Simply Dazzling

The Movie: “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.”

The Setup: Transferred to film, the perennial holiday ballet tells the story of a Victorian girl, Marie Stahlbaum (Jessica Lynn Cohen), who is given a nutcracker doll for Christmas by her godfather, Herr Drosselmeier (Bart Robinson Cook). She dreams that the nutcracker soldier becomes a prince (Macaulay Culkin, pictured above) and together they enter an enchanted world of animated soldiers, oversize mice, dancing desserts and a picture-perfect Sugarplum Fairy (Darci Kistler).

The Costume Designer: Original designs by Karinska (also known as Madame Barbara Karinska), a costume maker for stage and film who died in 1983. Although most closely associated with the New York City Ballet, she won an Oscar in 1948 for “Joan of Arc.”

The Look: The old saying that good clothes last forever is proven here. These dazzling costumes, designed in 1954 and worn each year by New York City Ballet dancers, explain Karinska’s reputation for exquisite detail and precision craftsmanship.

Crystal beads drip across the powder-pink satin bodice of the Sugarplum Fairy’s utterly romantic “romantic length” (ballet talk for ankle-length) confection. More pink--as in a silk faille suit with knickers, embroidered satin vest and lace jabot--adorns Culkin’s Prince. (The actor’s only complaint? “Sometimes the costumes got a little itchy,” he said.)

Miss: Victorian garb worn by the cast (save for Marie’s marabou-trimmed party dress) during the pre-fantasy scenes is, frankly, dreary. Expect to see women in long brown wool dresses with too-tight hair buns.

Hit: Every creature in the magic world enchants, particularly the Christmas tree angels, in white satin hooped skirts, halos of gold lame and gold horsehair wigs; the Hot Chocolate women, in brown silk taffeta, velvet and gold lame Spanish-style dresses worn with mantillas; the Marzipan characters, in corset-style bodices encircled with baskets of strawberries, carrots and hearts that look good enough to eat. Sure to enter the dreams of every little girl watching is the Sugarplum Fairy’s pale green tutu with ruffled edging, jeweled bodice and oh-so-delicate crystal-embellished satin straps.

Trivia: A few costumes, including the standout “Tea” kimonos with appliqued scenes, are 1954 originals. Most of the others have been remade over the years. The Candy Canes’ pink-and-green-striped jumpsuits and jackets, for example, were freshly minted for the film in spandex.

Quoted: “Every time something was redesigned, I tried to do it in Karinska’s flavor,” said Holly Hynes, director of costumes for the New York City Ballet. “The eye changes a bit. What we think looks nice on a body now may not be what people thought looked nice in 1954.”

Sources: All principal costumes were made at the New York City Ballet.