Marvel costume designer Ann Foley shares her tips for recreating 'She-Hulk' styles
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Do you sometimes find it challenging to pick out just the right outfit that can express your entire personality? Now imagine doing it for another person, or ten people or twenty—even dozens of individuals. This is the larger-than-life challenge that the costume designers for all of our favorite films, stage productions and television series face. Costume designer Ann Foley knows this challenge perhaps better than most. After working on projects such as the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and the Marvel series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Foley returned to the Marvel cinematic universe as the costume designer for the highly acclaimed Disney+ series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
We sat down with Foley to discuss the inspiration behind some of the looks for She-Hulk’s most memorable characters and the lessons we can learn from the costumes she outfitted them in. Whether you’re five films into your chronological Marvel marathon, reading up on your favorite classic comic book series or simply want to add a little bit of She-Hulk’s confidence and superhero style to your wardrobe, we’ve got you covered.
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Dressing She-Hulk: a study in monumental proportions
Foley knew that She-Hulk was a perfect fit from the moment she read creator and head writer Jessica Gao’s script. “I immediately thought, ‘this is really fresh and really funny,’” she says. “I love how many powerful women were associated with this project.” From Gao’s incredible writing, to the work of directors Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, to a cast of strong women characters (played by equally impressive actresses), She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is nothing if not a tribute to powerful women—perhaps none more so than She-Hulk herself, Jennifer Walters (played by Tatiana Maslany).
Designing a wardrobe for She-Hulk, however, was no simple feat. Since Jennifer Walters appears on screen as both her human form and as She-Hulk—sometimes within the same scene—it meant that Foley often had to design the same costumes twice in wildly different proportions. After all, Maslany stands at 5’4” and She-Hulk is 6’7” in the comic books. Fortunately, actress Malia Arrayah, who towers over Maslany at 6’5”, served as the on-set actress and lighting reference for the superhero.
To see how Walters’ business suit would tear as she transformed, Foley would tailor the suit to Maslany’s proportions, and then Arrayah would squeeze into the suit—ripping it at the seams and showing how it would warp on a body that suddenly grew twice its size. From there, Foley and the visual effects team would determine how to best dramatize the transformation for the screen. The process was repeated with some of Walters’ most iconic outfits from the series.
Interested in adding a little She-Hulk flair to your own wardrobe? “Jen is way more pragmatic in her style and her approach to how she dresses than the other characters in the series," says Foley. There’s perhaps nothing more pragmatic than the blazer we see Walters wear as she heads the “superhuman law” division of the prestigious firm where she’s employed. Recreate the business-friendly look with the One Button Boyfriend Blazer, available in a She-Hulk-approved shade of purple.
In a later episode of the series, Walters attends a gala to accept the Female Lawyer of the Year award dressed in a showstopping sequined dress, which Foley reveals was designed by star designer Zuhair Murad. Though Murad’s couture-level craftsmanship may be inaccessible to those of us without superhero bank accounts, it’s easy to add a little Marvel glam to a special evening with the Shauna Metallic Minidress from Dress the Population.
It was important to Foley to refer back to the original She-Hulk comic books from the 1980s when designing She-Hulk’s supersuit for the series. “What I’ve always done in working on Marvel projects is go to the source material,” says Foley of the supersuit that can be seen above. Whether you’re planning to rapidly expand to twice your size and go on an angry rampage—or more realistically just want to incorporate a comfy and versatile option for your morning workouts, look no further than the lululemon Align Ribbed Panel High-Rise Short. Our tester loved the Align leggings, and we love that the teal hue of these shorts suggest a Hulk-y appearance without being too on the nose.
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Outfitting Titania—the ultimate influencer rival
Some of our favorite fashion moments in the series came from the narcissistic and over the top Titania, played by actress Jameela Jamil. The influencer who wants to take down She-Hulk both in and out of the courtroom, Titania offers viewers comic relief but also a poignant commentary on contemporary culture. Foley recalls, “Titania was always the character taking up the most room in any space, and she really had this loud, fun wonderful presence.” She mentions that it was important to her team to remember that Jamil’s character is meant to evoke the typical influencer mindset—and Foley looked toward figures like Christine Quinn and the Kardashians as a source of inspiration for the styling and costume decisions made for Titania.
Though Jamil had some of the most dynamic and fashion forward ensembles of the series, including a Christian Siriano gown, we loved her Insta-friendly courtroom outfit seen above. For an equally electric take on the look, try on the Kaitlin Blazer from Lovers and Friends in lime green—one of the season’s hottest colors.
If you’re looking for a bit of Titania-inspired drama, an oversized coat with a stand collar in a bold color might be just the ticket. Consider the Villa Coat in Italian stadium-cloth wool from J.Crew for an option that is equal parts fashion and function.
Designing for the designer—Luke Jacobson
Foley makes it a point to collaborate with each actor she costumes to help them bring the character to life. “I always want them to feel comfortable and believe in their costumes,” she says. “Because if they don’t, that can easily come across on screen.” This is especially true of the character Luke Jacobson, the supersuit-crafting fashion designer who works with Walters to create a wardrobe of clothes that will adapt as she transforms into She-Hulk and back.
While Foley uses costume fittings to learn more about the actors and the characters they play, when she met with actor Griffin Matthews, she found that she was the one being studied. “When we were doing his fitting, he was studying me and how I stood—how I would look at him in the mirror,” she recalls. “He noticed that my tailor had a tape measure around his neck so he took that idea and used it. And he literally took my jewelry off of me. I have a bracelet and ring that he took and so there’s a little bit of me in Luke Jacobson. That was a really fun collaboration.”
Far be it for us to add yet another blazer to this list, but Luke Jacobson’s impeccably tailored suits were his style signature. And every on-screen supersuit designer has a signature—think Edna Mode in The Incredibles with her iconic round glasses and bob haircut. To add some classic tailoring to your own style, try the Melton Plaid Blazer from Banana Republic. With a classic plaid pattern and ample pockets to store your tape measures (or maybe just your phone), this blazer is well-suited for day and night. Keep things casual with jeans and a white oxford shirt, or dress it up with navy slacks.
The 70's are back and better than ever, and we’re totally inspired by Jacobson’s vintage-inspired look. Recreate it for yourself with the Patrizia Plastic Aviator Sunglasses from Urban Outfitters. Though the shades are available in five colors, we can’t get enough of the neutral multi color way that features a tortoise-shell frame with a soft brown lens.
Mastering personal style with a style master
“Costume designers are storytellers,” says Ann Foley. “We’re just telling our stories with clothes. And if we do our job well, you know exactly who that character is.” The everyday clothes, special event garb and the superhero suits she masterfully designed for each of the characters in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law exemplify a job that is indeed very well done. Without speaking a single word of dialogue; you can read Jen Walters’ desire to blend in and subsequent discomfort when she’s forced to stand out, you know that Titania is a product of the internet and selfie culture and that Luke Jacobson is ever the fashion craftsman.
When asked what style lessons that we can take from the strong women characters from the series, Foley says “Be yourself. Honestly, that’s the beautiful thing about these characters. It’s literally being true to who you are and using clothes as a means to express that.”
Whether your personal style consists of blazers and sequins, or work-from-home friendly joggers and slippers, being true to yourself is a sentiment that we can all get behind—no supersuit required.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 'She-Hulk' style tips: Marvel costume designer Ann Foley's process
