The Art of Costume Podcast

Spring Break has arrived on The Art of Costume Podcast, and before we head into Twin Peaks, it’s time for a little friendly competition… or should we say, costume warfare.

Welcome to our first annual “One Costume to Rule Them All” tournament, where the best costumes from last season go head-to-head in a bracket-style showdown. Spencer and Elizabeth debate, defend, and possibly spiral as iconic costumes battle it out for ultimate supremacy.
Will the Goblin King Jareth cast a spell over the competition? Could Eric Northman’s tracksuit era reign supreme? Do the Gemstone siblings fly away with it in their angel jetpacks? Or will a contender from a galaxy far, far away or a Hollywood classic like Cleopatra or The Wicked Witch of the West claim the crown? From Peaky Blinders to Mr. Darcy and the vampire Claudia, no look is safe.

Only one can win, and only one costume can rule them all.

This week on The Art of Costume Podcast, we continue our Dressed in the Red Room: The David Lynch Series with a descent into the dark, seductive, and deeply unsettling world of Blue Velvet.

Join Spencer and Elizabeth as they unravel the film that redefined David Lynch’s career, tracing his journey from the chaos of Dune to this haunting portrait of suburbia gone wrong. From white picket fences to the shadows lurking beneath them, they explore how Patricia Norris's costume and production design shape the film’s disturbing duality, where innocence and depravity exist side by side.

From Jeffrey and Sandy’s all-American charm to Dorothy Vallens’ tragic glamour and Frank Booth's terrifying presence, this episode dives into the looks that define one of Lynch’s most iconic and unsettling creations.

In this episode of The Costume House with Spencer Williams, we step onto one of the most legendary stages in the world, the Metropolitan Opera, for a breathtaking new production of Tristan und Isolde.Spencer is joined by acclaimed costume designer Clint Ramos to discuss his work on this towering operatic masterpiece. Together, they explore how color, texture, and scale shape the production's emotional landscape, from Tristan’s deep connection to the sea to Isolde’s striking presence in rich, evocative greens. They also examine how the costumes interact with the Met’s grand stage, working in harmony with the movement of the set and the precision of the lighting to create a world that feels both monumental and intimately detailed, even through the Met’s HD Live series.The conversation also dives into Clint’s perspective as both a costume and set designer, and how that interdisciplinary approach informs his process. From the commanding presence of King Marke to the powerful and intentional use of white as a visual anchor, this episode is a masterclass in storytelling through costume at the highest level.

This week on The Art of Costume Podcast, we kick off our three-part series, Dressed in the Red Room: The David Lynch Series, by traveling to Arrakis—but not as you know it. Things are stranger here. Much stranger. We’re diving into Dune (1984), David Lynch’s bold, baffling, and utterly unforgettable take on the sci-fi epic.Join Spencer and Elizabeth as they unpack Lynch’s complicated relationship with the film, the bizarre brilliance of Bob Ringwood’s costume design, the iconic stillsuits, and the otherworldly regalia of the Bene Gesserit. And yes… we have to talk about Sting’s infamous near-miss jockstrap moment.It’s weird, it’s wonderful, it’s a little unhinged—so step into the spice-filled unknown and experience a vision of Dune you truly have to see to believe.

A hitman, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of bandits walk into a diner.
This week on The Art of Costume Podcast, Spencer and Elizabeth step into Quentin Tarantino’s iconic, nonlinear world of Pulp Fiction. Joined by legendary costume designer Betsy Heimann, the trio dives into the costumes that helped define one of cinema’s most influential films.
From Vincent Vega and Jules Winfield’s now-iconic “dressed to kill” suits to Mia Wallace’s effortlessly cool, endlessly referenced style—and of course, the legendary Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist Contest—this episode unpacks how costume helps tell the stories of these characters in a film built on attitude, detail, and pure cinematic cool.
It’s sharp, it’s stylish, and it’s a little dangerous—so grab a milkshake, a royale with cheese, mind the briefcase, and join us for a very cool conversation about one of the most iconic films ever made.