Carbon Costume

In Wes Anderson’s film Moonrise Kingdom, Mrs. Bishop (played by Frances McDormand) is the mother of Suzy Bishop.  When Suzy and Sam Shakusky disappear together, Mrs. Bishop and her husband search for her.  Mrs. Bishop wears several colorful outfits that are all true to the story’s 1965 setting, making this a fun costume to recreate with both new pieces and vintage finds.

M. Jean (played by Jason Schwartzman) does not have a large role in The Grand Budapest Hotel. But the size of his role does not change how important he is in the film. M. Jean is a direct contrast to Bill Murray’s M. Ivan and Ralph Fiennes’ M. Gustave. Whereas the older men did their job with polish and pride, M. Jean seems to do his job simply because it is his job. The pins on his lapels mark him as a member of The Society of the Crossed Keys but he does not have the same polish as either Ivan or Gustave. And that is the point.

Because M. Jean represents the less splendorous present life of The Gran Budapest, his uniform is much simpler than the men that came before him. He wears a simple purple suit with a red tie and white undershirt. Black dress shoes round out the clothing while a thin mustache and a cigarette complete his appearance. And, of course, the pins signifying his membership in The Society of the Crossed Keys.

Klaus Daimler (played by Willem Dafoe) is the German first mate of the Belafonte research vessel in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  Klaus views Steve Zissou as a father figure, and becomes jealous of Ned Plimpton as the latter’s relationship with Steve grows.  Klaus always wears shorts, no matter the occasion, so this is a great costume option for someone who really wants to show off their legs.

M. Chuck (played by Owen Wilson) is a member of the Society of the Crossed Keys and a concierge at another hotel in Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel.  M. Gustave is also a member, and the Society works to help Zero and Agatha prove Gustave’s innocence after Dmitri accuses him of murder.  All of the concierges wear tuxedo uniforms of varying colors, Chuck’s is light grey with a black waistcoat.

In Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, J.K.L. Berensen (played by Tilda Swinton) is a staff member at the titular newspaper.  As a writer, she is responsible for reporting interesting stories for her readers, and her outfits are equally as entertaining.  Berensen’s clothing is brightly colored in oranges, golds, and yellows, topped off with a well-coiffed head of red hair.

In The Royal Tenenbaums, Henry Sherman (played by Danny Glover) is Etheline Tenenbaum‘s accountant-turned-husband.  When Etheline’s ex-husband Royal lies about his health to regain her favor, Henry investigates only to discover the hoax.  Henry is a kind man who cares deeply for Etheline.  His clothing is simple, but elegant and falls in line with his profession as an accountant.

In Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Etheline (played by Anjelica Huston) is the ex-wife of Royal Tenenbaum and mother to Chas, Richie, and Margot.  Etheline is elegant and intelligent, always pushing her children to be more driven and successful.  Etheline often wears hues of cream and light pink while wearing her hair in a bun secured with a pencil.

Royal Tenenbaum (played by Gene Hackman) is the titular father from Wes Anderson’s film The Royal Tenenbaums.  Estranged from his ex-wife Etheline and distanced from his genius children Richie, Chas, and Margot, Royal fakes stomach cancer in a desperate bid to regain their favor and love.  Royal is a larger-than-life personality who wears slick suits and smokes using a cigarette holder while gambling, shoplifting, and getting to know his family again.