The Costume Inspiration:

The costumes in Game of Thrones are epic. Because of all the different locations and climates, outfitting all the characters is a major undertaking. While the show has an obvious medieval vibe, it’s still a fantasy set in a fictional time and place, so Michele Clapton, the costume designer, took inspiration from lots of sources to get the unique look of each locale.

Clapton said that besides medieval England and Europe, she looked at all different tribes and cultures. The Bedouins inspired the look of the Dothraki, the desert oasis of Qarth owes a nod to Persia and the Middle East, and the wildlings north of the Wall wear their fur the same way as the Inuit tribes (that would be fur side in, skin side out). She was also inspired by Japanese and Persian armor, but you won’t find literal translations in the series.

Many of the wardrobe looks come from Clapton’s imagination, rather than directly from the book. “Sometimes the descriptions [from the book] don’t translate well to screen, “ she said. “If we took them literally it would be a very different look–too extreme.” For example, in the book, the doomed King Renly had a posse of rainbow warriors (gay symbolism?) but she didn’t think that would work onscreen.

Next up: The hair is a big deal…