Laura Palmer's Style in the Original Series
All images of Laura in lingerie are excluded out of respect.
Laura Palmer's signature style, as we know it, diverges somewhat from what is seen in the original series. I feel this is due to the different costume designers between the film and series, and that Laura's look hadn't been fully established yet. The outfit that most closely resembles what she wears in the film is the one she wears during her picnic with James and Donna in the pilot. It is Maddy who wears clothing more similar to what we know Laura to wear, and a script suggests that those clothes belonged to Laura.
Laura's Room, The Pilot
Early in the series, the memory of Laura and our introduction to her are swathed in pastels. We see her bed with its Laura Ashley rose-patterned sheets. The sun bleeds through the curtains, and the dream-like light on the walls almost makes the room glow, floral scent tangible. Laura's discarded clothes blend with the room: white, gray, and possibly pink. In her closet, we can see folded sweaters. There are perhaps five pink, two white, and two yellow, among blue, and black. The dresses we see are tan, pink, blue, purple, and another piece, perhaps a jacket or long-sleeved dress, is white.
Laura's closet. Most of the clothes are pastel.
A close-shot.
The sweater on the chest and another article draped over the armrest of the rocking chair.
A white article of clothing escapes the hamper.
Laura's room gives a sense of calm, conflicting with the horrors that occurred within its walls. This is, in a small way, sees Laura's room as a reflection of herself.
Laura's room gives a sense of calm, conflicting with the horrors that occurred within its walls. This is, in a small way, sees Laura's room as a reflection of herself.
Additional Shoes
The Picnic
For the picnic, Laura wears a lightweight button-down jacket over a periwinkle or light gray crewneck sweater. The jacket in the series and some photos appear teal, though in other behind-the-scenes photos, it looks to be navy blue. This could be another example of the effects of the coral filter used in the series. The photo below employs a filter as well. Note the unnatural glow.
Laura wears a tartan knee-length skirt. Like her jacket and sweater, the skirt varies in color depending on the image source. It can be seen as deep brown, tan, and either a dark blue or teal green. She pairs this with smoky grey tights or thigh-length stockings and black casual lace shoes. Notice that her stockings are loose.
Image: Pinterest.
Laura's jacket and sweater. The jacket has flat buttons. It almost appears as if one was lost in the second image (above).
The fabric texture.
Her shoes. They may be Oxfords.
The image below is an example of what I believe could be the jacket's true color.
Laura or Sheryl Lee is wearing a diamond stud or pearl earring above, but all other images and footage seem to depict her without jewelry.
Image: Pinterest.
The yellow rain jacket is not part of Laura's costume. It was worn by Sheryl Lee between takes. It's interesting that she's also wearing a brown cardigan or jacket, reminiscent of the brown cardigan Laura wears in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. This is the only image I've seen of her wearing this piece over her jacket.
Laura's cardigan in Fire Walk With Me.
The photograph below seems to see her wearing the same periwinkle sweater.
Image: The Mauve Zone
Note that she is wearing the same plaid skirt from the picnic.
Laura's Homecoming Gown
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Image: eBay seller Bruce Phillips
A photo shared by The Mauve Zone allows us to see slightly more of Laura's gown.
Laura's strapless sweetheart neckline gown, like Laura, remains a mystery. The folds appear to be covered in tulle or mesh, as can be seen in the close-ups below. It looks as though the material continues to cover what we can perceive of the gown.
The mesh/tulle detail gives me cause to believe the gown could possibly be vintage 1950s or '60s, though I am acting on instinct and hope without any proof to back my theory. The idea of Laura wearing a vintage gown like those below, would be ideal, in my opinion. I've always liked them.
The tulle/mesh of the bodice of the vintage dress below is similar to what I envision, though a different cut.
I hope Laura's gown has a similar flare or "cupcake" skirt.
Other vintage gowns with mesh bodices.
The Mauve Zone
Ms. Cruise also wore a vintage party gown in Industrial Symphony No.1. and at times during promotion of the album, Floating Into the Night.
Ms. Cruise and two dancers wear vintage gowns in the video above and below.
Esor_Eulb on Instagram recreated Laura's homecoming tiara.
Black and White Photos
Image upscaled by imageupscaling.net.
Laura's clothing is difficult to determine in this print. She may be wearing a loose-fitting blouse, a shawl or have a throw draped over her. The second photo looks as though she's wearing a deep cut blouse, but that may not be the case.
Ski Trip
Laura wore a long, high collar baby blue and white knit sweater on her winter trip with the Horne family. Assistant to Marc Frost and photographer Paula K. Shimatsu-U titled the photo "ski trip." The off-white hat Laura wears seems to be hand knit. It appears to incorporate yellow, red, and possibly blue yarn. She is also wearing blue knit mittens. Sadly, we can't know what other pieces she paired with her look.
Image: The Mauve Zone
The texture and colors of her hat and sweater are visible in this image and below.
I
Image: The Mauve Zone
Laura and Donna Wearing the Same Sweater
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Image: The Mauve Zone
Laura wears a t-shirt or blouse beneath her sweater and a pair of jeans.
1.001 and 1.002
Image: The Mauve Zone
Sadly, we can't know the story behind these photos. The scripts online contain no mention of them.
Photo With Waldo
The Mauve Zone, Paula K. Shimatsu-U
Laura, or Sheryl Lee, may be wearing a light colored off-shoulder dress or blouse. It could also be a blanket or sheet.
The image in episode 1.006 (Realization Time)
Promotional Image
The Mauve Zone
 |
The blouse Sheryl Lee wears in the above photo may be her own, but the other cast members in the ABC Archives images primarily wear the costumes of their characters. The pink button-down sailor blouse was paired with a dark skirt or pants.
Laura and Donna
An alternate shot shared online allows us to see that Laura seems to be wearing a casual blouse or dress, and possibly a necklace.
A photo of Donna and Laura gives us another slight glimpse of Laura's clothing.
The photo on the Palmer side table.
Image: The Mauve Zone
Image: The Mauve Zone
A trading card from photographer Paula K. Shimatsu-U pictures Sheryl Lee apparently wearing a similar white blouse or dress at the time she portrayed Maddy.
Maddy's Disguise 
The outfit Maddy Ferguson wears in disguise as Laura Palmer is often observed as inaccurate. However, the scripts for episodes six and seven state that the clothing belonged to Laura.
From the script for episode six,
It is mentioned again in the script for episode seven,
MADELEINE FERGUSON, wearing the blonde wig and Laura Palmer's clothes, comes around Donna's car parked beside the phone booth.
Jacoby is physically stunned, barks out a sharp breath as if struck in the solar plexus.
Both James and Jacoby were struck by Maddy's likeness to Laura, and I believe it was not by her blonde wig alone.
In James's memories of Laura in episode one, we see Laura wearing the same sweater Maddy wears in episodes six and seven.
Image: Pinterest.
The image above is from the extended scene of James' memory as glimpsed on a menu of The Entire Mystery Blu-Ray. The script tells us that we're seeing their reflection from a wishing well.
Maddy's disguise consists of a bright pink or magenta turtleneck beneath a pale pink and white knit sweater, an ankle-length pink floral print skirt, a pair of what may be kidskin leather white gloves, a gray and pink shawl, a coat, and ankle boots.
A blonde wig helps complete her transformation into Laura.
Maddy, after removing the coat, gloves, and shawl.
Maddy wears dark ankle boots and white socks.
Details of her ensemble.
Maddy's coat from the back and side.
The skirt appears to have a solid-color petticoat or underskirt. Maddy may have layered skirts as well.
Disguising herself as Laura may have acted as a catalyst in terms of Maddy's gradual change in appearance. The next episode, (eight, May The Giant Be With You, 2.002) is the first time viewers witness Maddy having a vision, which seems more than a coincidence.
I believe that many of the clothes we see Maddy wear were Laura's. Maddy arrived in Twin Peaks thinking she would only stay for her cousin's funeral, but she remained in town for eleven days. The script for episode 10 indicates that what she wears as she meets James at the Double R belonged to Laura.
From the script,
INT. DINER BOOTH - DAY CUT TO:
James enters the diner and slides into a booth where MADDY FERGUSON waits. She looks different; a more attractive dress, and her hair seems softer with more of a sheen.
JAMES
You look great. Cool dress.
MADDY
It's one of Laura's. It was just hanging there in her room. Funny, I hardly remember putting, it on.
JAMES It looks good on you. It looks, I don't know ... right.
James enters the diner and slides into a booth where MADDY FERGUSON waits. She looks different; a more attractive dress, and her hair seems softer with more of a sheen.
JAMES
You look great. Cool dress.
MADDY
It's one of Laura's. It was just hanging there in her room. Funny, I hardly remember putting, it on.
JAMES It looks good on you. It looks, I don't know ... right.
A photo from the deleted scene. Photo: The Mauve Zone
Consider Maddy's style before she has a vision of BOB.
And after.
From what we read in the script, Maddy seems to have been influenced by an outside source, whether it is Laura, BOB, or another is never answered. With that influence, however, Maddy's style changes almost overnight. And we're lead to believe her look was meant to evoke Laura.
The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer has Laura mention the following articles of clothing. Forgive me if I omitted mentions other than lingerie.
July 22nd, 1984
It's the most beautiful blouse you've ever seen! It is white and silky
and has tiny embroidered roses all over it, but not so many that it looks
bad.
July 30th, 1984
Maddy and I took a walk later on, but of course, in our jeans and T- shirts.
Maddy and I took a walk later on, but of course, in our jeans and T- shirts.
Oct 20th, 1985
We got sort of dressed up,
not too dressy or crazy because we do know everyone in town
practically and we didn't want it to get back to our parents. But we had
on skirts that were pretty short and a little tighter than most people
would approve of, except boys, of course, and we played with some
makeup that Donna's mom, Mrs. Hayward, had given her as an Easter
present because Donna wanted to try some and her mom wanted her
to have her own.
August 3rd, 1986
Me in a sundress, hair in the wind...
Oct 3rd, 1986
I began to
undress into my birthday gift, sent via AIR MAIL from Cousin Maddy.
Did I even tell you, I talked to her for almost an hour last week? Well,
this dress is to die for, skin tight ...
Feb 9th, 1988
Jeans and a T-shirt.
Laura's style in the original series seems to give Laura a softness that may have been meant to subtly tie with her wholesome public image.
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