wwd.com/pop-culture: “Saturday Night Live” is the most Emmy-winning show in history, with 11 nominations in the Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming category and one victory for costume designer Tom Broecker in 2014. Since 1975, the show has launched countless careers, catchphrases and, of course, memorable costumes that have inspired Halloween outfits everywhere.
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In celebration of SNL's anniversary recently, I've definitely been thinking a lot more about SNL than I usually am. I really enjoyed this in-depth photo gallery of SNL costumes, and as someone who enjoys SNL (because of course I do, I'm a theater kid) but is not obsessed with SNL, this article definitely showed me a lot of SNL history that I did not know. The photos of the conehead costumes were absolutely terrifying, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be seeing those in my nightmares. I don't know why they're so flesh-toned. I don't think they need to be so flesh-toned. Some costumes that stuck out to me from this article were some of the giant wigsk and of course all of the Weekend Update costumes. I definitely feel like the Weekend Update characters are some of the most well-characterized people on SNL, and it was really fun to see those highlighted in this article.
Its so cool seeing so many looks across SNLs time running! The costumes on SNL have always fascinated me- sometimes they are really realistic almost to the point of not noticing, other times they stereotypically reflect the characters wearing them, and other times they look weird or "bad" in a way that supports the comedy of the scene. Its really cool to see how costuming can affect the comedic tone of a piece. I really like the cone head costumes, the sfx with the head piece is pretty well done and is kind of freaky to look at. I love it. The way the Spartan pattern on the outfits for the spartan cheerleaders overlap with each other is a really good example of composition on the photographers part- I wonder if that angle was used in the skit as well? It looks really cool. The wigs are also SUCH a huge part of SNL. I think its one of SNLs most iconic traits- the curly wigs everyone seems to wear that are so clearly wigs, but are also so SNL it works.
I have to say I think the opportunity to get to work on the costume designs for something like SNL has to be a blast. One of the most iconic ones here in my opinion is the Conehead costumes. The prosthetics just blend in so uncomfortably well into the actor’s actual skin it's unsettlingly realistic for the two actors on the right. And then the one in 2006 with Amy Poehler and Jaime Pressly wearing absolutely massive wigs is quite entertaining as well. The Bee Hospital costumes are pretty cute as well, I think that would’ve been an interesting scene to see in color. My favorite one overall though definitely has to be both of the Weekend Update costumes. The 2013 version matches up so well to the 2010 version while still changing things up a bit, and in general I’m just a sucker for a good vest. I think the main takeaway I’ve gotten from this article is that I need to be watching SNL more to see all the crazy costumes and funny skits.
I really enjoyed reading the article about SNL costumes through the years. I think it's so cool how SNL has not only helped to launch so many peoples careers but has also created such memorable costumes that have become iconic in pop culture. I think it's really almost insane that the show has been around for 50 years and they're still coming up with different ideas that make lasting impacts. I didn't realize that "SNL" had won so many Emmy nominations for costumes or that Tom Broecker won an award in 2014. It really does make a lot of sense, though, because the costumes play such a crucial role in bringing all of these amazing skits and ideas to life. I think the costumes have and continue to add an extra layer of humor and creativity to the show. The article made me appreciate all the work that goes into the show and how costumes are such an important part of its history and legacy.
SNL, in my mind, is far more than a television program, it is a cultural phenomenon that manages to achieve what no other theatrical or television production could imagine itself doing. The intense detail and turnaround speed of the scenic and costume departments of Saturday Night Live are just one (very impressive) part of this historic variety show. I am a huge fan of the SNL program, both in childhood, when my dad used to let me stay up late to watch Weekend Update with him, to now, when a group of my friends and I have weekly SNL nights where we watch the show as it airs in my dorm. Over my years as a fan it has become more and more impressive to me what the team at SNL are able to achieve in costuming, not only in the time that they don’t have for costume changes, but in the ways they are able to transform the same actors into wildly different characters over the course of the same night. Kristen Wiig could conceivably play both Target Lady and Dooneese within 20 minutes of each other, and viewers wouldn’t bat an eye, despite the fact that anyone with a background in costumes knows that that wig change (no pun intended) was not easy to achieve. The SNL costume department does not get nearly enough credit for the incredible things it achieves.
One thing that I think constantly gets overlooked in the ongoing debate on whether SNL is still funny, or was ever even funny, is the sheer production value that goes into every episode of this insane show. The script for SNL is not created until Wednesday, which means that the design and production department has 4 days until the show will be live on network television to put everything together. This paired with the fact that each sketch is written and produced by often 20 something year old writers who have never done anything like this ever before, it's a straight up merical that there is a show on Saturday at all, let alone a funny one. That being said, the costumes are such an important part of this show. For cast members that need to jump from one character to the next in a matter of minutes, nothing helps that change more than a distinct outfit. And personally, the fact that just looking at still pictures of these outfits over the years made me laugh, I believe the SNL consumer department is truly killing it and have been for 50 years.
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