How Costume/Make-up Can Create Meaning.

In the 2007 Disney film Enchanted, costume and make-up are used to emphasise the characters personalities. One scene where this is clearly demonstrated is in the musical number which takes place in Central Park in New York.

Amy Adams’ character Giselle is wearing a dress which is bright and colourful, showing her personality which is quite lively and vibrant. The fact that the colours of the dress are baby pink and blue highlight her childish nature and innocence, as these are the colours often associated with young girls. It is covered in small flowers (which she also has in her hair), showing her affiliation with nature. Her dress is flowing showing her carefree personality.

Her make- up is quite simple, showing her to be quite modest. Her hair is curly, which gives off a sense of her being quite exciting and wild, rather than if her hair was straight (coming across as quite boring.)

In contrast, Patrick Dempsey’s character Robert is dressed in a very common, plain way. He is wearing a black suit, which are associated with formal, high paid jobs. This would usually have positive connotations, but in this context, next to Giselle, it shows him to be quite boring. The colour black is associated with mourning, and this could be why he’s wearing black, since later in the scene he reveals that his wife left him. His shoes are also plain black, emphasising his formality and stiffness as a character.