Ramona
Feature Film
Role: Costume Designer
Project Overview
Ramona is a feature-length romantic dramedy set on a Christian university campus, following two former high school friends—Sam and Ramona—as they reconnect over one night filled with nostalgia, confession, humor, and emotional honesty. As Costume Designer, I created the visual identities of each character through wardrobe, shaping the film’s tone, character dynamics, and comedic beats. Because the story balances realism with heightened campus culture, the costumes needed to feel authentic to student life while supporting the film’s humor, emotional shifts, and ensemble interactions.
Design Goals & Concept
The costume design focused on grounding the characters in recognizable college archetypes while still giving each a distinct visual language that communicates personality and narrative function.
For Ramona, her wardrobe reflects someone caught between intellectual depth and disarming simplicity—soft textures, practical layers, neutral palettes, and her signature overalls create a look that is memorable, youthful, and emotionally readable.
For Sam, his tour-guide polos, khakis, and clean-cut outfits represent his desire to appear put-together and responsible, while subtle inconsistencies (like obsessively clean khakis or a slightly outdated polo) hint at his underlying insecurity.
The broader ensemble—Hailey’s coordinated “girl squad,” the Waffle Wednesday crowd, worship jocks, SOCS members, and chaotic party-goers—required creating quick, recognizable silhouettes that matched the comedic tone of each group.
The goal was to make costumes function as characterization: the audience should understand who someone is before they speak.
Responsibilities as Costume Designer
As the Costume Designer for Ramona, I was responsible for:
Creating complete wardrobe concepts for the leads and ensemble, tailored to personality, humor, and emotional arcs
Developing color palettes and signature silhouettes for each character group (tour guides, theology students, club booths, party attendees, SOCS, etc.)
Sourcing, fitting, and modifying costumes to ensure authenticity to college culture and the characters’ backgrounds
Designing standout looks for key comedic sequences (Waffle Wednesday outfits, worship jocks, SOCS ceremonial robes, club booth costumes)
Managing continuity across a feature-length shooting schedule with many locations and moving pieces
Collaborating with the director and production designer to unify costume choices with set environment and tone
Preparing duplicates or modified versions of wardrobe pieces for stunts, dancing, or crowd scenes
Overseeing on-set adjustments and maintaining costume quality over long nights of shooting and high-energy sequences
Final Result
The final wardrobe helped define the film’s warm, humorous, and emotionally sincere tone. Costumes supported character arcs, elevated jokes, and visually differentiated the many groups that populate Sam and Ramona’s world. Each look—from Sam’s earnest khakis to Ramona’s soft, nostalgic layers to the chaotic Waffle Wednesday ensembles—contributed to a cohesive, character-driven visual identity that enhanced the storytelling throughout the film.
Below are costume research, fitting photos, and behind-the-scenes photos that document the design process and execution.
