Costume Design
Visualising the ageing process and the class divide.
Turn the interpretation into your own design
Open the standalone Costume Lab and choose Blood Brothers to compare class and age visually, test alternatives and track costume decisions across the play.
Open Costume Lab
Look closely: Which costume difference would an audience notice first from the back row?
Interactive: The Ageing Process
Click through the ages below to see how Mickey and Edward’s costumes evolve over time.
Age 7: The Playground
The boys are young and innocent, but class is visible immediately. Adult actors must read as children.
The look: hand-me-downs.
Details: oversized baggy jumper with stretched cuffs (hands look smaller), scuffed boots, baggy cords, dirt marks.
The look: immaculate schoolboy.
Details: pristine school uniform, short trousers, knee socks, neat tie, polished shoes, tidy hair.
Age 14: Adolescence & School
Teenage awkwardness. Education becomes a visible barrier between them.
The look: rebellious and scruffy.
Details: shirt untucked, tie pulled low, trousers too short, cheap oversized parka.
The look: posh and protected.
Details: tailored blazer with crest, ironed slacks, V-neck jumper, well-kept hair.
Adulthood: The Tragic Reality
The recession hits. Edward is protected; Mickey is hollowed out by unemployment and addiction.
The look: defeated.
Details: factory overalls → cheap ill-fitting faded suit for court; pale makeup + dark eye circles to suggest pills.
The look: wealthy and powerful.
Details: sharp tailored suit, crisp shirt, silk tie, overcoat — visually untouched by recession.
Exam Answer Builder (Costume)
Model paragraph
Choose an age above to generate an exam-ready paragraph using costume terminology and audience effect.
The Mothers: A Tale of Two Lives
Mrs Johnstone
Fabric & condition: faded floral cotton dresses / pinny. Cheap fabrics heavily worn (broken down) to show labour.
Shoes & hair: flat scuffed shoes; hair tied back functionally. She looks older than her years.
Mrs Lyons
Fabric & condition: tailored silk/linen. Restrictive, expensive, controlled.
Decline: Act 2: crumpled blouse, messy hair, undone look — paranoia and loss of control made visible.
📝 Costume Terminology Bank
Breaking down
Artificially ageing a costume (frayed, stained, faded) to show poverty and wear.
Quick change
A rapid costume adjustment in the wings to jump ages instantly.
Silhouette
Overall shape: Mickey’s baggy/slumped silhouette vs Edward’s tailored/upright silhouette.
📝 Exam Strategy: The Design Grid
Use this structure for high marks: choice → meaning/intention → audience effect + terminology. (Your board may phrase it differently — the logic stays the same.)
| Element / Effect | How does it affect the audience? | Technical language |
|---|---|---|
| Click “Generate Example” to see a strong answer… |