  Over the next few weeks we are going to profile a few of the costumes used throughout the series. From the way they’re made to why they were designed the way they were. This week is Gel’s costume. Click any of the costume pictures for a larger view.Gel is totally self-absorbed, into fashion, the latest look and always looking for the next piece of gossip.Gel hardly recognises danger or crisis, the state of her nails or her hair are Gel’s prime concern. She doesn’t understand or care about the power struggles that go on around her and in the city. All she wants is a quiet ordered life, so she can concentrate on the important things in life; her appearance, her growing interest in ‘boys’ and having fun. Gel had two costumes during Series 5 and this is her first one. It’s very “girly” and has a definite 80’s style.
It’s cut in a blazer style and is pulled in slightly at the waist. It has a wide double collar that is outlined in white lace. The jacket is done up at the front with three blue buttons – one is a blue smiley face, one has a little man on it and the third one is a blue butterfly. The sleeves are basic and have no cuff but the shoulders are wide and gathered and have a puffy look to them. There’s no padding in the shoulders but the gatherng gives them a fullness. On the lower front of the jacket are two square pocket. These are made of cotton with children’s pictures on them. On the left hand pocket is a picture of a Sheriff badge and a moon and stars. On the right hand pocket is a picture of a heart shaped box of chocolates and a little green dinosaur holding a card that says “Be my Valentine”. Each pocket has a top strip of pink or purple fabric and this seperated from the rest of the pocket by a strip of white lace. On the back of the jacket are two large square patches of a similar material to the two front pockets. Each square is edged in white lace and they diagonally parallel to each other.
Across the front of the top are two lines of lace. Each line is made up of three layers of lace. Seven pieces of lace are sewn at right angles under the second line and in the middle of these are four hook fasteners. These fasteners are just for decoration and are not needed to do the top up. The back of the top is simply done up at the back straight down the middle with six white buttons. The skirt is made of very very thin cotton – the type you might find a summer nightshirt is made of. It’s so thin that it feels silky. The skirt has a wide waistband and is done up at the front with three white buttons. On the waistband are four small belt loops for the butterfly belt.
The skirt is actually split right up the front to the waistband and a pair of blue boy legged shorts are worn underneath and are able to be seen through the split. The butterfly belt or wrap actually comes from a store we have in New Zealand called Jay Jay’s. It’s three seperate butterflies cut out of suede and layered on top of each other. The first layer is pink suede, the second layer is glittery pink and the top layer is a silvery purple colour. They’re held together by two long pieces of pink ribbon that are threaded throught the layers to hold them together. The ribbons are looped through Gel’s skirt and the butterflies sit on the front of the skirt.
Her earrings are also large silver loops that have little red silk roses hanging from them. Her bracelet is worn on her left wrist and is made of small torquoise stones threaded through wire and strung across the main wire frame. It looks like it would have taken quite a while to thread it all together!
These are original White Doc Marten’s. They’ve been hand painted with all sorts of butterflies, flowers, and vines in bright vibrant colours. They’re really cool! |
Her jacket is pink like most of the rest of her outfit. It is made of light weight pink denim. As you’ll know, denim nearly always has two colours to it – often darker on one side than the other. The outside of the jacket is light pink while the inside is dark pink.
Under the jacket Gel wears a pink gingham tank top. The pink checkered fabric has little white embroidered flowers on it every four inches. The neck line is trimmed in white lace and threaded through the lace is pink ribbon that joins up in a bow at the front.
If you’re a kid of the eighties you might recognise this type of skirt. Lots of frills and lots of layers.
The skirt is made of three layers of overlapping frills and each layer is edged in lace that has blue, pink and yellow and green edges.
Gel’s jewellery is simple but effective. Her necklace is a large round loop of silver wire. On it hangs a delicately woven flower of pink beads.
Finally are Gel’s boots which she wears over knee high white socks that have white lace edging at the top.