I saw that too! And when Heather M attempted suicide, the pills were yellow. I took that as symbolizing the only way she knew how to take control of her life
@@Emma-ou6jq also could be symbolic of who’s killing who. Veronica is killing Heather, so the liquid is blue. Heather M is attempting to kill herself, so the pills are yellow.
I really loved this symbolism, the film makers really thought out the colour motifs really well. The pills being yellow could also be construed as a sign of being cowardly, since McNamara is trying to take her own life.
I just realised that outside of the group's influence, Heather Mcnamara wears a cheerleader uniform, which is just another dresscode for another group. Even without the Heather clique, she doesn't have any identity to call her own.
Reminds me a little of gretchen from mean girls, even after the plastics go their own ways, she doesn't really find her own sense of self. She immediately goes to the rich asians club and emulates their style. Kind of symbolising how she's used to being a follower and not a leader
That's why a lot of people say she's "Friendly" is not that she is friendly is that she is like a lost puppy without someone to follow, she becomes an empty Shell without someone to guide her so she hangs onto every but of attention someone gives her and doesn't wanna loose it so she is Overly attentive and thus comes off as "Friendly"
I always found it fascinating that out of the four main girls, Heather Duke wears Green, which is the only secondary colour. Chandler, McNamara and Veronica all have their own rounded, unique personalities, but Duke has to have someone to emulate. In the original musical, she didn't even get a song of her own, only singing reprises.
i’m not the biggest fan of the musical, so it’s easy for me to brush off the whole reprise thing as them not caring as much about characterizing heather duke as they do the rest of the cast. i could go further into how misunderstood she is by musical fans due to how the musical selectively chose to portray her, but while i think of that with disdain, i do like thinking her lack of attention was purposeful and her singing reprises was as well thought out as this. i just slightly doubt it 😅
In the musical, Veronica says this about Heather Duke: "No discernable personality, but her mom paid for implants" Making note of this introduction as well as her colour palette being green, it makes sense. Heather Duke is considerably a 'nobody' in the group.
@@msk-qp6fn Maybe it's meant to represent their similarities?? After all, Veronica incorporates bits of grey into her black blazer in the same scene. Veronica wears lots of grey naturally, as if showing that the two are naturally alike, but by Heather C wearing grey as a blazer it also shows their differences as she is bossy, commanding and power-hungry, where Veronica is not.
@@dorotaisqueen3650 i guess it makes sense because ultimately veronica is the only one who can truly replace heather chandler as a leader and not be her carbon copy
My take on the red, white and black that Heather wore was referencing the colors in a deck of cards; suggesting that she is the queen bee and therefore holds all the cards. You could also see her as a teenage version of the Queen of Hearts since everyone around her loses their heads. She even plays croquet with her underlings.
the musical is so good, but when JD says "people are going to see the ashes of westerburg highschool and think 'theres a school that self destructed, not because society doesn't care, but because that school /was/ society'" it makes me laugh every time, we really do live in a society jason
As overdressed as it may be, I’ve always been OBSESSED with Heather Duke’s funeral outfit. I’d still wear something like that today. It’s sexy, elegant and timeless.
this might be a super small detail but in Heather McNamara's bathroom scene, the pills she's taking are her signature yellow and could be alluding to her desire to have her old personality back with the presence of Heather Chandler through death
At 10:11 Heather Chandler's headboard looks like a scallop shell so her outfit might also be referring to her as Venus, goddess of beauty, like the Botticelli painting
It's worth noting that Betty, Veronica's old bestie, is very pretty, she just wears "dorky" clothing. She'd be perceived as "popular" if she got a makeover. However, if Martha were made over, she'd just look exactly the same.
It’s good to mention, Dan Waters, the man that wrote Heathers, specifically wrote the film as an antithesis to John Hughes, as Waters believed Hughes’ films to be gross glorifications of the teen experience. I actually wrote an essay in school directly comparing Heathers and The Breakfast Club to expose Hughes’ characters facade of depth.
I absolutely love The Breakfast Club, but I can definitely see Heathers (another one of my favourites) being a response of sorts. I'd also love to see your essay!
Precisely, the 2018 reboot completely missed the point of the original by making the marginalised groups the bullies, which is a decent concept in theory, but was just poorly executed.
@@trinaq not to mention i feel it would be a decent tv show at the type it came out had it been branded as something else. it’s similar to riverdale, which is made fun of now, but was super popular then. had the reboot included differently named characters with the similar premise, they could’ve called it heathers inspired rather than a reboot and i’m sure it wouldn’t of been so hated. i don’t think it’s a good retelling of the story and doesn’t stand in comparison at all. but it would’ve been decent had it been it’s own thing.
@@trinaq ..or maybe it was making a point about people using marginalized communities to be perceived as a victim and to basically get cloud, something that DOES happen IRL. To note that (with spoilers) that MacNamara lied about being a lesbian to be a part of the in crowd (and she immediately gets victim-shamed about something else thus showing how little people actually care about things), Chandler who is "only" plus-size speaks over others and is the biggest example of using real issues to maintain/gain power and fame. It's shown multiple times and it's explicit that they don't represent those communities and are just shitty people. It's even said that despite that, at least they fight for others unlike when Betty briefly takes over the school. The Heather did also have their sympathetic moments, more so than in the movie. Not to mention that the show, very much like the original movie, shows that everyone in it sucks, except Martha. (Wl the movie was also lenient with Betty but she was barely there so you could argue that she just didn't have the screentime to suck. Also also you could argue that she's passive and an enabler into the system so she did kinda suck) Finally, claiming that the Heathers are the villain in the movie and the show is just wrong. They aren't. They never were. Yes they suck, but they're not the antagonists. They aren't the ones going around and murdering others. JD is the antagonist, Veronica is more of an anti-hero, and they both are the main villains. (Using "main" because the school staff+the police/the adults, the college guys, and Kurt and Ram were villains. The adults for not doing shit, the college guys for being predatory assholes, Kurt and Ram for being bullies and serial r*p*sts.) Sure they're bullies, but so are every other character. What was true in the movie also is in the show. And ngl if Daniel Waters, the man himself, praises and likes the show (along with a couple of the original actors in the movie) then I'm more inclined to say that the show did things right. Its biggest problem is that it can be messy at times and there's clearly scenes that were important and cut (RIP Veronica you shall stay a bit too vague to be more clearly interpreted) When you think and analyze the show, it's actually really interesting. And it's more true to the movie than the musical has ever been (RIP depth)
I think another important note with jd's wardrobe is that in the beginning scene we see him in black and green, black being is main consistant color throughout the film but green symbolizing his similiarities towards heather duke. when he starts dating veronica there is clearly more blue in his wardrobe, but after the fight between veronica and jd he wears the black and red which as mentioned in the video symbolizing the more power-hungry he became just like heather duke when she takes heather chandlers place.
The costume designers said they wanted Veronica to be black and blue like a bruise. Also I like to mention how all of them are primary colors except for Heather Duke the one who isn’t original and needs other people to help make up her personality and tell her what to do.
See I never saw Heather Duke as inherently evil, I thought her arc was about how easy it is to become evil when all you know is abuse of power and suddenly you get said power. She was a bookish shy girl turned alpha bitch, she could have easily been a nerd. And she says so to Veronica, both when she tells her Betty would have been evil too if she was cool enough and when Veronica asks her why she is being that way and she replies “Because I can,” in a similar way to Heather Chandlers earlier “Why not?” What she does isn’t more evil than what Veronica does with power, but Veronica learns the error of her way and decides to use her power for good, which Heather D never does.
Exactly! Heather Duke was abused, mocked, and manipulated by others. She wasn't always evil, she was turned that way out of spite. I see her as a metaphor for mental health and bullying: when everyone around you treats you like garbage, you just might treat them the same way if given the chance. A main theme of Heathers is how power corrupts. You see it in Veronica, you see it in JD, and you see it in Heather Duke.
True, imagine all the anger and resentment she had in her from all the abuse and mistreatment she endured. Once she gets the power, she wants to take it out on others. I guess she also bullied H. McNamara because she resented her for always being more favored by H. Chandler.
Honestly the way I see it, she’s not really that much different from McNamara. It’s just that their methods are different. Both of them just want to be appreciated. Duke recognizes that being the queen bee commands a high level of respect from her peers, so that’s exactly what she does. She gains approval from the students, even changing her outfit to fit in with them so they’ll be more receptive to her. It’s also kind of interesting that Duke, despite her rise to power as the queen bee, doesn’t really antagonize Veronica that much. In fact she seems to be doing the opposite. Her reaction to getting the scrunchie isn’t to say “haha look Veronica I’m your new queen bee”. She covers her eyes and cheerfully says ‘guess who!’ Before gleefully revealing it. The expression she had in that scene made me think she genuinely wants to impress Veronica. The only time she did become somewhat hostile was when Veronica reacted to her new outfit not with approval, but with disappointment. Plus her bullying McNamara is cruel no doubt, but it doesn’t help that McNamara was a bystander in Chandler’s taunting. When they’re in the bathroom after lunch, Chandler mocks her bulimia while McNamara says ‘ugh gross’. Contrast this with Veronica coming into the stall to help her and encouraging her to see a doctor for her condition. Duke actually seems to hold Veronica in pretty high regard and probably considers her an actual friend rather than a foe. Her ‘you look like hell’ wasn’t scornful. It sounded more concerned. Honestly I think there’s a lot of layers to Duke’s character and it’s interesting to see how it plays out
I like to think that Heather Duke will change too. Heather D was clearly just trying to establish some control in her life after Heather Chandler took it away from her, and she, like Veronica, would've realized they were more than the pressure they had put on them. Before Heather Chandler's suicide, I genuinely feel like Heather Duke was the nicest of the Heathers based on her interactions with Veronica
It's also worth noting that pearls symbolize grief, which is why they aren't seen as appropriate for weddings, but often worn at funerals, while for diamonds it's the other way around. Chandler trading her diamong earrings for a pearl necklace in the frat party scene is the first sign (along with her ditching the scrunchie) that her future doesn't look so bright
the analysis on Heather M is done so good! A lot of people were claiming that she was the only angel of the Heathers- and sure, I agree she deserved better- but I have never regarded her as the perfect little angel. She has the capacity to be mean, but the restraint was her cowardice and her fear of being osctrasized by others. This fear alongside with her traumas are also her demon haunting her not only over what she did, but also how she is perceived, which drove her to attempt to end herself. Additionally, yellow the weakest of the three primary colors as it can be easily influenced by others, unlike red or blue.
@@Loopimay Exactly. I love the musical but the fact that they made Heather M as a "cinnamon role" when she literally sacrificed and refused to help Veronica during the date r*pe there (also just realized it's the opposite in the movie)
@@SM-ky6pbthey did Heather McNamara SO wrong in the musical and butchered her character(but to be fair, the musical butchered everyone. Especially Martha)
@@SM-ky6pb And she also slut-shamed Veronica along with the rest of the school. She was no innocent angel, she was just as much of a malicious bitch as the others, just quieter and softer about it!
It’s also worth noting that Heather Chandler’s red directly coincides with the schools colors - emphasizing how much of an ‘idol’ or staple she is for her classmates. Everyone wants to be heather, as if she runs their social hierarchy
I think the reason they’d never show Heather M in orange is because Orange is Betty’s color, showing that if Heather wore orange, she’d be associated with Betty who isn’t popular at all.
I like that theory as well, it also coincides with the fact that orange cancels out one of the primary colors had she worn orange she would’ve been kicked out
Maybe Heathr funeral dress is white but the lighting is tainting it red ? Adding symbolism to her white perceived by her parents white but we know she wasn't
Something else I'd like to point out about Heather McNamara is that, if we think of red as the color of power, the red of her cheerleading uniform shows that the only time she feels powerful is when she is a cheerleader and nowhere else
i interpret it a little differently, i think the touches of red are signifying her attempting to take back some power/control via suicide (hence the dominance of black)
heather duke has bulimia, the chicken leg eating scene is her binging because we saw her purging before. it's not a shift in comfort it's a continuation of her characterization we saw in the beginning
I saw it as Heather Duke purging because she felt pressure to look like Heather Chandler -- she makes it a point to tell several news channels that she and Heather Chandler shared clothes and were the same size. Once Heather Chandler is gone, Heather Duke feels more free to behave as she wants to, finally eating instead of restricting herself.
@@dreamingofmagic my opinion is Duke is a perfectionist to an unhealthy degree. She’s bulimic, which is related to having a negative image of one’s body. Also noteworthy that in Veronica’s dream, she tells JD that if Duke were to slit her wrists she’d use a clean knife. Why would Duke care about the knife being clean or dirty, unless it’s something she’s subconsciously trained herself to do?
in the scene, veronica says “careful heather you might actually be digesting food there” (sarcastically) and heather duke says “screw it” so no it was not a continuation of her ED it was def her letting go of the influence of heather chandler.
another thing about heather duke. before heather chandler’s death, she never has her nails done. they’re short and plain, obviously probably because of her ED. however, after heather chandler’s death, she starts appearing with a french tip manicure, probably since because she doesn’t feel that pressure anymore, she doesn’t really need use of her fingers for her ED. i have seen this movie so many time, this analysis was amazing!!
Heathers is one of those rare, amazing films where the crisp aesthetic and costume design perfectly mirror the tone. You can learn so much about the characters just from a glance. It's beautiful!
Another thing I noticed is that even tho Veronica’s main colour is blue as it is symbolic, there is actually a shade of blue called ‘Verona’ even if it is just a coincidence, that her name and the shade are so similar.
other characters and their colour symbolism: JD = Black🖤 associated with death, evil and the dark as well as mystery and power. Martha = Pink💗associated with femininity, youth, cuteness and it reinforces the fact that she is also just a young innocent girl. Betty = Orange🧡orange is opposite to blue! she is veronicas opposite! It’s also a secondary colour alluding to her just being a secondary character. yet Betty wears alot of white to blend with and compliment Veronica, white is also associated with purity as Betty is genuinely a good hearted person.
I kinda love how all the popular girls dressed like hyper-shoulder-padded Gordon Gecko wannabes and like, nobody questioned it Sad thing is, the Heather actress who referenced a brain tumor breakfast actually died young from a brain tumor and the kid who asked God not to die by suicide actually died by suicide. The 80s were dark.
Regarding Heather Duke’s red outfit and it having highlights of black rather than the white and grey highlights that Heather Chandler wore… What other character wears black? JD does. If you remember from earlier, JD was the one who suggested to Duke that Westerburg needed a strong leader, and manipulated her by appealing to her disdain for Chandler and her desire to be the queen bee. It’s another subtle hint that Heather Duke is merely copying others. And a tragic detail in that she became so blinded with her need to be in power that she didn’t realize she was ultimately just another pawn in JD’s schemes.
Thank you for being critical about the SA in this film I remember how horrified I was when Heather M was being SA and Veronica did nothing to help 27:35
Yeah that and the blatant homophobia in the next scene make the movie really hard to watch to a modern eye. I feel like the musical does a better job of showing all this really fucked up content while still maintaining a firmly tongue in cheek tone through the whole thing. I know that showing the assault in all its horror was meant to be a counterpoint to a lot of other depictions of the time that portrayed date rape as harmless hijinx or whatever but it's still a really jarring viewing experience.
@@puppppppies Eh. I didnt like that the musical tried to make the jocks more sympathetic and funny when they were supposed to be more crude, if anything I think the musical is a flanderized version of what the movie actually was which tbh aint good.
@@puppppppies not at all. first of all the musical romanticized the shit out of JD and his relationship with Veronica. they completely changed Veronica's character into your everyday relatable protagonist when in the movie she's fucked up like the others. the musical doesn't even have any scenes of sa. at most it has commentary on the sad part of highschool bullying:( but not really morally impactful message anywhere. I'd say it's just a lot more light hearted than the movie and focuses on friendship rather than power struggle
@@deprimeplatypus490 I agree with your criticisms, but saying the musical "doesn't even have scenes of SA" isn't exactly true-the "Blue"/"You're Welcome" scene is very much treated textually as Kurt and Ram attempted to SA Veronica, and (atleast in Blue, I'm unsure if they're omitted from the scene entirely in productions where You're Welcome is implemented) Mcnamara and Duke letting it happen. Doesn't make the musical any better though, and I personally dislike how the scene is handled there anyway.
@@puppppppies in my opinion, it’s also an indication that JD is not the hero he presents himself as. Yes he murders the bullies, but he does so by invoking problematic cultural trends in order to shame them, rather than call them out as the homophobic, sexist assholes they were. It’s also particularly fitting that JD saw, in full view, Heather M getting SA’d. Yet he didn’t do anything and led Veronica away, symbolic of how he’s encouraging her to turn her back on people who actually need help.
Red is definitely a key color that signifies a character's power status, internally and externally. Heather Chandler wears red and later after Heather Chandler's death Heather Duke starts wearing red after she gains power. JD wears a red shirt after a couple of murders and Veronica's red lipstick at the jocks' funeral. Veronica at the end takes the red scrunchie from Heather Duke after Veronica overcomes JD and JD's suicide.
also when JD is wearing the red shirt - veronica is wearing purple. this could signify veronicas now conflicted mind with JD who holds the power (red) and her quality of being humane (blue) and when red and blue is mixed you get purple. in reference to the fire and water take 28:25 as the fire and water symbolism is conflicting.
Something interesting about Heather M’s Grey and black to all yellow. When I heard that I immediately thought that when someone decides to attempt suicide, they often appear much more happy because they have the plan in place to end their hurting. I feel Heather M wardrobe is a reflection of that, as she attempts suicide not much longer after the switch. Notably when she does try she’s wearing the black white and red cheer outfit. In this way she’s emulating Heather C, who from her perspective was also hiding her unhappiness before deciding to take her life.
It's also nice to notice how color is used in the film as a whole. When Heather C and Veronica have their falling out at the party the light behind them is blue and the fire Veronica starts by accident also lights the wall red. The drain cleaner Heather C drinks that kills her is blue, The pills Heather M tries to overdose with are yellow. The boiler room is lit up red and blue.
I just wanted to add that the suit that Heather Chandler wears, with broad shoulders and a more manly silloute, was popularized by Margaret Thatcher, who was back then the prime minister of England, just to emphasize that she DID rule the school
Considering that the original planned ending was everyone dying with the bomb and dancing together in heaven without prejudice, it's possible that the nightmare Heather C. calling her afterlife boring was meant to really be her.
@@imthebossmermaid3648 "The original ending was that J.D. blew up the high school and they all died, then there was a prom scene in heaven. [New World execs] just said, "No way. We can't make a satirical movie about teenage suicide in which the people actually kill themselves."" - Michael Lehmann, director of Heathers, Entertainment Weekly's "Heathers: An oral history" But to be fair, that wasn't the only ending they thought about using before the final film. "The ending I should've fought harder for is where Martha Dumptruck pulls out a knife, stabs Veronica, and says, "F- you, Heather." And Veronica's on the ground laughing, with a knife in her stomach, saying, "My name's not Heather. My name's not Heather."" - Daniel Waters, writer of Heathers, same article
The Heathers and Veronica all having a different signature colour easily differentiates between them. It's convenient for the audience to recognize the 4 female leads. And it shows their differences in personality and their difference visually.
I love your comment about Heather being fire and Veronica being water, and water snuffing fire out. Brilliant. I do think all of the grey Veronica wears is because she’s morally grey. She’s conflicted about her behavior with the Heathers, about her behavior with JD, and about her behavior with Martha. It’s a shame to me that the costume designer, Ruby Dillon, hasn’t done that many visually interesting movies outside of this. She’s clearly great at it
I like that Heather Chandler's school outfit hasn't aged well; like, granted, that blazer with shoulder pads looks like a grandma outfit today, but that accidentally intensifies her attempts to look older than she is, and also makes her look so much more rigid. Like an old lady being a tyrant.
I like how, in the lunchroom scene, Heather Duke is the only Heather not wearing a brooch/ pin. Heather Chandler has a large gold brooch directly in front of her neck, with a pointed top similar to the spikes of a crown. It also emulates an adult accessory to me, like how in the entire scene they try to dress like adults. Heather Macnamara wears a much smaller, heart shaped pin on the breast pocket of her blazer. It gives a much younger feel than Heather Chandlers brooch, and looks more playful. She's still throwing personal pieces in, even though they're tiny. It also may symbolize how Heather Duke still feels alone and left out, even being part of the most prestigious clique in school. Veronica is bold with her patterened blazer, Heather Chandler is the obvious leader with her sharp sillouhette and crown brooch, and Heather M seemed to catch a memo about pins that Heather D missed out on. In fact, she wears a brooch in the opening croquet scene and then not in the lunchroom scene when the other two are. She straight up missed the entirety of the memo
Heather C’s opening outfit in the lunchroom is also very reminiscent of a general’s uniform too. The costume designer deserves so much credit for this film holy shit
I read a book called The Ashleys, they were all named Ashley and had a hierarchy similar to Mean Girls...I didn't realize it was inspired by Heathers till just now. It was utterly ridiculous and kind of unsettling, because they were only 12. But also psychologically intriguing, and the outfits were described so exquisitely
Weren't the Ashleys you were talking about featured in the tv show Recess? I know in that one, one of them gets kicked out of the group and they try to let another girl who has the same name as them join them.
@@marikkelaszlo3355 no, it’s about private school girls from San Francisco and a middle class girl catapulted into their world because her parents became fabulously wealthy around the time she started junior high.
22:57 finally you addressed their hair colors, I always noticed she had a reddish tint, heather Chandler is more of a strawberry blonde which yes is considered a Ginger but it looks blonde enough
I've been waiting for this one! Honestly, I think most of Heather Duke's outfits are winners for me. She may not be a good person, but she's a pretty good dresser, even when looked at from a 2022 perspective.
You can always forget your name but you can always call Heathers by their color and always knowing Veronica is always blue lol... she feeling blue all the time throughout the movie. Her teen angst with a body count xD
The 80s are regarded by some as maximalist and wild, reflecting the economic boom of the decade. I'm very fond of the fashion of that era, especially the shoulder pads. My personal goal is to mix the silhouettes from the 80s with the boho look. Ngl, green is my favorite color and some of Heather Duke's pieces were stunning. I also like the film because it portrays J.D. as something dangerous that the female character needs to get away from. He reminds me a little bit of Nate from Euphoria.
An 80's silhouettes with a boho look, huh? Sounds to me like Lisa Bonet's style, via her sitcom days, might be just the inspiration you're looking for. :)
This video is a godsend honestly! Ever since the Jawbreaker analysis you did I was desperately waiting for a Heathers one. Also, I really think you’d like the costuming of A24’s Everything, Everywhere, All at once because I can’t get over the outfits
Funny how heather is so popular when she was alive but you realize at her funeral no one really cares about her. Everything's just an act and you see how fake everyone is. But they make believe that they all really care about her when they don't. An people are like that in real life too.
Heather Duke's formal color which is green, in the negative meaning means her envy towards Heather Chandler but green also (the positive meaning) means immortality and life, which is ironic considering she is the only Heather who doesn't die or become suicidal (no the part in the movie where in Veronica's dream she gets murdered by J.D doesn't count; that's just a dream.)
Duke was bullied, her taking up Chandler's place to protect herself doesn't make her evil. She isn't even really jealous, just really insecure. MacNamara isn't genuinely insecure, just a follower and aloof. The only moment she wasn't confident was when people around her were dying which... Yeah it will do that to someone. Her actions after the phonecall were also heavily influenced by the fact that she does what's popular, even suicide and that she wasn't used to being laughed at (which she did to Duke) Veronica isn't that loyal. Confident could describe all the Heathers except Duke. Veronica has shaky morals and mostly cares about herself. She's a terrible person and friend up until the end of the movie that shows that she's going to be better/good (something that wasn't planned since she was supposed to show that she indeed was like JD in most endings) Feminine isn't what I'd call Chandler. Her cafeteria outfit has her in shorts and big blazer which you could call masculine? We don't see her enough to make a point of it. She's more a master when it comes to social interactions and using opportunities. She knows the game and exploits it for her benefit. And that's why we don't get to see her actual self a lot
i love this video !!! one thing about the suggestion for Heather M to wear orange at the end, i feel like that colour is subconsciously Betty's ? when Veronica invites Betty over for croquet, she plays with an orange ball (rather than taking one of the Heather's colours). on the colour wheel, orange is directly opposite and is complementary to blue, which is Veronica's colour. the colour orange also symbolizes excitement, cheer and warmth, which are all traits Betty possesses. even though Betty never wears orange, no one else does either, so i feel like it could sort of be seen as hers lol :) amazing video from this channel as always
Personally, I loved Veronica’s outfits that had more blue in them like the ones she wore at Chandlers funeral and when she lured Ram & Kurt in the cemetery but I also loved the blazer she wore at the beginning. 💙
I think its funny how people still see Heather Duke as the villain when she was treated like crap by people who were supposed to be her friends. Sure Heather Macnamara was never mean outright to her but she never took up for her either. Also her best friend/bully just died from what she believes is suicide so obviously she’s confused and angry. Part of her is happy she’s gone but Polarr of her is sad because that was still her friend and all she wanted was Heather Chandler’s approval. Idk maybe its just because I played Duke or because I was kinda in a clique like this were i was treated awfully but i feel bad for her. Yes she does awful things but that’s all she was ever taught. I feel like her becoming the new Heather Chandler is because she doesn’t know how to live without someone bossing her anymore and wants to hold on to the memory of her friend. She’s basically the Gretchen Weiners of the group. Also we act like Heather Duke is so evil but JD is all cool and hot when hes a literal terrorist? Weird but okay.
It’s also, in my opinion, a political narrative about power and authoritarian systems. A hostile political system can’t be solved by putting the dictator out of commission. The forces that allowed the dictator to stay in power remain. And as long as they exist, another dictator will just step in to take the empty place.
i feel like heather dukes outfits, post taking the scrunchie, are also more mature. she has a better hold on how to keep the power. heather chandler was powerful, but naive. heather duke has the will to keep her throne
Agh thank you sm for making this. This movie has been my special interest for years, and I’ve been waiting for someone to say something about the design choices!! My favorite probably being jd, who also starts in shades of green, also telling you how much of a snake he is. And as you pointed out, starts matching Veronica in blues, and greys. He only wears blue jeans when he’s with Veronica too. You’re absolutely right on the power going to his head with the red shirt above the black tank top, but I also noticed that he stops wearing any color whatsoever once jd and Veronica are broken up. Wearing only black for the rest of the film when he plans on killing everyone. It sparks so much joy to be able to express this. Thank you thank you thank you!💜💜
I adore this channel. Film is a medium with so many layers, and costumes are one that is often overlooked in youtube film analysis. It's so cool to see these breakdowns illustrate what's been right there in front of our eyes, but we just hadn't stopped to consider.
It’s so sad that Heather McNamara was pushed to breaking point, it really highlights how far we’ve come, when talking about mental health, and I like to believe that Heather was able to get professional help, to live a happier life.
I've known this movie inside and out for as long as it has existed, being capable of quoting it from memory at will. But until this video, I had never contemplated the Heather's use of color. Thank you for this, it's truly a gift having your eyes opened to seeing, in another way, something already so well-known.
Gosh this is all so fascinating. I never really thought about the symbolism in their clothing choices outside of their signature colors. All of this was amazing to learn about!
I always thought it was just horrible awkward sex because he was so drunk. I guess it's a bit ambiguous, and the perception of what is and isn't rape was a lot different back then.
This is such a great ask, I hope she fulfills your request bc I would love to see this, too. The way the color scale of the film changes and the poster in the background with Nikki Reed's eyes, just so much attention to detail, a fashion analysis would be chef's kiss
There used to be an “all outfits in“-video of Thirteen on this channel. Probably got taken down for copyright reasons like most other videos like that. (Still sad about that) So given that it was on Tessa's radar once, we might get lucky with an analysis. I'd be for it too because that movie messed me up in a good way. Edit: It is still on here. The video is called “All of Tracy & Evie's outfits in Thirteen“.
I've never seen 'Heathers' but I still loved watching this video. Ever since I've started watching your channel, I've started paying more attention to fashion in films and tv-shows, finding myself analyzing colours and outfits. Keep up the great work!
OMG YES! I've been waiting for this since you released the one for Mean Girls and Jaw Breakers. I love the color symbolism in Heathers and the 80's teen aesthetic of the Movie. It's just sad it didn't became a box office hit back in 1989 because people thought its just "another boring chick flix" but I'm glad decades later people appreciates it now and considered it a cult classic.
Great video and documentary not only did you break down the symbolism of the fashion amongst the Heathers and Veronica but you were really detailed about explaining the true personalities and true colors of the Heathers and Veronica great video .
i think i’m losing my mind, didn’t you already do a heathers outfit analysis? i SWEAR I remember you doing one back then. 😭😭 the moment i saw the title i’m thinking to myself if this was you doing the same analysis again.
in like 2017 i stayed at a hotel that had different sections color coded and the colors were red, yellow, green, and blue, in the heathers shades. i call it the heathers hotel
i really like the stuff you said about heather mcnamara, because she is my favourite character like- ever- but its really hard to pin point how she actually feels. because in different versions of heathers i think she's slightly different in the musical (off-broadway) i feel they showed that she's alot more cowardly then how the movie shows it. it may just be the acting f elle mclemore but- im going slightly off topic lol
Me: I'm interested in Heathers, but it's like To Kill A Mockingbird or Lord of the Flies where everytime I ask what it's about, no one answers me and just says I have to see it. It's really annoying. My Mom: it's about school shöötings, murder, and teen süicide Me: EXCUSE ME, WHAT!?
Okay not to be greedy because I was literally thinking about a ModernGurlz Heathers analysis last night (dare I say manifestation?) but the casetify ad makes me really want a Heathers reboot styled by you
a thought with the colours symbolising elements: duke, veronica, and chandler seem to be clashing elements of water, fire and plants, and where fire beats plants, water is able to make plants stronger
I don't know if this is intentional but two things: All Heathers begin with their own signature colors but their final scenes are all dressed in black and red. And two, red is not just power, it's death. Heather Chandler wears red, it's her signature colour, and dies. Heather Duke also wears red and JD attempts to kill her. McNamara was wearing red while trying to kill herself and the other characters who wear red also die: Ram and Kurt. It's like the colour showing how the character has the control, but also that is in front of the abyss and in danger. JD even uses color red again, and yes, he dies at the end of the movie.
something i find interesting about heather mcnamara's attempted suicide scene is that the pills she almost takes are bright yellow. i think that that compared with the increase of black/gray pieces she wears symbolizes how in her mind, suicide is the only way to regain her sense of self. heather m has gone through a lot of trauma, stuff that can fundamentally change a person. and we see the decline in her mental health. having severe depression or the other mental health struggles we see heather m have can really warp and distort your thought processes, and you can't really think clearly. so in her fragile, distorted mind set, suicide was the only way to regain her sense of self; in her mind, it was the only way she could return to how things were "before", when she wasn't severely depressed and in pain
I disagree with the notion that Heather m is just too timid. During the moment in the film when she was going to committed suicide, she's was broken. Then when I came in and saved her she completely broke down and opened up. Vs green heather, who in her moments of weakness Double Down.
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When heather chandelier is killed by veronica, the poisonous substance colours her mouth in blue which is Veronica’s colour.. i thought it was cool
I saw that too! And when Heather M attempted suicide, the pills were yellow. I took that as symbolizing the only way she knew how to take control of her life
@@Emma-ou6jq also could be symbolic of who’s killing who. Veronica is killing Heather, so the liquid is blue. Heather M is attempting to kill herself, so the pills are yellow.
@@ryanjstannard ooooo I like that!
I really loved this symbolism, the film makers really thought out the colour motifs really well. The pills being yellow could also be construed as a sign of being cowardly, since McNamara is trying to take her own life.
@@Emma-ou6jq yeaaah im not the only one who saw the pill color being yellow 😆
I just realised that outside of the group's influence, Heather Mcnamara wears a cheerleader uniform, which is just another dresscode for another group. Even without the Heather clique, she doesn't have any identity to call her own.
poor thing
Reminds me a little of gretchen from mean girls, even after the plastics go their own ways, she doesn't really find her own sense of self. She immediately goes to the rich asians club and emulates their style. Kind of symbolising how she's used to being a follower and not a leader
That's why a lot of people say she's "Friendly" is not that she is friendly is that she is like a lost puppy without someone to follow, she becomes an empty Shell without someone to guide her so she hangs onto every but of attention someone gives her and doesn't wanna loose it so she is Overly attentive and thus comes off as "Friendly"
It's so sad isn't it?
@@davidkonevky7372 meh more of a karen to me but oki
I always found it fascinating that out of the four main girls, Heather Duke wears Green, which is the only secondary colour. Chandler, McNamara and Veronica all have their own rounded, unique personalities, but Duke has to have someone to emulate. In the original musical, she didn't even get a song of her own, only singing reprises.
Green is the only secondary color, but yeah, I agree
not only that but green and red are opposite colors which is pretty ironic due to her similarity
Oooh I never realized that 😮
i’m not the biggest fan of the musical, so it’s easy for me to brush off the whole reprise thing as them not caring as much about characterizing heather duke as they do the rest of the cast. i could go further into how misunderstood she is by musical fans due to how the musical selectively chose to portray her, but while i think of that with disdain, i do like thinking her lack of attention was purposeful and her singing reprises was as well thought out as this. i just slightly doubt it 😅
In the musical, Veronica says this about Heather Duke:
"No discernable personality, but her mom paid for implants"
Making note of this introduction as well as her colour palette being green, it makes sense. Heather Duke is considerably a 'nobody' in the group.
You could also interpret Veronica's use of grey as her character being "morally grey"
does that apply to heather chandler though? she does wear a grey blazer with a red skirt in the cafeteria 🤔
@@msk-qp6fn Maybe it's meant to represent their similarities?? After all, Veronica incorporates bits of grey into her black blazer in the same scene. Veronica wears lots of grey naturally, as if showing that the two are naturally alike, but by Heather C wearing grey as a blazer it also shows their differences as she is bossy, commanding and power-hungry, where Veronica is not.
@@dorotaisqueen3650 i guess it makes sense because ultimately veronica is the only one who can truly replace heather chandler as a leader and not be her carbon copy
HA!
Wouldn’t it depend on the croquet mallet?
My take on the red, white and black that Heather wore was referencing the colors in a deck of cards; suggesting that she is the queen bee and therefore holds all the cards. You could also see her as a teenage version of the Queen of Hearts since everyone around her loses their heads. She even plays croquet with her underlings.
holy shit this is genius
Love it!
Dam this movie has layers
Holy crap
OMG I LOVE THID
I was like "nah" until the croquet omg
the musical is so good, but when JD says "people are going to see the ashes of westerburg highschool and think 'theres a school that self destructed, not because society doesn't care, but because that school /was/ society'" it makes me laugh every time, we really do live in a society jason
If my mans lived now he would be a Joker stan
the og society mf
rest in peace JD you would've loved joker 2019 and paul dano's riddler
LOL the most ironic thing that every school in fact is a beta version of a large society wwith beta-hierarchy and thing like that😃
It does make sense, sadly
As overdressed as it may be, I’ve always been OBSESSED with Heather Duke’s funeral outfit. I’d still wear something like that today. It’s sexy, elegant and timeless.
I wore a very similar dress to my sister's wedding (unfortunately, without gloves)
@@darthtepes Oooh… I bet it still looked amazing!
@@icedoatmilklatte910 hell yeah😎😎
I played her in the musical and i loved that outfit!
@@yagirl1014 luckkyyyy
How did it feel to be slapped by chandler
this might be a super small detail but in Heather McNamara's bathroom scene, the pills she's taking are her signature yellow and could be alluding to her desire to have her old personality back with the presence of Heather Chandler through death
THATS genius omg
At 10:11 Heather Chandler's headboard looks like a scallop shell so her outfit might also be referring to her as Venus, goddess of beauty, like the Botticelli painting
It also reminds me of the inside of a casket, which is wild because this is right before she dies.
Cooool
Also makes me think of birth (like the birth of Venus) which is probably to parallel her death in this scene
It's worth noting that Betty, Veronica's old bestie, is very pretty, she just wears "dorky" clothing. She'd be perceived as "popular" if she got a makeover. However, if Martha were made over, she'd just look exactly the same.
Exactly! If Veronica started her own clique and her friend dressed better I could see it working.
Also important that she’s bigger too
The fatphobia of that era
@@MsDudette21 ma'am your comment is a literal example of fatphobia lol
@@MsDudette21 They never said being fat and fatphobia was comparable to racism. And no being fat is not inherently bad.
It’s good to mention, Dan Waters, the man that wrote Heathers, specifically wrote the film as an antithesis to John Hughes, as Waters believed Hughes’ films to be gross glorifications of the teen experience. I actually wrote an essay in school directly comparing Heathers and The Breakfast Club to expose Hughes’ characters facade of depth.
Wow! I would love to read an essay like that, it must be fascinating!
Same here! If you would be willing to share your essay, I'd love to read it
I absolutely love The Breakfast Club, but I can definitely see Heathers (another one of my favourites) being a response of sorts. I'd also love to see your essay!
I need to read your essay
may i also see this essay
tessa hating the tv reboot and liking the musical is just TASTE 💅 the raging musical theatre kid in me approves
Precisely, the 2018 reboot completely missed the point of the original by making the marginalised groups the bullies, which is a decent concept in theory, but was just poorly executed.
@@trinaq not to mention i feel it would be a decent tv show at the type it came out had it been branded as something else. it’s similar to riverdale, which is made fun of now, but was super popular then. had the reboot included differently named characters with the similar premise, they could’ve called it heathers inspired rather than a reboot and i’m sure it wouldn’t of been so hated. i don’t think it’s a good retelling of the story and doesn’t stand in comparison at all. but it would’ve been decent had it been it’s own thing.
@@trinaq ..or maybe it was making a point about people using marginalized communities to be perceived as a victim and to basically get cloud, something that DOES happen IRL. To note that (with spoilers) that MacNamara lied about being a lesbian to be a part of the in crowd (and she immediately gets victim-shamed about something else thus showing how little people actually care about things), Chandler who is "only" plus-size speaks over others and is the biggest example of using real issues to maintain/gain power and fame. It's shown multiple times and it's explicit that they don't represent those communities and are just shitty people. It's even said that despite that, at least they fight for others unlike when Betty briefly takes over the school. The Heather did also have their sympathetic moments, more so than in the movie.
Not to mention that the show, very much like the original movie, shows that everyone in it sucks, except Martha. (Wl the movie was also lenient with Betty but she was barely there so you could argue that she just didn't have the screentime to suck. Also also you could argue that she's passive and an enabler into the system so she did kinda suck)
Finally, claiming that the Heathers are the villain in the movie and the show is just wrong. They aren't. They never were. Yes they suck, but they're not the antagonists. They aren't the ones going around and murdering others. JD is the antagonist, Veronica is more of an anti-hero, and they both are the main villains. (Using "main" because the school staff+the police/the adults, the college guys, and Kurt and Ram were villains. The adults for not doing shit, the college guys for being predatory assholes, Kurt and Ram for being bullies and serial r*p*sts.)
Sure they're bullies, but so are every other character. What was true in the movie also is in the show. And ngl if Daniel Waters, the man himself, praises and likes the show (along with a couple of the original actors in the movie) then I'm more inclined to say that the show did things right. Its biggest problem is that it can be messy at times and there's clearly scenes that were important and cut (RIP Veronica you shall stay a bit too vague to be more clearly interpreted)
When you think and analyze the show, it's actually really interesting. And it's more true to the movie than the musical has ever been (RIP depth)
@@trinaq They missed the mark...HARD!
@@trinaq The girl in the series who played Veronica was looked more Heather that Veronica
I think another important note with jd's wardrobe is that in the beginning scene we see him in black and green, black being is main consistant color throughout the film but green symbolizing his similiarities towards heather duke. when he starts dating veronica there is clearly more blue in his wardrobe, but after the fight between veronica and jd he wears the black and red which as mentioned in the video symbolizing the more power-hungry he became just like heather duke when she takes heather chandlers place.
The costume designers said they wanted Veronica to be black and blue like a bruise. Also I like to mention how all of them are primary colors except for Heather Duke the one who isn’t original and needs other people to help make up her personality and tell her what to do.
See I never saw Heather Duke as inherently evil, I thought her arc was about how easy it is to become evil when all you know is abuse of power and suddenly you get said power. She was a bookish shy girl turned alpha bitch, she could have easily been a nerd. And she says so to Veronica, both when she tells her Betty would have been evil too if she was cool enough and when Veronica asks her why she is being that way and she replies “Because I can,” in a similar way to Heather Chandlers earlier “Why not?”
What she does isn’t more evil than what Veronica does with power, but Veronica learns the error of her way and decides to use her power for good, which Heather D never does.
Exactly! Heather Duke was abused, mocked, and manipulated by others. She wasn't always evil, she was turned that way out of spite. I see her as a metaphor for mental health and bullying: when everyone around you treats you like garbage, you just might treat them the same way if given the chance.
A main theme of Heathers is how power corrupts. You see it in Veronica, you see it in JD, and you see it in Heather Duke.
True, imagine all the anger and resentment she had in her from all the abuse and mistreatment she endured. Once she gets the power, she wants to take it out on others.
I guess she also bullied H. McNamara because she resented her for always being more favored by H. Chandler.
Honestly the way I see it, she’s not really that much different from McNamara. It’s just that their methods are different. Both of them just want to be appreciated. Duke recognizes that being the queen bee commands a high level of respect from her peers, so that’s exactly what she does. She gains approval from the students, even changing her outfit to fit in with them so they’ll be more receptive to her.
It’s also kind of interesting that Duke, despite her rise to power as the queen bee, doesn’t really antagonize Veronica that much. In fact she seems to be doing the opposite. Her reaction to getting the scrunchie isn’t to say “haha look Veronica I’m your new queen bee”. She covers her eyes and cheerfully says ‘guess who!’ Before gleefully revealing it. The expression she had in that scene made me think she genuinely wants to impress Veronica. The only time she did become somewhat hostile was when Veronica reacted to her new outfit not with approval, but with disappointment. Plus her bullying McNamara is cruel no doubt, but it doesn’t help that McNamara was a bystander in Chandler’s taunting. When they’re in the bathroom after lunch, Chandler mocks her bulimia while McNamara says ‘ugh gross’. Contrast this with Veronica coming into the stall to help her and encouraging her to see a doctor for her condition. Duke actually seems to hold Veronica in pretty high regard and probably considers her an actual friend rather than a foe. Her ‘you look like hell’ wasn’t scornful. It sounded more concerned.
Honestly I think there’s a lot of layers to Duke’s character and it’s interesting to see how it plays out
I like to think that Heather Duke will change too. Heather D was clearly just trying to establish some control in her life after Heather Chandler took it away from her, and she, like Veronica, would've realized they were more than the pressure they had put on them. Before Heather Chandler's suicide, I genuinely feel like Heather Duke was the nicest of the Heathers based on her interactions with Veronica
It's also worth noting that pearls symbolize grief, which is why they aren't seen as appropriate for weddings, but often worn at funerals, while for diamonds it's the other way around. Chandler trading her diamong earrings for a pearl necklace in the frat party scene is the first sign (along with her ditching the scrunchie) that her future doesn't look so bright
the analysis on Heather M is done so good! A lot of people were claiming that she was the only angel of the Heathers- and sure, I agree she deserved better- but I have never regarded her as the perfect little angel. She has the capacity to be mean, but the restraint was her cowardice and her fear of being osctrasized by others. This fear alongside with her traumas are also her demon haunting her not only over what she did, but also how she is perceived, which drove her to attempt to end herself. Additionally, yellow the weakest of the three primary colors as it can be easily influenced by others, unlike red or blue.
The musical was at fault for the Sayori heather
@@bamshablam5977
I despise how fans of the musical idolize Heather McNamara. She did worse stuff there than in the movie!
@@Loopimay Exactly. I love the musical but the fact that they made Heather M as a "cinnamon role" when she literally sacrificed and refused to help Veronica during the date r*pe there (also just realized it's the opposite in the movie)
@@SM-ky6pbthey did Heather McNamara SO wrong in the musical and butchered her character(but to be fair, the musical butchered everyone. Especially Martha)
@@SM-ky6pb And she also slut-shamed Veronica along with the rest of the school. She was no innocent angel, she was just as much of a malicious bitch as the others, just quieter and softer about it!
It’s also worth noting that Heather Chandler’s red directly coincides with the schools colors - emphasizing how much of an ‘idol’ or staple she is for her classmates. Everyone wants to be heather, as if she runs their social hierarchy
I think the reason they’d never show Heather M in orange is because Orange is Betty’s color, showing that if Heather wore orange, she’d be associated with Betty who isn’t popular at all.
I like that theory as well, it also coincides with the fact that orange cancels out one of the primary colors had she worn orange she would’ve been kicked out
@@elfenlied_girl1238 But green isn't a primary color.
Maybe Heathr funeral dress is white but the lighting is tainting it red ?
Adding symbolism to her white perceived by her parents white but we know she wasn't
Something else I'd like to point out about Heather McNamara is that, if we think of red as the color of power, the red of her cheerleading uniform shows that the only time she feels powerful is when she is a cheerleader and nowhere else
i interpret it a little differently, i think the touches of red are signifying her attempting to take back some power/control via suicide (hence the dominance of black)
Heartbreaking reminder that Chandler is a year younger than all the other central characters in this movie. She was a child in over her head.
holy shit you're right i forgot about that-
that actually makes this so much more sad :(
HUHHHHHHH??? (Musical person speaking)
aren't all the heathers and veronica juniors?
@@anonidkNo, it's stated in the movie that Heather is younger. I'm pretty sure Veronica and the other Heathers are Seniors.
heather duke has bulimia, the chicken leg eating scene is her binging because we saw her purging before. it's not a shift in comfort it's a continuation of her characterization we saw in the beginning
I saw it as Heather Duke purging because she felt pressure to look like Heather Chandler -- she makes it a point to tell several news channels that she and Heather Chandler shared clothes and were the same size. Once Heather Chandler is gone, Heather Duke feels more free to behave as she wants to, finally eating instead of restricting herself.
@@dreamingofmagic Yeah the bulimia thing is never touch on after so this makes more sense
@@dreamingofmagic my opinion is Duke is a perfectionist to an unhealthy degree. She’s bulimic, which is related to having a negative image of one’s body.
Also noteworthy that in Veronica’s dream, she tells JD that if Duke were to slit her wrists she’d use a clean knife. Why would Duke care about the knife being clean or dirty, unless it’s something she’s subconsciously trained herself to do?
in the scene, veronica says “careful heather you might actually be digesting food there” (sarcastically) and heather duke says “screw it” so no it was not a continuation of her ED it was def her letting go of the influence of heather chandler.
I agree with OP, but also with all these subsequent comments. Great work everyone
another thing about heather duke. before heather chandler’s death, she never has her nails done. they’re short and plain, obviously probably because of her ED. however, after heather chandler’s death, she starts appearing with a french tip manicure, probably since because she doesn’t feel that pressure anymore, she doesn’t really need use of her fingers for her ED. i have seen this movie so many time, this analysis was amazing!!
When i tell you this is my favorite youtube channel, i'm not kidding. I get so excited whenever i get the notification!
Fr samee. It's one of the few channels where I watch every video no matter what the topic is
Likewise, it's my favourite movie and TV fashion analysis channel. There's always learn something interesting from it.
Same
euuu
Samee I love this yet channel soo much
Heathers is one of those rare, amazing films where the crisp aesthetic and costume design perfectly mirror the tone. You can learn so much about the characters just from a glance. It's beautiful!
I love the way the outfits in heathers show progression in the main characters and they help make the movie so iconic
Just like mean girls
Another thing I noticed is that even tho Veronica’s main colour is blue as it is symbolic, there is actually a shade of blue called ‘Verona’ even if it is just a coincidence, that her name and the shade are so similar.
other characters and their colour symbolism:
JD = Black🖤 associated with death, evil and the dark as well as mystery and power.
Martha = Pink💗associated with femininity, youth, cuteness and it reinforces the fact that she is also just a young innocent girl.
Betty = Orange🧡orange is opposite to blue! she is veronicas opposite! It’s also a secondary colour alluding to her just being a secondary character. yet Betty wears alot of white to blend with and compliment Veronica, white is also associated with purity as Betty is genuinely a good hearted person.
I fuckin' love this movie more and more with those details
I love that Heather Chandler even color matches her snacks - BBQ corn nuts has red packaging
I kinda love how all the popular girls dressed like hyper-shoulder-padded Gordon Gecko wannabes and like, nobody questioned it
Sad thing is, the Heather actress who referenced a brain tumor breakfast actually died young from a brain tumor and the kid who asked God not to die by suicide actually died by suicide. The 80s were dark.
Chandler
Kim Walker.
that's fucked and life really sucks us dry
Because they're the It Girls, they can do what they want! 💅🏿
Regarding Heather Duke’s red outfit and it having highlights of black rather than the white and grey highlights that Heather Chandler wore…
What other character wears black? JD does. If you remember from earlier, JD was the one who suggested to Duke that Westerburg needed a strong leader, and manipulated her by appealing to her disdain for Chandler and her desire to be the queen bee.
It’s another subtle hint that Heather Duke is merely copying others. And a tragic detail in that she became so blinded with her need to be in power that she didn’t realize she was ultimately just another pawn in JD’s schemes.
Thank you for being critical about the SA in this film
I remember how horrified I was when Heather M was being SA and Veronica did nothing to help 27:35
Yeah that and the blatant homophobia in the next scene make the movie really hard to watch to a modern eye. I feel like the musical does a better job of showing all this really fucked up content while still maintaining a firmly tongue in cheek tone through the whole thing. I know that showing the assault in all its horror was meant to be a counterpoint to a lot of other depictions of the time that portrayed date rape as harmless hijinx or whatever but it's still a really jarring viewing experience.
@@puppppppies Eh. I didnt like that the musical tried to make the jocks more sympathetic and funny when they were supposed to be more crude, if anything I think the musical is a flanderized version of what the movie actually was which tbh aint good.
@@puppppppies not at all. first of all the musical romanticized the shit out of JD and his relationship with Veronica. they completely changed Veronica's character into your everyday relatable protagonist when in the movie she's fucked up like the others. the musical doesn't even have any scenes of sa. at most it has commentary on the sad part of highschool bullying:( but not really morally impactful message anywhere. I'd say it's just a lot more light hearted than the movie and focuses on friendship rather than power struggle
@@deprimeplatypus490 I agree with your criticisms, but saying the musical "doesn't even have scenes of SA" isn't exactly true-the "Blue"/"You're Welcome" scene is very much treated textually as Kurt and Ram attempted to SA Veronica, and (atleast in Blue, I'm unsure if they're omitted from the scene entirely in productions where You're Welcome is implemented) Mcnamara and Duke letting it happen. Doesn't make the musical any better though, and I personally dislike how the scene is handled there anyway.
@@puppppppies in my opinion, it’s also an indication that JD is not the hero he presents himself as. Yes he murders the bullies, but he does so by invoking problematic cultural trends in order to shame them, rather than call them out as the homophobic, sexist assholes they were.
It’s also particularly fitting that JD saw, in full view, Heather M getting SA’d. Yet he didn’t do anything and led Veronica away, symbolic of how he’s encouraging her to turn her back on people who actually need help.
Red is definitely a key color that signifies a character's power status, internally and externally. Heather Chandler wears red and later after Heather Chandler's death Heather Duke starts wearing red after she gains power. JD wears a red shirt after a couple of murders and Veronica's red lipstick at the jocks' funeral. Veronica at the end takes the red scrunchie from Heather Duke after Veronica overcomes JD and JD's suicide.
True. Also, Heather Duke had a reddish shade to her hair. Idk if that's just a coincidence, but maybe that could mean something.
@@walqqr1 it might be a coincidence, since the actress also played Cherry Valance from the outsiders, and she’s red too.
also when JD is wearing the red shirt - veronica is wearing purple. this could signify veronicas now conflicted mind with JD who holds the power (red) and her quality of being humane (blue) and when red and blue is mixed you get purple.
in reference to the fire and water take 28:25 as the fire and water symbolism is conflicting.
Something interesting about Heather M’s Grey and black to all yellow. When I heard that I immediately thought that when someone decides to attempt suicide, they often appear much more happy because they have the plan in place to end their hurting. I feel Heather M wardrobe is a reflection of that, as she attempts suicide not much longer after the switch. Notably when she does try she’s wearing the black white and red cheer outfit. In this way she’s emulating Heather C, who from her perspective was also hiding her unhappiness before deciding to take her life.
It's also nice to notice how color is used in the film as a whole. When Heather C and Veronica have their falling out at the party the light behind them is blue and the fire Veronica starts by accident also lights the wall red. The drain cleaner Heather C drinks that kills her is blue, The pills Heather M tries to overdose with are yellow. The boiler room is lit up red and blue.
I just wanted to add that the suit that Heather Chandler wears, with broad shoulders and a more manly silloute, was popularized by Margaret Thatcher, who was back then the prime minister of England, just to emphasize that she DID rule the school
Considering that the original planned ending was everyone dying with the bomb and dancing together in heaven without prejudice, it's possible that the nightmare Heather C. calling her afterlife boring was meant to really be her.
Wait what, where's your proof of that???
@@imthebossmermaid3648 "The original ending was that J.D. blew up the high school and they all died, then there was a prom scene in heaven. [New World execs] just said, "No way. We can't make a satirical movie about teenage suicide in which the people actually kill themselves."" - Michael Lehmann, director of Heathers, Entertainment Weekly's "Heathers: An oral history"
But to be fair, that wasn't the only ending they thought about using before the final film.
"The ending I should've fought harder for is where Martha Dumptruck pulls out a knife, stabs Veronica, and says, "F- you, Heather." And Veronica's on the ground laughing, with a knife in her stomach, saying, "My name's not Heather. My name's not Heather."" - Daniel Waters, writer of Heathers, same article
@@cherriegetison6093 Yikes.
The Heathers and Veronica all having a different signature colour easily differentiates between them. It's convenient for the audience to recognize the 4 female leads. And it shows their differences in personality and their difference visually.
I love your comment about Heather being fire and Veronica being water, and water snuffing fire out. Brilliant. I do think all of the grey Veronica wears is because she’s morally grey. She’s conflicted about her behavior with the Heathers, about her behavior with JD, and about her behavior with Martha. It’s a shame to me that the costume designer, Ruby Dillon, hasn’t done that many visually interesting movies outside of this. She’s clearly great at it
I like that Heather Chandler's school outfit hasn't aged well; like, granted, that blazer with shoulder pads looks like a grandma outfit today, but that accidentally intensifies her attempts to look older than she is, and also makes her look so much more rigid. Like an old lady being a tyrant.
I like how, in the lunchroom scene, Heather Duke is the only Heather not wearing a brooch/ pin. Heather Chandler has a large gold brooch directly in front of her neck, with a pointed top similar to the spikes of a crown. It also emulates an adult accessory to me, like how in the entire scene they try to dress like adults. Heather Macnamara wears a much smaller, heart shaped pin on the breast pocket of her blazer. It gives a much younger feel than Heather Chandlers brooch, and looks more playful. She's still throwing personal pieces in, even though they're tiny.
It also may symbolize how Heather Duke still feels alone and left out, even being part of the most prestigious clique in school. Veronica is bold with her patterened blazer, Heather Chandler is the obvious leader with her sharp sillouhette and crown brooch, and Heather M seemed to catch a memo about pins that Heather D missed out on.
In fact, she wears a brooch in the opening croquet scene and then not in the lunchroom scene when the other two are. She straight up missed the entirety of the memo
Heather C’s opening outfit in the lunchroom is also very reminiscent of a general’s uniform too. The costume designer deserves so much credit for this film holy shit
I read a book called The Ashleys, they were all named Ashley and had a hierarchy similar to Mean Girls...I didn't realize it was inspired by Heathers till just now. It was utterly ridiculous and kind of unsettling, because they were only 12. But also psychologically intriguing, and the outfits were described so exquisitely
Weren't the Ashleys you were talking about featured in the tv show Recess? I know in that one, one of them gets kicked out of the group and they try to let another girl who has the same name as them join them.
@@marikkelaszlo3355 Not sure, the one I read was a series by Melissa de la Cruz...might be connected
@@marikkelaszlo3355 no, it’s about private school girls from San Francisco and a middle class girl catapulted into their world because her parents became fabulously wealthy around the time she started junior high.
@@marikkelaszlo3355 it has no connection to Recess
22:57 finally you addressed their hair colors, I always noticed she had a reddish tint, heather Chandler is more of a strawberry blonde which yes is considered a Ginger but it looks blonde enough
I've been waiting for this one!
Honestly, I think most of Heather Duke's outfits are winners for me. She may not be a good person, but she's a pretty good dresser, even when looked at from a 2022 perspective.
She’s stunning, I like her in the white hat
Each color represented each Heather in way that suits their personality and you can tell which was is which by what color they are wearing❤️💚💛💙
heather c: blossom
heather d: buttercup
heather m: bubbles???
veronica: professor utonium????
@@msk-qp6fn wtf
You can always forget your name but you can always call Heathers by their color and always knowing Veronica is always blue lol... she feeling blue all the time throughout the movie. Her teen angst with a body count xD
@@msk-qp6fn wouldnt bubbles be blue lol, princess more bucks was yellow
@@msk-qp6fn lmaooo
The 80s are regarded by some as maximalist and wild, reflecting the economic boom of the decade. I'm very fond of the fashion of that era, especially the shoulder pads.
My personal goal is to mix the silhouettes from the 80s with the boho look. Ngl, green is my favorite color and some of Heather Duke's pieces were stunning.
I also like the film because it portrays J.D. as something dangerous that the female character needs to get away from. He reminds me a little bit of Nate from Euphoria.
An 80's silhouettes with a boho look, huh? Sounds to me like Lisa Bonet's style, via her sitcom days, might be just the inspiration you're looking for. :)
Heather Chandler is the original mean girl, she makes Regina George look like a decent girl.
This video is a godsend honestly! Ever since the Jawbreaker analysis you did I was desperately waiting for a Heathers one.
Also, I really think you’d like the costuming of A24’s Everything, Everywhere, All at once because I can’t get over the outfits
There are SO MANY in that movie! I don’t think she’d be able to get through them all tbh 🤣
@@marquisehebbler9471 honestly!!!! The costume designer did such an amazing job!
@@marquisehebbler9471 every single thing that joy wears is campy and fun. i loved it.
@@ariyatabassumabdullah1143 the teddy bear jacket will always be my favorite
@@marquisehebbler9471 honestly I’m obsessed with the E-girl blush
This was an enjoyable nostalgic trip. These movies were my childhood. And I often looked at Clueless and Mean Girls as being influenced by Heathers.
Clueless is a modern version of Jane Austen's Emma. Mean girls existed back then too and were based on the class system
Funny how heather is so popular when she was alive but you realize at her funeral no one really cares about her. Everything's just an act and you see how fake everyone is. But they make believe that they all really care about her when they don't. An people are like that in real life too.
Heather Duke's formal color which is green, in the negative meaning means her envy towards Heather Chandler but green also (the positive meaning) means immortality and life, which is ironic considering she is the only Heather who doesn't die or become suicidal (no the part in the movie where in Veronica's dream she gets murdered by J.D doesn't count; that's just a dream.)
Heather C.: powerful & feminine
Heather M.: cheerful & insecure
Heather D.: jealous & evil
Veronica S.: loyal & confident
Veronica is anything but loyal
@@359339 i say yes and no to that.
heather c is powerful and masculine, if anything
Duke was bullied, her taking up Chandler's place to protect herself doesn't make her evil. She isn't even really jealous, just really insecure.
MacNamara isn't genuinely insecure, just a follower and aloof. The only moment she wasn't confident was when people around her were dying which... Yeah it will do that to someone. Her actions after the phonecall were also heavily influenced by the fact that she does what's popular, even suicide and that she wasn't used to being laughed at (which she did to Duke)
Veronica isn't that loyal. Confident could describe all the Heathers except Duke. Veronica has shaky morals and mostly cares about herself. She's a terrible person and friend up until the end of the movie that shows that she's going to be better/good (something that wasn't planned since she was supposed to show that she indeed was like JD in most endings)
Feminine isn't what I'd call Chandler. Her cafeteria outfit has her in shorts and big blazer which you could call masculine? We don't see her enough to make a point of it. She's more a master when it comes to social interactions and using opportunities. She knows the game and exploits it for her benefit. And that's why we don't get to see her actual self a lot
i think these characters are too complicated and messy to describe in two adjectives
i love this video !!! one thing about the suggestion for Heather M to wear orange at the end, i feel like that colour is subconsciously Betty's ? when Veronica invites Betty over for croquet, she plays with an orange ball (rather than taking one of the Heather's colours). on the colour wheel, orange is directly opposite and is complementary to blue, which is Veronica's colour. the colour orange also symbolizes excitement, cheer and warmth, which are all traits Betty possesses. even though Betty never wears orange, no one else does either, so i feel like it could sort of be seen as hers lol :) amazing video from this channel as always
This channel is a gift from fashion-heaven.
Personally, I loved Veronica’s outfits that had more blue in them like the ones she wore at Chandlers funeral and when she lured Ram & Kurt in the cemetery but I also loved the blazer she wore at the beginning. 💙
I think its funny how people still see Heather Duke as the villain when she was treated like crap by people who were supposed to be her friends. Sure Heather Macnamara was never mean outright to her but she never took up for her either. Also her best friend/bully just died from what she believes is suicide so obviously she’s confused and angry. Part of her is happy she’s gone but Polarr of her is sad because that was still her friend and all she wanted was Heather Chandler’s approval. Idk maybe its just because I played Duke or because I was kinda in a clique like this were i was treated awfully but i feel bad for her. Yes she does awful things but that’s all she was ever taught. I feel like her becoming the new Heather Chandler is because she doesn’t know how to live without someone bossing her anymore and wants to hold on to the memory of her friend. She’s basically the Gretchen Weiners of the group. Also we act like Heather Duke is so evil but JD is all cool and hot when hes a literal terrorist? Weird but okay.
All of them suck except Martha, why are we defending ANY of these girls?
Typical double standards
@@neplvrof what, no ones likes JD
Even the movie at some point exposes him as a manipulator
It's interesting how even Heather C's pink nightgown, the one that she dies in, is still double-breasted.
its such a serve
A big part of why Heathers is iconic is the writing.
Heathers is really just Lord of the Flies but with 1980s teen girls.
It’s also, in my opinion, a political narrative about power and authoritarian systems. A hostile political system can’t be solved by putting the dictator out of commission. The forces that allowed the dictator to stay in power remain. And as long as they exist, another dictator will just step in to take the empty place.
I actually have always really liked Heather Duke’s looks the most.
Same plus green is my fave color 🌱 such a shame it has such negative connotations on TV
I appreciate how much they stuck to each girl's color, even to the point that the pills Heather McNamara ends up taking being yellow
YESS!!! i love heathers, both the movie and musical :)
i feel like heather dukes outfits, post taking the scrunchie, are also more mature. she has a better hold on how to keep the power. heather chandler was powerful, but naive. heather duke has the will to keep her throne
Agh thank you sm for making this. This movie has been my special interest for years, and I’ve been waiting for someone to say something about the design choices!! My favorite probably being jd, who also starts in shades of green, also telling you how much of a snake he is. And as you pointed out, starts matching Veronica in blues, and greys. He only wears blue jeans when he’s with Veronica too. You’re absolutely right on the power going to his head with the red shirt above the black tank top, but I also noticed that he stops wearing any color whatsoever once jd and Veronica are broken up. Wearing only black for the rest of the film when he plans on killing everyone. It sparks so much joy to be able to express this. Thank you thank you thank you!💜💜
I adore this channel. Film is a medium with so many layers, and costumes are one that is often overlooked in youtube film analysis. It's so cool to see these breakdowns illustrate what's been right there in front of our eyes, but we just hadn't stopped to consider.
OMG I’VE BEEN HOPING YOU’D DO A VIDEO ABOUT THEM WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START MY FRIDAY!!!!!!
It’s so sad that Heather McNamara was pushed to breaking point, it really highlights how far we’ve come, when talking about mental health, and I like to believe that Heather was able to get professional help, to live a happier life.
I've known this movie inside and out for as long as it has existed, being capable of quoting it from memory at will. But until this video, I had never contemplated the Heather's use of color. Thank you for this, it's truly a gift having your eyes opened to seeing, in another way, something already so well-known.
Gosh this is all so fascinating. I never really thought about the symbolism in their clothing choices outside of their signature colors. All of this was amazing to learn about!
i just realized that Veronica didn't even try to help Heather McNamara when she was literally assaulted by Ram
I always thought it was just horrible awkward sex because he was so drunk. I guess it's a bit ambiguous, and the perception of what is and isn't rape was a lot different back then.
I was today years old when realizing the Ashleys from the Recess Disney cartoon was an homage to the Heathers omg
i adore heathers, the quotes, characters and the fashion
Hey, could analyze the outfits of the movie "Thirteen"? Just saw it and found interesting to analyze.
This is such a great ask, I hope she fulfills your request bc I would love to see this, too. The way the color scale of the film changes and the poster in the background with Nikki Reed's eyes, just so much attention to detail, a fashion analysis would be chef's kiss
There used to be an “all outfits in“-video of Thirteen on this channel. Probably got taken down for copyright reasons like most other videos like that. (Still sad about that) So given that it was on Tessa's radar once, we might get lucky with an analysis. I'd be for it too because that movie messed me up in a good way.
Edit: It is still on here. The video is called “All of Tracy & Evie's outfits in Thirteen“.
I would love that!
Rian phin has a great video on this very topic!
@@inessantos5482 oh thanks I’ll look at it 🤍
I've never seen 'Heathers' but I still loved watching this video. Ever since I've started watching your channel, I've started paying more attention to fashion in films and tv-shows, finding myself analyzing colours and outfits. Keep up the great work!
You should! It's a good movie
OMG YES! I've been waiting for this since you released the one for Mean Girls and Jaw Breakers. I love the color symbolism in Heathers and the 80's teen aesthetic of the Movie. It's just sad it didn't became a box office hit back in 1989 because people thought its just "another boring chick flix" but I'm glad decades later people appreciates it now and considered it a cult classic.
heathers is one of my favorite movies literally the master of campy dark comedy and the outfits/color palettes do not disappoint
Speaking of Screem Queens, what do you think of the fashion in that show??? I remember loving the show when it first came out too
i think its cool that the way veronica is blue, heather m is yellow and heather c is red, all primary colours while heather d is the odd one out
Great video and documentary not only did you break down the symbolism of the fashion amongst the Heathers and Veronica but you were really detailed about explaining the true personalities and true colors of the Heathers and Veronica great video .
i think i’m losing my mind, didn’t you already do a heathers outfit analysis? i SWEAR I remember you doing one back then. 😭😭 the moment i saw the title i’m thinking to myself if this was you doing the same analysis again.
We need a “the princess diaries” style analysis now!!!
in like 2017 i stayed at a hotel that had different sections color coded and the colors were red, yellow, green, and blue, in the heathers shades. i call it the heathers hotel
i really like the stuff you said about heather mcnamara, because she is my favourite character like- ever- but its really hard to pin point how she actually feels. because in different versions of heathers i think she's slightly different in the musical (off-broadway) i feel they showed that she's alot more cowardly then how the movie shows it. it may just be the acting f elle mclemore but- im going slightly off topic lol
blue is also the colour (or used to be) of royal mourning in england, like in the tudor times... could it be another aristocratic link for veronica??
Thats a good point, and its interesting that it is associated with mourning
Me: I'm interested in Heathers, but it's like To Kill A Mockingbird or Lord of the Flies where everytime I ask what it's about, no one answers me and just says I have to see it. It's really annoying.
My Mom: it's about school shöötings, murder, and teen süicide
Me: EXCUSE ME, WHAT!?
It is, though.
Okay but Heather Chandler’s purgatory outfit???? I’m in love ❤ I need it in my wardrobe so desperately 😫
Heather Duke's fashion is so fascinating to me
Okay not to be greedy because I was literally thinking about a ModernGurlz Heathers analysis last night (dare I say manifestation?) but the casetify ad makes me really want a Heathers reboot styled by you
a thought with the colours symbolising elements: duke, veronica, and chandler seem to be clashing elements of water, fire and plants, and where fire beats plants, water is able to make plants stronger
Also referenced in Recess with the Ashley's ❤️💚💛💙
I realized that when I first saw the movie Heathers! Kudos on the creators of the show
The ad is so cuteeee. Loved the outfits matching the cases
I don't know if this is intentional but two things: All Heathers begin with their own signature colors but their final scenes are all dressed in black and red. And two, red is not just power, it's death.
Heather Chandler wears red, it's her signature colour, and dies. Heather Duke also wears red and JD attempts to kill her. McNamara was wearing red while trying to kill herself and the other characters who wear red also die: Ram and Kurt. It's like the colour showing how the character has the control, but also that is in front of the abyss and in danger. JD even uses color red again, and yes, he dies at the end of the movie.
something i find interesting about heather mcnamara's attempted suicide scene is that the pills she almost takes are bright yellow. i think that that compared with the increase of black/gray pieces she wears symbolizes how in her mind, suicide is the only way to regain her sense of self. heather m has gone through a lot of trauma, stuff that can fundamentally change a person. and we see the decline in her mental health. having severe depression or the other mental health struggles we see heather m have can really warp and distort your thought processes, and you can't really think clearly. so in her fragile, distorted mind set, suicide was the only way to regain her sense of self; in her mind, it was the only way she could return to how things were "before", when she wasn't severely depressed and in pain
and also! when veronica kills heather, heather's mouth turns blue, maybe symbolising veronica's triumph over heather
You have no idea how hyped I was to see you cover this masterpiece!
OMIGOD! I SCREAMED when this came out! I’ve been suggesting this for a while, so I want to really thank you for making this. :)
I disagree with the notion that Heather m is just too timid. During the moment in the film when she was going to committed suicide, she's was broken. Then when I came in and saved her she completely broke down and opened up. Vs green heather, who in her moments of weakness Double Down.
well she is still generally more mellow
@@msk-qp6fn like marshmallow
@@cheesequeenlordofallcheese 😂
@@msk-qp6fn One might say, mellow yellow?
I'm actually working on a Veronica Sawyer cosplay so this video is very useful to me. 😁💙