With the class of 2026’s Variety Show firmly in the review mirror as of Sunday, February 8th, questions and opinions about the costuming process still linger in the air. 

Approximately 360 of the senior class’ 425 students participated in the tradition, with characters ranging from scene 5’s birds to scene 2’s cheerleaders. 

Shows filled not only the carnival weekend but also the week leading up to Punahou’s largest annual event. There were four shows open to the public, not including the junior preview and three two-hour long dress rehearsals in the early days of that week. 

At the first rehearsal, students put on their costumes, sans accessories, some for the very first time. As the week progressed, the costume designers added wigs, bows and even light up suspenders to different scenes in an effort to make them pop onstage.

When asked about their opinions on the clothes they practically lived in for the week, the seniors had plenty of criticisms to share. 

“The suspenders were very irritating and kept falling off,” said Lilah Darchuck ‘26. Other students who wished to remain anonymous thought that the cheerleaders’ costumes didn’t emulate their ideal of what cheerleaders should look like. 

In response to this wide display of emotions, Athena Keehu, the head costume designer said “we have to, as the adults, think about the entire group of the student body and make sure everyone is comfortable in what they’re wearing.” 

She related that the costume department’s main concern is with major issues which could impact costumes, be they religious or just dealing with comfortability, and made it clear  that if aesthetics are the main criticism of the senior class, they are unfortunately not high on the costume department’s priority list. 

Additionally, she shared that the only students who are able to lend input about the costumes are the student directors, who can offer opinions about whether or not they believe the chosen outfits work well with their visions for the scene. However, even these students have limited creative control over this aspect of Variety Show and if the costume designers believe that the student’s visions do not align with the overall safety and comfortability of the cast, their suggestions can be vetoed. 

When students are fitted for their costumes, they fill out a form with a section where they can make the costume department aware of any modifications they might require. These can range from needing to wear a head covering to anything such as feeling more comfortable in long sleeves. The costume designers heavily recommend being overly truthful in this form, as to avoid any misunderstandings about things students may not be comfortable with. 

“We make accommodations for people who maybe don’t like to show their arms, or who don’t show their hair,” said Ms. Athena. “[And] we ask students what their concerns may be, [so that] we can design around them.”

Overall, Ms. Athena emphasized that aesthetic appearance comes second to student safety and comfort. “Sometimes the Director and Designer’s visions for a number and students’ expectations of what it should look like don’t fully align. In those cases, students may be comfortable in what they’re wearing, but it may not match what they had envisioned.  We do our best to support student comfort while also honoring the Direct’s vision for the show.”