Although gruesome to watch, the impeccable imagery and style in the recent Netflix series Ratched make it definitely worth the binge. The series, created by Evan Romansky and produced by Ryan Murphy, is based on the novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. Set in 1947, the show illustrates the origin story of the famous villain, Nurse Ratched. The show gives us a glance to her first years as a nurse as well as plenty of introspection to what’s behind her madness.
Played by Sarah Paulson, Mildred Ratched is a nurse at Lucia State Hospital in Northern California. She is eloquent, polite, and extremely stylish, but underneath her perfect image, she hides disturbia and horrific crimes - great case for fashion psychology - why wear what we wear.
While there are differing opinions about the complexity of the storyline and the decision to humanize a ruthless villain, Mildred’s enviable wardrobe and the possible meaning behind it is what interest us at The Psychology of Fashion. Her captivating appearance and complex personality make her a good candidate for Decoded.
The Big 5 personality trait model, also known as ‘OCEAN’, is the most respected measure of personality in psychology. We will try to connect the dots between the traits of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, and Mildred’s style.
OPENNESS: Moderate-Low
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A high score on this trait is characterized by a liberal person who is open to new experiences and ways of thinking, and is more inclined to discuss abstract concepts and ideas. Mildred is the complete opposite of that. She is a conservative woman, who is very protective of her defined set of rules and extremely dismissive of people who think differently than her.
Although style plays a big part in her life, she will never be caught experimenting with fashion, strictly wearing the same carefully pinned hairstyle and always groomed by the book.
As the story evolves, she loosens up a bit, while becoming more compassionate, and understanding toward other people, and as a result, her wardrobe goes through a slight transformation. Most of the season she wears conservative structured outfits, dark colors, and buttoned-up shirts. Towards the end, we can see her in brighter colors, softer silhouettes, and even off-the-shoulder dresses. As Nurse Ratched cuts out old beliefs that do not serve the new identity she is embracing, her clothes start to veer away from the traditional.
CONSCIENTOUSNESS: High
Copyright: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
Highly conscientious people display traits of organization, planning, and dutifulness. In Mildred's world, everything is meticulously planned.
While presenting perfectly was the norm for women in the ‘40s, Mildred's wardrobe takes it to another level. Her appearance is completely color-coordinated from head to toe with accessories to match: hats, gloves, and small box purses. Every outfit she appears in seems like it would take hours to put together.
One of her most memorable outfits and a clear representation of her conscientious nature is a mustard yellow suit combined with pearls and a white scarf. In an interview, Ratched costume designers Lou Eyrich & Rebecca Guzzi mentioned that the suit was inspired by the iconic Dior “Bar” Suit as per Murphy’s request. “We chose this mustard wool crepe so that she would stand out on the hospital set, no matter where she stood. We wanted a formidable, sharply tailored suit that would help Mildred intimidate and eventually convince Dr. Hanover into hiring her.”
EXTROVERSION: Moderate
Copyright: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
The robotic facial expressions and peculiar interactions of Mildred (those scenes with Charles Wainwright played by Corey Stoll) might indicate that she scores low on extroversion. Reserved, composed, and likely not the first person in the room to start a conversation, unless she can get something out of it.
And yet, her motivation to set herself apart with her distinctive wardrobe and not go overlooked makes her qualify for at least moderate extroversion. She dresses for her she wants to be, which in Mildred’s world means to stand out as unique and be noticed as such.
Mildred wants to be seen “as a woman who knows her way around the world” as Lenore Osgood, the eccentric heiress character played by Sharon Stone, tells her when they first meet, Mildred is flattered by the compliment and even caught (truly) smiling. Lenore is an extravagant, unapologetic character, dripping in diamonds, smoking in opera length cigar holders only.
When the two characters meet, some commonality between the two is evident: they both enjoy being the center of attention.
AGREEABLENESS: Low
Copyright: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
Mildred is a master manipulator with little regard for getting along with others, rendering her low on agreeableness. Although reserved, her character doesn't mind getting into an argument. Whether she is being possessive over a piece of fruit at work or trying to negotiate the monetary compensation for Dr. Hanover's head, she is always combative.
If she shows interest in others, it is either because she is trying to manipulate or insult them. According to an interview on Fashionista, red was one of the banned colors for clothes on set, used only for blood at the hospital or lipstick on Mildred. However, Mildred is the only character who seems to own some items in the aggressive hue.
Her character goes against authority on many occasions, defying other nurses, Dr. Hanover’s “treatments”, and basically anyone who gets in her way. Those hints of red on Mildred betray her confrontational nature, and also isolate her from the strict color palette of the show, emphasizing her strong persona.
NEUROTICISM: High
Copyright: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.
In order to carry out her plan, Mildred is constantly on the run, always on the edge, and under a lot of pressure. High neuroticism is evidenced amply in behavior. She tends to disconnect from reality often, with flashbacks from the past that also reveal her melancholic nature.
High neuroticism a tendency to worry, be tense, and experience more negative feelings all-around. Mildred is tired of constantly trying to control her brother, repress her childhood traumas, deny her sexuality, and cover-up after her repeating crimes.
Mildred’s great attention to detail acts as therapy for the pressure she is constantly in. According to Grazia Daily, “The costume team felt strongly that Mildred was a character who didn't possess a lot, and someone who uses clothes as camouflage and a form of armor.”
When the pressure is high, she seems more guarded wardrobe-wise, using her image as a solution to her chaotic life. As she frees herself from certain situations and responsibilities, she seems less attached to her look and her style becomes less structured.
Although full of bloody scenes, Ratched is fascinating in terms of costume and possible interpretations. It will be interesting to see how this tension translates to Mildred’s style in the next seasons.
Curious about your own Big 5 personality scores? Take the test on PSYKHE.
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