UK Edition
A dowdy wardrobe and sexy lingerie: The story behind Doctor Foster's style secrets
You may not have Doctor Foster down as the most stylish character on TV at the moment, but there's no doubt that her tale is one which has gripped the nation. Foster, played by Suranne Jones, is the GP living through a spiral of emotions and consequences as she faces the return to town of her ex-husband Simon. And the challenges and complexities of their relationship are played out in the wardrobes of the series' protagonists, as costume designer Jo Slater explains...
Why she had to be dowdy
When we meet Doctor Gemma Foster again in the second series, she is a woman scorned. But rather than give herself a foxy makeover to elicit jealousy in her ex, Foster has taken a reassuringly real life approach to post-divorce dressing. "There was the temptation to make her look more trendy or slightly less stuffy," says Slater. "But then we realised that Simon would actually be the one coming back looking all smart and gorgeous, so we dressed him in Armani." Gemma, meanwhile, had to "stay the same, to add to her humiliation," often wearing the same or replica items from the previous series to underscore that, whatever Gemma has been doing in the two years which have elapsed since series one, shopping probably hasn't been a top priority.
The 'creepy' shoes which made even everything look frumpy
But with Suranne Jones playing Doctor Foster, the requisite dowdiness was never going to come easily, which is where Slater's secret weapon- the 'creepy' shoes- came into play. "When we were fitting, one of the girls in Reiss had this amazing pleated skirt on and it looked so fashionable," remembers Slater. "But we put it on with the 'creepy' nude block heeled shoes and it instantly becomes something different- they were awful, but we loved them for the character," which is why so many scenes include a pan down to Foster's clompy footwear.
When Kate and Gemma had a 'dress-off'
One of the seminal moments in the second series so far was the party which Simon and Kate, his new wife, held to celebrate their return to Parminster. Naturally, the event prompted a style battle between Kate and Gemma, who arrived unannounced and uninvited with her date, James.
In the dressed-up doctor corner, Gemma shrugged off the black work blazer she'd been wearing in the bar before she decided that gatecrashing was a great idea to reveal a fitted cobalt blue Karen Mullen dress. "The blazer being on in the restaurant shows how uncomfortable she is having this date, then as she loses the blazer you can almost see her just saying, 'Stuff it, I’m going for it!'" says Slater.
And in the yummy mummy corner, Kate in her white, plunging neckline dress. "I searched everywhere for a dress for that moment but none of them were quite right," Slater recalls, "then one of the executive producers sent over a link to that dress which is by Reformation (the eco label based in L.A)." By chance, Reformation- which is usually tricky to order in the UK- had a pop up shop in Covent Garden at that time, so Slater was able to order it. "It was a really stunning piece."
Lingerie is where Gemma shows her sexy side
"It wasn’t about how she looked- it’s a shared history between the two of them, and even with Gemma dressed as quite safe and dowdy, the sexual chemistry between the two of them is palpable," explains Slater of Gemma and Simon's tempestuous relationship.
But that's not to say that sensuality is abandoned entirely, as exhibited in last week's episode when the former couple have sex in her kitchen. Gemma unbuttons her blouse to reveal a black lace bra (sourced to fit Suranne perfectly in House of Fraser and then lined so it wasn't too revealing) where you might have expected to see something a little more plain.
'She's a very sexual woman but you wouldn’t really know until she looks at you with that glint in her eye," Slater elaborates. "She has this whole persona of the professional doctor, but she’s a sensual woman. We came to imagine that she would be dressing for how she was feeling, and as much as she’s full of anger, she’s also full of pent-up sexual frustration- so we decided we could reach for the lacy bra for that one."
Slater also references the series' night
club scenes as one of the few times when Foster transforms from dowdy doctor to hot mess, undoing her pussy bow blouse and mussing up her hair accordingly: "she's hot, she’s sweaty and she’s disheveled, she looks really, really sexy - only wearing what is believable that she would wear."
The hidden meaning in Gemma's jewellery
Even the most eagle-eyed viewers are unlikely to have noticed the motif from the first series of Dr Foster which is carried through in the second series via Gemma's jewellery, which is delicately pretty to suit a no-fuss but professional GP. "Her jewellery came from Alex Monroe and her signature necklace is the seashell," says Slater. "We chose that because it’s a nod to the first series, to when she tried to drown herself, and there’s a quote on the necklace engraved all away around the shell which you would never pick up on camera, but the quote is, “I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky." Could this be a hint as to how series two might culminate?
Why you should take note of Sian's polished workwear look
If young and trendy Kate has been Gemma's arch rival thus far, then it's time to take a closer look at Sian, the ultra-groomed new GP with mysterious links to Simon.
"I guess it's subliminal competition," says Slater. "Sian can't bear tardiness, she’s pretty and she’s very uptight. So pencil skirts and very crisp blouses worked for her. We went for a very light colour palette. We wanted to bring somebody in who was, “the same as”, and that will reveal itself as the series goes on."