It’s not just the quick dialogue, and gripping and relevant storylines that The Good Fight (coming 2 August to SBS) has in common with its much loved predecessor, The Good Wife. The series creators' appreciation for style and its importance to character development is very apparent in The Good Fight.
Beloved character Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) returns in The Good Fight and, despite facing financial hardship, always looks the goods. Fans will be comforted by the return of her signature style – the bold jackets and neat-fitting silhouettes are abundant, while her statement necklaces, fierce eye-wear and other standout accessories are out to play again.
Dan Lawson, the costume designer for The Good Wife, is again leading the dressing on the spin-off – and it shows. When the storylines are heavy, the hemlines are conservative, so the details matter. In describing one of Diane’s outfits in episode one (above far right), Lawson told CBS, “At this point in the story, she thinks she is retiring. So I wanted there to be a lighter, more easy/breezy look to her. I wanted her to look happy and carefree. I thought this wonderfully chic pattern and colour combination were unusual for Diane, and helped drive the point home that Diane has one foot out of the game."
Perhaps Diane’s greatest opponent in the style stakes is new character Barbara Kolstad (Erica Tazel, above). As one of the partners in the firm Diane joins, Barbara dresses like the boss she is. She shares Diane’s affection for colour, but makes even braver choices with prints and patterns.
Maia Randell (Rose Leslie) is another new addition and is central to the The Good Fight’s main storyline. She is establishing herself as a lawyer while at the same time trying to avoid the public scrutiny her family is under. This is represented visually with classic, fitted clothing in fairly muted colours – simple, yet stylish outfits like the Escada dress in episode seven (above).
Source: SBS
Source: SBS
Source: SBS
“The nude mesh inserts at the neck drew the audience's attention to Maia's face and made what would have been a ho hum dress something that was interesting and stylish,” Lawson said.
Remember Lucca Quinn? The sassy lawyer played by Cush Jumbo joined The Good Wife towards the end of the series but quickly became a fan favourite. Lucca’s wardrobe is full of playful prints and interesting shapes to match her personality. The DVF blouse (above) from episode five is a great reflection of this – fun colours but in an office-appropriate cut. We also get to see more out-of-hours attire in this series with some storylines exploring Lucca’s dating life.
As well as other familiar faces – Marissa, played by Sarah Steele (above left), is back as Diane’s assistant – you might also recognise some clothing from the previous series. This bright yellow leather jacket by Akris appears on Marissa in episode seven and was originally worn by Kristin Chenoweth (above right) in The Good Wife.
While the show is driven by some very strong females leads, there is one standout male character who deserves a special mention. Adrian Boseman (Delroy Lindo, above left) is a senior partner in the firm and dresses like the showman he is. Impeccably cut three-piece suits are his outfit of choice and are the perfect pairing to his powerful, playful but generous personality.
Source: SBS
Source: SBS/CBS
Source: SBS
While The Good Fight might technically be a spin-off, there is nothing mediocre or second best about this show’s content or fashion.
The Good Fight airs every Wednesday at 9:30pm on SBS. Episodes are also available on after each episode airs.
