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How the eye-catching, maximalist costumes on ‘Elsbeth’ are used to disarm the unsuspecting

BBG News

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As I delve deeper into the captivating world of Elsbeth Tullman, a character as vibrant and eccentric as the city she inhabits, it becomes increasingly apparent that Christine Ebersole has breathed life into an extraordinary creation. Her portrayal of Elsbeth is nothing short of mesmerizing, a testament to her prodigious talent and the depth of her experience.

It’s safe to assume that Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) doesn’t own any clothes in her wardrobe similar to Lt. Columbo’s famous beige trench coat, given her preference for vibrant hot pink attire. However, Peter Falk’s character, the enigmatic and cigar-smoking Lt. Columbo, serves as an inspiration for Elsbeth in many ways. Her distinctive fashion choices mirror his intentional disarming style, and she follows in his footsteps by outsmarting each week’s murderer, often played by a renowned guest star.

Daniel Lawson, Elsbeth’s costume designer, expresses a desire for her outfits to resemble the iconic trench coat of Columbo. He has designed Elsbeth’s wardrobe since her debut on “The Good Wife” in 2010, through the spinoff “The Good Fight,” and now during her solo series. Lawson understands both the eccentric preferences of Elsbeth’s character and how she is perceived by both suspects and law enforcement.

Lawson finds that Columbo’s unyielding determination and consistent presence are qualities she draws inspiration from. As she explains, “At the precinct, she appears around the corner, and some officers would groan, saying, ‘Here she comes again. Look at her jacket, her pants, her hat,'” Lawson says. “Her attire represents Columbo’s trench coat – the concept of it – the grain of sand in your swimsuit.

Just like Columbo occasionally donned a tuxedo to catch a suspect off guard, Elsbeth has adorned formal wear this year, attending the opera, and dressed up as Holly Golightly from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” for Halloween.

In today’s installment, we saw a high-society ball at an elite jewelry shop, where Elsbeth confronted the charming Vanessa Williams, who delivered an outstanding guest performance centered around a botched heist. Preston comments, “Each episode creates its unique setting and storyline, which keeps us alert and provides the audience with something new and exciting.

Following the triumph of “Elsbeth’s” inaugural season, comprising merely 10 episodes, CBS decided to double the episode count for Season 2. This expansion enabled the costume team to concoct additional whimsical fashion instances. Already filmed is Christmas, and Valentine’s Day is swiftly approaching.

In this piece, Lawson and Preston delve into significant costumes featured in the initial four episodes of the second season. They reach a climax by examining Elsbeth’s extravagant evening gown, which contrasts with Williams.

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Popping in pink and pussy bows

For Preston, it’s definitely the color pink that helps him adopt Elsbeth’s mindset. He finds it incredibly effective in our series, as he explains.

Starting off the season, donning an L’Agence jacket boasting a vibrant pink and white Mediterranean-style tile design was an intuitive choice. Upon laying eyes on the jacket, Lawson instantly envisioned Elsbeth strolling along a New York City street. Whether it’s the lush greenery of Gramercy Park or the towering skyscrapers of Midtown serving as her backdrop, Lawson employs color, pattern, and texture to ensure that Elsbeth always makes an impact: “I always aim to make Elsbeth stand out distinctly.

At times, Lawson selects costumes that symbolize a particular area of the city. For instance, the vivid pink floral sequin Valentino jacket in “Elsbeth’s Eleven” mirrors an Upper East Side vibe, as stated by Lawson: “I appreciate the slightly boxy shape of it.

Elsbeth is meticulously adorned to blend seamlessly into the dazzling environment, while Williams (who Lawson has collaborated with on “The Good Wife”) exudes a more refined elegance. According to Preston, Lawson’s thoughtful approach to character creation allows her to simply stand there and receive her role as if she were a doll made of paper.

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A ‘cacophony of colors and patterns’ at the opera

In the first episode of Season 2, Nathan Lane portrays Philip, a passionate opera lover who takes drastic measures against an annoying theater-goer by committing murder. It may seem excessive, but such characters are typical in Elsbeth’s line of work, and she even ends up using them to her advantage. Lawson carefully balances the tone to prevent Elsbeth from appearing foolish: “We need to tread lightly because we don’t want her to come off as ridiculous.

Despite other characters expressing critical comments about Elsbeth’s unique style, such as one character saying, “You dress like a member of the Lollipop Guild,” Lawson insists on not mocking her because she doesn’t make fun of herself. He aims to maintain an authentic portrayal for her within her own world.

For her initial visit to the opera, Elsbeth wore a Carolina Herrera dress adorned with roses, which perfectly matched the vibrant mix of colors and designs. Yet, it remained fitting for the refined atmosphere. Additionally, Lawson explains that he wanted to create a visual contrast by dressing Elsbeth differently from Carra [Patterson], who was wearing blue. Regardless, Elsbeth always manages to stand out wherever she goes.

Elsbeth aims to strike a balance between being inconspicuous yet noticeable around the experienced opera-goer Philip, so she doesn’t want to appear too flashy or intimidating. That’s why Preston chose a cap sleeve gown with a subdued pattern that still exudes sophistication without being overly glamorous.

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Totes aplenty

In her second appearance on “The Good Wife,” Elsbeth was already known for her distinctive handbags. Since then, the range of these bags has grown significantly. As Lawson explains, “We have plenty of tote bags.” However, just as with any action this character takes, there is always a reason behind it.

Preston describes the totes as an external reflection of what’s happening within her mind, packed with information. It’s as if she carries around a mental Rolodex in her brain, and the totes serve a similar purpose.

Though she may not don a pussy-bow blouse during her free time, Preston has a penchant for vibrant hues, such as the orange trousers she wore on our conversation day. Frequently, fans recognize her in New York when she’s off duty. “People often address me using my character’s name, especially if I’m carrying a couple of tote bags,” she shares. “One time, someone called out to me, ‘Elsbeth! You even look like Elsbeth.’ I responded, ‘Well, I am her; I play her.’ It was amusing as it felt surprisingly self-referential.

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A role reversal for Halloween

On Halloween night, I immersed myself in an unusual case, striving to clear a once-famous child actor of murder allegations, all while donning the iconic attire of Audrey Hepburn’s character from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Interestingly, this episode marked a rare occasion where I maintained my costume throughout, bucking my usual trend of multiple outfit changes. Furthermore, unlike the vibrant characters in Technicolor dreams, I chose to set myself apart by surrounding myself with hues that would make me stand out whenever possible, as director Lawson explains.

In Season 1, Elsbeth’s affection for New York becomes apparent when she dons a headband depicting the Statue of Liberty; it is now revealed that it was the 1961 film which sparked Elsbeth’s infatuation with the city. As Lawson explains, he aimed to replicate the Givenchy dress Audrey Hepburn wore in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, and so they designed a similar costume, although it was already created. However, the character Holly Golightly did not have to solve a murder mystery. Lawson enlisted John Kristiansen New York to create Elsbeth’s Halloween outfit – the same costume workshop that fashioned the garments seen in the Season 1 finale.

In a fitting session, Preston remarked, “I’ll have a voluminous hairstyle, so let’s include a zipper for easy entry into the dress,” she suggested. Moreover, she requested an adjustable slit in the garment for scenes requiring her to move swiftly. Kenneth Jay Lane designed and crafted two necklaces that mirrored Holly’s jewels, which were meticulously hand-sewn by Sarah Moore, Lawson’s tailor, one pearl at a time, to secure them to the dress. “We discovered that every time she leaned forward, they moved forward as well,” Lawson explained about the dangling accessories.

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Stealing the sartorial spotlight

In order to catch murder suspect Roslyn (Williams) during a jewelry theft at a glamorous event honoring the exclusive boutique Vivienne Mills, Elsbeth teams up with Officer Kaya Blanke (Patterson), Det. Donnelly (Molly Price), and Capt. Wagner (Wendell Pierce). Since they need to blend in at Vivienne’s store, they all wear formal clothing. However, fashionable Roslyn manages to outshine them. Lawson, the costume designer, explains that he intended for Vanessa to wear an oversized dress, as it was so large during the fitting that they had to remove a significant amount of material. The final design was truly massive.

For Elsbeth, Lawson considered several possibilities before settling on a coral gown by Jovani. “The color was superb, yet it brought to mind the covers for extra toilet paper rolls found at the back of toilets,” Lawson reminisces. “Oh my goodness, that’s just like her – they’re crocheted and remain there. However, Carrie looks stunning in this dress.” Balancing on a fine line, he adds, “It embodies Elsbeth – it’s unique yet still refined.

Initially, Preston saw the strapless dress as extravagant, much like a wedding cake. However, once she tried it on, her perspective changed drastically: “We donned it and exclaimed, ‘That’s the one! That’s what it should be.’ It retains its original charm but elevates it in a unique way.

Elsbeth’s jewelry is typically pared back, but she covets an $11-million flamingo brooch on display. Even this price tag is a stretch for the wealthy investigator (“That gives me a great opportunity and breadth of places I can go,” Lawson says about Elsbeth’s finances). Other brooches Elsbeth wears (like a “fuzzy mink pin”) feel like a nod to “The Good Wife’s” Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), which Lawson confirms: “Yes, it’s an homage to Diane but also absolutely perfect for Elsbeth’s character.”

Regardless of where in New York the suspect is captured or where Elsbeth happens to be, Lawson wants her tracked down consistently: “Just keep an eye on Elsbeth wherever she roams, you know, like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ – there she is!

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2024-11-08 07:32

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