The Artistry of Outlander at the Paley Center
I think we can all agree that the costuming department of Outlander really outdid themselves this year with the Parisian fashions. So when I heard that The Paley Center for Media has an “The Artistry of Outlander: An Exhibit of Costumes and Set Design” running through August 14, 2016 I HAD to go!
I apologize now because I am a complete sucker for costumes and you may be getting more pictures than you ever imagined or wanted. But for those of you who are suckers for costumes like me…I hope I give you enough of a taste in the event you’re not able to see the exhibit for yourself.
Pulling up to the Paley Center my friend and I were greeted with this:
OMG OMG OMG…IT’S THE RED DRESS!
We went inside and I was able to get this close to it!
SWOON!
Look at that lacing up the back…sigh….and that detailing on Jamie’s waistcoat….double sigh.
There was also this lovely cloak Claire Fraser wore on the ground floor:
But the majority were upstairs. So we headed that way:
Going up the stairs we turned a corner and ran into King Louis XV:
Then we turned another corner and ran into….
BLACK JACK RANDALL! Well his costume at least.
Remember this beauty from the Starchamber scene?
Well it was part of the exhibit:
Thankfully that stone stayed white while I was around it.
Next were examples of Louise de Rohan and Louis XV:
I’m going to stop a moment and give you guys a little info that they had posted at the exhibit. All of these costumes are custom made. They bought white silk and dyed it for these amazing colors. The Outlander Costuming Department had it’s own Embroidery Team. Meaning they did all the embroidery you’re going to see on these costumes themselves! They also hand-painted silks as well! They made over 10,000 costuming items between the principles, secondary characters and extras. That’s panniers, corsets, shoes, purses, undergarments, gloves, etc. Mind blown!
Before getting to the rest of the costumes, we entered a room where there were examples of some of the set design miniatures and plans of Jon Gary Steele’s designs on the wall:
I couldn’t resist taking a selfie to look like I was in the Starchamber:
But the rest of the costumes…oh the rest. Can you hear the angelic chorus singing?
First, dressing robes from Claire and King Louis XV. These are examples of the hand-painted silk:
Just look at that painting detail!
We all remember the devastating episode where Claire miscarries, and the ‘homecoming’ Jamie gets after being released from the Bastille:
This grey number is very reminiscent of an 18th c. painting I love with some 1940’s Dior elements thrown in:
I’m a sucker for chatelaine’s. I own one, but need these little useful items to place on it. Look how lovely this one is. The basket ornament, the keys, the little pincushion…drool.
There were some lovely drawings on the walls as well, and I wish we had gotten to see this ensemble:
At first when I was watching this season, I kind of bristled at some of Claire’s outfits until I saw the more authentic dresses other characters were wearing and realized they wanted a look that was both 1740’s and 1940’s. After realizing that…I wanted them all.
We all remember, but would like to forget, Annalise de Marillac:
I loved how frilly and childish this looked next to Claire but there’s no denying it is stylish for the time and apparently modeled after an actual 18th c. ensemble:
Just look at that lace and trim.
He may be the Father of Douchebags but there is no denying the Comte St. Germaine had a style that was brought to gorgeous life by Terry Dresbach and her team. There was a quite an array for him.
First is this beauty that he wore in the Starchamber scene:
Yes…you read that right. Metal trim details. And the lace. And the buttons. And those boots.
How about this handprinted number:
They got everything. Look at that painting detail. Remember, that is done by hand. The lace cravat, even the little buckle on his leg. Yes, I’m gushing over a buckle on his trousers.
Remember when Claire first meets the Comte?
The buttons on this are to die for!
Look at those. Those tiny little flowers embroidered on those buttons.
I can’t place these next two in the context of the show, but let’s still admire them shall we?
Even the back is detailed and embroidered. They went all out.
Of course Bonnie Prince Charlie was quite the dapper dandy as well:
Look at all that embroidery!
Louise was quite the fashionista. Again, I can’t place these in the show, but the pooch purse is amazing.
And another hand-painted delight:
Speaking of hand painted. This final outfit of Claire’s in the collection had me drooling.
Just wait until you see this:
Look at these buttons on the gloves and the draping on this cape! Just…ugh! Gorgeous!
How do you drape like that? I need to know!!!!
So after drooling, sighing, taking way more pics than I’m even showing here…my friend was finally able to drag me away.
We headed back down to the main lobby area where there was a SoCal Outlander lass hanging about and she just so happened to bring JAMMF with her so he got into a few shenanigans. They had a VR exhibit for Shark Week and Jamie decided he had to try this futuristic contraption out:
It’s a good look for him…ok, maybe not.
Then I decided to live out my dream of being with JAMMF and having major cleavage by taking advantage of their Claire cut out:
And that was the exhibit!
If you live in or around the L.A. area you really should try to go. The Paley Center is free to visit, but they ask for donations to keep them going. If you time it right you might be there when they show the Paley Center Q&A with Outlander from 2015 in the viewing theater they have.
What do you guys think? Do they look as exquisite in my photos as they did on screen? Which one is your fave from the exhibit?
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