The “Seven Deadly Sins” is such an iconic image that even my theatrical scenic design class incorporated it into our lesson plan. The final project of Introduction to Scenic Design (THTREMUS 240) taught by Rob Murphy asked us to create costume designs for each sin, incorporating the animal and color related to the sin in mythology, as well as an artist of our choosing. I’m no artist, as you will see from the frequent eraser marks and poorly drawn features, but the project was a fascinating way to explore these classic vices and what impact they have on society.
GREED: I set Greed in the 1910s, because this era seemed to be obsessed with gaining wealth and social standing. A confining dress of gold with flaps modeled after Faberge Eggs, paired with an extensive amount of heavy jewelry are the featured parts of this outfit.
LUST: Lust is set in the 2010 #MeToo era. I envisioned a Harvey Weinstein-esque male authority figure, using his power to sexually assault women. I wanted to make this man as disgusting and sleazy as possible, uncaring of who he exposes himself to. The animal paired with Lust is a cow, so assless chaps were a must, especially with a cow udder protruding from the front.
GLUTTONY: I decided to focus on the idea of overindulgence in the form of alcohol instead of food for Gluttony. This 1920s flapper has spilled alcohol down her dress, and dons a cape made of various alcohol labels and a pig face fan.
SLOTH: I took inspiration for Sloth from the 1970s, since that era is often associated with pot-smoking hippies. I pictured this androgynous look as something they rolled out of bed in. I heavily featured the goat in the horn shoulder pads and go-go (or goat-goat) boots.
PRIDE: I thought Pride could be embodied perfectly through the 1940s, during the height of war. I imagined a veteran still full of pride for his country, despite having suffered immensely. His leg is replaced with a rifle, and his uniform made of Tiffany glass is shattered from bullet holes.
ENVY: I set Envy in the 1950s because of the cultural tendency to try to portray everything as perfect, from clothes to home life. The lack of artistry on my part really comes out in this piece, especially with the dog pelt around her neck, but I tried. Her headband is a nod to Roy Lichtenstein.
WRATH: Wrath is a classic 1990s grunge girl for obvious reasons. The makeup is smeared, the clothes are ripped and the hood of the flannel tutu dress is a bear to bite all of her enemies.