Outlander costume designer defends Claire's season 3 wardrobe
The mastermind behind Outlander‘s sumptuous — and sometimes threadbare — costumes took the unusual step of defending her production budget on social media Tuesday after fans apparently questioned whether her purse strings were tightened going into season 3.
It would seem some viewers speculated that costume designer Terry Dresbach was working with limited funds this year because Claire (Caitriona Balfe) has worn the same “bat suit” — a production nickname for her character’s dusty blue dress and coat — since episode 5. Claire made the dress in 20th-century Boston for her trip back to 18th-century Scotland. Once she returned to her beloved Jamie (Sam Heughan), Claire would appear in different layers of the outfit but never changed out of the blouse, belt, and skirt.
“Do me a favor??” Dresbach asked on Twitter. “Spread it through OL fandom. My budget was not cut for S3. It is the same as it was for S2. It did not cost LESS to do the bat suit. We had to make 12 of them. It doesn’t matter if 2-12 are replicas or different costumes, they cost the same to make.”
She also went on to say that Outlander is “not Sex and the City” and said “it is a very sexist view. Women must constantly change their clothing and female viewers must be fed constantly changing clothing. Or they will be bored. Woah!”
Do me a favor??
Spread it through OL fandom. My budget was not cut for S3. It is the same as it was for S2. It did not cost LESS to do the bat suit. We had to make 12 of them. It doesn’t matter if 2-12 are replicas or different costumes, they cost the same to make— Outlander Costume (@OutlanderCostum) December 5, 2017
Outlander is NOT Sex and The City
— Outlander Costume (@OutlanderCostum) December 5, 2017
It is a very sexist view. Women must constantly change their clothing and female viewers must be fed constantly changing clothing. Or they will be bored. Woah!
— Outlander Costume (@OutlanderCostum) December 5, 2017
Except that I didn’t need to cut costs. And we did not reduce the number of costumes Claire wears in S3. She has about the same # as S2
— Outlander Costume (@OutlanderCostum) December 5, 2017
Totally true. People need to understand that there is no 18th century version of Target.
— Outlander Costume (@OutlanderCostum) December 5, 2017
One fan even tried to show that dressing Claire this season was no small feat, as evidenced by this compilation via tweet.
????????????????Shout out to the #Outlander Costume Department????????????????
Claire's Costumes 40's, 50's, 60's and Bat Suit in 18th century
Amazing work by Terry Dresbach and her team????@OutlanderCostum @Outlander_STARZ @Sony @TallShipProds @RonDMoore @TheMattBRoberts pic.twitter.com/1t59E0Gung— Outlander Kat???????????????? (@mymtbrain) December 6, 2017
In October, Dresbach told EW that Claire’s ensemble was nicknamed the “bat suit” because it was meant to be a fully-functional outfit designed to help her survive back in time.
“We wanted Claire to be a woman of the 20th century, who knows she is going back in time,” explained Dresbach. “I would ask every audience member the eternal question of time travel … if you knew you were going, what would you do? If I put myself in that position, I would make sure what I was wearing was waterproof and make sure it was warm. Claire knows where she is going to, she knows what the conditions are. So she being Claire, being the queen of all women, she figures out practically what she needs.”
In episode 5, Claire sews into the bat suit several hidden pockets so she can bring back 20th-century medical supplies to 18th-century Scotland.
The season 3 finale of Outlander airs this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Starz.
