Hats off to the Wardrobe Department
I think one of the biggest off-the-mat contributors to the culture of amateur wrestling is the film Vision Quest. If you’re part of the wrestling community, even if you haven’t seen the full film, you are likely familiar with:
Shute carrying the log up the stadium steps
Elmo’s “…it’s what happens in those 6 minutes.” monologue
The Coach wearing a polo shirt under his singlet
Through the Foundation, we have focused on each of these elements, but the wardrobe has been the most popular. The first sticker we printed in the Studio was based on the Coach’s polo and singlet look. Seven years later we still receive requests to create art based on the look.
The First Foundation Sticker, Circa 2019
While the coach’s outfit is the most iconic, the film is filled with wardrobe choices that perfectly captured wrestling in the 80s.
In the opening credits, Louden is shown running in a sauna suit. While today’s athletic apparel is more about breathability, every wrestler knows that when cutting weight, you want to trap the heat to cause more water weight to sweat out. The choice to use a shiny grey sauna suit highlights the lack of breathability in the plastic-y material.
Throughout the practice scenes, the team wears gear that is both an 80s time capsule and wrestling-specific. Capturing the 80s, the wrestlers wear thick cotton t-shirts. Many have a rough cut crop below the sternum and sleeves removed or shortened. The graphics on the shirts show the wardrobe team understood wrestling from the era. There are multiple Asics shirts, Gold’s Gym, and even a Dan Gable Wrestling Camp shirt. For bottoms, they wear loose, thick sweats or nylon shorts with a short inseam. Scenes are also filled with mid-calf striped socks and roughed-up double knee pads. Watching these practice scenes generates a strong feeling of nostalgia, even if you didn’t wrestle in the 80s. And, since we are in the golden age of vintage, many of us wish we owned some of the tshirts worn in the scenes.
While we rightfully celebrate the actors, Matthew Modine (Louden Swain) and Frank Jasper (Shute), and the author of the source book, Terry Davis, I think we should shine a little more light on the costume team:
Costume Designer - Susan Becker
Key Costumer - Robert Chase
Assistant Costumer - Susan Brewer