How Loki's costumes in his TV series reflect his character's journey
If you know anything about me at all, it’s that Loki is my favorite character of all time. I adore Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I love the Loki comics, I collect any and and all Loki merchandise I can get my hands on, and I style and wear Loki inspired outfits on my Instagram. So, it’s no surprise that Loki on Disney+ is one of my favorite television shows. After being an unapologetic fangirl for over a decade, it was an absolute dream come true for me that Loki finally got his own TV show and his time in the spotlight.
The show itself is a masterpiece in my opinion, filled with an iconic soundtrack, stunning production design, and Loki being at his absolute peak receiving the treatment and character journey that I always dreamed of seeing on screen as a huge fan of his comics.
While this is not a review of season 1 of Loki, I do instead want to talk about Loki's costumes in this first season. They brilliantly reflect his character journey and emotional state in a way that we have not yet seen from him in the MCU. Loki's costume designer, Christine Wada, did an amazing job communicating and emphasizing Loki's character journey through what he wears. Let's break it down.
Loki’s Avengers armor
In S1E1, we see Loki wearing his classic Avengers armor. This look is extremely ornate and detailed, with his fine Asgardian leather covering him from neck to toe. Everything about it is extremely regal and it's the perfect encapsulation of what Loki thinks he is. He believes he has glorious purpose and that he was born to rule. This armor not only protects him physically but also emotionally. This look is also pretty much in line with what we have always seen him wear in the MCU up to this point, which makes sense since he is a very guarded person who's just out to protect himself.
TVA Jumpsuit
When Loki gets captured by the TVA, this armor is quite literally stripped away from him. Then, he is given a jumpsuit, which with its nude color and exposed arms is essentially an extension of that nakedness. This outfit also perfectly complements Loki's visit to the Time Theater. Here, he watches his entire tragic life play out and understandably has a complete crisis, causing him to rethink everything he thought he knew. Loki is completely and emotionally naked in this moment and now has to start from scratch in figuring out what his new glorious purpose is going to be. He is being reborn here.
TVA Uniform
After this, Loki gets this fantastic TVA uniform. And while the uniform looks amazing, at the end of the day it is still TVA-branded with no personal flair, showing us that he is still figuring out who he is.
When he meets Sylvie (played by Sophia Di Martino), they're both wearing layers. Sylvie has this hooded poncho and Loki has his TVA jacket on. In the language of costume design, removing layers is commonly used to show that a character is becoming more vulnerable and that's exactly what happened here. By the end of the Lamentis episode, through which they both have gotten to know each other more, they have lost these outer layers and in turn have become more vulnerable with each other.
As we near the end of the season, Loki and this outfit have definitely seen better days. Loki has been completely through the ringer in nearly every way. He has had whatever the equivalent of an Asgardian midlife crisis is in watching his tragic life and death play out, he has caught feelings for Sylvie, and in meeting all his different variants, he is learning that he could amount to more than he ever imagined. He literally is wearing his scars on his sleeve, and there isn't an ounce of armor to protect him. In fact, his sleeves are rolled up, letting more of himself show.
I also love how this shirt is giving a "what color is the dress" moment. In the early scenes, it looks like a neutral grey, but as we progress and depending on the lighting, it has the slightest undertone of Loki's signature green, showing us that as he goes through this personal journey, even though he is at his lowest, he is beginning to get back to who he is and wants to be. This final look perfectly encapsulates all of that.
Season 1 of Loki was such a delight to watch and experience and it is an incredibly special show to me. Christine did an amazing job designing and creating the costumes and I cannot wait to see more of her work in season 2.
If you enjoyed this breakdown and want to read more costume and film analysis from me, definitely read my previous blog breaking down the use of color motifs in Crimson Peak or my blog analyzing how Glass Onion uses masks to tell us about its characters.
