The Fashion of The Handmaid’s Tale
For me, The Handmaid’s Tale is the most depressing show on television. But, when the gore and torture and misery become too much to handle, I find myself in appreciation of many the beautiful and meaningful costumes featured on the show— both because of their colors and aesthetic, and how each costume says something about the group who wears it.
The clothes traditionally worn by handmaids have become symbol of the oppression of women.
The cap covers the woman’s hair, and in many ways, her femininity. The bonnet obscures her face and identity, making her an anonymous figure used only to serve others. The red robe identifies her as a handmaid, as well as covers her body because, although their only purpose is for reproduction, they’re also supposed to be modest at all times.
Last year, women dressed as handmaids for the Naral Pro-Choice Texas March to protest anti-abortion laws, in order to compare the laws to the oppression of women in the show. However, the costumes have not only inspired political statements but the designers behind high fashion brands as well, with Vaquera partnering with Hulu to create an entire collection inspired by the show’s costumes to make a statement about female oppression.
The woman behind the acclaimed costumes is Ane Crabtree, who has also designed costumes for other award-winning shows like Westworld and Masters of Sex. Crabtree had an interesting task in designing the costumes for The Handmaid’s Tale, because in the original novel, author Margaret Atwood actually describes in great detail the garb of each character, meaning that Crabtree had to find a way to be creative while remaining true to the origins of the narrative.
According to Vulture, Crabtree said she drew inspiration from cults for the structural design of the Handmaid’s costume. The arresting, blood red color of their dresses and coats is meant to symbolize the fact that they are literally reproductive organs giving life blood to the country. Although the Handmaids' “purpose” is to have sex in order for procreation, their costumes are completely modest, covering their head and their bodies from necks to ankles. The narrative that Gilead puts forward, which aims to eliminate sex for pleasure, is reinforced by the idea that the Handmaids are forced to have sex once a month yet are also forced to be completely modest in their clothing at the same time.
The Aunts’ costumes are a nod at their absolute authority. They are dark in color, and merely from seeing them walk around, viewers can see how heavy their garments are in material. Crabtree also told Vulture that she added large pockets where they could keep tools used to torture the Handmaids.
The Wives on the show, however, get the most flattering looks of the groups of characters, which is likely to demonstrate their high place in society. They wear a rich, deep blue or green color which almost seems to shift in hue depending on the context of the scene. Although they are still modest, they are more fitted, stylish, and flattering than the costumes of the Handmaids, showing that due to their superior status they are allowed to be more feminine.
The Commanders are the most powerful people in the entire show, and their clothing reflects that. They wear crisp, dark suits that look like they’re made of a thick material, and none of them ever have even one hair out of place. They’re always wearing a suit, likely to show that they’re always exerting their power.
Crabtree created an overall visual effect with her costume design that enhances the viewer’s experience of watching the show, but also works to suggest how fashion similarly works in our culture today. Like the costumes of Commanders and the Wives, those in our society with the most power and influence often dress to reflect their status, and for many, the oppressive nature of the Handmaids' clothing is not so alien or unusual as it may seem to the privileged viewer. The costumes are a part of the identity of the characters themselves, and as the narrative arcs of the characters change, so does what they wear.