Susan Michalek (‘Abbott Elementary’ costume designer) on shopping ‘from price points that teachers can afford’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

“I love it because they’re happy and fun and colorful and have joy in them and also sentimentality and sweetness,” reflects Susan Michalek about why she enjoys working on television comedy series. The designer has worked on many popular comedies over the course of her career including “Less Than Perfect,” “Samantha Who?,” “Last Man Standing” and others and has been the costume designer on all three seasons of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” She says the Quinta Brunson show is unique from a costume perspective because she tries “to do it from price points that teachers can afford… that is exciting after years of buying designer stuff.” Gold Derby talked with Michalek as part of our “Meet the Experts” TV costume design panel. Watch our exclusive video interview above.

Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series finds main character Janine Teagues (Brunson) temporarily leaving her post at the title elementary school for a job at the school district, which coincided with a major change to how the character dresses. Michalek says of the transformation, “At first nothing fit, so we deliberately wore these long dresses and turtlenecks and baggy stuff that was cinched in with a belt.” Janine’s style evolved with her “glow up” in these latest episodes as her clothes are now “shorter, tighter, more professional.”

WATCH our exclusive video interview with Tyler James Williams, ‘Abbott Elementary’

These latest episodes also show audiences more of the lives that the teachers at “Abbott Elementary” lead outside of the classroom. To style these characters in everyday clothes, Michalek talks to the actors to see “what they might want” to wear for a given scene. For her part, the costume designer says, “I really need to go into the stores and see what’s there and scan websites. I really search for the thing that I think pops.”

A recent episode, “Mother’s Day,” had two storylines outside of school. One involves Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) inviting Gregory (Tyler James Williams) to her home once she learns that his mother passed when he was only nine years old. Michalek tried putting a dress on Barbara for the brunch scenes, but they didn’t look right, so she pivoted to pants and a floral vest that added “a little soft joy to a little sentimental moment.” The other plot shows Janine, Jacob (Chris Perfetti), Ava (Janelle James) and Erika (Courtney Taylor) attending a drag brunch. Once the costume designer learned who would be guest-starring – Symone and Shea Couleé make appearances – she had to find pieces that were “beautiful fast, because everything in comedy is fast.”

WATCH our exclusive video interview with Chris Perfetti, ‘Abbott Elementary’

Speaking of guest stars, “Abbott” has had many high-profile visitors this season, including Bradley Cooper, Questlove, Kevin Hart and others playing themselves. “I can’t take credit for” Cooper’s outfit in the episode “Willard R. Abbott,” says the costume designer, adding, “He brought that in himself… he’s from Philly, he said, ‘I would wear this if I was in Philly on the street.’”

You can’t make a series about an elementary school without students, of course, and Michalek says the young actors and background performers are “such a huge part of the show, and their adorableness is so vital to the show.” The set “doesn’t have the same energy” on days when the children aren’t there, she adds, saying that having them around is “lovely. They’re all so happy to be doing it.”

PREDICT the 2024 Emmy Award nominations through July 17

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions