Djali and Clopin are great ideas to pair with an Esmeralda costume to make a couple costume duo.
Djali Costume options
For Djali there are two methods, one is get a white goat costume
or you can get a goat mask and pair it with is white clothing. I would suggest getting clothes made from fleece for the texture but you can use whatever you have in your closet.
However the most important thing to do to turn this costume from a boring goat to talented Djlai is cutting a hole in the ear of either the mask or costume and putting a gold earring though.
Clopin costume option
Disney’s Clopin is harder to buy items for given that his clothes are two tone but fear not you can get an approximation of this costume. You’ll need yellow pants or better yet leggings, a purple shirt, long or short sleeves though long is better. You’ll also need a yellow cape or shawl or poncho. If you’re the crafty type you can sew some bell to the hem. In addition you’ll need a few accessories, like a gold earring (see above,) a purple venetian mask, a hat, and black gloves. The hat is a little tricky as purple renaissance hats are not in a ready supply but I tried to give some options of hats that could work.
Pants
Cape
Mask
Hat
near shape of Clopin’s Hat with a feather
Jester hat with the right colors
Gloves
If you want a ready-made-costume, this one is close, just add a gold hoop earring, the mask, a hat and black gloves.
On the whole, I like the costumes. There is a lot of good textures and colors that match the spirit of the Disney movie but elevates them to the stage. In particular, I really like Esmeralda’s main costume and Phoebus’ costume. While I don’t they are accurate to the actual historical times they don’t really have to be. Though I did look up Burgundian fashion/armor and Phoebus might not be too far off, but really it does matter. Esmeralda has a very good re-imaginaing of her Disney look. I find it a bit curious that her hip scarf is devore, which is a velvet that have treated so that fibers are burned away resulting in a pretty pattern. Kind of like this. I find it curious because I have longed suspected that Esmeralda’s original Notre Dame de Paris costume was done with a similar technique so is it an homage or coincidence? I think it’s a coincidence but I like to think it’s an homage.
Ciara Renee as Esmeralda, Papermill production of Hunchback of Notre Dame
Her other costumes are fine too, though I get shade of Ariel’s seashell bra with her red dress in the bodice. Not a criticism, it just something I noticed.
Patrick Page as Frollo singing Hellfire, Papermills
However there are aspects of the costume and make-up are I find to be lacking.
Let’s start with Frollo. Poor Frollo, I have not been kind to this version of him. First off Frollo gets like two costume changes. The black outfit he wears at the start before he takes his vows and during the curtain call. His other costume is his vestments which is his principle costume. He does also wear a black cloak when he goes to the bar. There isn’t so much as issue with his costume as does fit with his character and profession but they could have done more. His vestment is white with a black stole with a red lining and that is fine but they should made different stoles that cover more of the pure white robe as he falls deeper into lust because his lust was hardly ever communicated in his acting. Frollo is so cool in this version with minor bits of it here and there because the songs had the lines in the lyrics. Making his costume get a blacker as the show went on would have been a great little visual clue to his psyche as his lust consumes him.
Michael Arden as Quasimodo performing Made of Stone
Kind of a similar issue I had with costumes functioning oddly was the congregation removing their cowls during Made of Stone. The idea was that that they were aspects of Quasimodo’s mind as well as personified in stone but because they actors are both the statues and people as other points in the show, taking off the cowl reads more of a costume change and they are going for the stones that are Quasmodo imaginary friends to regular towns people. I would have had them pull up the hoods of the cowls to hid their face i.e. losing the humanity Quasimodo gave them and fading into the darkness as soulless statues of stone. Not throwing off the cowl entirely. (sorry for the bad picture)
Michael Arden as Quasimodo with Saint Aphrodisius, Musical Production of Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hey speaking of Quasimodo, his make-up. I have so many issues with his make-up. I get what they were doing, they wanted to drive the point of what makes a monster and what makes a man by having the actor literally transform into Quasimodo on stage. This is a gimmick and it serves to make it seem like the audience wouldn’t get the point and ultimetly making the Disney movie more mature and taking it audience more seriously.
Also this is not a great transformation, the actor applies like two lines of face paint to his face and that is his facial deformity. Honesty, I don’t have a issue with making the make-up minimal and having the actor do more of the work to convey Quasimodo’s deformity, that is what Notre Dame de Paris did and they had a much more minimal of a style and they still be more lines on Quasimodo’s face, making that make-up more elaborate. Also it’s not super impressive from a stagecraft perceptive to have a grand set and lines for make-up for a character that is supposed to have facial deformity. Maybe had they added a little bit more to that real time transformation, like an eye protusion prothetic it would have been a little more impressive. Der Glockner’s make-up wasn’t anything amazing and yet it looks like the Phantom of the Opera comparatively but that wasn’t the point they wanted to be minimal, (or save on the make-up budget.)
The issue of “minimalism” is something that will get discussed in the next post but it seems like there is a solid disconnect of the make-up, the costumes and the sets. For the most part the sets and the costume go together fine. They are not what would considered overly grand and elaborate but they richly colored and textured but the make-up is minimal? It’s just weird especially for a character who is known for a facial deformity? That is like making the Phantom of the Opera’s deformirt look like a sunburn, oh wait they did that.
It was a decent thought for Quasimodo’s make-up but it was misguided and lacking in execution. It’s like they needed to pick a style and commit, not have aspects of the production to be one style and other aspects be another.
And remember you can still vote in the poll, so tell your friends.
What should be the next version?
Quasimodo d'el Paris (53%, 9 Votes)
The Dingo Version (35%, 6 Votes)
Other (PLEASE say what it is in the comments) (12%, 2 Votes)
Now that 2016 Award Season is over, let’s look at some gowns that are reminiscent of Esmeralda costumes, or something that an Esmeralda could wear. I’m 100% positive these gowns are in no way inspired by Esmeralda, it’s all coincidental.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon wearing Oscar de la Renta at 2016 Oscars
This gown is an Oscar de la Renta wore by Reese Witherspoon at the 2016 Oscars. This gown has a lot of commonalities to Disney Esmeralda’s costume. First off, the color, it’s a lovely rich shade of purple. The silhouette is very similar to Esmeralda though longer.
The exposed corset details with the vertical boning is similar Esmeralda’s corset especially with it being on the waist right below the bust. The volume at the bust also invokes Esmeralda’s peasant blouse.
It being strapless also helps, as Disney Esmeralda had exposed shoulders.
Saoirse Ronon
Saoirse Ronon wearing a custom Calvin Klein at 2016 Oscars
This gown is a custom Calvin Klein that Saoirse Ronon wore at the 2016 Oscars. It is very reminiscent of Esmeralda costume in Notre Dame de Paris, in its color, deep v-neck and the abstract spiral pattern. This pattern which is created with sequins would be perfect for Esmeralda’s Notre Dame de Paris costume more than some those floral patterns they get for the costume.
Zendaya
Zendaya wearing Marchesa at 2016 Golden Globes
This gown was designed by Marchesa and Zendaya wore it at the 2016 Golden Globes. I have made it clear I don’t care for Esmeralda wearing red but it is a go to color for her character so I can’t fight it. There is something about this gown that screams Esmeralda. It could be the tiers which is a very dancer type of silhouette which work for Esmeralda.
Zendaya in this gown looks very similar the the design of Esmeralda on the Notre Dame de Paris poster. She might be a good candidate for Esmeralda actually if they ever did Notre Dame de Paris as movie or in States again or a general musical.
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith wearing Versace at 2016 Golden Globes
This gown was design by Versace and Jade Pinkett Smith wore it at the 2016 Golden Globes. This gown seems to be to like a merger of Esmeralda’s two Notre Dame de Paris costumes. You have the color and slit of her first act costume with the cowl neckline and sleeve detail of her prisoner costume.
Rachel McAdams & Sophie Tuner
Rachel Mcadams wearing an August Getty Atelier dress at 2016 Oscars
Sophie Turner wearing Wearing custom Galvan at 2016 Oscars
These two gowns aren’t ones I would compare to Esmeralda’s Notre Dame de Paris costume, though the colors are on par her fist act costume but I wanted to note the slits on these two gowns, it how the slit on the NDdP costume should work. Not the ugly curved thing they do.
Tori Kelly
Tori Kelly wearing Gauri and Nanika at 2016 Grammy Awards
Also the Gauri and Nanika gown that Tori Kelly wore at the 2016 Grammy Awards was the perfect Esmeralda color. The gown itself is lovely though it is not really that reminiscent of Esmeralda.
I know very little about fashion, most of the time I dress is sweats because I like being comfortable and warm which are the stereotypical banes of fashion. But I had an idea for a blog post which I will do at the end of the month but the idea gave me another idea finding a high fashion/couture evening gown that was similar to Disney Esmeralda’s costume but in that up I found more which resembled the Notre Dame de Paris costume which I know most people don’t really like and have gown down recently. So here are some gowns that resemble the costume wore by Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys.
Oddly these are all Ellie Saab which I swear was not intentional.
Emerald Gown by Elie Saab Spring 2012
Esmeralda’s costume is a weird green color with some kind of print be it abstract or floral. It has a v-neck with asymmetrical bell sleeves. There is also sequins or beads on it. Ideally the costume should move when but that is not always the case. This gown has a lot of the basics down. The color is so perfect that is Emerald. Sleeves are tough to come by in gown so that is a pass but this one does have caps so that is something. Just take away that belt and add a slit and this would be perfect.
Green Gown by Elie Saab Eall-Winter 2013-2014
As an alternate, and yes there are a lot more gowns out there that would fit the bill but for today with other one by Elie Saab would do nicely. It’s a darker color of green but that is fine. This one also has the plunging v-neck and the beading creates a nice pattern. I like this one because it looks like it have more movement than the other one but that is due to the cut. Though again, gotta lose the belt though it doesn’t bother me as much.
Blush Gown by Elie Saab Spring 2011
This gown really inspired the post. This one just to me captures Fleur de Lys from Notre Dame de Paris. It has a grace and primness but there is more to than just a good noble lady. I just wish the bottom was a little bit different not because it’s not pretty but that type of slit is so Esmeralda. It could work for Fleur de Lys given the waistline though and her more edgy moments in the musical.
Also speaking as someone who likes the original Esmeralda costume, I really don’t like a lot more recent remakes. The shortness doesn’t look good it, just weird and the print which tries to mimic the original never looks as interesting. I think some better update need to be down,
One of the greatest things about Disney’s Esmeralda’s costumes is how easy it is to translate into difference type of costumes and how easy it is to buy components for.
One type of trend that is easy to turn Esmeralda’s costume into is a Hipster. Let’s face it who doesn’t love Hispters in an ironic way.
HDE Women’s Jean Style Cute Skinny Jeggings Fitted Pants Low Rise Moleton DenimSkinny Jeans are to hipsters what a hunchback is to Quaismodo, necessary!
SOHO GLAM
Button Up Plaid Flannel in Blue TealOK, this a two-tier suggestion, This Flannel shirt works as her hip scarf and corset you just have to tie it around your waist.
FUNOC® Women Ladies Baggy Beret Chunky Knit Knitted Braided Beanie Hat Ski CapTo capture Esmeralda’s headband go with a pink muffin hat, nothing could be more perfect for an Esmeralda hat.
At last there is exist the Clopin Catsuit, wow, trying saying that three times fast, ok it’s not that hard. Anyway I got an e-mail about a Clopin catsuit from Zentai-Zenati.com. A Zentai is a a full-body skin tight suit, I first learned what a Zentai was from an episode of Archer, episode 03×08, Lo Scandalo to be exact.
Of course, there are two other movie Esmeralda costumes that would be fun choices for Halloween, the 1956 and the 1923 version. Both are simple and you can pretty much buy what you need or go to your closet.
Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda, 1956 Hunchback of Notre Dame
The 1956 costume is bold and striking. It reads Gypsy or at least dancer in a modern yet classic way. You will need a basic red short sleeve shirt, long red skirt, a leather belt with gold details, a dagger, and coin earring and bracelet. Pretty simple yet sexy. You can add the veil and a hip scarf if you want.
Here are some options for the 1956 costume that you can buy on amazon.
Simple Red Shirt
This shirt while simple is the right cut for the 1956 costume. The belt will help create the shape of the costume.
This skirt would be a good option has it has a nice jagged hemline which look like the 56 version and it moves well.
Also comes in purple for Disney version.
Red Satin Skirt
This skirt is also a very good option. It’s simpler but it still lovely.
Hip Scarf
You can add a belly dancing hip scarf to make it fun but you don’t have too.
Brown & Gold Belt
A brown belt should do the trick but a brown belt with some gold details would be perfect. This is a great option if you don’t have something in your closet already, and you can wear it for every day wear.
Much like the bracelet if you can get coin hoops that would the best but just plain gold hoops would work well.
Just add a little dagger and you’re set! Perfect 1956 Esmeralda
Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
The 1923 verison is an 1920 take on Gyspy costumes which makes it a kind of whimsical and on a fashion trend since with Downton Abbey and the 2013 The Great Gatsby movie, the 1920’s are an in style. The 1923 version is a little tricker than 1956 to buy for but you can get the idea. Since the 1923 version is black and white you can pick any colors you want but one poster for the movie depicted her costume as yellow and purple, so that is what I would suggest.
All you need is a short sleeve loose white blouse, a yellow skirt that hits roughly below the knees but above the ankles, a vest or bolero and hip scarf and a long beaded necklace.
Here are some options for the 1923 costume that you can buy on amazon.
The 1923 Esmeralda wears a little vest but you can get a yellow bolero. If you wish you can cut off the sleeves or leave them on if you want. This one is made from knit so it would be harder to remove the sleeves but the details of the knitting look nice and would match the bohemian style of the costume.
The 1923 Esmeralda wears lots of long necklaces so you can fun layering what ever you have. But I would recommend trying to get some yellow and purple in there in you opt for that color scheme.
From the Heart of the Ocean to the Evenstar to that ring in the Phantom of the Opera movie, jewelry can play a big part in a film’s narrative. Despite being a large part of the book, Esmeralda’s necklace has never been seen in the movie version.
Costume design from the Opera La Esmeralda
Esmeralda wears a small oblong bag fasten to a necklace of red seeds. The bag is made from green silk and has a large imitation emerald made from glass. This is where she gets her name from but the fact that the stone is fake means that she too is fake. Esmeralda is not a real Gypsy. Inside the bag is her only link to her real self, a baby shoe.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) showing the necklace to Esmeralda Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
Having the pouch in a movie would mean that Esmeralda’s backstory would have to be played out in some way. In the 1923 movie, Esmeralda did have a necklace to signify her origins but it was a medallion and in the 1999 parody version she had a birthmark.
Esmeralda Smiling, Maureen O’Hara 1939 HUnchback of Notre Dame
However, a few years ago there was talk that the Brolin movie would be more of an action-adventure tone and treasure hunts are popular plot mechanic for that genre. If the narrative was somehow centered around Esmeralda’s jewelry having a connection to a treasure that could be location at Notre Dame, like it’s a key or just part of it, you could have a story that keeps are as a Gypsy since films like that and have her jewelry as a focal point.
Esmeralda and Sister Gudule by Benjamin Lacombe from Notre Dame de Paris Tome 2
Personally, I wish the origins of Esmeralda and her original necklace would be played out in a film very but also I like jewelry in general so I would just like to see how a film could work it in to a narrative even if as stupid as the idea I proposed in that last paragraph.
In the realm of Hunchback we know that Quasimodo will (or should) be ugly and deformed and Esmeralda should be pretty, these are truth in in the novel, they have set looks. Frollo, while he does have a set look in the novel and is supposed to have an austere harsh look gets a wide variety of looks in the movies. So today we’re are going to look at some Frollo’s various hair styles.
Frollo’s hair in the book is balding. he had tuff of ugly gray hair on the side which give him a natural tonsure. Movie never go for this look
Jehan 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame Brandon Hurst
In the 1923 we have two Frollo, Pious Claude and Jerk Jehan. Jehan has black hair that goes to ears and he also seen wearing a bowler-like hat. Claude has sepia color. He has a receding hair line.
Jehan Frollo, Sir Cedric Hardwicke 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the 1939 version we again have Pious Claude and Jerk Jehan. Jehan has black hair that is a straight cut across his forehead. He has lock that curl on the side his face. Claude has white hair and he wears a bishop hat.
Frollo (Alain Cuny), 1956 The Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the 1956 version, Frollo has a full-head of brown hair. He keeps it short.
Kenneth Haigh as Frollo 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the 1977, Frollo has the brown hair with a straight bang line.
Derek Jacobi as Frollo, 1982 Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the 1982, Frollo hair at is at it’s most stupid. It’s a blond bowl cut.
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the Disney version, Frollo has the same cut of 1939 Jehan but with gray hair. His bangs cut straight along the center of his forehead and then it recedes.
Richard Harris as Frollo
In the 1997, he is bald.
Daniel Lavoie as Frollo Notre Dame de Paris
In original Notre Dame de Paris version, he has very short brown hair.
Richard Berry as Frollo 1999 Quasimodo d’el Paris
In the 1999 parody version, Quasimodo d’El Paris, he has short black hair with long thin sideburns.
Frollo’s look in the movies (and musicals) are very different than the novel but they seem based Frollo’s look on the past movies than on the novel.
Disney Princesses/Characters are common choices for costumes but usually one or costume is chosen more than what that character wears in the movie. But let us see which costumes of each character is the most cosplayed. Characters must have at least two costume changes in the movie. I will go through the first 100 cosplay pictures of the character in google images. I will search them by their name and word “cosplay” and in Jane and Anna case, Disney was added. Keep in my mind Google Images change a lot.
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to be exact.
movie, the 1920’s are an in style. The 1923 version is a little tricker than 1956 to buy for but you can get the idea. Since the 1923 version is black and white you can pick any colors you want but one poster for the movie depicted her costume as yellow and purple, so that is what I would suggest.
