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With the June 11th release of Disney's OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL on Blu-ray Combo Pack nearing us, I've been seeing lots of commercials on TV. I keep thinking to myself, I must get a copy of that OST because the music in the background is just so whimsical and beautiful. Totally something I could sit back and enjoy a glass of red wine with while holding my pups. As if that's any different than any other day...they've currently taken control of my lap and left arm as I type. JR has decided to nest in my lap and BabyPom is doing his usual sleep on mommy's arm whilst standing.

Besides the music though, I thought the costumes were breathtaking. It didn't take a genius to figure out that there must have been intricate details and hours of work that went into designing and perfecting each costume. Go behind the scenes with costume designers Gary Jones and Michael Kutsch and find out what Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz andJames Franco thought about their characters' costumes in the slideshow below.
Can you believe Gary Jones and Michael Kutsche designed, created and assembled nearly 2,000 costumes for “Oz The Great and Powerful”?! Wow, I can only imagine how daunting that task would be.

Here are my favorite excerpts on the various character costumes.
OSCAR DIGGS aka Oz

Franco, commenting on his costume, says, “I only have one look in this film, a three-piece suit that Oz wears in Kansas. I think it’s safe to say that that was my favorite outfit in the film! Knowing that people dressed really well in the old days, I enjoyed wearing that three-piece suit quite a bit.”

THE WITCHES’ WARDROBES
Evanora

“For Evanora, the ruler of Emerald City, the starting point was looking at the architecture of the city,” Kutsche says. “I really wanted her to not just be some person in this place, but to actually be this place. The shape and color of her wardrobe actually reflect the architecture and feel of Emerald City, which was Art Deco inspired. So, by resembling and reflecting that, I could make her more of a mighty being that stands out against all the other citizens, and the other witches as well.”

Glinda

"Glinda, of course, is basically a white, pristine kind of girl in the story, and we created three different white dresses or gowns for Michelle’s [Williams] character.”

Theodora

“Theodora has three costume changes,” Jones states. “The first one is the riding costume which is when we first meet her. In my opinion, a beautiful costume, beautifully structured with a hint of contemporary pizzazz. A big, handsome velvet riding hat, a red coat, black riding breeches and a white blouse. All very beautiful with a sense of the pastoral fun of the eighteenth century one might find in a Fragonard painting.”

Sister comparisons

In comparing the sister witches Evanora and Theodora, costume designer Jones states that “one of the first times that the characters appeared together, you realize that they do have similarities in the cut of their clothes, but not at all in the feeling of the clothes. They’re two completely different worlds. Mila’s Theodora is a little more on the sporty, physical side, while Rachel’s costumes for Evanora are a little more of a reigning empress.”

DRESSING THE DENIZENS OF OZ
Jones and his staff of 60 costumers, seamstresses, textile artists, dyers and agers also created artistic pieces for the diverse inhabitants of Oz, such as Quadlings, Munchkins, Tinkers, Emerald City citizens and Winkies. Much thought was put into each type of character and what would suit them best.

Glinda's world of Quadlings and Munchkins

"These are the happy people of Oz,” Jones states in describing the mood of the inhabitants and how that guided his choice of wardrobe colors. “They’re butchers, bakers, and the like, who toil in the normal ways of life. A rather happy, simple group of folks, who we defined with bright colors and pretty clothes."

Evanora's world

"To contrast that, in Emerald City, we’re faced with people who are doing work under duress, under the thumb of the wicked Evanora.” “Therefore a little more repressed, more buttoned up,” he continues. “So, we made their clothes in strong, jewel-tone colors [rich reds and greens and blues] but in a very formal and stylized way. Of course, with a little hint of extra green because of Emerald City. And the more ominous blacks and grays as well to portray that repressed mood. They have some of the same shapes that the people who live in Glinda’s world do, but they’re more conservative in every way. The people who live in Glinda’s world are all in pale pastels, earth tones, cream colors. Even their shoes and hats.”

As for the Winkies, “They are the guards at the palace in Emerald City,” Jones describes. “They work for Evanora, one of the evil people in our movie. Their military-styled costumes were inspired by Russian and Prussian uniforms.

“All the Winkie outfits were made for people who are six-foot-nine or taller,” Jones adds. “So, we had an army of 50 people who were around seven-feet tall. And, if seven-feet tall was not enough, Sam wanted us to enhance these soldiers by adding approximately another eighteen to twenty inches in height with feathered hats. They’re also Prussian in feeling and were made from felt, wool and black, iridescent feathers.”

What was your favorite costume design from the movie? I admit I loved the beautiful flowing gowns on the witches. I could use one or two of those!

LOL, I love this clip where Finley (Zach Braff) tries to convince Oz to return to the Emerald City and tell the truth. Did you know his role on Scrubs helped him secure this role?
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