‘Desperate Housewives’ at 20: Why Bree Van de Kamp’s style still reigns

CNN
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With her witty one-liners, meticulous style and comically stoic demeanor, it’s easy to see why “Desperate Housewives” Bree Van de Kamp became a fan favorite among viewers when it debuted 20 years ago today.

The dark comedy, which focuses on the scandalous secrets of the seemingly ordinary residents of Wisteria Lane, was instantly catapulted to both commercial and critical success. Starring an extensive ensemble cast, most of the series focuses on the lives of the whimsical Susan Mayer (played by Teri Hatcher), former high-powered businesswoman turned mom of five Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), ex-fashion model Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), and perfectionist homemaker Bree Van de Kamp (played by Marcia Cross).

The show was loved by both audiences and critics from the outset, with more than 20 million viewers tuning in for its first episode, before the show went on to be awarded seven Emmys and three Golden Globes over the course of its eight-year run.

Viewers first meet Bree, with her sleek red bob and perfectly tweezed eyebrows, as a stay-at-home wife and mother, a character heavily inspired by the mom of series creator Marc Cherry. Wardrobe-wise, Bree’s sports sweater sets and knee-length skirts (often teamed with a pearl necklace) were seemingly inspired by both former First Lady Nancy Reagan and “Sex and the City’s” Charlotte York. However, it doesn’t take long for Bree’s Stepford Wives façade to unravel. Over the course of the show’s run, she faces crushing conflict with her children, a battle with alcoholism, three marriages and a scandalous fake pregnancy.

“I think perhaps Bree’s evolution was more noticed because she was so tightly wound when we first meet her,” costume designer Catherine Adair told CNN over email. Not only is Cross playing a character, Bree is arguably playing one, too.

While Bree’s style could be described as traditional or conservative throughout the first two seasons of Desperate Housewives, things take a slight turn after the sudden death of her first husband, Rex (who once told their marriage counsellor it was “hard to know if she has any” feelings) at the end of the first season. In the immediate aftermath, Bree limits herself to inoffensive black dresses, jumpers and cardigans, before the muted colors of grief eventually give way — over several episodes — to a new vibrant wardrobe signaling an unveiling of sorts.

According to Adair, Cross was involved in Bree’s style; a collaboration she described as “rich and helpful.” When death comes knocking at the door of Bree’s love life once again, this time for her ex-fiancé George in season two, she’s wearing a flowing chiffon white dress designed by Dina Bar-El which Cross described in promotional interviews as channeling the aura of an “angel of death.”

As the show’s run continues, Bree’s uptight persona relaxes. Her neat shoulder-length flipped-out bob, near synonymous with her character in the beginning, gradually loosens. She tries out causal blouses with jeans, along with the occasional revealing gown — one of which, in season seven, stands out as one of Adair’s favorite sartorial moments for the character.

“I designed it and had it made over a weekend,” said Adair of the daring low-back dress, which Bree transforms into a plunging neckline by turning it around while out with new housewife Renee (played by Vanessa Williams). “We realized we actually needed two dresses for it to fit,” Adair continued. “But hopefully you believed it was just one.”

There was also one color in particular Adair loved to adorn all the housewives in, sometimes to the playful ire of Cross.

“I did love her in pink,” Adair said. “She (Marcia) would tease me about that.”

But each character had their own shades of pink, Adair explained. The pastel hue Bree often wore was “quite different” from the bold or smoky pinks Adair chose for Gabrielle and Susan, the costume designer added.

Mixing high-end streetwear and luxury fashion, Adair sourced clothes from all over Los Angeles, where “Desperate Housewives” was shot — cutting up existing garments to make new ones. No look was ever “retired” Adair explained, as clothes would be needed for the series flashbacks.

By the show’s end, Bree moves away from the mystery state Wisteria Lane is situated in, taking up residence in Kentucky. She’s now a politician, elected to the state legislature, and both her career and clothes reflect that she’s no longer desperate — nor a housewife. The sweater sets are gone, but the knee-length skirts remain, with her outfits elevated versions of her early style.

“We all change and evolve our style in real life, influenced by our circumstances, and so did the women of Wisteria Lane,” Adair said. “It is something I loved about designing the costumes for the show. No one ‘stood still,’ or stayed stuck in time.”