Carbon Costume

On Downton Abbey, Lavinia Catherine Swire (Zoe Boyle) was the child of a solicitor and Matthew Crawley’s fiance. When Matthew became paralyzed in the war, he tried to spare Lavinia an unhappy life with him and calls off the wedding, but she wishes to marry him despite that. Prior to dying from Spanish Flu, Lavinia proves herself to be self-sacrificing and fiercely loyal.

Vera Bates (Maria Doyle Kennedy) is the estranged wife of John Bates. She found herself a service position in the MacClare household, where the Robert Crawley’s cousin, the Marchioness of Flintshire, lives. She finds herself involved with the Crawley family through that connection. She is cunning and unscrupulous, using her knowledge and position to try to blackmail or control others.

DC Bombshells is an alternate reality where female superheroes guard the homefront during WWII. In this universe, Catwoman is still a jewel thief, but her style is inspired by the pinups of the 1940’s.

Talia al Ghul is the daughter of the supervillian, Ra’s al Ghul, who trained Batman. In DC Bombshells, Talia is depicted as a beautiful, but deadly, harem girl that was a popular pinup theme in the 1940’s. This look is enhanced by bellydance accessories, bright colors, and ornate jewelry.

In Clue, Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) is a guest of Mr. Boddy’s who’s being blackmailed for war profiteering. It’s revealed that he made his money from selling stolen radios on the black market, as well as having an affair with one of Miss Scarlet’s escorts. In one of the endings, he killed a stranded motorist in the lounge with a wrench.

In DC Bombshells, Arisia is a member of the Green Lantern Corps. She is modeled after the pinups of the 1940’s, as seen in this dog walker flyer. Her look is relatively simple, but the small Green Lantern details give a nod to the character history.

In Murder on the Orient Express, Hector MacQueen (Josh Gad) is the humble and likeable personal assistant of the fraudulent art dealer, Ratchett. Compared to the flashy and extravagant fashion of Ratchett, MacQueen’s wardrobe is understated and drab, with a hint of 1930’s gangster.

In Chicago, Roxie Hart is the main character who ends up at Cook County Jail for murdering her lover. Portrayed by Renee Zellweger in the film adaptation, Roxie is an aspiring singer and showgirl who finds fame and stardom during her jail time. To distinguish her from her villainous rival, Velma, she is blonde and frequently seen in white costumes, which contrast will Velma’s dark hair and black costumes.