A study of historical accuracy in the 1944 film Gaslight

This thesis is an exploration of the contemporary aesthetic values placed on historical costume design. This thesis focuses on the movie Gaslight, set in 1885 and made in 1944, and compares the film version to actual historical garments of the period. It also discusses the factors that may have influenced the design of the film, such as studio management, actor image and marketing, the personal fashion sense of the designer, and the public’s overall expectations of historic accuracy. It further examines actual historical garments from the University of Texas’ Historical Collection for contemporary construction techniques, and includes a journal documenting the process of creating a historically accurate 1885 silhouette