Mean Girls musical costume designer responds to backlash against ‘cheap’ outfits in new film

The Plastics are back but early glimpses of Mean Girls: The Musical has viewers complaining about the costuming in comparison to the original cult classic.

Some online critics declared the new outfits ‘cheap’ and ‘a downgrade’ after a glimpse at the trio as the teaser trailer debuted in cinemas ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film.

Comparisons were inevitable for such an iconic movie with fashion at its core but costume designer Tom Broecker is keen to remind fans this is not the Mean Girls they know and love.

While the goal was to ‘keep the integrity of the original’, he explained to Metro.co.uk that it is definitely ‘not 2004 anymore.’

‘I have stayed away from [the online response], I guess I’m curious but also I’m nervous about it,’ Tom revealed.

2024’s film is not strictly a reboot but an adaptation of the all-singing-all-dancing stage show, which was written by original film creator, Tina Fey.

Tina, 53, is once again staring as maths teacher Ms Norberry but there’s a lot about the movie musical that fans won’t recognise from the beloved classic.

Especially as none of the original four – Lindsey Lohan (Cady), Rachel McAdams (Regina), Amanda Seyfried (Karen) or Lacey Chabert (Gretchen) – are thought to be returning.

‘I just want people to like it and to come to it as an homage but also at the same time its own thing,’ Tom, who worked with Tina on 30 Rock, added.

As fashion and image are so crucial to the story of Mean Girls, fans have instantly begun picking apart the costumes of Karen, Gretchen, and queen bee Regina.

Particularly under fire are the pink outfits donned by the Plastics – now played by Bebe Wood, Avantika, and Reneé Rapp, respectively.

Fans have seen very little so far of the costuming as there are only brief flashes in the teaser released – with the pink outfits the only full look at Tom’s vision included.

Mini skirts and high heels have not completely disappeared but Tom revealed they wanted to aim for ‘real’ looks, with an awareness to not over sexualise the supposed high schoolers.

He said: ‘If you look at that film from now’s perspective, those girls were very, very sexualised. When you watched it at the time, I don’t think anyone thought about it but that is hindsight.’

For the costumer designer collaboration was key as he wanted the actresses to feel confident, taking into account their body types and vision for the character.

He continued: ‘I deferred to Reneé a lot because she had to feel sexy lots of different times. I wanted her to feel great because at the end of the day it’s their performance, and if they’re not feeling something it’s going to read on their face.’

That’s not to say this collaboration didn’t happen in the original as Mean Girls 2004 costume designer Mary Jane Fort told Metro.co.uk: ‘We wanted a heightened reality, with a touch of realness.

‘We had lots of conversations [with the cast] about “What do you like? What makes you feel good? What do you feel is most flattering?” But at that time, what they’re all 19 and 20 years old, you could wear anything – they’re beautiful.’

Looking in particular at the iconic Christmas outfits, Mary Jane explained: ‘It couldn’t be too provocative. In my mind, it needed to have a tastefulness.

‘Although the skirts are rubber latex, they’re not too short and they’re not too clingy. They’re A-line and the bits of mirabeau, soften them and make them cute. They’re not perverse.’

Tom actually wanted to use store-bought versions of the Christmas talent show costumes but they were sold out everywhere, showcasing the film’s legacy.

With such distinct visions from the designers, it’s no surprise the fans are jarred by the new looks in the snippets they’ve seen of the musical – especially when it comes to Regina.

In the original, Mary Jane opted for darker shades to hint at the queen bee’s bad side, adding: ‘There’s not a lot of black except on Regina.’

For Reneé’s costuming, Tom leaned into the Broadway star’s natural ‘blending of masculine and feminine’, although still paying homage to Mary Jane’s version.

Notably, her ‘R’ necklace seen in the trailer – an Easter egg for dedicated fans of the original – is half pearl and half chain, playing with the character’s duality.

‘She is just a powerhouse and incredible,’ he praised the Tummy Hurts singer, ‘And she’s one of the sexiest people I know without being sexy at all like she just sort of is.

‘With her, it was toeing the line between this boy-girl just sexual person without it being either masculine or feminine.’

Tom notes that things have changed from the cult movie, with the story now told through the eyes of Janice and Damien rather than the somewhat naive protagonist Cady.

He explained: ‘For Janice and Damian, Regina is the evil witch – she is truly the evil witch of the school and so we wanted to play with that sometimes.

‘There’s times when that is really brought back to and so we’re constantly reminded that some of the looks are based upon what these two people think of these other people.’

However, he assures fans that some looks have been almost directly replicated thanks to the resurgence of Y2K fashion and there are numerous Easter eggs throughout the musical.

For Mary Jane, she’s just shocked the outfits are still sparking so much love and discussion and joked that she wouldn’t change a thing from the original.

She added: ‘I’m happy to have given something that somebody liked and continues to like and enjoy.’

Tom concluded: ‘The world is different and so should the visual look of these characters be, we needed to reflect the world as it is now not a copy of 2004.’

‘This is plastic but it’s more like plastic with sparkle,’ he laughed.

Mean Girls: The Musical is set to hit cinemas January 2024.

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