Women and costume in film noir

                                    Women in film noir

Femme fatales in film noire use their sexuality and bodies to lure the protagonist into dangerous situations which can sometimes lead to the protagonist's downfall and quite often result in the femme fatale's own death. The women in film noir are stereotypically in revealing dresses smoking or looking sultry and seductive.


The femme fatales are often half hidden by shadow or smoke in a dark room or alleyway, this could be to show their dangerous flirtatious nature and the fact they're half hidden in shadow could suggest they are a dominant or pervasive threat. The dark shadows could also represent the evil shown throughout the film. The smoke could be used to represent mystery and show the mysterious aura around the femme fatales.

In film noir femme fatales are a rebel against societies "typical" woman of the time, during the time of film noir society was rather male dominated and woman were seen as objects to be owned by men, to cook and clean and raise families rather than to have their own identity and career. The femme fatale breaks out of the traditional stereotype of the time and she is portrayed as a strong independent female. Sometimes they are portrayed as a damsel in distress and usually they lure the protagonist into danger.




                                            Costume in film noir

The costumes worn in film noir by woman are similar throughout each of the different films. Women are shown in revealing dresses, fur coats, high heels, stockings, red lipstick and elbow length gloves. Altogether shown as elegant, dignified and graceful.  
 Their clothes symbolise passion and danger, showing them, to the audience, as a hazard to the protagonist. Their red lipstick could also be used to portray this as red symbolises passion, aggression, and courage. It can also symbolise sexual impulses, danger and shame.


The male characters, protagonist and antagonist alike, wear suits and fedoras occasionally making it hard for the audience to establish in the beginning who is the bad and who is the good guy.

The detective is usually dressed smartly in a suit, with gun holster. A large overcoat and tie. The men, like the women are dressed stereotypically. The black overcoats symbolise mystery and danger and this links to the fact that usually the protagonists job is something lonely or isolated such as a private investigator or something else that social alienates them from the rest of society.