How to Dress a Gemstone

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This interview was initially published on July 28, 2023, during the airing of The Righteous Gemstones‘ third season. However, the Gemstone family continued their extravagant fashion choices, maintaining their commitment to it. We are re-sharing this discussion in anticipation of this Sunday’s series finale.

In a different vein, I must admit that while Carrie and her friends on “And Just Like That” are stylish, they’re not as fashion-forward as the characters in “The Righteous Gemstones” on HBO-Max right now. The eccentric Gemstone family and their associates are truly delivering a visual feast this season. Their wardrobes are more extravagant, flashier, and downright tacky. You could say they embrace the “more is more” philosophy, but it’s not just about excess. There’s a seafoam-green-and-royal-blue Versace suit that BJ wears to the pickleball courts, a hot-pink dress reminiscent of Miss Piggy in which Judy gets kidnapped, and Uncle Baby Billy’s enormous clamshell outfit. Some might consider these outfits excessive. But “The Righteous Gemstones” would probably argue that the more excessive, the closer to divinity.

Costume designer Christina Flannery offers Vulture a peek at some of the eccentric outfits from Gemstones’ third season. When asked about the level of instructions she receives from the scripts regarding the characters’ wardrobes, she mentioned that it’s quite minimal. She has the freedom to interpret suggestions such as “BJ undergoes a transformation” in her own creative way. The series creator and lead actor Danny McBride shares similar artistic perspectives, which is reassuring for Flannery, who jokes that her friends often tease that if they give Christina some money and a few accessories, she’ll go all out!

Judy Gemstone

Played by: Edi Patterson

At the beginning of the new season, Judy transitions from her tour and takes on a leadership position at the church, prompting Flannery to introduce a more lively, flashy style. The question then arose: What resources would Judy have access to, and what would her less mature self find appealing? The answer: An abundance of Gucci, some quirky designs by Dries Van Noten, and vintage Mugler, which she uses to end things with her tour companion, Stephen. It’s amusing because he’s left looking bewildered, still holding onto her finger with those over-the-top sleeves on.

When Judy’s in an upbeat mood, her appearance showcases a contrast between her church persona and her rock-star persona (even though her tour was more like Mall of America vibes than Eras Tour). Dolly Parton certainly served as an inspiration. For one scene with Amber, Flannery mentions, “we discovered this extremely gaudy western belt that someone like Dolly Parton would undoubtedly wear. We got it from Amazon. The weight is astonishing. I can’t believe I haven’t bought one for myself.

Over time and as Judy’s feelings of guilt intensify, Flannery expresses her intention to make Judy appear more submissive and shy because she’s ashamed of her actions. For Judy, this continues to involve her love for Gucci fashion, like the long-sleeved cream dress with blue flowers that symbolizes her attempt to return to her role as a church wife and BJ Barnes’s subordinate. The pink flamingo dress used during Judy’s abduction is Flannery’s favorite, finding it hilarious due to its blend of sexiness and guilt, making it more like intimate lingerie but not excessively so because it still represents Judy. Regarding the footwear, Flannery finds the matching UGG slides utterly inappropriate.

The finer points are crucial: When Judy and her siblings visit the racetrack, she sports a unique race-car pendant designed by Flannery and her team using old Matchbox cars. “Everything is meticulously planned for her,” Flannery notes. (She also wears cowboy-style boots by Jessica Simpson in that scene.)

BJ

Played by: Tim Baltz

The color scheme at BJ’s is reminiscent of an Easter Bunny, as it heavily features vibrant pastel suits. Flannery, who draws inspiration from the Charleston setting where Gemstones is filmed, notes this trend. “Many men in the South wear these shades of pink, purple, and pastels,” she adds, explaining that such colors are so common that finding suitable suit pieces in local boutiques was not difficult.

Flannery points out an intriguing aspect of his character’s roller-skating attire: “The vivid bloodred velvet” contrasts sharply with his usual appearance. She explains, “In this color scheme, we see a side of him we rarely do – angry and defiant red. It seems that this color somehow changes him – because he’s so typically light and fair, and the pastel hues give an impression of youthful innocence.

Did it not specify in the script that BJ would don a luxury Versace windbreaker for a pickleball game with an individual who, unbeknownst to him, had been romantically involved with his wife? No, but Flannery was certain: “He would undoubtedly wear Versace.” However, it’s important to note that BJ doesn’t appear to be affluent enough for such extravagance. “He got caught up,” says Flannery. “I believe he yearns so deeply to be part of the high-class Gemstone circle. And I feel like, the more money one has, the more they desire it.

Flannery explains that whenever they changed his outfit, they ensured the earring color matched, which is a unique feature of his using gemstones.)

Uncle Baby Billy

Played by: Walton Goggins

Flannery remarks with warmth, “He’s so full of grand ideas,” as Uncle Baby Billy eagerly expresses his ambitious plans for Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers, the show he yearns to present to his siblings: “I imagined it would be quite entertaining if we went for a more ’70s-style talk-show host persona for him.

Indeed, Flannery’s preferred outfit for Baby Billy is none other than his clam suit. She describes the idea as reminiscent of Wayne Newton and Liberace. “He is a one-man spectacle,” she says. “He could essentially perform on the side of the street in that costume, and everything you need is right there.” It amuses her when people ask where she bought it: “This costume simply didn’t exist.

At first, Flannery envisioned that he would be donning a cape, but she soon realized it wasn’t eccentric enough for her tastes. She felt it was too conventional, even though she acknowledged that a cape is quite an extravagant accessory. Instead, she yearned for something more outlandish: “What can I make this more unusual and bizarre?”

Flannery’s costume department collaborator, Kelly Rose, constructed the clamshell, which was a laborious process involving numerous trials and errors to determine the optimal design for the backpiece. They experimented with different materials and designs before settling on what would best complement their creation.

Flannery then enlisted Aughra Moon, her seamstress, to help bring her ideas to life using fabrics she had collected in Los Angeles. Together, they created “clusters” for the suit as well as oversized sleeves adorned with crystals.

During Billy’s performance of “Bible Bonkers” to his siblings, he donned a tan suit that had an unexpected addition – a meticulously hand-stitched stone crustacean resembling a clam. This unique accessory was salvaged from a Balenciaga dress that went unused for Amber. As the deadline for returning the dress had passed, Flannery found a creative solution to make use of this beautiful crab – by incorporating it into Billy’s costume!

In reality, Goggins is 51 years old, but he appears older in the show due to costume choices. Sarah Trost, the costume designer for seasons one and two, suggested that his clothes are intentionally oversized. This makes him look weak and disheveled, fitting with his character’s eccentric, confused demeanor. The fact that his pants are too long further emphasizes Uncle Baby Billy’s lack of understanding about proper clothing fit.

Jesse

Played by: Danny McBride

In earlier seasons, Jesse’s distinctive style was firmly set, so Flannery decided to stay true to his traditional wardrobe – button-front shirts, boots, and the “Elvis-George Jones” vibe. However, he wanted to take it a step further to reflect the increased wealth portrayed by the siblings: “It’s about that high-end Dolce & Gabbana silk. It’s Versace.” Jesse, like Amber, uses his clothing to express simplicity: “You can see this in his white pants, his white belt, his white shoes,” she explains.

For the Cape and Pistol costumes, the process to achieve the final turquoise design was quite a voyage. At first, Flannery had the idea of short capes as a punchline for their absurdity; she drew inspiration from “18th-century societies” and, without a doubt, paid homage to the movie Eyes Wide Shut, even in the mask and hood design. In the end, Flannery estimates that she and her team crafted around 180 capes, with help from a tailor in Chicago and an embroiderer who added all the details.

To truly make the capes stand out, Flannery aimed for “all those unique touches”: The fastening of the cape is a pistol-like bolo, and ranks are distinguished by different emblems on the sleeves. As Jesse is a fresh recruit, his cape is the most rudimentary, but it still needed to exude some grandeur. “It’s all about expressing wealth,” Flannery explains, “I wanted it to feel substantial” so that when he swishes it, there’s an impressive sweep to it.

Attention to detail is crucial: In the kidnapping scene, Jesse’s shirt was custom-made with an enlarged white collar, so that when his hair dye dripped, revealing the secret, it would fall onto a clean area – a subtle yet effective choice.

Amber

Played by: Cassidy Freeman and Keely Marshall

From my perspective as a film enthusiast, I see Amber evolving into a character reminiscent of Aimee-Leigh, the matriarchal figure. She exudes poise and grace, yet there’s a fiery spark within her. However, beneath her sincere faith and love lies a hidden agenda for her character, as she subtly encourages the other siblings to keep quiet, allowing her and Jesse to maintain control over the church.

The money aspect was crucial in my vision for Amber, and I intentionally played up Jesse’s pure image by opting for lots of off-white and cream tones in her wardrobe. Flannery also wanted me to incorporate a hint of the ‘mafia wife’ element into Amber’s persona, as Danny suggested.

As I delved into this season’s nostalgic flashback episode, “Interlude III,” I found myself stepping back into the not-so-glamorous fashion scene of the early 2000s – a time I wish would never return! The ill-fitting clothing was just disheartening. The low-rise jeans, the camisoles, and those bulky cardigans were all out of sync. I can’t help but wonder, “Why oh why do we need to resurrect these fashion faux pas?”

Young Amber’s wardrobe was a collection of off-the-rack garments, intended to look like hand-me-downs or thrift store finds. Her “dowdy flower dress with the cowboy boots” is what Flannery imagined Amber’s grandma would have suggested she wear when meeting the Gemstones.

The finer points reveal the issue: Young Amber’s somewhat sweet, yet subtly snide remark to Judy about appreciating her pants was inserted into the script following Flannery’s character development. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine Amber NOT making such a comment about those pants!

Kelvin

Played by: Adam Devine

Before Flannery started working on the show, while she was still at home preparing, she “began posting about today’s popular ‘hype gurus'” on her Instagram and fake TikTok accounts. Her description: “There are many sneaker enthusiasts. Many Supreme and Off-White, streetwear brands — Fear of God, Essentials.

Previously, Flannery had experience working on “The Chi”, and the deep knowledge of sneakers she gained there, along with her habit of browsing social media, helped shape her vision for Kelvin: “Kelvin is a wealthy individual… Kelvin frequently changes his shoes and keeps them impeccably clean.” On stage, he’s wearing Gucci. Off stage, he embodies the hypebeast style. Flannery enjoyed dressing him in a gray Givenchy sweater with an integrated cape – what a season for capes! – and his “Jesus slipper-sock boots”, which he often pairs with the Essentials Fear of God V-neck and skinny jeans. She found it amusing to see him strutting around looking somewhat absurd.

Initially, the attire for Kelvin’s group of Smut Busters was simply t-shirts and jeans, as Flannery explains. However, my tendency to complicate things led me to opt for something more vibrant – Zubaz became our choice!

Pay attention to the finer points: Upon closer inspection of Kelvin’s fanny pack, which he carries along with the Smut Busters, you’ll notice that a Bible is placed very closely to the front, making it visible through the fabric. Additionally, his peculiar necklace contains a magnifying glass. If opened, this necklace allows for reading verses from the Bible.

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2025-05-04 21:00