Beetlejuice: A Look Into the Iconic Fashion

INTRODUCTION

In 1988, the film Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton, was released. The film stars Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, and Michael Keaton. The film follows a recently deceased married couple who want the new family to leave their old house. They employ the help of Beetlejuice (Keaton) to much chaos and turmoil. It has become a somewhat iconic film in the nearly 40 years since its release, and a sequel is to be released on September 6th, 2024. In this post, I will discuss some of the iconic fashion looks featured in this film, as well as the impact they have had on modern-day stylings. 

DESCRIPTION

The first character I'll be looking at is Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder. Lydia spends most of her screen time in the movie wearing all black. 

Source: Heroes Wiki

Her outfits have inspired much of the goth style that has been popular in recent years. Later in the movie, she wears a bright red wedding dress, which was the idea of costume designer Aggie Guerard Rogers. This dress is replicated in many a Halloween costume, but is also notable on its own. Director Tim Burton was originally against the idea of the wedding gown being red, but came around to it. 

According to Burton, he worked very closely with Rogers for each and every look for the character of Beetlejuice. The most iconic outfit in the entire film is Beetlejuice's black and white striped suit. In fact, this is the outfit he is featured in on the poster for the movie:

Source: IMDb

This suit, like Lydia's red dress, has been copied numerous times for Halloween costumes. This is the one outfit that screams not only "Beetlejuice" but also the horror-comedy genre as a whole.

Analysis

Keaton was hesitant to join this film, but once he did the first thing he did was talk to the wardrobe department. This shows a commitment to the fashion of the film, which paid off in a big way. His costumes are perhaps the most iconic parts of this movie. But his costumes aren't the only important fashion. The goth looks presented by Lydia in the film are very important to the gothic style tribe because they brought the somewhat niche fashion right up to the big screen. I think that while this movie isn't about fashion per se, the role of fashion in this film cannot but overlooked. The costumes in this film are instantly recognizable decades after the release of the film, and its legacy continues to live on.

Conclusion

I enjoy this film greatly. I think the set design and look that Burton committed to is visual candy. The score is fun, the cinematography is pretty, and the performances are just the right amount of corny. I would highly recommend this film.