The head “wings”, imagined by Atwood as a mechanism to shelter the handmaids’ faces and stop them from communicating with each other, could have been problematic when filming, but Crabtree used layers of thin linen to create a “beautiful lightbox around the face”. She looked to traditional Amish dress for notes and constructed “poetic baseball caps” that aided the actors by hindering their movement. Colour became an intense obsession, Crabtree tells us. “In Atwood’s simplified universe, everyone was divided into controlled groups depending on their role. Each sub sector needed a uniform to overthrow any individuality, so colour was a very tribal way to identify this.” Most post-1980s high school students—those whose libraries didn’t ban the book, anyway—will recognize Gilead from The Handmaid’s Tale, a 1985 work of speculative fiction by famed writer and environmental activist Margaret Atwood. If the dystopian tale was required reading then, its new small-screen adaptation—coming to Hulu April 26th—feels like required viewing now, and not just for teens. Costume designer Ane Crabtree, tasked with bringing Gilead’s dystopian dress to life, agrees, admitting that her creative process was particularly emotional and charged because the show’s filming schedule aligned with the results of the 2016 presidential election. Spencer: You spoke a little about research which is what I wanted to ask you about next. Research plays such an important role in costume design, so what type of research does this show entail? The thing that makes this show so horrific sometimes is that I can imagine a lot of inspiration probably comes from just turning on the news at some point. Natalie: No actually, not at all. It’s just a way of rethinking the obvious and rejigging it for the characters to convey the storyline. I had to get very inventive which is interesting because I absolutely love taking objects of regular use and giving them a whole new meaning or usefulness.

Making your own Handmaid's Tale Costume can be a fun and creative DIY project. You need a red dress, a white bonnet, and a tote bag. Cut off the collar and sleeves of the dress, find or make a white bonnet with ribbons, find or make a white tote bag, and wear brown boots or shoes.Spencer: Hi Natalie, it’s so nice to virtually meet you! I know it’s such an eye-roll question nowadays but how have you been? Spencer: It’s such an incredible achievement, we are so happy for you! My first question I always love to ask my guests is how you came into your life as a costume designer, and how did you end up taking on a role on The Handmaid’s Tale?

Spencer: Wow, so I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to The Handmaid’s Tale, you have done it all! I’m interested to know what your initial reaction was when you received The Handmaid’s Tale script? Outside of the color spectrum, Crabtree applied her design expertise to small subtleties that may go unnoticed by most viewers. “I gave the Handmaids lace-up boots that were modeled after a pair I have, but then I took away their laces so that they can’t even consider killing themselves,” she says; that move is also a reference to Atwood’s original novel, in which many Handmaids attempted self-harm to escape their warped reality. “We sewed the grommets down, and then on top of that we did a boot cover, so they can’t even be reminded that they used to have laces. It’s just a sleek cover. That was a way of oppressing them mentally.” Natalie: Every colour has a meaning, a symbolism worldwide. When we look at something, it is the very first thing we register in our senses. Colours evoke emotion instantaneously. From fiery reds to dark navys. Everything has a meaning and assemble. From across the room you can see where everyone comes from or belongs to in a particular society. The interesting thing about this show was having to think a little outside the box with very strict parameters, which was an incredibly interesting way to work.While it’s still the middle of the year and Halloween is technically 4 months away, we can find just about any excuse to dress up. Whether it be for Halloween, a virtual themed-party, a cosplay event, or just Tuesday, dressing up is one of the best forms of having fun. And speaking of cool costumes, The Handmaid’s Tale has got to have some of the most thought-provoking costumes on TV right now. You can just tell the level of attention and detail given to each one – from the commanders’, the wives’, the Marthas’, to the handmaids’. So if you’re still feeling that post-season 4 finale high, here are 13 The Handmaid’s Tale costumes that you can wear to your next party! Within the handmaids’ uniform, Miller tasked Crabtree with creating individuality. “Uniformed prisoners often use their hair to show personality, but the handmaids’ hair is covered by the white “wings” that shield their faces. Moss worked with Crabtree to develop a storyline, which is not showed in the series, to aid individual costume development.

When the dystopian world was created, everyone had to give their red clothing to the red centres, where the handmaids were housed, as no one else was permitted to wear that colour. Upon a handmaid’s initiation she was allowed to choose one item to have as her own individual property, a sad gift from the aunts.” Moss’s character, Offred, chooses a red sweater that allows her to style her uniform differently, but brings the “past, present and future” together on one outfit.Of the outfits that Offred, formally known as June, wears in the past, Crabtree was influenced by Moss’s own wardrobe. “The main thing was to use pattern, and show skin, to assault the eye in a way that would contrast the simplicity of the future”. We offer a variety of products to help you create your own Handmaid’s Tale Costume. We have clothing and accessories for both handmaids and commanders, such as the long red dress, the white bonnet, the tote bag, the commander’s suit, and more. You can also mix and match our products to create your own unique look. Spencer: Speaking of strict parameters, because of Gilead’s very strict way of life, do you ever feel restricted when it comes to navigating the costume journey? The Handmaid’s Tale is a popular TV series based on a novel by Margaret Atwood. It is set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime has taken over the United States and forced fertile women to become handmaids, or concubines, for powerful men.