The Marvelous Fashion of Mrs Maisel

The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel was launched on Amazon Prime in 2017 and spanned across five seasons. It is the story of Midge Maisel, the “perfect housewife” of New York’s Upper West Side in the 1950s whose marriage falls apart after her husband cheats on her with his secretary. When Midge’s perfect world starts to crumble, she discovers her talent for stand-up comedy – a bit ironic because her husband tried it as well, unsuccessfully.

We can follow Midge’s transformation – from stay-at-home mother, to starting out as a stand-up comedian at the Gaslight, to becoming a megastar. The show is witty, funny and it also gives a glimpse inot the life of the time, especially the situation of women and the expectations and limits they had to face.

The fashion is as marvelous as the show. Midge always looks effortless – that is what she makes you may think, but we learn how much effort she puts into her appearance. This article analyses the costumes of the show and assesses what they tell us about 1950s fashion. Are the costumes accurate? Was there someone like Midge Maisel at the time? I would say yes and I will tell you why.

You can also watch my video here:

Historical Background

The first three seasons of Mrs Maisel are set in the 1950s, starting in Fall 1958 and they stretch until 1961. This is also the period which this article analyses. (The last two seasons, especially Season 5 covers much more time periods in a very condensed time frame. To keep this article as brief as possible, it only focuses on Seasons 1-3.) This time frame is a transitional period in history – from postwar to economic miracle – and fashion reflects that. The fashion of The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel does not reference single, or specific years but overall time periods: At the beginning of the show, the costumes reference the early 1950s, then they move towards the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the last scene of Season 3, Midge wears an ensemble which already rings in the 1960s fashion.

The last outfit of Season 3 already points at the 1960s fashion.

The show is set in postwar New York and overall, the economic and general outlook was positive due to the economic upswing. New York was a hub for garment production. The show also takes us to the garment district several times as the family business of the Maisel’s is a garment factory. What was the situation of women? While many women entered the workforce during the war, as they were needed to keep the country and the economy running, the was a certain degree of a “backwards movement” in the 1950s. It was common that women stayed at home and raised the children. They were the homemakers while the men were the main breadwinners again. We could even say it was kind of a status symbol if a family could afford that the wife did not “have to” work. However, this was also a time when women in many countries could not decide freely about their lives – not only in America but also in many European countries. Often, they could not take up a job without their father’s or husband’s permission, or, they could not have their own bank accounts, or even wear trousers.

This overall development was also reflected in women’s fashion. The silhouettes of the 1920s until the mid-1940s were relatively straight and more practical which catered to many women working. Therefore, the clothes needed to allow them a certain kind of freedom. In the 1950s, the main beauty ideal was an hourglass shape which was heavily influenced by Christian Dior’s New Look. It promoted a narrow waistline, feminine dress and silhouettes, often with bell-shaped skirts requiring petticoats. Another popular silhouette was the more fitted “En huit”-silhouette which was also developed by Dior. (You can learn more about both silhouettes in my article about Dior’s Bar suit.) Midge Maisel’s outfits incorporate both silhouettes.

I would like to mention one thing here: Midge Maisel’s fashion is clearly upper-middle class or upper class. It is also New York, more specifically Upper West Side – even though we will see how her downtown gigs at the Gaslight influence Midge’s style. While the major trends originated in Paris, they were also taken up by American designers. But these designs were not worn by everyone. It was the upper class who had access to them and the capital to buy them. Midge and her mother belong to that social strata; they also drop the names of the designers they wear, such as Chanel or Jacques Fath. It is important to understand that the social life on the Upper West Side also required an extensive wardrobe, including matching accessories – hat, gloves, bag, shoes, jewellery. There are scenes, like the one in Season 3 when Midge and Rose pick outfits for their trip to the Catskills, where we can see a number of clothing racks with outfits. (Midge very often also borrows clothes from her mother.) This was not affordable for the masses. Therefore, we have to wear our “special glasses” here and see it through the lens of a young Upper West Side woman, from a rather privileged background with a certain lifestyle involving certain events. Midge is very much interested in fashion – she not only follows the trends, she reads Vogue (Season 3). But she does not merely follow trends, she rather makes them her own.

The costume designer of the show, Donna Zakowska, transported herself to the New York of the 1950s. In her book “Madly Marvelous: The Costumes of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, she mentions that when she works on period project, she surrounds herself with historic materials such as magazines or photographs. For the first three seasons of Mrs. Maisel, she meticulously researched the late 1940s until the early 1960s. Zakowska paid attention to the smallest details, which may sometimes even be invisible for us. Furthermore, Zakowska thinks in “colour scenes” – each scene has a specific colour programme and so does Midge’s character development. For the Mrs. Maisel, Zakowska created countless outfits – not only for Midge and the characters close to her but also for an insane number of extras. The majority of outfits were made for the show, according to Zakowska 98% of them – either at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn or in the garment district – which is a really nice link back to the history. The outfits were brought to life by Eric Winterling, the hats by Lynne Mackey. After the show, some outfits were taken by the actors – Rachel Brosnahan, who is Midge in the show, took a lot of them and according to Zakowska, she was very much involved in the process of creating them and strongly identified with them. At the end of the show, Zakowska said in an interview that she would miss the fittings with Rachel Brosnahan.^[1]

The Colourful Wardrobe of Mrs. Maisel

Let’s dive into the details of Midge’s outfits and how they represent 1950s fashion. We can organize her wardrobe in three major groups: Firstly, her daytime outfits which are at first dominated by her Uptown lifestyle but soon, they represent her oscillating between uptown and downtown. Secondly, occasionwear. What is “occasionwear”? As the name suggests, it is the wardrobe for special occasions. Today, we mainly think of weddings, for example, but in the 1950s, affluent women had to attend and dress for a multitude of events – dinner parties, tea room gatherings, sports activities, holidays. The third category is Midge’s stage outfits.

Daytime Attire

The Meaning of Colours

When we think of Midge Maisel, what comes to mind is probably this signature combination of skirt or dress with a coat, a hat and matching accessories. Her outfits are fun and colourful and while we may not notice it at first sight, the colours have a meaning. When you think of Midge Maisel which colour comes to your mind? Pink. It is this iconic outfit in Season 1, a pink dress with a pink coat which was also used to advertise the series. Throughout the seasons, pink became be the colour to market the show. At first, costume designer Donna Zakowska had to mix this very first shade of “Maisel pink” herself. Over time, this pink evolved into more or less subtle and in different variations – magenta, raspberry, blush pink, bubblegum, coral, salmon, fuchsia, peach. In the pilot, Midge wears a pink swing coat which has become an iconic garment of the show. The viewers are drawn into Midge’s rosy world and there is so much pink that sometimes we do not even notice it. For example, on her first day at the department store B. Altman her cuffs and collar have a subtle pink ribbon trim. In Season 3, at the divorce court, she wears pink under her collar – maybe to give herself confidence. Whenever we see pink, it means tenacity and confidence.^[2]

At first, pink refers to the seemingly perfect and rosy world of Mrs Maisel and also her flashbacks to the past when she seemed to be happy. Over time, pink turns into Midge’s character development and her independence. Furthermore, the description of the creators of the series was that “Midge never seems depressed”^[3]. No matter what happens to Midge, she never ever looks defeated. When life turns on Midge, she may not see everything through rose-coloured glasses anymore, like she did at the beginning of the show. But instead of becoming better, and, therefore, rejecting pink which reflects her past, she makes it her colour and changes the meaning of it. This was a very smart move by the costume design as it is a strong statement: Pink is not necessarily a “weak” colour, it can be very fierce; and for Midge it may be a source of strength.^[4]

The signature Mrs. Maisel coat made it into the collection of the Smithsonian Institution.

Another important colour is green which is used when Midge does something bold or “heroic”. In the pilot, Midge’s green coat is a heroic choice, often by accident. For example, she spontaneously becomes the voice of the women’s movement when talking at a protest at Washington Square. White reflected Midge’s cathartic closure and renewal in her life (like in the finale of Season 2). But whenever she needs an extra amount of courage, like in court, she goes back to pink: For example, she wears a magenta Jacques Fath-coat which is rather reminiscent of, eveningwear but it shows that this is not any woman, it is Midge Maisel.^[5]

Green stands for Midge’s heroic side.

The flashbacks to Midge’s past are coloured by her own feelings and memories and this is also expressed by the colours of the garments. In Season 1, at the wedding of the Maisels, the bridesmaids are dressed in green organza, the other women in shades of white and cream, greens and blues, the band wears salmon pink tuxedos. Midge in her wedding dress is actually an antidote to the popular wedding dresses of the time with big, layered skirts, which rather look like tiered cakes. Hers is simpler, but at the same time already ahead of a future trend. Her dress is modelled after Audrey Hepburn’s Wedding dress in “Funny Face” from 1957 which was designed by Hubert de Givenchy. Midge seems to float through the scenes. For the flashbacks to the happier days with her ex-husband Joel, for example when he carries her into the apartment, Zakowska opted for pastel colours – lavender, pink, baby blue. She said that the main inspiration for this scene was Marie Antoinette.^[6]

During a flashback to a New Year’s party, the nostalgia, the idealized version of her past, and her new path in life morph into each other. Midge wears a green dress with an hourglass silhouette. With a complicated camera technique, this dress transforms into another green dress with a straighter silhouette when Midge stands in the empty apartment. The top backs of the two dresses had to be identical to achieve the effect. Like the dress, her idealized past transforms into her imperfect reality.^[7]

Mrs. Maisel lives in a seemingly perfect bubblegum world.

It seems that Midge, and also her mother Rose live in a colourful, bubblegum world. Their uptown life means dressing up – mainly muted colours and pastels, everything has to be perfect, just like the life they have to convey to the outside. Even at her exercise classes or at home, Midge is dressed in “candy cotton” of perfectly coordinated outfits. But then Midge’s (artificial) perfect world crumbles. This also impacts her wardrobe. It is ironic, and probably intentional, that her wardrobe is so perfect while her life and also Midge herself are far from perfect – Midge is chaotic, impulsive, emotional the total opposite of a “perfect” woman at the time. This is what makes her so charming and relatable even though her life was only accessible to a very small part of the population. It is similar to what I said in my video about the main character Cher in “Clueless”.^[8]

Coats as a Signature Garment

Coats can be very dramatic elements of a wardrobe and Midge Maisel has a coat in almost any colour of the rainbow. Her pink coat from the pilot became the blueprint for many other coats of the shows. It is typical of the 1950s: a swing coat which is fitted at the top top with a bell-shaped bottom part allowing the coat to swing. This shape allows to wear any silhouette underneath. The coats have become inextricably linked with Midge Maisel. The pink coat of the pilot even made it into the collection of the Smithsonian Institution at the National Museum of American History where you can also find icons such as Dorothy’s red slippers or Superman’s cape.^[9]

The Importance of Undergarments

Underneath her interesting coats, Midge typically wears dresses or skirts. To achieve her signature 50s-silhouettes, it was necessary to also recreate the undergarments. The fashion of the 1950s and its silhouette was only possible by pointed bras, girdles, corsets and petticoats – most of them far from being comfortable. We can already see why women burned exactly these items to symbolize their rights and freedom. Zukowska knew that without the support by the undergarments, Midge Maisel’s silhouette would not look authentic. Therefore, she even recreated the undergarments for the actors. For Rachel Bosnahan, Zakowska created a pointed bra and special version of a corset which was used in haute couture. It had to be custom-made and designed to allow more flexibility than the usual corsets of the 1950s because the actress had to wear it for extended periods of time. Furthermore, fluffy petticoats achieved the silhouette. While these underskirts were usually not meant to be seen, they often featured lace or other trimmings and they were layered just in case they would peek out when dancing for example. When Midge wears the iconic red dress and sits down during her impromptu-standout we can see the petticoat.^[10]

The red dress for Yom Kippur becomes the blueprint for her stage outfits, it is worn with a petticoat underneath.

Accessoires played a major role in the 1950s – they were often made specifically for a certain outfit to match it. (I also mentioned this in my article about the 7 Basics Facts You Need to Know about Coco Chanel; she created a shoe which could fit to more than one outfit.) Short gloves were used for daytime attire, in the evening the were longer. Handbags were often square or boxy with a short handle and were carried at the forearm. This was before it became fashionable to wear bags on the shoulder allowing more freedom, another thing which was also heavily influenced by Chanel and her 2.55 bag.

Life between Uptown and Downtown

When Midge dives deeper into her life as a comic, also her outfits adapt. They not only have to work for her life uptown but also downton. In the 1950s – just like today – New York City was not homogenous, we could say there were several sub-cultures depending on the area and there were different fashion styles. Downtown, especially Greenwhich Village, was inspired by the Parisian Bohemians, it was more diverse than uptown, it was arty, it was working-class, it was influenced by immigrants, for example, from Italy. The Beatnick-fashion was popular in the village, and in general the fashion was much simpler than uptown; often it had some symbolic meaning. Midge, who is a veritable social chameleon, chooses her wardrobe accordingly. In the downtown scenes, she wears dark tones – black, dark green, aubergine, burgundy. She wears fitted wool stretch tops, structured hats, swaps her high heels for flats and wears dark Capri trousers instead of the bell-shaped skirts. These Capri pants are yet again a strong statement of feminism, as it was not common yet that women wore trousers.(You can learn more about the Capri pants and why they are a symbol of female empowerment in my article about their inventor.) One of the best examples for Midge’s life between uptown and downtown is a blue outfit which she wears on Washington Square, again, in the heart of Bohemian culture. When looking at her outfit, we cannot really put her in either category, uptown or downtown, she somehow seems to fit into both – this is the essence of Mrs. Maisel.^[11]

For the scenes in the artworld, Midge also clearly adapts her wardrobe – no matter if it is a gallery opening, a gathering at Cedar Tavern or when she visits the studio of artist Declan Howell. At a gallery opening, Midge wears one of my favourite dresses: a black and white dress with floral motifs and additional flower appliqués. The dress has a slight bubble shape, a reference to her performance dress and very fashion-forward at the time. At Howell’s studio, Zakowska dressed Midge in blue with green details to balance out the colourful artworks and chaos at the studio.^[12]

Midge’s Theatrical Daytime Attire

The more time Midge spends on stage, the more theatrical her daytime attire becomes more. The previously mentioned magenta coat for the meeting with her lawyer and at court is one example. Another is her red dress for Yom Kippur which influences a lot of outfits throughout the show. (It is the one previously mentioned with the petticoat.). She wears this dress at the dinner and it stands for her provocative challenge of her ex-husband Joel. Midge looks audacious and fearless. She then heads downtown to the Gaslight and even goes to jail in the very same dress. It is maybe one of her most memorable impromptu performance looks – it is the one mentioned before with the petticoat. The lines blur between the reality of an uptown divorcée and her life as a aspiring comedian at the Gaslight. (By the way, the Gaslight really existed, the concept was a bit different but it was located at McDougal Street from 1958 until 1971.)^[13]

Work Attire

When we talk about daytime attire, we also need to look into Midge’s work outfits. When she starts at the department store B. Altman, her work clothes are uniform-like, in multiple shades of gray mixed with navy blue. Zakowska added small details like polka dots or stripes. Little red and blue silk flowers were worn daily, a velvet version during the holiday season. Zakowska was inspired by the movie “Auntie Mame” from 1958 when Mame works as a salesgirl at Macy’s wearing a blue tailored dress. Like Mame, Midge stands for the glamourized image of a working woman in the 1950s.^[14]

When Midge is moved to the switchboard in the basement, her wardrobe had to adjust. Called “basement hell” by some, this is reflected in the earthier tones of the switchboard girls compared to the more glamorous salesroom girls. Zakowska was inspired by photographs from 1950s switchboard rooms where the ladies wore stripes. Furthermore, stripes reminded her of switchboards. Midge tries to assimilate in brick colours, red, maroons.^[15]

One of Midge’s eccentric radio-outfits.

Midge’s tour with Shy is cut short and Midge goes back to work again. Back in New York, she starts recording radio spots and still dresses the part. Even though Susie tells her that “it doesn’t matter how […] [she] look[s]”^[16], Midge dresses very confidently. At B. Altman, she tried to assimilate, here she does not. It was a period of suspension for Midge, as she had to wait for Shy to recuperate and Zakowska reflected that in the pastel-coloured outfits. While her first outfit in New York still has a Miami-vibe to it (a sea anemone-inspired ensemble with a hat in green tones), her other outfits are almost girlish, fresh and funny.^[17]

Occasion Dressing

A big part of Midge’s wardrobe are outfits for specific occasions – for sports at her gym, or for travelling, for example. Midge never travels light and it feels as if there is always a theme to her trips.

Paris

When Midge goes to Paris, she looks like a stewardess, this was a very glamorous profession in the 1950s. Zakowska bought a stewardesse’s uniform from the time and worked with a picture she found in Elle magazine from the 1950s. It should reflect that this was Midge’s first time on a plane ever. Her second look for her short trip to Paris was inspired by Monet’s “Water Lilies”. The pastel colours should make Midge stand out in the crowd, but also let her “glow in the dark”. Midge even appears on stage in this outfit alongside the glamorous drag queens. Paris was a challenge for Zakowska also in terms of extras – a very high number of extras had to be dressed according to the lifestyle of Paris in the 1950s which was much more codified than New York City. Zakowska took inspiration from the work uniforms of the time and decided to dress the more than 1,000 Paris-extras in blues and jewel tones.^[18]

Midge Maisel’s Paris outfit.

Holidays in the Catskills

The best examples for Midge’s occasion dressing are her outfits for the trip to the Catskills. This was a popular destination among the upper-class of New York City and also Jewish families like Midge’s. When Midge announces that they go to the Catskills, she wears a yellow floral silk chiffon dress – the first time we see Midge in florals – and a fascinator. For these holidays, the outfits were very codified and all had a certain purpose; they are often referred to as “play clothes”. We could say that this was the “activewear of the 1950s”, as the garments allowed women to move more easily. An important designer of this type of clothing was American Claire McCardell who directly referenced in the show: Rose wears a dress which is an interpretation of a McCardell design which was photographed for Vogue in 1952.^[19]

Midge in a “playsuit”.

Another interesting detail: Midge’s outfits also match Rose’s. They are not identical but they mirror each other in many Catskills scenes: while playing ping-pong, at the hairdresser, or when they ride bicycles. When Midge goes boating with Benjamin she wears a striped “dress” which then opens a bit and reveals green shorts. These could be the shorts of a playsuit which was very popular at the time and reminiscent of children’s rompers. The striped dress was made from vintage fabrics and it was very common to have such a cover-up piece over a playsuit; very often in the same fabric. Midge’s is a bit different as the fabric is different. She also wears a straw hat, popular for summer holidays, in a signature lampshade shape. This outfit is daring for the time, but just in the right amount.^[20]

We also see Midge in a bikini during the pageant. The blue with polka dots makes her stand out from the monochromatic bikinis of the other contestants. It is very fashion-forward and refers to the ones Hollywood beauties wore at the time, such as Mamie van Doren who is mentioned by Midge and her mother in the show. As a holiday in the Catskills also involves a lot of evening events, we see Midge in many beautiful evening looks. On the final evening, she wears a dress in muted shades of blue with silver appliqués which is a reference to a perfume of the period called “Evening in Paris”. The glittering lights of Paris are sewn onto the blue dress which marks a melancholic ending of the holiday.^[21]

Midge and Benjamin

When Midge starts to date Benjamin, we see a new side of her – her fashion adventurous, seductive, sexy but not too sexy. When she leaves with him from the Catskills, she wears shorts – daring at the time, but again her version is not too risqué. And again, we see pink trimming and accessories. On their first real date, Midge wears a dress which clearly references her red Yom Kippur dress which was mentioned previously. Again, this shows her independence but this time, the dress is in a purple-tone and seems a bit softer and feminine. Of course, her bag and shoes match the outfit and Benjamin even comments on this.^[22]

Midge takes Benjamin to “her” Stage Deli. The deli’s in New York in the 1950s were an important meeting point, especially in the theater district. Two delis, the Stage Deli and the Carnegie Deli, had been rivals since the 1930s. Midge is overdressed when she shows up at the Stage Deli. Zakowska opted for colours and a distinctive silhouette for the deli scenes – the crowd is very special and ecclectic, but Midge still stands out. One example would be the bright orange dress with florals and the matching hat. (By the way, Midge rarely takes her hats off indoors.)^[23]

Midge on Tour

Midge does not travel light, she even carries a box for all the hats matching her outfits when she goes on tour with Susie. Later on, the tour with Shy Baldwin brings her to Las Vegas and Miami and Midge dresses according to each location. In the 1950s, Las Vegas was already more than just another gambling resort, it had become a world-famous hub for entertainment as well. The city was clearly shaped by its “Wild West Americana”-identity and also the glitzy costumes of its shows. Zakowska slowly introduced elements of Midge’s Las Vegas style which goes hand-in-hand with her development of her confidence on stage. During the phone scene in her room filled with yellow teddy bears, Midge wears a swing dress in an orange tone with a big gold belt – very casino-like.^[24]

Midge Maisel at her arrival in Miami.

Maximalist and stylish are the best words to describe the Miami of the 1950s and 1960s. It was a very hip destination for celebrities and the Fontainebleau Hotel, where Midge stays and performs, was the centre of it. Its guests included Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. In the show, Midge walks down the famous “Staircase to Nowhere” which really existed at the hotel. It led to a small, insignificant room but guests loved to walk down these stairs to show off their clothes. For Miami, Zakowska created an almost circus-like graphic atmosphere with stripes, dots, patterns, hats and straw bags. Midge’s arrival look already gives this “circus meets waterfront resort”-vibe: Midge wears a hand-painted silk shift dress and a matching straw hat with hand-painted and handmade silk flowers. Usually, Midge would wear a coat, but it is too hot in Miami, therefore, Zakowska created a cape – again, a reference to superheroes.^[25]

Outfit for the boating trip in Miami.

Midge immediately heads to the pool. The briefing of the creators of the show was that Midge should look “cute”. At the same time, she needed to stand out in an already very loud background environment. Zukowska designed a pink swimsuit with a bow, an element which she repeatedly used for Midge. Her big straw hat looks like an open shell and from the top, we can see a striped pattern – which actually reference the umbrella by the pool. Similar to the Catskills, Midge needs the right outfit for certain events. They are all connected by a theme – Midge is at a waterfront resort in a colourful destination. Therefore, she wears bold patters such as the one for her “parrot dress”. Midge’s boating look is a classic, which references the Breton sailors with the blue and white stripes. Midge knows what is appropriate but she always makes herself stand out with the details: her boating outfit features orange stripes and she wears an orange headband.^[26]

Stage Outfits – The Evolution of the Black Dress

For her first official performance, Midge wears a black dress which becomes a blueprint for the whole show. This was the wish of Amy Sherman-Palladino, one of the show’s creators, who wanted something for suitable for a housewife but with a theatrical twist. Midge’s stage outfits were a bit tricky as they still had to be credible – in the sense that they needed to convey that she was a potential “normal” housewife. Midge’s stage outfits are unified rather than uniform, as no dress is the same. Throughout the seasons, we see different interpretations of the black dress – Zakowska worked with ruffles, buttons, rhinestone buckles, bubble skirts and also with the quality of the textiles.^[27]

Midge Maisel’s stage dress is a reference of Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy dress in “Sabrina”.

This first “official” stage dress was inspired by another Audrey Hepburn movie: It is an almost exact replica of her dress in “Sabrina” (1954) which Hepburn had chosen herself at Givenchy’s atelier. The signature boat neckline soon became known as “Sabrina Neckline” and also the bows on the shoulders are the same. Shermann-Palladino envisioned pearls with the dress and Rose even refers to that when she tells Midge that this dress needed pearls without knowing where Midge was going. Moreover, Midge wears gloves and black pumps. An interesting detail about the pumps: they featured a stiletto heel which was coming up in the 1950s. New techniques made it possible to support the pump with a steel part, therefore, the block heels which were fashionable before were gradually substituted by this more feminine version popularized by Salvatore Ferragamo and Roger Vivier, amongst others. The dress is a cocktail dress in the typical length of the time. Cocktail dresses became popular after the concept of the cocktail hour came up – a suitable garment was needed for this social occasion. The influence is clear: Christian Dior’s New Look which he created in 1947 and which was soon copied by many other couturiers, designers and dressmakers in all price segments. Like Midge’s pink coat, this first black dress is also part of the Smithsonian Institution’s collection.^[28]

Usually, Midge wears the same hairstyle and similar make-up on stage. It is the same hairstyle which she also wears during the day. We see her sleeping with special rubber rollers which were developed in the 1950s and softer than their predecessors so that women could sleep more “comfortably”. Her signature red lips are special shade by Revlon which Midge even mentions in the show: She recommends “Cherries in the Snow” to a customer at B. Altman.^[29]

A version of the stage dress with an exaggerated hairstyle.

As mentioned before, the black stage dress evolved over time and peaked in her asymmetrical Las Vegas-version with a big bow on the shoulder. Zakowska counters this with a beehive-like hairstyle – it is the first time we see Midge with such an exaggerated hairstyle and it adds some humour to it. The following stage outifts also incorporated rhinestones and even colourful details. For example, Midge’s performance dress at the Fontainebleau featured pink feathers and for another performance in Miami, she wears a black dress with green silk details – both are Midge’s strong colours. But mostly, her stage outfits remain black.^[30]

Midge mostly wears black on stage, except for her performance at the Apollo in Season 3.

The only exception is the pink dress for her performance at the Apollo in Season 3. The Apollo played an important role in the entertainment history of Harlem still is a cultural cornerstone today. In the 1950s, it was very elegant, upscale but at the same time, it had a community feeling. Midge wears pink to boost her courage – it references her first impromptu performance at the Gaslight in the red Yom Kippur dress. She wears a loose pink coat over this dress which is cut like a Japanese kimono.^[31]

Footnotes

[1] Elle 2025, Glamour 2025, Zakowska 2021, p. 18.

[2] Zakowska 2021, p. 14, 46, 52-54.

[3] ibid., p. 46.

[4] ibid., p. 14, 46, 52-54.

[5] ibid., p. 22.

[6] ibid., p. 64-72.

[7] ibid., p. 74.

[8] ibid., p. 30, 56-62, 74-76.

[9] ibid., p. 30, 56-62.

[10] Glamour 2025, Zakowska 2021, p. 30.

[11] Zakowska 2021, p. 88-90, 104.

[12] ibid., p. 188.

[13] Glamour 2025, Zakowska 2021, p. 106-116.

[14] Zakowska 2021, p. 126-136.

[15] ibid., p. 126-136.

[16] ibid., p. 287

[17] ibid., p. 290-294.

[18] ibid., p. 152-156.

[19] Glamour 2025.

[20] Zakowska 201, p. 152-170.

[21] Glamour 2025, Zakowska 2021, p. 178-180.

[22] Zakowska 2021, p. 182.

[23] ibid., p. 188-200.

[24] ibid., p. 250-258.

[25] ibid., p. 260-262.

[26] ibid., p. 266-268.

[27] ibid., p. 238.

[28] Glamour 2025, Zakowska 2021, p. 102, 244.

[29] Glamour 2025.

[30] Zakowska 2021, p. 244-258, 268.

[31] ibid., p.298-300.

Sources

Elle, How Midge Maisel Became One of the Best-Dressed Characters on TV, published on 26 May 2023, by Emma Fraser, last accessed on 1 April 2025.

Glamour Official YouTube Channel, Fashion Historian Fact Checks The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Wardrobe, last accessed on 1 April 2025.

Donna Zakowska, Madly Marvelous: The Costumes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Kindle-version, New York, 2021.

Sources Title Image

Amazon Prime/@maiseltv Official Instagram Account

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