How the Sanderson Sisters' "Hocus Pocus 2" Costumes Differ From the Originals

Published on Oct 6, 2022 at 4:10 PM

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Costume designer Salvador Perez, known for his work on all six seasons of "The Mindy Project" with actor Mindy Kaling, the "Think Like a Man" films, and "Drumline," is bringing the wardrobes of the iconic Sanderson sisters to life in the newly released sequel to "Hocus Pocus.

"The first time we put the mockup on [Sarah Jessica Parker], she lit up and was giddy, running around the house twirling and showing her daughters."

The sisters, played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker, are back for more spooky fun. Directed by Anne Fletcher, "Hocus Pocus 2" revisits the journey of the infamous witch sisters who were brought back to modern-day Salem, MA, by three young teenagers. At the end of the original movie, the Sanderson sisters disintegrate, along with their clothes, but that didn't stop Perez from refreshing and modernizing their costumes in the sequel. The costume aficionado custom made all of the sisters' mesmerizing looks, with each cape consuming 25 yards of fabric. While taking initial direction from the studio and pointers from original costume designer Mary Vogt, Perez still managed to leave his own footprint by establishing a newfound sense of identity for the child-hungry sisters.

"I wanted the costumes to have a backstory," Perez tells POPSUGAR. "So we went with Wiccan symbolisms and witchcraft, including three moons and three goddesses to represent the three sisters. We came up with a pattern that was based on that mythology, which is on Winnie's coat."

Perez established referential standpoints for each of the sister's costumes, which were meant to reflect fire, water, earth, and air in Sigils — all elements that an alchemist would use in her witchcraft. "I really wanted to stay true to the original colors, but add more detail," he says. "On Mary's corset, the rings were originally curtain rings, which didn't feel authentic to me. So I updated them to rings hand-pounded out of brass."

While the costumes from the original 1993 film have become a major source of inspiration for Halloween costumes, Perez's advancements in the sequel include a different assortment of materials that encourage even more wardrobe experimentation.

Ahead, find out how Midler, Najimy, and Parker influenced the revival of their characters from a stylistic standpoint, and get their looks just in time for Halloween.

Bette Midler as Winnie Sanderson

Throughout his career, Perez has been inspired by Bette Midler, and his working relationship with the actor contributed to the success of her new and improved costumes. "I'm a costume designer because of watching Bette Midler films. We really bonded, and she trusted me, while giving a lot of input. When I made the buckle on her dress, I did a pair of buckles so there were opposing stars. We put them on her, and she said, 'Sal, I think it's too much. Let's just do one.' Now that I see the costume, it's much more visually pleasing to have just one single buckle as opposed to two."

Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson

With fashionable celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker as part of the cast, Perez went to Eric Winterling's renowned costume studio to do special hand-embroidery featuring a motif with thorny vines, flowers, and spiders on her costume, nailing the 17th-century aesthetic while playing into the budding corset trend. To further modernize Parker's costume, Perez upgraded the sleeves from mesh to fine cashmere, composed of individual spiderwebs made by knitter Krista Ann, who joined the team just to make the unique sleeves.

"[Parker] was in the middle of shooting 'And Just Like That,' so I would have to go up to New York and go to her house to fit her. The first time we put the mockup on her, she lit up and was giddy, running around the house twirling and showing her daughters. She just loved the costume and the custom-made boots from LaDuca Boots," Perez says.

Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson

While the original 29-year-old "Hocus Pocus" costumes are iconic in their own right, Perez had to create new, authentic costumes since the witches disintegrate at the end of the film, along with their clothes. Perez credits his vast library for inspiring the new costumes, especially middle sister Mary. While reading, he discovered what witches wore in the 1650s, as well as what 17th-century fashion was like, incorporating symbols such as Scottish tartans.

"Mary's costume was made out of plaid with this lace pattern, which made no sense for the 1650s, but tartans have been around for hundreds of years. So, I made her skirt from tartan and loose open weave silk," Perez previously told Variety.