Beautiful Mrs Maisel is a show that is unique at its core. The show follows housewife Midge Maisel, a woman whose life is turned upside down by decisions made by those around her, and now has only one way to go: get what she wants. Which, it turns out, is a stand-up comedian in a time (late 1950s) when it wasn’t something generally accepted by society at large.
Midge’s love of fashion can be seen from the first episode to the last available episode. The show won an Emmy for Outstanding Period Costumes in 2019. It was nominated a few times for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period of Fantasy Program (One Hour or More). Donna Zakowska is the head of production design for every character on the show, and there are quite a few with very different styles. “I used color to depict” [Midge’s] emotional landscape and emphasize moments when she needed to be particularly comical or heroic or even proactive.” Zakowska wrote in her book Madly Marvelous: The Costumes of the Marvelous Mrs. maize.
It’s almost impossible to pick just a few fashion and costume moments in the show, but here are a few that were significant not only because they were phenomenal, but also for what they mean to the character and her journey. These are the most memorable.
8/8 bedtime routine
Season 1, Episode 1
In the first season in particular, the way Midge prepared to sleep next to her husband says a lot about who she is and the worldview instilled in her from an early age. Waiting for him to sleep to take her makeup off and waking up before he did so she would be “perfect” changes quite a bit as the seasons progressed. It is a nice evolution to the character represented in a very simple way and accompanied by beautiful outfits that were very popular in the period in which she lives.
7/8 A working lady
Season 1, Episode 5
When Midge starts working as a makeup counter girl at B. Altman’s, she finds out she’s pretty good at it because she knows so much about makeup. Her uniform might not have been a choice she would have made differently, but it’s still reminiscent of those days and quite cute.
It was also an interesting side of the character who until now had only worn high-end clothing and hadn’t worked before. It was one of the first times that Midge became truly independent and understood what that meant. Her uniform is usually overlooked, but it’s an important landmark for the character and period.
6/8 A true patriot
Season 3, Episode 1
There’s no denying that the stand-up comedian knows how to dress to impress. It was no different when Midge went to talk to the military. Using the colors of the United States flag in different parts of her outfit created a fun and original look that complemented not only her silhouette but also her performance. This choice gave her a patriotic look without being dull or ugly. When the audience sees her perform in this outfit, it’s so clearly a part of her character that it’s hard to imagine her wearing anything else.
5/8 revenge time
Season 4, Episode 1
Midge’s outfits directly correlate with how she feels. So if she’s ranting about revenge and how her career was ruined was unfair, in a great… Beautiful Mrs Maisel stand-up scene, she couldn’t just wear a pastel blue dress. Instead, she wears a dark blouse and pants combination that emphasizes her feelings. Midge mourns everything she dreamed would happen to her if she went on tour with Shy. There’s a seriousness to her fashion choice that enhances the character’s new tone and storyline.
4/8 A pink introduction
Season 1, Episode 1
The first time the public sees Midge is very important. Her outfit had to radiate everything that was essential to her: class, fashion and above all, it had to attract everyone’s attention. Her pink-on-pink ensemble is an incredible way to introduce this unique character. It also says a lot about what she likes about fashion as she wears many different pink outfits throughout the seasons.
3/8 Catskills fashion
Season 2, Episode 4
Midge wore incredible costumes as she spent her summer with her family and ex-husband at the resort on the Catskills. It’s nice to see the character in a more relaxed and casual outfit, with more pastel colors, but very thoughtful and flattering. Midge loves to color her accessories and her summer resort ensembles are some of the best. It’s almost impossible to pick just one outfit from this episode.
2/8 Red Yom Kippur Dress
Season 1, Episode 2
After her husband admitted to the affair with his secretary and left, Midge was heartbroken. Her mother decided not to cancel Midge’s in-laws’ invitation to Christmas dinner, even after everything that had happened. At her mother’s insistence, she wears a gorgeous red dress that seems too much for the occasion: which is exactly why she wears it. Not all plans for the evening come true (most don’t), but Midge is still wearing one of the most beautiful costumes the show has seen yet.
1/8 First stand-up as Mrs. Maisel
Season 1, Episode 8
the black Givenchy Breakfast at Tiffany’s Inspired Dress must be the best. At the end of the first season, Midge is not allowed to perform in all comedy clubs except the Gaslight. She dresses elegantly and calls herself Mrs. Maisel for the first time on stage. The only thing that can be called classy in the performance is the outfit, as she tells a story about calling a girl scout the b-word because she didn’t have the cookies she wanted; including extremely funny but inappropriate jokes. It was the outfit that indicated how much she just embraced herself, didn’t allow labels like “housewife” or “comedian” and just allowed herself to be who she really is.