Glee: 10 Hidden Details Behind The Costumes You Didn’t Know

During its six-year run Glee was a cultural phenomenon; not only was the show a hit, but Glee also spawned an international tour, multiple best-selling albums, and a theatrically released concert film. The effects of Glee are still felt in culture today and the “Glee cast” remains one of the top-selling artists of all-time.

The aesthetics of the show are ingrained into the memories of its fans — high-budget performance numbers populated each episode and the visuals the show introduced remain unparalleled. The production team responsible deserves commendation, notably, the costume department. Each character was represented with distinctive styling choices that differentiated the William McKinley High group of misfits from each other. Taking a look back at the show that broke the charts, here are ten hidden details behind the costumes of Glee.

10 Parallel Villains

Quinn Fabray was an initial antagonist in the show; audiences watched her grow from the resident mean girl of Lima, OH, into a successful, kinder, individual. Enter Kitty Wilde, a fourth season replacement for Fabray brought on to fill the void Quinn left post-graduation. Audiences needed to immediately identify that Kitty and Quinn were parallels of one another, so the costume department introduced Kitty already wearing the William McKinley “Cheerios” uniform in her first scene, an analog to how Fabray was initially seen in the pilot episode.

9 The Evolution Of Tina

Tina Cohen-Chang remained a staple in the Glee cast for its entire run; an original member of the club, Tina was a series regular for the first five seasons before moving to recurring status in the final batch of episodes.

Visually, Tina represents the greatest amount of growth from her initial appearance; introduced as an introverted goth, as Tina blossoms into a more colorful, confident character, so do her personal stylings. In fact, you can almost keep track of her character arc throughout by checking out what she’s wearing in a given scene!

8 Undercover Pregnancy

During the filming of season four, Heather Morris, who played Brittany S. Pierce, announced her real-life pregnancy. In order to conceal the burgeoning baby bump from viewers, the costume designers found creative solutions. Towards the end of the season, Brittany is noticeably dressed in baggier, loose-fitting clothing, a transition away from the character’s traditional form-fitting outfits.

7 Real-Life Budgets

When outfitting the cast of Glee, costume designer Lou Eyrich took into consideration where the characters would realistically be able to shop in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Finn and Puck were outfitted in a wardrobe from the mall, stores like Abercrombie and American Eagle were utilized, while Rachel was decked out in J. Crew and stylings from J.C. Penney. Thrift stores and vintage shops were also perused by production, contributing to the unique aesthetic of each member of the cast.

6 The Gaga Connection

Lady Gaga was a consistent well of creativity that the production team of Glee drew upon — for obvious reasons. Numerous songs were chosen from her then-released albums to perform, and in season one an episode was partially dedicated to her music.

“Theatricality” took inspiration from the Haus of Gaga, cumulating in a group performance of Bad Romance. Each Glee club member in the number had a costume inspired by a different Gaga look, including an outfit constructed out of bubbles, and another incorporating a lobster-based headpiece. This definitely made for one of the show’s most memorable episodes.

5 The Consistency Of Sue Sylvester

Sue Sylvester is the perennial antagonist of the series, terrorizing both the adult and teenage characters over the course of all six seasons. Sylvester is perhaps the easiest character to outfit, as her costumes were primarily track suits in assorted colors, including one that is combined with a wedding dress. A detail that viewers may overlook is that in both her first and last appearance in the show, Sylvester is shown in a red tracksuit, the colors of the school she spent most of the series coaching at.

4 Never An Outfit Repeater

Kurt Hummel was the pinnacle of fashion at William McKinley High School; from the first episode to the last, Hummel brought his unique sense of style into every scene he was featured in. Notably, Hummel never repeats an outfit throughout his tenure on Glee, aside from his brief stint at Dalton Academy. While other characters rotate through assorted costume staples, Kurt is consistently provided fresh looks by the costume department, a choice that is almost entirely too fitting for his character.

3 Red New Directions

The New Directions are the seminal underdogs of Glee, even when they succeeded they were quickly confronted with new events that reset their default status as the McKinley High losers.

In the pilot episode, the original six members are united with a cover of “Don’t Stop Believin'” decked out in matching red t-shirts. As a throwback to their humble beginnings, the final number of the show reunites almost every member of New Directions, each sporting an individualized red costume.

2 New Directions Are Cheap

To distinguish them from the competition, costume designer Lou Eyrich factored the budget of the oft-neglected New Directions into consideration. When attending competitions, the William McKinley High show choir was often under-funded, so their outfits represented their lack of financial support. Whereas their competitors arrived with coordinating, high-budget outfits, New Directions were repeatedly decked out in monochromatic, less expensive wardrobe choices.

1 Costume Department Darlings

With so many unique individuals populating the halls of William McKinley High School, the production team undertook the task of providing individualized costumes for each character that simultaneously made it simple to differentiate between cast members. Naturally, some characters became favorites to outfit, and Lou Eyrich has revealed that Kurt Hummel and Emma Pillsbury were the darlings of the costume department, going to far as to describe Hummel as “a perfect doll to dress.”

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