Wuthering Heights: an abstract disaster or a calculated choice
At first glance, Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights seems like it completely missed the mark. It is clear as day that when attempting to recreate an accurate wardrobe built for a period piece, this film comes nowhere close. It stands out completely from all other versions of the gothic novel that it is based on, and has almost no historical basis for the late 17th-century characters in the story. The closest we came to having an accurate costume comes from the side characters as they pop on and off screen. But was this the goal that Fernell was trying to accomplish?
Whenever we see Margo Robbie’s character, Catherine Earnshaw, she is adorned in bright red, usually paired with a waist-synching corset that is embroidered with intricate designs. Her most notable hairstyle is done up with a red ribbon braided into it. She can also be spotted wearing an odd-shaped pair of small red sunglasses. Even though red was not in fashion during her period, she is seldom seen without the color on her person, and it makes her stick out like a sore thumb on the big screen. With the continuous accompaniment of this bright color, it becomes clear that this was a stylistic choice for her character.
Red is used to express Catherine’s passion and rage in her toxic relationship with Heathcliff. It can be seen trickling into her entire wardrobe, as her lust and uncontrollable emotions grow throughout the film. Instead of using the costumes as a way to reflect the time period in which it takes place, they reflect the emotions of the characters. In no way was it meant to replicate the past.
The red is used to make the film stand out from all the others before. It is not meant to be a complete recycling of the novel or the other movies that came out before it. Like Cathrine, it is meant to stick out like a sore thumb and push itself to the top of the list when talking about the other versions of Wuthering Heights. Even her off-the-shoulder wedding dress is outrageously outside of her timeline, as it is accompanied by a veil that trails dozens of feet behind her. The creators of the film use these pieces as an artistic expression rather than a historic one, and that’s what makes them so unique.
Even though this movie did not meet my expectations of a simple adaptation of the Gothic novel, I think the costumes are one of the best things to come out of the movie. I love seeing all the thought they put into each of her outfits, and it was a really unique take on a version of the story that utilizes fashion as an outlet for her emotions and even her psychological state of being. She is meant to look out of place in this world, as it emulates exactly how she feels. She doesn’t hide her emotions anywhere in this film, especially with what she’s wearing.
Even if you didn’t enjoy the movie, and I really didn’t, I think we can agree that out of everything that Emerald Fennell did wrong with this film, the costumes are one thing that was done right.
XOXO, The Fashion Stock Market
