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jadelotusflower · 2 years ago

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Lois Lane Costume Appreciation (Smallville seasons 4-5)

So in my recent* Smallville rewatch I had a whole new appreciation for the costuming, and in particular, my girl Lois and her colour story/clothing complementing Clark’s in different ways. We often see Lois and Clark wearing somewhat similar clothes - usually both in jeans, t-shirt, and jacket combo in either red or blue, with Clark in one colour while Lois is in the other. But I was particularly intrigued by yellow as the third element of the Superman triad, and while we don’t see Lois wear yellow as much as she does red and blue (or pink and white in the latter seasons) but it seems she is associated with yellow at pivotal moments in her character arc and relationship with Clark.

Standard caveat that I think a lot of this was intentional, but some things are probably me just reading into things and choosing to find meaning in in the visual storytelling. Additional caveat that red-yellow-blue was the standard colour palette of the show and the mise-en-scene relied heavily on this - particularly in the early to mid seasons - so it's certainly not exclusive to Lois and some examples may be coincidence.

But let’s talk yellow! (Expanding on this post)

Yellow is Earth’s sun Sol (in contrast to Krypton’s red sun Rao), the source of Clark’s abilities. It’s the heart of the Superman shield:

It’s the colour associated with the Crystal of Fire, one of the three components that make up the crystal that builds the Fortress of Solitude and houses the knowledge of the 28 known galaxies. The Crystal of Water (transference/transformation) is blue, and the Crystal of Air (symbol of the House of El) is red:

Fire is light and warmth; it can purify and cleanse. The crystal of fire had healing abilities, it's what restored Clark's powers in 4x08 Spell, and throughout the series, when Clark is injured and then healed by the sun, it's often accompanied by a yellow light.

The Crystal of Fire was also found in 4x01 Crusade where Lois first appears: as Lex unearths the crystal in Egypt, Lois comes across Clark (in the form of Kal-El) in a cornfield. (In what is likely a coincidence, Lois will return to Egypt in 10x01, and it's there she makes the decision to commit to Clark in 10x02, and she is possessed by the Egyptian goddess Isis in 10x05).

Yellow the colour of the Kent farmhouse, Clark’s home, as well as the kitchen (hearth) of the house. It's the flowers in the front yard that also draw their life from Earth's yellow sun (the barn is red, the sky is blue).

So basically yellow = healing/home = Clark's heart = Lois.

This kicks off in 4x02 Gone, where Lois wears Clark's red and plaid shirt, the first of several times Lois will wear his clothes over the course of the series. Clark is in a blue check, and it's notable that we first see them collectively in Superman colours for the first time when they are both together in the Kent house (in the yellow kitchen).

In 4x03 Facade Clark wears the same shirt that Lois borrowed, and Lois has a yellow top under her jacket (also note the blue blanket in the background of the barn).

We then see the same (or a similar) top without the jacket in 4x04, Devoted, where Clark and Lois banter and engage in some prolonged eye fucking eye contact. In this scene the primary colours are right there bright and bold, leaving no doubt that we've just been introduced to the Superman endgame.

Now, there may be an in-universe reason why Lois is wearing yellow here - it follows a football game, and yellow is one of the colours of Smallville High. However, Lois isn't exactly the school spirit type and she was wearing this top in the previous episode, so there's no doubt in my mind this was intentionally symbolic.

This is the final episode of Lois’s introductory arc, the end of the beginning, and a glimpse of the future.

We don't see Lois again for a while (and she spends most of 4x08 possessed by a witch). The next one might not count, but her cute breakfast themed pjs in 4x13 Recruit include red yellow and blue (and pink, a colour that becomes more symbolic for Lois in the latter seasons):

Sidebar, but Lois and her parade of themed pajamas delights me so much!

This is also the episode of an iconic save, where Clark goes all WHERE IS SHE on the freak of the week, and rescues Lois from drowning.

In 4x16 Lucy we don't get yellow in the costuming, but at the end of the episode Lois and Clark grow closer, acknowledging that they're now friends, accompanied by some more prolonged eye contact. Clark then looks through his telescope a a yellow shooting star passing between a red star and blue star (to the background of Mark Joseph's Fly ("written in the wind...now it all begins..."), intersecting with a meteor in an explosion of light, much like Lois has barrelled into Clark's life, setting him on a new course towards his destiny.

This show, honestly!

Next is 4x21 Forever, where Lois has found some sleeves for her job at the Talon (which is heavy on the yellow/Egyptian decor), and Clark of course is in red and blue:

Clark's shirt is not the same one that Lois wears earlier in the season, but Lois does wear this shirt later in the series, so she certainly has a thing for Clark's red and yellow plaid!

As Lois and Clark investigate Chloe and Lana's disappearance, she puts on an orange jacket (orange is another interesting Lois colour - a mix of red and yellow that pops up at interesting points in their relationship).

It's telling that Lois very rarely wears prints - she's into bold, block colours, and other than plaid, so is Clark - they often wear complementary costumes, and/or are mirror images (or close to it) of each other, both in the colour and style of their clothes.

I'm not saying this is soulmate behaviour, but this is absolutely soulmate behaviour!

We don't see Lois in yellow again until season five.

Now I know there was a lot of criticism levied at the show for Lois's relationships with A.C. and then Oliver, but honestly I don't really mind - let Lois be a slut in charge of her sexuality! There is no shame here for a girl who attracts would-be superheros, and goes after what she wants. GTFO with "Lois goes through the Justice League" misogynistic line of thinking.

In 10x09 Mera alleges Lois is attracted to power, but I think it's more she's drawn to strength of character, as well as people who challenge her - characteristics Clark shares, and where Lois doesn't quite fit with A.C. and Oliver, she will fit with Clark. What's interesting is that yellow pops up here, but in ways that aren't quite in sync.

In 5x04 Aqua we have Lois in a red swimsuit and Clark in blue shorts, and she is lain a yellow towel when she is saved by AC.

Then as A.C. and Lois get closer, she wears a blue and yellow suit (so collectively, she owns swimming outfits in Superman colours) and then a blue t-shirt but pink shorts. AC also wears orange and green (Aquaman colours), so while we have the yellow and blue, we also have pink and orange which are on the same spectrum but not red - close but things aren't quite right.

Other than the straps on Lois's suit, yellow is also present in the scene with the flowers, and the stripes on the cup (the Kent family mugs are often yellow as well!). Clark is present in the scene long before he walks in on Lois and A.C. kissing - kicking off a pattern where Clark is suspicious/annoyed by the men Lois dates.

At the end of the episode we get Clark in red, Lois inbBlue, and the helpful yellow of the barn props, as Lois wonders how she's ever going to meet a guy that wants to save the world, not own it, and Clark assures her one day she'll meet someone even more special than A.C. The anvils, they be dropping!

This one may be a stretch, but Lois is wearing a light yellow top in the early scenes of 5x06 Exposed aka the episode where Lois poses as a stripper and gives Clark a lapdance, but perhaps more importantly where Lois flexes her investigative skills, first by boldly challenging Detective Sawyer, and then helping Chloe track down a serial killer. We often see Lois in yellow when she's making steps towards her journalistic career.

Next up we have 5x08 Solitude, where Lois is working at the Talon, and we get a very direct Superman costume reference with Lois's top and apron with the Talon logo in yellow where the Superman crest would be.

That Lex is really amused by Lois is delightful to me! I wish that they'd let them share more screentime!

She decides to take down Lex in this episode, and in doing so ultimately helps Chloe uncover Milton Fine's true motives - arguably without Lois she never would have been able to save Clark in the Fortress and Martha would also have died. It also sets up the future Lois and Lex dynamic and her quest to expose his criminal behaviour.

So shame on anyone who says Lois doesn't serve a purpose in these seasons or that she's "not iconic Lois yet". She's not meant to be! She's on a journey, just like Clark is.

There's also this jacket in 5x10 Fanatic and I can't decide if it's a very light yellow or not, but this is when Lois becomes Jonathan's campaign manager, integrating even further into the Kent family. While I don't agree that Clark and Lois had a "sibling dynamic" in these seasons (I'm sorry, siblings don't stare at each other like they do!), Lois was in many ways a surrogate daughter to Jonathan and Martha - they immediately took Lois under their wing, believed in her, championed her, and she in return was ride-or-die for the Kent family.

In 5x20 Fade we continue the pattern of Lois in yellow when there's a romantic interest for her that Clark takes issue with, although in this case he's right as the guy is a hitman. Clark wears a light blue shirt, while Lois is in a red dress with yellow/gold straps - the lighting is also extremely unsubtle:

Incidentally, this is also the episode where Clark accidentally sees Lois naked.

Later in the episode Lois also wears a yellow top and blue jacket, and in a deleted scene it's actually Martha who picks this outfit for her after Lois says "if you ask me, [Clark] needs to finish the chapter on Lana, turn the page, start dating again." It's a very sweet scene, and the future mother-in-law vibes are strong as Martha says, "If I'd had a daughter, I'd want her to be just like you."

Also important to note that Martha is wearing red in this scene, and there is a later scene that was not cut, in which Martha tells Lois rather anviliously "maybe you have to get through all the wrong men, so you can recognise the right one."

Martha choosing yellow for Lois, as if unconsciously knowing what it means, it actually something that it so personal. Also, the face of a woman who knows her worth.

Speaking of anvils, there dropping all over in 5x21 Oracle, where Lois wears yet another yellow top for Clark's birthday, and made him a red and blue cake with yellow candles - and we see later in the episode that the inside of the cake is yellow as well.

Lois also gives Clark a red and blue journal with his initials in gold, wrapped in paper that's red on one side and yellow on the other, with red yellow and blue ribbons. It's actually an adorable gift, and it's a shame there was never see Clark writing in it.

Now, how many yellow tops does Lois own? I actually think this one is the same as in 4x21, so with the one above and the tank top that's at least three (plus the bikini), which is not an insignificant number!

But wait, I spoke too soon, because Lois is wearing another yellow top when she and Lana walk in on Clark rifling though the dorm room later in the episode - there's a different neckline/bodice to any of the previous tops, but I wonder if this is a continuity error because when Lois confronts Clark in the loft later on it once again looks like the top from the opening scene.

Or maybe not? Her hair is obviously different, but I'm not even sure it's the same jacket? The lapels don't look quite the same either, maybe it's not even meant to be the same day.

Lois just chose extremely similar outfits I guess!

The scene in the loft is the infamous "piggybank" conversation, where Clark says, "There are times when I think you don't know me at all, then others when I think you know me better than anyone."

I mean? I MEAN?!?!?!?!

Clark is also holding the journal Lois gave him, which is a nice touch. This is ripe for fanfic potential (if it's already been done, drop a link!).

That's it for the first two seasons of Lois, stay tuned for part 2!

*Recent when I first started putting this post together several years ago, it's been sitting in drafts for an embarrassingly long time. In fact, such a long time, I've completed another Smallville rewatch since then (hence the impetus to finally finish and post this).

#smallville #superman #lois lane #clark kent #clark x lois #clois #costume appreciation #yellow #meta #lois lane costume appreciation #long post #resurrecting this from drafts #2023 will be the year of finishing all that is unfinished #jlf posts

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