A classic movie where the fashion is still talked about 30 years later is a testament to the power of great costume design.
When watching a movie, we don’t always consider how much fashion influences the storyline or adds to the overall feel of a film. The clothes characters wear can tell their own story, reflecting their personalities and how they grow throughout the movie.
Costume designer extraordinaire Mona May has worked on films like Enchanted, Lemonade Mouth, and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, but one of her most influential projects in fashion is undoubtedly the iconic 1995 film Clueless.
Growing up, May was always drawing outfits and princesses, and she had plenty of opinions about what people should wear. She joked that her comments on other people’s outfits were probably a little annoying. Despite her love for fashion and princesses, May was also a tomboy. She was drawn to art and fashion from a young age, with dreams of designing and collections.
Originally from Europe, May studied fashion there before eventually making her way to Los Angeles and attended The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). Her time in Europe exposed her to the fashion scene, including London Fashion Week, while moving to LA introduced her to an entirely different side of the industry.
After making friends with people from different creative backgrounds, one of her friends who attended USC’s film school asked her to work on the costumes for a short film. They handed her a script, and as May recalled, that’s where it all started.
“It was so much fun to read a script and really understand fashion from a different point.”
May enjoyed the collaborative side of costume design, especially working alongside directors, writers, and actors to bring a story to life through fashion. By the time she graduated, she was already working on music videos, marking the beginning of her career in the entertainment industry.
As May continued working in the industry, she grew as a designer and developed her own creative approach. For her, costume design has always been about having a vision and using fashion to tell a story. When describing her personal style as a designer, May said, “I’m more contemporary, fashion-oriented, and female-driven.”
Behind the Looks of Clueless
May is not only a costume designer but an author as well. She released The Fashion of Clueless, a book dedicated to the fashion, costumes, and creative process behind the iconic film.
In her book, May shares behind-the-scenes details about the film and its costumes that audiences may not have heard before. She revealed that Clueless was made on a very small budget, and she had to beg a designer to lend clothing for the film.
May explained that it wasn’t necessarily about begging but it was a completely different time in the industry. There was no social media, no easy access to designers, and everything was done differently. Since Clueless was originally a small movie, she couldn’t simply reach out to designers and request pieces for the wardrobe.
The Story Behind an Iconic Look
One example was the iconic red Alaïa dress Cher Horowitz wore during the Christmas party scene. May explained that she couldn’t afford the dress, so they had to call Mr. Alaïa himself using an old rotary phone.
Since the Alaïa dress was only borrowed for the film, the team had to be extra careful not to damage it. May shared a funny behind-the-scenes moment, when Cher had to get down on the floor. Before Alicia Silverstone, who played Cher, could lie down on the floor, the crew was on their hands and knees using toothbrushes to clean the area to make sure the borrowed dress wouldn’t get ruined.
May also explained that costume designers don’t always receive specific instructions about what a character should wear. Instead, the script gives them a description, leaving room for their own interpretation and creativity.
“When someone like Amy Heckerling writes in the script, she wouldn’t write, ‘Alicia Silverstone wears an Alaïa dress.’ She would say, ‘Cher is wearing a very grown-up Christmas holiday red dress.’ And it’s up to me as the costume designer to interpret what that is.”
Defining the Clueless Aesthetic
Another part of costume design is creating a cohesive visual identity for a film while making sure each character’s personality comes through in their outfits. For Clueless, May looked at what was popular in American schools at the time to get a better understanding of what students were actually wearing. The classic schoolgirl look, with plaid skirts and sweater vests, was especially popular.
May took those trends and added her own fashion twist, mixing what was popular at the time with what each character would naturally wear. Cher, for example, would wear a classic schoolgirl outfit but with a designer touch, incorporating pieces like Jean Paul Gaultier. Dionne, on the other hand, would take the plaid look and make it her own with bold statement hats and accessories.
Storytelling Through Fashion
The art of telling a story through clothing is one of the most interesting parts of costume design. As May explains, throughout a movie, you can see characters grow and change through what they wear. Whether it’s softer pastel colors that show a character opening up or the evolution of someone’s personal style as they begin to find themselves, clothing can tell a story of its own.
Advice for Aspiring Costume Designers
When it comes to anyone interested in getting started in costume design, May encourages people to start small. Whether it’s working on short films, advertisements, dressing up friends, or creating little films of their own, there are plenty of ways to get creative and start experimenting.
“You can express yourself or your own self. I love the videos on TikTok when people are like, ‘Oh, this is my outfit.’ It’s always fun to see what people do.”
May also emphasizes the importance of gaining hands-on experience in the industry. Beyond developing your creative skills, experience teaches you how to problem-solve, think quickly, and adapt when things don’t go as planned.
“I think that’s why experience is so important, you know, for people to really intern and learn. They kind of get the idea of the pace of this job, you know, be it in fashion or be on the set, because you have to see if you are the right fit.”
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