'Girls': Costume designer Jen Rogien on the new styles in season three
Though much ado has been made about the nudity on Girls, costume designer Jenn Rogien promises there are plenty of fully-clothed fashion moments to look forward to in season three.
“I will definitely say that each of the girls finds themselves in circumstances that force them to grow a little bit. I’m trying to keep up with that in their wardrobe choices,” Rogien told EW. “[The characters’ aesthetics are] a reflection of the choices they made in season two, how those decisions start to play out and the consequences.”
Rogien dressed a slew of season three guest characters (including Felicity Jones, Melonie Diaz, Jennifer Westfeldt), but it was J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons — who plays Hannah’s new boss — that had the costume designer feeling star struck. “It was one of the highlights of the season for me to get to meet her because she’s one of my personal icons,” Rogien said, adding that Lyons brought her own clothing options to set. “I wouldn’t dream of trying to suggest to Jenna that she dress in a certain way. She came with amazing, amazing choices and ended up wearing almost all of her own wardrobe on the show.”
Rogien, who is also the costume designer for Orange is the New Black, was also excited to dress Danielle Brooks (Orange‘s Taystee) for her guest spot on Girls. “Her character is complicated and funny and sad. It was fun to put her [in something different].” Speaking of Orange, which is currently in production on season two, Rogien said; “They do still wear orange and khaki quite a bit, but there are some pretty amazing flashbacks that I’m really excited about. We travel into different time periods to see the characters’ backstories.”
Click on for a sneak peek of the clothes that Hannah, Jessa, Marnie, and Shoshanna will be wearing on season three of Girls.
Hannah (Lena Dunham)
Hannah has gotten her life and her wardrobe together. “The prints [she wears] have gotten a little less chaotic… she’s starting to evolve a little bit,” Rogien explained of looks like this McQ butterfly-print peplum shift dress. “There’s actually a whole storyline around that dress. It was fun to find that specific piece because there were a lot of requirements. I can’t give them away because it will give away the moment, but it was the first time that something was supposed to fit Hannah really well.”
Jessa (Jemima Kirke)
The outfit seen above is a nod to the past. “Each season, there have been a couple of white dresses that have been character signifiers,” Rogien explained of this Pure DKNY silk dress worn by Jessa in season three. (You may remember the sheer white dress she wore when she was a nanny in season one and her non-traditional vintage Geminola wedding dress.) “This was another nod to the feeling of Jessa having a reoccurring theme in her wardrobe. It’s both odd and glamorous at the same time, which is what Jessa is. There are a series of things that she’s going through in that episode and the dress really contrasts those emotions nicely.”
Marnie (Allison Williams)
Marnie’s silhouette is a little more relaxed this season, and we’ll even see her wearing jeans. “She’s becoming a little more comfortable with herself as she pulls herself together,” said Rogien. But Marnie will still have plenty of opportunities to wear frocks, including this bright tangerine Parker dress that will be seen in a midseason episode. “Marnie is challenging herself yet again and this is a real pull-yourself-together dress. It worked really well for her scenes.”
Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet)
Shoshanna may say that her life is a mess, but she looks put together in pieces like this teal-jacket, a sign that her color palette will move away from pastels. “My starting point is always the script…. The color palettes that I’ve been working with for each season are her signature,” Rogien explained. “The silhouette is still there, but the colors are deepening [as Shoshanna’s story line unfolds].”
