OF TRUTH AND BEAUTY
“Changeling” is based on the moving true story of Christine Collins, a single working mother who brought down the corrupt Los Angeles Police Department after it foisted a strange child on her as the son she had reported missing.
Photos from the media coverage of Collins’ well-publicized legal struggle were invaluable for costume designer Deborah Hopper, who has worked with director Clint Eastwood on several earlier films, including “Flags of Our Fathers,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Mystic River.”
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How important was the archival history of Collins’ case in creating Angelina Jolie’s wardrobe of dropped waist dresses, fur-trimmed coats and cloche hats?
It was invaluable. We interviewed a number of historians regarding the period and the incident, and found someone to speak with about every detail. The Los Angeles Police historian was also very helpful.
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Tell us about those roller skates!
The skates were the key roller skates that clip onto the shoe. And the Mary Jane shoes the women wore had a little heel. The pitch would have been a little bit forward. So what we did to make it easier for Angelina was to make a copy of the shoe she was wearing that didn’t have a heel. So it was a bit of a cheat.
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What accessories were inspired by the real Christine?
Christine Collins wore big crocheted flowers on her coats all the time. So we decided to stay with that theme, as far as brooches and decorations on her jackets. We used a Bakelite pear pin on one jacket and a cluster of acorns made of wood from a vintage shop in L.A. It was actually a necklace that we turned into a brooch.
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Tell me about the use of fur in ‘20s fashion.
Fur was very popular in the ‘20s. Most of the coats either had fur collars or cuffs. But it wasn’t just for rich people. You could buy it from the mail order catalogs; even Sears and Roebuck had it. But using fake fur was something I thought we should do.
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Did working women dress that formally?
When you look at photos of the real Christine, she had no money but she was dressed very well, wore jewelry and was very put together.
There were very few women in the workforce back then. She was a rarity. Like most working women, Christine didn’t have a lot of clothes. And what they had, they usually wore until it fell apart and could no longer be repaired. It was important to Clint that we repeat some items: coats, hats, blouses, because that’s what real women did.
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Tell me about the ‘20s lingerie that gave that flat-chested look.
The bras were just cut straight across. They were designed to flatten the chest and one of the most popular was called the Symington Side Lacer. It laces on the side. You just keep pulling it tighter and tighter so it flattens the bust.
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Glad that hasn’t come back in style.
Well, maybe its offspring is the jog bra.
