Peter Pan in red

[Westh76]

I thought it would be best a new strand, as it's not really to do with Peter Pan cross-dressing...

Thanks to Andrew for the tips - I'll get in touch with Barrie's Birthplace and GOSH to find out more about the colour of Peter's early costumes and report back (if anyone's interested...).

Red is indeed the colour of passion but I'm not so convinced Peter's red costume would have anything to do with passion - but perhaps the simpler, and more practical, explanation is that red is more visible in a theatre, especially in Edwardian England? Also, Barrie described him as dressed in autumn leaves, so red would be the obvious choice. Well, that's just a theory...

If anyone has more info about Peter's costume being red in the early years, I'd love to hear from you.

[TheWendybird]

I thought it would be best a new strand, as it's not really to do with Peter Pan cross-dressing...

Thanks to Andrew for the tips - I'll get in touch with Barrie's Birthplace and GOSH to find out more about the colour of Peter's early costumes and report back (if anyone's interested...).

Red is indeed the colour of passion but I'm not so convinced Peter's red costume would have anything to do with passion - but perhaps the simpler, and more practical, explanation is that red is more visible in a theatre, especially in Edwardian England? Also, Barrie described him as dressed in autumn leaves, so red would be the obvious choice. Well, that's just a theory...

If anyone has more info about Peter's costume being red in the early years, I'd love to hear from you.

Wasn't green mentioned with it too I can't remember offhand without going to the other topic....I do remember in the book anyhow..it says about Christmas puddings being made...so perhaps Peter actually had Christmassy colours to his outfit....not necessarily intentionally just thought that would be an amusing coincidence.

[Hannah High]

red is for the BLOOD that Peter gets a thrill out of!!!

Actually, I have no idea.

[Lesley]

hehee! 

Thanks to Andrew for the tips - I'll get in touch with Barrie's Birthplace and GOSH to find out more about the colour of Peter's early costumes and report back (if anyone's interested...).

YES! please do!

Huh. That's what I noticed, but I don't know what to do with it...

autumn leaves = dead leaves.
Peter Pan accompanies dead children
and:
autumn leaves = brown, red, orange, . The colours of Jupiter. Jupiter is also the principal god of the Greek, where Barrie got also the "Pan", right? (I meen from greek mythology) maybe there's something? or maybe (probably) that's too far fetched. I don't know. Something to think about?

[AlexanderDavid]

hehee! 

Thanks to Andrew for the tips - I'll get in touch with Barrie's Birthplace and GOSH to find out more about the colour of Peter's early costumes and report back (if anyone's interested...).

YES! please do!

Huh. That's what I noticed, but I don't know what to do with it...

autumn leaves = dead leaves.
Peter Pan accompanies dead children
and:
autumn leaves = brown, red, orange, . The colours of Jupiter. Jupiter is also the principal god of the Greek, where Barrie got also the "Pan", right? (I meen from greek mythology) maybe there's something? or maybe (probably) that's too far fetched. I don't know. Something to think about?

That is too far-fetched.  Jupiter is Roman, not Greek.  Zeus is his Greek counterpart.  And if Peter is named for Pan, why should Zeus or Jupiter have anything to do with it?  And neither of those accompany the dead anyway....

[Westh76]

Nina Boucicault's costume was a red tunic, worn over a white shirt with appliqué autumn leaves sewn onto it and is on display at Barrie's birthplace in Kirriemuir. Zena Dare's costume, as described in Sotheby's catalogue, comprises "brown chamois shorts with side-lacing; raspberry pink wool short-sleeved shirt with back split; green and tan thigh-length boots; and a pair of knitted olive green silk tights with green cotton waistband".

Looks like Mabel Lucie Attwell was the first to picture Peter in green, in the 1921 edition. Unless someone knows otherwise...

[SingsWithRavens]

I'm not sure about the early costumes, but I do know quite a bit about the symbolism of red.

Red does often represent passion, yes. However, it can also represent courage (hoorah! we all know that theme ), rage, sacrifice, power, love, vitality, action, confidence, determination, impulse, adventure, ambition, assertiveness, health, life, and death (last three mainly because of its connection to blood). Red harbors a ton of energy, which is reflected in Pan's free, fun-loving spirit. Conversely, red also holds strong emotion, particularly the more impulsive kind, which are also reflected in his somewhat selfish, harsh self.
The color green - which is the color most seem to associate with Pan - actually doesn't appear to match his character quite as well as red. Green is often associated with healing, calm attitudes, renewal, generosity, prosperity, growth (! with Pan?), balance, and contentment...all attributes that don't speak of Pan's character.
I'm not sure at all if Barrie wished for Pan to be dressed in red, but the symbolism of the color alone reflects the character so well, it's hard not to wonder.