Fans of "Bridgerton" [1] are getting another season [2] full of romance and drama — with all the Regency-era costumes [3] that go along with it. Season two of the hit Shondaland series [4] promises the same elaborate dresses, headpieces [5], and jewels that spawned the Regency-core trend dominating the fashion world — but with even more color. While season one costume designer Ellen Mirojnick did not return to the wardrobe team, Sophie Canale, also known for her work on "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and "X-Men: First Class," picked up where Mirojnick left off. This season, she and her team created approximately 700 costumes for the main characters alone, a whopping 146 of which were used in the first episode.
"For me, the beauty of design is always in the attention to detail," Canale said in a Shondaland article [6]. "I feel the audience will see this in the cut of the costumes, embroidery, embellishment, hats, reticules [Regency bags], matching jewelry sets for costumes, men's watch fobs, tiepins — the list goes on."
Indeed, Canale was meticulous about incorporating specific accessories that speak to the wearer's personality. Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), for instance, arrives on the scene and becomes a new love interest for Anthony Bridgerton [7] (Jonathan Bailey), who is looking for a wife. Through her wardrobe — such as her smart top hat and jewel-toned colour palette — we see her strength and sincerity.
Viewers will get to enjoy four different ball scenes this season, all of which are coordinated — from the set design to the ensemble wardrobe to the main characters' outfits — to adhere to a theme. Watch closely during these key moments to see how the costumes complement and enhance the story — it's clear that Canale's careful costume planning paid off. Ahead, dive into the first-released stills from the show and learn about the inspiration behind the looks.
The Sharmas
Sisters Kate (Simone Ashley) and Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) arrive at Lady Danbury's with their mother, Mary Sharma (Shelley Conn), in episode one. Kate plays the love interest of Anthony Bridgerton [8] and wears plenty of deep jewel tones — in contrast to younger sister, Kate, who is softer in character and more often seen in sugary pink and lilacs. "You will see throughout the season Kate's costumes have a journey," Canale said to Shondaland [9]. "We start with her arrival in darker, heavier-weight fabrics, which give her more of a rigid and uptight look matching her spinster, controlled manner. As the season unfolds and Kate develops emotions, we see her costumes become brighter in colour and the fabrics become lighter. I also brought in an element of Indian inspiration with the choice of fabrics, embroidery, embellishment, jewellery, and hair decorations."
The Bridgertons
This season, the baton is passed from Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor [10]) to Eloise (Claudia Jessie) as she apprehensively takes the spotlight at the Diamond Ball in episode one. You'll see her quite often in "Bridgerton [11] blue" — the same shade Daphne wore in season one. Daphne has moved on to lilacs, sporting dress prints similar to her mother, Lady Violet's (Ruth Gemmell); Eloise, however, still stands on her own, often incorporating slightly more masculine looks into her daywear — including checks, tailored separates, and collars. Canale added more accessories to play up Eloise's personality.
Meanwhile, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) has a slighted toned-down, simplified look, while Benedict (Luke Thompson), the more eccentric of the two Bridgerton brothers, incorporates fantastical details such as ruffles, gloves, and pastels.
The Featheringtons
Lady Portia Featherington (Polly Walker) dresses her girls in the finest, most elaborate fabrics. Early on in the season, she spruces up the wardrobe of daughter Prudence (Bessie Carter) to make her a more attractive debutante, tweaking her dresses to feature lower-cut necklines and more alluring details. We still see Penelope (Nicola Coughlan [12]) wear her signature yellow — a shade that represents deceit and binds her to her alter ego, Lady Whistledown.
Queen Charlotte
The key difference between season one and two for Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) is her wardrobe's colour palette. While her wigs are still just as heavy, her jewellery as intricate, and her fabrics as lavish, she plays with bold colours like teal and red this season, which are often reflected in the costumes of her ladies-in-waiting.
Lady Danbury
Lady Danbury's (Adjoa Andoh) wardrobe in season two very much speaks to her role as host to the Sharmas. She is outfitted in looks with wide, open collars and capes or robes that feel regal, yet inviting. Her looks are usually embellished with touches of gold to signify her wise, omniscient persona.
Genevieve Delacroix
Genevieve (Kathryn Drysdale) is the town's famous dressmaker who, like Penelope, is quite deceptive. She wears darker tones that suggest a depth to her character and plays with fabrics like lace and velvet. When it comes to jewellery, Genevieve's signature is her simple chokers.
