Saltburn Costume Analysis
Alexa, Play Murder On The Dancefloor
I would looooove to tell you all of my thoughts about Saltburn, but unfortunately I’m a fashion critic, not a movie critic. With that being said, this is not a great movie, but I did have a great time, and I think you all need to watch more provocative things, because this wasn’t that bad. Since everyone’s media literacy skills are complete garbage fire, that does NOT mean I would like to perform the acts committed in this movie.
I wanted to talk about the costumes, because I think the Y2K of it all is done in an incredibly scrumptious way, and also helps tell the story. So, although we are talking about the clothes, I will be discussing the movie, to an extent, just to give some context for what I’m talking about. If you feel like you might fight me if I spoil any part of this movie for you, please come back and read her later.
Anyway, let’s get to it.
There are some scenes in Saltburn that are meant to be shocking, however, the most shocking thing to me is that Sophie Canale did the costumes. If you didn’t know, Sophie did the costumes for Bridgerton and I’ve never had more beef with the costumes in a movie or tv show, than I do with Bridgerton— the opening corset scene alone makes me want to throw hands.
With all of that being said, I think Sophie did a fantastic job.
The movie follows Oliver Quick, who is a scholarship student attending Oxford, and all the chaos that ensues after meeting the very wealthy and popular Felix Catton. Oliver is on the outside, but he desperately wants in, and the wardrobe really helps to tell that story. It’s set in 2006, so it’s filled with early 2000s fashion goodness, that still hits too close to home. Although this is technically a period piece and these clothes are technically vintage, it still feels all too familiar. Emerald Fennell, the director, mentioned how no matter how rich and cool you were, the fashion was so lame.
Since a lot of people still have these clothes stuffed deep in the pits of their closets, it’s a bit difficult to find them in costume houses or charity shops, so Sophie had to scour the likes of eBay and Depop. She also borrowed some pieces from Emerald, like an Alexander McQueen jacket that Elspeth ends up wearing, and due to Emerald’s connections, they were able to pull from brands like Chanel, Christopher Kane, Valentino, and Agent Provocateur. Amongst the designer pulls, there were also amazing vintage finds, and Y2K brand favorites, like Miss Sixty.
For inspiration, not only did Sophie look through the archives of large fashion houses, but she also looked through her and her friends’ Facebook photos from that time. This feels most evident to me when we see all the outfits the students at Oxford are wearing; slogan tees, Juicy Couture sweatsuits, friendship bracelets, neon bras under tank tops, chinos, plaid button downs, etc.
Now, let’s dive into each character a little bit more, starting with Felix.
For Felix, Sophie had Prince Harry, during that time, on the moodboard. His clothes are very worn down and aren’t very polished; he always looks like he just threw on the first thing he saw on his bedroom floor. Emerald says that “boys like that don’t have to dress well,” in regards to his good looks, but I also think there’s something to be said about how the richer and more old money someone is, the more disheveled their clothing tends to be. People of that class simply don’t have to rely on their clothing to prove anything to anyone.
We see Felix sporting a lot of Ralph Lauren, rugby shirts, jeans with frayed hems, and wrinkly shirts. My favorite thing about his style had to be the smaller details, though. While at Oxford, Felix sports an eyebrow piercing, that Emerald had to fight for. The costume department said that they simply could not ruin Jacob Elordi’s beautiful face like that, so they compromised by him having to take it off when he goes home to Saltburn. Emerald really knew what she was doing here, because all the cool kids had eyebrow piercings back then, and I would also argue that it only added to his beautiful face. Anyway, another small detail that made me giggle was how Felix wears a LiveStrong bracelet throughout the movie— not even the rich could escape that trend.
When Felix is giving Oliver a tour around Saltburn, you see him barefoot, which is a great detail in showing that he is at home and very comfortable with his environment. There’s also a scene during this tour where Felix leaves Oliver a suit for their black tie dinners, because he’s aware that Oliver probably doesn’t have one readily available. However, he does assume that he has cuff links, which, of course, he doesn’t. While Felix is probably the most self aware out of his whole family, it still shows some ignorance in understanding people who do not live in the same bubble that he does.
At Oliver’s birthday party, that is A Midsummer Night’s Dream themed, Felix wears an angel costume. It’s very nonchalant and simple, as is everything he wears, and is a very subtle take on Juliet’s costume in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. It also feels like a bit of foreshadowing, in him being this “fallen angel,” and perhaps his way of telling Oliver that there’s no reason he should try with his costume, because this party is for him and they’ve had a falling out.
Oliver is very much Felix’s opposite. His wardrobe is very buttoned up and exact— it’s just as calculated as his plan to be a part of Felix’s world. Oliver’s clothes look like he bought a whole new wardrobe to go to college, so that he could fit in. We see him start to loosen up when he starts to hang out with Felix and his crew, by wearing things like hoodies and t-shirts. He also starts to wear more color, specifically blue, which a color Felix wears quite a bit. However, when attending the school ball, he rents a suit to wear, that Farleigh clocks immediately, because the sleeves are too long. Farleigh then tells him that he almost looks like a normal boy— this is quite opposite from his otherwise crisp wardrobe, showing that there are still cracks in this facade that he is trying to uphold.
At his birthday party, Oliver wears antlers and an embroidered jacket. The embroidery references British folklore, with its oak leaves and acorns— these elements often appear on military jackets, representing power and victory. There are also moths on his jacket, as well as on a necklace he’s wearing, which represent how he is a moth drawn to the flame that is Saltburn. It also foreshadows Venetia calling him a moth that put his holes into everything.
Speaking of Venetia, she is the perfect, tacky, Y2K mess. Sophie had Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, and Keira Knightley on the moodboard for her, and we see her wear brands like Agent Provocateur, Dundas, and Galvan. There’s a scene where they’re playing tennis, and Venetia is wearing a Dundas jumpsuit with a Nasty Gal fringe jacket, which is kind of brilliant. Nasty Gal is such a perfect brand to pair in a high-low outfit during this time, and if that jacket was never on one of your moodboards, you’re lying.
For Oliver’s birthday she wears a simple, black dress that is covered in jewels, meant to look like a spiderweb. Although the dress is quite simple, it’s very tacky and cheap in its early 2000s cut. The jewels are so intricately made, but the too short dress underneath, shows that little bit of rich girl, bad taste.
Farleigh is probably the least period correct, but I like to think that he was just ahead of his time. We see him wear Gucci, Adidas Originals, and Bode; he’s more flamboyant and experimental with his style than his cousin Felix. Farleigh is a part of the group, but he doesn’t feel the need to blend in. Yet, I think his put togetherness also shows that he is aware of his situation and how his uncle is essentially funding his entire life. With that said, he still has that disheveled aristocratic air to him, especially when we see him run into tutoring late with glitter still on his face. He’s also a bit ironic with his fashion choices, wearing a lot of slogan tees, and really feels like he’d be a part of the NYC indie scene, to me. Theo Fennell, Emerald’s father, also made the signet ring he wears with the Saltburn crest.
Farleigh is the most committed with his costume at the party, dressed as Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, paper mâché donkey head and all. If anyone was going to take a theme seriously, it would be the person that gives the most theater kid energy, you know? At the same time, it also feels like a way to show how they make an ass of him.
Elspeth, mother dearest, is very warm, but at the same time, has no clue how to show a singular emotion. She’s a mystery, but she also wants to be the center of attention. For her, Sienna Miller and Laura Bailey were on the moodboard, and we see her wear brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, and Ossie Clark, with some vintage pieces thrown in here and there. Elspeth used to be a model, and has a fashion background, so there is that bit of “cool girl” fashion about her. Although she can be super glamorous, we also see her be very laid back in her caftans and denim.
In a stunning, gold Valentino gown, she’s giving Titania, Queen of the Fairies, at Oliver’s birthday party. She’s throwing the party, so she will be the moment, however amongst all these people, you can tell she’s not having the best time, as no one is paying attention to her, so she is just this empty, gold shell.
There isn’t much to say about Sir James’ wardrobe, but he is very eccentric and him wearing a suit of actual armor to the party is so telling of how these people view historical artifacts as just being decoration for the dining room that they can finally put to use, and it’s silly to see it juxtaposed with his suit. I also love the way he tucks his napkins into his collar at the dinner table.
Now for the best fashion I’ve seen in a movie all year, Miss Pamela. Poor, poor, Pamela. Since she’s a fashion icon, Daphne Guinness and Isabella Blow were on the moodboard for her. Although her scenes are very short lived, we see her wear Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Chirstopher Kane, and Butler & Wilson. Elspeth says that you’d think she’s so incredibly interesting because of how stylish she is, but she’s actually empty behind those eyes. A very interesting thing to say for someone who is quite empty herself.
So that was Saltburn! Unfortunately, I will be watching it again, how about you?
TTYL!!!
xx