Murder by Cheesecake

Clothing functions throughout the novel as a motif of identity, insecurity, and adaptation, highlighting how characters negotiate age, gender expectations, and cultural traditions. Dorothy’s anxious preparations for her date with Henry reflect her vulnerability, as clothing becomes a test of desirability and femininity. In contrast, Blanche’s flamboyant wardrobe affirms her confidence but also reveals her refusal to relinquish youthful attention. Clothing thus externalizes the theme of Agency in Later Life and Overcoming Stereotypes, as the women’s outfits signal both their anxieties about aging and their insistence on expressing individuality despite cultural judgment.

Wedding rituals further emphasize clothing as symbolic. Rose notices her relatives’ braids and milkmaid styles, contrasting with her more sophisticated look shaped by life in Miami, underscoring her tension between tradition and modernity. Disguises during the hotel stakeout highlight this motif, as Dorothy’s tight jeans and heavy makeup feel alien to her, symbolizing the discomfort of adopting roles that clash with authentic self-expression. Finally, the wedding attire fuses these threads. Jason wears a bunad vest in Miami’s colors, while Nettie dons Rose’s re-fashioned wedding gown. These garments embody cultural blending and generational continuity, symbolizing reconciliation between old traditions and new identities. Clothing thus operates as a visual shorthand for the novel’s central question of how individuals can honor their past while asserting their own agency in the present.