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Some shows, such as Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, have influenced how their viewers see the show through their costumes. Although some showrunners like to stick to the basics when it comes to costumes, others prefer to think outside the box. The Outlander creative team has gotten creative with culinary items to create the iconic costumes audiences see.

Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Caitriona Balfe, and Sam Heughan
Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Caitriona Balfe, and Sam Heughan | Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for STARZ

‘Outlander’ is about time travel

Claire Randall, a former World War II nurse, seeks to revive her marriage with her husband, Frank. So the two decide to have a second honeymoon in Scotland. When they get there, Claire finds herself transported from the 1940s to the 1700s. She also realizes that she might be in danger after finding herself among a rebel Highlander group.

She’s forced to marry Highlander Jamie Fraser, and along the way, she ends up falling in love with him. Jamie gets abducted by the vicious and sadistic Randall, who tortures him. Claire and the rest of the Highlander clan band together and rescue Jamie. Claire gets closer to the rest of the clan by warning them that the Jacobite plan will end in doom. She also realizes she’s pregnant and informs Jamie.

Claire later travels back to the 20th century to be with Frank. She tells him about her time travel adventures. They raise Claire’s child, but 20 years later Frank dies. Claire then finds out Jamie did not die in battle as he had planned, so she works to travel back in time to him.

There are rules to the time travel

Outlander is popular with its audience due to the love stories, intertwining storylines, and time travel. The show’s executive producers sought to put the record straight about how the characters can travel through time.

Time and location are crucial. The characters have to be at specific places for time travel to be possible. Additionally, the characters have to wear particular gemstones for them to time travel safely. There are, however, some loopholes to this.

Even if someone is at the right place and time and wearing the right gemstones, it is not a guarantee that they’ll be able to time travel. Some fans believe this is because time travel might be an inherited trait.

The ‘Outlander’ team has gotten creative with the costumes

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Part of the reason why Outlander is so popular is its scenic locations and its couture. The characters can always be spotted wearing time-appropriate and fashionable pieces. The ladies usually wear corsets while the men wear kilts.

The actors have expressed their appreciation for the costumes, saying that they have allowed them to live through their characters at the time. Actor Caitriona Balfe noted that staying in a corset for so long during filming has allowed her to feel how oppressed the women at the time felt, especially with their outfits.

According to Marie Claire, the Outlander creative team has used household items to perfect the costumes. The show’s stylists use cheese graters, blowtorches, and pumice stones to create the exemplary costumes and give them a lived-in look. Some of the costumes are even tied up and baked to make them look as authentic as possible.

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