R+P Post 25: Costume, props and make-up

Costume, make up and props are essential to an artist as it makes up their identity. If an artist does not have a look that is deemed cool, edgy or fashionable, they will struggle to stand out from other artists in such a saturated industry. Therefore, it is very important to create a unique look in order to be seen as memorable.

One way that I decided to do this for the artist Layla Ade was by changing my hair to big, bold and curly hair. We thought that this would help her stand out more and could also act as a visual motif for her. This use of a visual motif through hair has also been used by other artists such as Ella Eyre and Sia...

My big curly hair

I decided on a range of costumes so that they could change throughout the course of the video. We felt that this would keep the video visually interesting, whilst also showing the audience a different side of Layla Ade's personality with each look...

Outfit and make up look 1

For this look I decided to go with a Tommy Hilfiger Sports bra, an army print jacket and black leggings. There was no need for shoes in this outfit as we were not shooting any shots that would include my feet. It is usual for artists of this century to show more skin during their performances, especially younger ones. I tried to achieve this whilst also keeping an air of class about our artist by wearing a sports bra with high waisted leggings. This, in addition to the jacket meant that enough skin was covered, whilst also allowing some areas to be revealed. I chose to wear a Tommy Hilfigher Bra as it is a well known and respected brand that out TA would be able to recognise. I picked the camo jacket as I felt that it was striking and has been worn by artists such as Rihanna (as pictured). 

Outfit and make up look 2

This look shows the more 'artistic' side of Layla Ade due to the Moschino shirt. Its unusual print which includes the repetition of the word 'Moschino' amongst images of pants, armour etc and is very unique and therefore helps our artist to stand out more. This unique vintage shirt is an unusual piece and adheres to the London fashion culture as many members of our TA strive to achieve a collection of unique, vintage, designer clothes. Once again, by opening the shirt and putting a bralet underneath, we give our artist a younger feel and adhere to the culture of showing more skin which is popular within our TA. 

Outfit and make up look 3

For Layla Ade's final look I decided to go for a cropped Ellesse turtle neck, a green bomber jacket, a black skirt and white Adidas Superstar trainers. I went for this turtle neck as it is rarely seen, in fact I could not even find any pictures of this shirt on the internet. This shirt paired nicely with my bomber and created an aesthetically pleasing look. I chose to wear this jacket rather than revealing the no sleeve element of my shirt as I felt that it looked better and created some variation. I chose these Superstar trainers as they are unique limited edition shoes that add a bit of character. 

A close up of the make up from this look

For this outfit I also decided to go for a bold blue, slightly smokey eye look. I felt that this bold colour would help provide the drama required for a music video, and would draw attention to my face which is a very important asset to an artist.

To conclude, this process has taught me the importance of  image for an artist as it what makes them stand out against other artists.