Solarbabies (1986)

Costume Design by Bob Ringwood

An oddball that was pretty much 'Mad Max for kids', with a couple more outright scifi touches such as laser guns and whatnot in the hope to make a smash like Star Wars I assume, which would also explain other odd touches in this film such as mystical entites and so on. Set in a fascist state, the Eco Protectorate that has arisen thanks to ecological collapse (I think...it's not the most thought-out plot), the story focused on the titular 'Solarbabies', orphans in one of the regime's many orphanages. The Solarbabies wear the film's most iconic fits (thanks to being on all the promotional photos), which consist of futuristic padded sports armor covered in blue, red and pink spraypaint in different patterns.

Their enemies the Scorpions wear more intimidating, gunmetal-coloured armor with masked helmets.

Of course, being a post-apocalypse film made in the aftermath of Mad Max 2, there are the inevitable wasteland weirdos who sport tatty attire inspired by biker culture, punk fashion and sport armor - the bounty hunter Malice (Alexei Sayle) wears a cowboy hat and leather jacket adorned with ratty furs on the shoulders, and many of the denizens of 'Tyretown' (totally unrelated to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome's Bartertown, I'm sure!) are in typical ratty posta-apocalypse garb. Tyretown's guards are interesting in that they feel like a precedent for Ringwood's cut-up tire armor designs for Demolition Man a few years later, as they sport armor that is similarly made up of torn up rubber tyres!

One aspect of the film that has especially aged badly is a Native American tribe (that, of course is linked to magic mumbo-jumbo, because New Age nonsense) that is all played by white actors, though their outfits seem to be made up of cut-up patterned fabrics that have been arranged into either very revealing tops, such as the fit sported by Ivor (Terence Mann) or cloaks.

It's not the only ethnic group that white people are getting to cosplay as in the apocalypse, as the 'Eco Warriors' - the rebel group that the fascist villains have been trying to exterminate - sport attire that seems possibly inspired a bit by Bedouin garb as well, though with baggy sleeves, deep collars and patterned lining and large panels over the waist. The Eco Warrior costumes feel a bit similar in design to the Fremen outfits Ringwood had designed for David Lynch's Dune a few years earlier, which fits as that was also about white people cosplaying as Middle Eastern peoples. I do quite like the fits, though!

As said earlier, the film leans a bit more into the futuristic aspects than most post-apocalypse films, and as such, there are some slightly futuristic fashions such as this beige jacket worn by an orphanage teacher, that sadly is barely seen on-screen like so many of the outfits here. The orphanage's guards wear odd looking jumpsuits with lighter yellow mesh patches, worn with caps.

There is also this futuristic suit worn by the evil scientist Shandray (Sarah Douglas), that in some ways is a rehash of Ringwood's design for Lady Jessica's dress in Dune a few years earlier, especially with the ridged shoulders.

The uniforms of the 'E-Police' serving the nebulous fascist regime wear predominatly blue leather, with the commander Grock (Richard Jordan) wearing a blue leather uniform with ribbed panelling over the shoulders and cuffs. The soldiers under him wear motorcycle outfits that have been altered with extra panelling - you can see the greeblies stuck on what are obviously bought motorbike helmets!

Conan the Destroyer (1984)

Costume Design by:

- Ann & John Bloomfield ( notable efforts: The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), The Wicked Lady (1983), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Space Truckers (1996), The Mummy (1999) )

The sequel to Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer was noticeably rather more light-hearted compared to its predecessor, with the first films of tragedy and violence, and instead aimed for a more family-friendly, swashbuckling approach - directed by mostly adventure film director Richard Fleischer, who would later direct the sort of sequel Red Sonja later - with Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) having many more allies this time, as he is tricked by an evil queen into capturing magical items that would help restore an evil god. The costume design of this film was once again done by John Bloomfield, but this time a lot of the costumes would a much more fantastical and colourful quality, especially compared to the more gritty feeling of the first film - Bloomfield's usual design traits, such as attention to detail to fabric types, alternating colours and striped patterns, would be seen much more clearly here.

Once again a warrior woman joins Conan's crew, in this case the tenacious Zula (Grace Jones), who is seen in a variety of simplistic outfits that calls to mind stereotypical images of the 'Amazons' of legend. Zula's most notable outfit happens to be her very last, and is mostly notable thanks to be the wonderfully ridiculous helmet fitted with none other than pigtails!

Akiro the Wizard (Mako Iwamatsu) returns from the first film to be a more comedic character, with his main outfit being a rough woollen coat, which is designed similarly to the coat Bloomfield designed for him in Conan the Barbarian, though I prefer this one for appearing much more slick and rather stylish, especially with the alternating colour bands at the bottom of the robe and arms. At all times, Akiro wears a black skullcap over his head.

Conan is also assigned to protect the royal princess Jehnna (Olivia D'Abo), who in actuality is intended as a sacrificed to the queens pagan gods. Jehnna wears the same outfit for most of her scenes, a grey and black lined dress, though at the start a tan bodice-like piece is worn over it.

When Jehnna is about to be sacrificed, she wears a more ornate dress, powder blue in colour and worn with a grey waistband, as well as the top being white and having markings etched onto them - to top it off, it is worn with a small silver crown.

Jehnna's very last dress is worn at the awarding ceremony, and is another powder blue dress with glittery pieces all over, worn with the same crown but also a wonderfully ornate gold and red robe over it, that has been stitched to have patterns all over.

Conan has been employed on his seemingly innocent quest by the demon worshipping Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas). who sports some of the film's most memorable outfits - her first outfit, worn when she captures Conan initially, is slick black leather armor with vertically striped leather trousers, worn with a large patterned cloak, as well as horned masked helmet, underneath which is a metallic hood which has her hair fastened. Also note the choker!

Most of Taramis' other costumes are very much emphasising her femininity, with her second outfit being a shiny black and gold lined dress, adorned with golden jewellery and worn with a flowing silvery gown, as well as a crown-like headpiece designed like fish scales - an implication towards the characters true aims?

Taramis' third outfit is by far both the most daring and most risque in the film, and it is mostly because of that that it is never shown in the final film past one shot - in this case, an almost see through dress that has a crow herald stitched in black fabric, just barely preventing nudity, and worn with a golden crown and various bangles as well.

Taramis's very last outfit is rather risque as well, but is shown more - this outfit is made up of black leather  that crosses the shoulders, and is worn with a cloak of brown and gold patterns, as well as a spiked crown.

Sent to keep an eye on Conan (and to kill him when the time is right) is Taramis' bodyguard Bombaata (Wilt Chamberlain), who is dressed in two main outfits throughout the film's running time. His first outfit is a black leather and fur combination that is worn with a large kidney belt, a spiked vambrace, and leather belt, that is sometimes worn with the striped leather underclothes, or is worn with a large leather coat and spiked helmet.

Bombaata's second outfit is much simpler, consisting of black leather armor (adorned with the crest of the guard's logo) worn with black trousers, a large black threaded coat, and the hair done up in a ponytail.

Queen Taramis is helped in her civil duties by the Grand Vizier (Jeff Corey) who sadly does not get much screentime, and is first seen in a black robe worn with leather shoulder pads and a helmet fixed with streamers going down past the head, a design rather similar to Bloomfield's design for Thulsa Doom's priest garb in the first film.

For the Dagoth summoning ceremony, the Grand Vizier sports another outfit, consisting of a patterned grey robe with red undersides, and is worn with a kidney belt and leather shoulders (again, rather similar to Bloomfield's design for Thulsa Doom's priest garb in the previous film), and is completed with an ornate helmet designed like an eagle crest with wings.

One of the items Conan and company are tasked to retrieve is a gemstone that is guarded by the malicious wizard Thoth-Amon (Pat Roach), who sports a striking outfit consisting of a red patterned cloak worn over a black and gold armor piece, and worn with a spiked, almost reptilian, headpiece - also notice the golden finger claws!

Dagoth's horn is stored in a temple which is guarded fiercely by a group of soldiers, led by 'the Leader' (Ferdy Mayne) who is clad in a short black cape and skirt, which is worn with a large leather kidney belt adorned with golden symbol, as well as golden wrist guards and a gold-trimmed skullcap-like helmet, which has threads streaming down from the back.