Freak Show might not have been the best season of American Horror Story, but it was certainly one of the most stylish. Each costume highlighted the characters’ quirks, making them truly come to life. Like some other seasons, this one was more of a character study, reeling us in to become attached to various personalities, rather than the horror story that scares us out of our pants, and the characters’ wardrobes served as a central part of this theme.
Whether you were disappointed in the lack of scares that some other seasons provided or you enjoyed falling for Dot, Bette, Jimmy and Ma Petite, you can’t call any of them boring.
Dandy Mott
While Twisty threatened to be the big scare of Season 4, Dandy Mott stole the show from the demented clown, proving once again that the humans are the worst monsters. Dandy, portrayed by Finn Wittrock, was the epitome of the spoiled rich boy who happened to be a sociopath. He’s always dressed the part, whether attempting to clown around or simply appear stylish and well-dressed, with crisp collars and fine, well-made jackets.
It’s easy to see how anyone might fall for Dandy at first glance, given how charming and put-together he appears, before the red flags really begin to wave.
Jimmy Darling
If Jessica Lange is the queen of American Horror Story, Evan Peters is the show’s sweetheart, and both his villainous and heroic characters have a strong fan following. Jimmy Darling is of the latter variety and he’s easy to love, even when he’s being an idiot.
The most impressive feature of Jimmy’s costume is of course his syndactyly (prosthetic hands), which make him the “lobster boy” of the circus. Many of the cast members truly represent their actual conditions, giving the show a representation that many series lack, but Jimmy’s hands were manufactured for Freak Show and appear quite realistic.
Edward Mordrake
One Wes Bentley might or might not be enough for some people, but a Wes Bentley with another face on the back of his head was definitely interesting. Like Peters, he too used makeup and props for his diprosopus condition, but he’s a much less benign character as Edward Mordrake, having had murdered his whole troupe before taking his own life.
Mordrake’s second face is an impressive work of the special effects department, but so is his 19th century look. AHS usually does period costumes pretty well, and Mordrake’s was no exception. From his hat to his staff, he looks like the circus version of Jack the Ripper. Neil Patrick Harris’ Chester Creb deserves a mention here for his performance outfit in a similar vein.
Pepper
Like several other characters, Pepper has had a recurring role on the show as the same character with a very tragic history. The loss of Salty was devastating for the woman, but so was her time with her sister and then, later, her miserable life at Briarcliff.
Pepper’s costume isn’t complicated by any means, but it’s so impressive because it completely transforms actress, writer and producer Naomi Grossman into the character with microcephaly. Grossman had no idea which character she’d be playing for the show, so the result of the character’s costume, coupled with her acting skills and shaved head, was remarkable.
Ma Petite
Was there any loss on the show more heartbreaking than that of Ma Petite? Portrayed by the world’s smallest woman, Jyoti Amge, Ma Petite had some of the most beautiful hair, makeup and wardrobe pieces of any of the characters. They may have been used to accentuate her stature and culture, but they were eye-catching, colorful pieces that aided in the beauty and wonder of the troupe.
Ma Petite was such a sweet and lovely character that seeing her brutally taken down was one of the hardest moments of the show, but it was even worse seeing her put on display in a jar.
Twisty The Clown
As demented and frightening as Twisty appeared to be, the forsaken clown found more sympathy with the audience than any of the other villains as his backstory became clear. John Carroll’s character seemed to blend Pennywise with a more sinister vibe thanks to that sewn-on face, earning him a spot as a Halloween mask in Spirit stores across the country.
Twisty’s dirty clown suit and creepy permanent grin spoke of unhinged horrors and fans expected much more from the character than the tragic tale of his life, but that’s how Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk operate. Always expect the unexpected.
The show did the same with Paul, demonstrating how much sex appeal someone with disabilities can have. Indeed, Paul has just as much charisma as Jimmy, which is why Elsa is so jealous when her lover prefers someone new.
Desiree Dupree
AHS has given us many characters that redefine gender, which is long overdue in the media. Desiree Dupree, who was raised as a boy, is an example of one of these characters. She’s compelling and layered as most of Angela Bassett’s beautifully played characters have been, but she also has an incredible wardrobe.
Pretty candy colors, vibrant juxtapositions and patterns that can only scream “carnival,” Desiree’s outfits, not to mention her makeup and hair, are always stunning and befitting of her character. Each item she wears, down to the last piece of jewelry, helps to portray her style.
Elsa Mars
Portrayed by the queen of American Horror Story herself, Jessica Lange’s Elsa Mars is yet another example of a highly complex character toeing the line between good and evil. The show incorporates her past trauma, which resulted in her limbs being amputated, into not just her story but her persona, demonstrating that she’s still beautiful and a mesmerizing performer. This theme is also used with her age in the show, as it has been done with some of Lange’s other characters.
Elsa’s wardrobe truly encompasses all of this, somehow combining sexy performer with no-nonsense manager, vindictive raging monster to…David Bowie.
Bette and Dot Tattler
Sarah Paulson is another favorite on the show, and while she’s been many incredible characters, Bette and Dot Tattler may be her best yet. She’s won Critic’s Choice Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries for both this role as well as her portrayal of Lana Winters in the second season of the show, and has garnered several other awards and nominations.
The most impressive feature of this costume isn’t just the many outfits that the sisters wear, of course, but the fact that Paulson is playing both characters on a single body, which was achieved through both the special effects and makeup department as well as Paulson’s own skills.
