If you happen to have an extraordinarily generous loved one or are yourself flush with cash, your Christmas list could include tickets to go and see the Fairy Tale Fashion exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. The role of costumes and outfits in fairy tales is incredibly powerful. They are the means by which paupers can become royalty and Cinderella can go to the Ball. From Little Red’s scarlet cloak to Elsa’s sparkling dress of her own device, the outfits tell us much about character and persona.
The importance of fashion is something I have noticed in my guilty pleasure Once Upon a Time and I don’t think it is coincidental that the first person listed on the credits is the costume designer, Eduardo Castro.