GOT Wardrobes: A Guide to Visual Storytelling (Cersei pt 1)

So, I decided to start a series....

One that looks at the women (maybe I’ll do one that looks at the men too?) in Game of Thrones and their wardrobes (bc lets be real some of these dresses/ ensembles are insane). I thought I’d start with Cersei Lannister (iconic) as I though her styling choices were really smart through the seasons and really reflected her and her personal narrative.

This is part one so we’re delving into the early seasons back when she used her appearance as her defence and offence as a woman in power. Cersei is a character we really love to hate, a woman whose relentless ambition for power drives her into one of the most interesting and tragic character arcs.

I will be going through a look from every couple of episodes to break down and kind of explain how it reflects who she is and what was happening at this point in the ‘game of thrones’ as it were.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

Our first introduction to the Lannister queen is brief and quickly paints the picture of Robert (Baratheon, her husband) being a dismissive asshole and Cersei smiling bitterly. Her costume is luxurious with the long sleeves that are synonymously ‘Cersei’ in the early seasons. She wears a variation of southern style with fur draped over her neck, clearly not impressed with the Northern cuts of clothing.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

Something that’s recurring in the early seasons is the bird motif embroidered into her dresses, the designer Michelle Clapton has claimed that was metaphorically claiming she was a caged bird in her marriage, unable to escape the Baratheon man.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

Another feature to look out for is the transition to the lion motifs as she moves away from Roberts death. As well as the recurring red and gold of the Lannister (Gryffindor lol) colours there is also a similarity between her wide belts and the Lannister soldier armour. As we move to season 2 you can see the golds and pinks become deep crimson and brushed gold.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

After Roberts death and in the progression of season 2 we see the wrap round style become a popular choice, almost as though she is protecting herself as she loses control over her son, father and the throne. This progresses to literal plate armour features we will see when I look at season 3, 4 and 5.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

This layered wrap round look is rather reminiscent of a kimono and we start to see the court and other characters like Sansa recreating the look alongside the intricate hairstyles which simplify over the second season.

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister © HBO

As a mini conclusion we can watch how the changes in her embroidery (birds to lions) and colour choices are synonymous with the attempt at a ‘friendly face’ becoming a paranoid and struggling woman in power; turning from blues and pale golds to the dark variations of her family’s colours. This paranoia can also be seen in the change of neckline, from a draped boat neck seen at the end of season 1 to the wrap round kimono style she prefers in season 2. Her long sleeves are often set in front of her, almost as though the fabric is another layer of protection between her and her opposition.