Costumes play an important part in the storytelling of Netflix's The Sandman.

Costumes play an important part in the storytelling of Netflix's The Sandman. The Netflix series often takes costume inspiration from the Neil Gaiman graphic novel series it's based on, with various degrees of change depending on how different the character is onscreen from their comic counterpart.

The show has a plethora of unique characters as the cast is not only made up of humans but otherworldly beings such as the Endless, Lucifer, demons, dreams, and nightmares. Some of these characters have only one or two costumes while others have many costumes they go through.

John Dee (David Thewlis) wears a black coat and blue and white striped pajamas with slippers in the Netflix adaptation. This is a big difference from the comics where he is completely naked besides the coat, which is open most of the time.

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This is a very effective change from the comics. In addition to being far less distracting than if John were partially nude, in a way his being dressed much more normally makes him much scarier. The striped pajamas and coat and slippers seem very unassuming and innocent, which allows it to be far more shocking when he does anything sinister - such as in "24/7."

In the dreams Gault (Ann Ogbomo) created for Jed (Eddie Karanja) to escape his abusive home life he became a superhero, The Sandman, wearing a yellow and red superhero suit. This has a complicated relationship to the original The Sandman graphic novel but works well in the new context of the show.

In the original graphic novel, this superhero alter-ego was not held by Jed but by Hector, who in that context was a superhero who went under several names including The Sandman. The new context of Jed taking on the mantle of The Sandman and wearing the superhero suit empowers him in a time when he is abused. This change shows how Gault wants to help Jed feel like the hero of his own story.

In the scene where Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) confronts Desire (Mason Alexander Park of Cowboy Beebop), they are wearing a skintight black catsuit with a low neckline, tail, large feathered collar, and black cat ears. This is a direct reference to the original graphic novel where Desire wears an almost identical catsuit in their introduction.

Although the catsuit in the Netflix series is very similar to the one they were in the graphic novel, the main difference lies in that the one Alexander Park wears is far more over the top. The costume in the comics has a smaller collar and lacks the plunging neckline of the Netflix version. The over the top glamorous nature of the Netflix costume accentuates Desire's hedonistic lifestyle and lustful personality. The cat ears almost look like devil horns which goes well with their villainous role within the first season.

Although it was only shown on screen for a few short scenes this season, Barbie's Princess Barbra (her alter ego in the world she dreams of The Land) dress is very close to the dress that she wears briefly in The Doll House and more often in A Game of You.

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This is impressive as it replicates the fantasy feel of the original without looking too much like she's playing dress-up. Her outfit in the Netflix version also incorporates the cat eye sunglasses she sometimes wears and the Porputine (the powerful amulet Martin Tenbones gives her), which adds more reference to her graphic novel counterpart.

Zelda (Cara Horgan) and Chantal's (Daisy Badger) Goth dresses and accessories reference their original appearance in The Sandman: The Doll House while still being different.

In the graphic novel, Zelda and Chantal always wore white wedding dresses with veils, whereas in the Netflix series, they wear black, more Goth-influenced dresses and accessories. They also wear veils but in black rather than white of the graphic novel. This color swap is very reminiscent of the many spiders Zelda and Chantal collect. It also goes with the ambiguity of their relationship and how no one at the B&B knows if they are sisters, mother and daughter, or lovers.

The Corinthian (Logan's Boyd Holbrook) on Netflix is slightly more formal than his graphic novel counterpart. However, both share a preference for white and/or cream-colored clothing.

Whereas in the graphic novel, he could be more casual (such as wearing a muscle shirt and jeans to the Cereal Convention), The Corinthian in the Netflix series is always very dapper and sharply dressed. This plays up his charming aspect and makes him appear far more trustworthy. The pale cream and white he wears also contrasts well with the black-clad Morpheus, who is far more brooding but aligned with good.

Morpheus (played by Tom Sturridge), for the most part in Season 1, wears an ankle-length back trench coat, matching black shirt, pants, and black boots. In the graphic novel, Morpheus was mostly more formal except for a few exceptions, such as The Sound of Her Wings.

Morpheus's more casual clothes in the majority of Season 1 help him to seem more timeless and blend in, whether in his own realm or on modern-day Earth. The floor-length black trench coat still makes him appear regal while being able to pass as a modern-day human man.

Lucifer (Gwendolyn Christie) has several very regal solid-color outfits. One of their most stand-out is the red satin robe they wear at the end of season 1 when they plot their revenge against Morpheus.

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The graphic novel's Lucifer was heavily inspired by David Bowie (at least visually). The Netflix series, while visually different, does play tribute to the graphic novel's Lucifer with Christie's glamorous yet androgynous wardrobe. The red robe, Lucifer's last costume in season 1, stands out due to the vibrant, hellish shade of red - which gives intensity to their declaration of revenge against Morpheus.

Johanna Constantine II's (played by Jenna Coleman) modern-day exorcism outfit is very visually striking despite its simplicity. The trench coat also visually references her graphic novel counterpart John Constantine, while still being more specific to her incarnation being much more pristine looking - which suits her status as working for the royal family.

Johanna's light coat creates an intense visual contrast between her and Morpheus - who is always in black. The more chic silhouette she wears here contrasts well with the flashback to New Castle, where she looks far less put-together and more casual early in her career as an occult detective.

Despite Lady Johanna Constantine only having a small appearance this season in The Sound of Her Wings, she made a grand entrance with her luxurious hooded cloak and embroidered red and white gown fit for nobility.

This depiction is very close to the sorts of outfits her graphic novel counterpart wore, other than Coleman's Lady Johanna is wearing colors that complement her dark hair - whereas the graphic novel's Johanna wore more greens and blues that complemented her light blonde hair. The cloak Lady Johanna wears makes her seem suitably mysterious and dangerous, befitting the kind of experienced adventurer and member of aristocracy that she is.

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Olivia has been a television, film, book, and theatre nerd since childhood. She was lucky enough to grow up in her family's DVD store, where she explored the shelves daydreaming of what was inside the boxes. Her family brought her up on a steady diet of classic films and television. Today, she is ever-appreciative of the instant access and wide variety of streaming services. Favorite genres include sci-fi, fantasy, romance, musicals, suspense and comedy. Some of her favorite shows are Doctor Who, Stranger Things, and Good Omens. She has a soft spot for Labyrinth, Beauty and the Beast, Soft Top Hard Shoulder, and Lair of the White Worm. She has an Arts, Production and Performance degree, and is an aspiring scriptwriter. She enjoys taking challenging online writing courses, and participates in a supportive writers' group. She hopes to one day create stories that inspire others to daydream like she does.