The Plastics are back, but the first glimpses of Mean Girls: The Musical have audiences complaining about the costumes compared to the original cult classic.
Some online critics called the new outfits “cheap” and “downgraded” after getting a look at the trio when the teaser trailer debuted in cinemas ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Comparisons were inevitable for such an iconic film that revolves around fashion, but costume designer Tom Broecker is keen to remind fans that this isn’t the “Mean Girls” they know and love.
Although the goal was to “preserve the integrity of the original,” he explained Metro.co.uk that it’s definitely “not 2004 anymore.”
“I stayed away from (the online response), I guess I’m curious, but I’m also nervous about it,” Tom said.
The 2024 film is not a reboot, but an adaptation of the All Singing, All Dancing stage show, which was written by the original film’s creator Tina Fey.
Tina, 53, returns to play math teacher Miss Norberry, but there’s a lot in the musical that fans won’t recognize from the beloved classic.
Moreover, none of the original four – Lindsay Lohan (Cady), Rachel McAdams (Regina), Amanda Seyfried (Karen) or Lacey Chabert (Gretchen) – are going to return.
“I just want people to enjoy it and treat it as a tribute, but also as something personal,” added Tom, who worked with Tina on “30 Rock.”
Since fashion and image are so important in the Mean Girls story, fans immediately began picking apart the costumes of Karen, Gretchen, and queen bee Regina.
Particular criticism has been drawn to the pink outfits of the band Plastics, currently played by Bebe Wood, Avantika and Renee Rapp, respectively.
Fans have seen very little of the costumes so far, as the teaser released only has brief glimpses – with the pink outfits it’s the only full look at Tom’s vision.
Miniskirts and high heels didn’t go away completely, but Tom revealed that they wanted to strive for a “real” look while being aware of not over-sexualizing prospective high school students.
He said: “If you look at the film from today’s perspective, these girls were very, very sexualised. When you watched it at the time, I don’t think anyone thought about it, but that’s hindsight.”
For the costume designer, collaboration was key as he wanted the actresses to feel confident taking into account their body type and vision for the character.
He continued, “I relied on Renee a lot because she had to feel sexy a lot of times. I wanted her to feel great because at the end of the day, it’s their performance and if they don’t feel something, it will show on their face.”
That’s not to say the collaboration wasn’t in the original, as 2004’s Mean Girls costume designer Mary Jane Fort revealed. Metro.co.uk: “We wanted heightened reality, with a touch of realism.
“We had a lot of conversations (with the actors) about, ‘What do you like?’ What makes you feel good? What do you think is most flattering?” But at the time when they were all 19 and 20 years old, you could wear anything – they are beautiful.”
Looking at the iconic Christmas outfits in particular, Mary Jane explained: “It couldn’t be too provocative. In my opinion, it had to have taste.
“Although the skirts are made of rubber latex, they are not too short or too tight. They are A-line and the mirabeau pieces soften them and make them cute. They are not perverts.
Tom actually wanted to use store-bought versions of the costumes for the Christmas talent show, but they sold out everywhere, showcasing the film’s legacy.
With such a clear vision from the designers, it’s no surprise that fans are cringing at the new look of the pieces they’ve seen of the musical, especially when it comes to Regina.
In the original, Mary Jane opted for darker shades to hint at the queen bee’s bad side, adding, “There’s not much black except Regina.”
In creating Renee’s costume, Tom drew on the Broadway star’s natural “blending of masculinity and femininity” while still paying homage to the Mary Jane version.
Notably, her “R” necklace seen in the trailer (an Easter egg for die-hard fans of the original) is half pearl and half chain, highlighting the character’s duality.
“She’s just powerful and incredible,” he praised the Tummy Hurts singer, “and she’s one of the sexiest people I know, but she’s not sexy at all, which she is.
“In her case, it was a balancing act between being a boy and being a girl, just being sexual but being neither masculine nor feminine.”
Tom notes that everything has changed compared to the cult film: the story is now told through the eyes of Janice and Damien, rather than the somewhat naive main character Cady.
He explained: “For Janice and Damian, Regina is the wicked witch – she’s really the wicked witch of the school, and so we wanted to play with that sometimes.
“There are times when it does come back and we are constantly reminded that some of the tropes are based on what these two people think about other people.”
However, he assures fans that some of the looks were almost directly inspired by the Y2K fashion revival, and there are plenty of Easter eggs throughout the musical.
As for Mary Jane, she’s shocked that the outfits still generate so much love and discussion, and joked that she wouldn’t change anything from the original.
She added: “I’m glad I gave something that someone liked and continues to like and enjoy.”
Tom concluded: “The world is different and so should the look of these characters, we needed to reflect the world in a way that it is not a copy of 2004 now.”
“It’s plastic, but it’s more like plastic with glitter,” he laughed.
Mean Girls: The Musical will hit theaters in January 2024.
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