.”
When I saw the one of the outfits Helen Mirren wore in The Queen, I thought how fun it might be to try it on. If you could, which costume would you like to try on?
He-Twin: “The Pirates of the Caribbean costume…although I do not believe it was Jack Sparrow’s [as the label states]. I have seen all the Pirates movies, and I would swear it’s Barbossa’s. Any kids who visit the exhibit, and have watched the movies, what do you think (share in the comments)?”
She-Twin: “I would definitely try on the Dorothy costume from The Wizard of Oz. It’s smaller than I expected it to be…and not as blue as it is in the movie. Now it’s more gray.”
Would you recommend other kids your age go see the exhibition? Why?
He-Twin: “Yes, because it is cool to see the actual costumes in real life that you’ve seen in movies before.”
She-Twin: “I recommend it especially for girls who like to design and draw clothes. It’s inspirational!”
What did you like best about Hollywood Costume?
She-Twin: “The costumes were positioned in a way that it almost felt like a fashion runway.”
He-Twin: “They had an action section, and a girlish section with lots of queen costumes—it had a good layout. I liked how they had placed the label information so that it looked like tickets. I also liked how the mannequins had poses instead of just standing straight…the Spiderman costume was great that way.”
Beyond the incredible opportunity to be so intimate with iconic pieces of costume design and film history, one of the aspects I liked best as a mom is that we are STILL talking about the pieces of art featured…days after our first experience. No doubt, there will be a second, and a third viewing… and likely more before the exhibition closes February 17th, 2014.
For details and to plan your visit, please visit VMFA’s website here. Maybe we’ll see you there!
(There is no photography permitted in the exhibit. We took our pictures in the entryway, and in the silver-screen specific mini-gift shop at the exhibit’s exit. We bought the companionate text before our visit. Highly recommended!)
