Rough Costume Idea - Rhys

The shirt is an important feature of a successful costume. The chest is one of the pieces that draws the audience’s attention to it and is important in representing the characters traits and position within society. The colour of the shirt is crucial when conveying a message to an audience.  The colour white is suggestive of cleanliness which like the character of Lucy is an aspect of Rhys’ personality, also of his career. A white short suggests that they work in a formal setting as it is a piece of stereotypical attire for someone with a high powered role, something the audience can relate too. The fact it plays strongly on this stereotype also conveys to the audience that Rhys has a role within society in which he needs to blend in and does not convey anything personal or interesting in his appearance. This item of clothing has no individual touches or features highlighting the fact that Rhys compartmentalises his personal life and his professional role.

Like the shirt, the trousers and jacket that Rhys wears are important in representing his personality to the audience. Subtle references are often what focus an idea in their minds and can be recalled at a later date. The colour is an important feature symbolising Rhys’ personality. The colour grey is often suggested to be cold and conservative. This feature is crucial to the persona that Rhys uses at work. Unlike both Kathy and Lucy, Rhys makes no attempt to convey his own tastes in his clothing and style of work. It reinforces the notion that he deals with personal situations and work in two very different methods. Grey is also deemed a neutral colour and rarely produces large amounts of emotion, a physical and visual representation of the detached method that Rhys has chosen to adopt. The style of the suit is also crucial. The tight fit of the jacket and the trousers represent Rhys’ youth and despite the fact he has a serious tone and job that he is still very much a young adult. This aspect of his personality allows him to connect with audience who are around the same age bracket and would be able to sympathise with him more.

 Rhys’ tie is also a significant feature of his costume. The position at work that he holds is suggested throughout the narrative and by his costume, would require him to dress formally. A tie is often a stereotypical piece of attire for a professional gentleman. The colour of the tie is also important, as it represents a variety of factors about his personality and background. The deep purple tone is suggesting the mysterious and protected nature of Rhys work. In the film there is no actual mention by name of his role, but the secrecy suggested that is vitally important that it is never discovered. Mystery is also a crucial convention of the horror genre. The colour purple is also an important feature as it represents the wealthy background that Rhys and Kathy come from. Both Rhys and Kathy have expensive clothing and their mannerisms are also representing the background they have come from. It highlights that Rhys now has a lot of power and influence in his life. The style of the tie much like the suit is symbolizing the youth of Rhys as a character and helping the audience to connect with him on a deeper level. The fact that his youth is being exploited showed by his reactions during the narrative, details that it’s an important feature of the game that Lance is playing.

The final item of Rhys’ costume is his shoes.  Like all of the other items of his costume they offer a visual representation of his status and behaviour. The tone of the shoes is a deep black, conveying to the audience his serious and sophisticated style, not only of his outfit but of Rhys overall personality. When this is combined with his other pieces it represents the official line of his work. Shoes like this are stereotypically worn by men in high-powered professions.  The colour black also adds to the interpretation of Rhys being mysterious. Coupled with his career and the fact that there is not a lot a known about him it conveys the nature of his job. The style of the shoe is also important. The heel on the back not only offers extra height, but corrects the line of the foot making it aesthetically pleasing; connoting that Rhys cares about his appearance. The laces on the shoe also reinforce the importance of the strap on Lucy’s. Both of them have to be prepared for possible action such as walking or running. The label on the product also conveys Rhys’ money and status as much like Kathy’s outfit it is expensive and would reinforce that they are of the upper class.

Each of these factors is important in representing Rhys’ character to the audience. It not only reinforces his character but features such as the genre and moral message of the piece. An example of this is the social dram genre that is conveyed by the stereotypical items of his costume, allowing the themes and messages to be followed and understood fully. Although this is not the exact costume that the character of Rhys will wear it conveys the importance of representation that will be carried through into the actual pieces.