Mouse film crew collected fifty prom dresses from Arkansas

Costume designer collected vintage gowns

Costume designer Meg Grace drove around town collecting gowns to fill a van before filming the school-dance sequence. For the production, her group collected approximately 50 prom dresses used from 2000 through 2003. The collection included items from estate sales and secondhand shops rather than high-end boutiques. Grace noted that Arkansas stores like JCPenney and Walmart defined the local fashion landscape in 2002.

Interiors reflected specific decade styles

Production designer Linda Lee created interiors where different eras coexist without becoming a caricature of the early 2000s. Minnie's house drew heavily on the 1970s and 1980s with bold colors and plenty of texture. Helen's home was more understated, incorporating elements from the 1980s and 1990s alongside newer additions. The wardrobe featured cargo capris and polo shirts that matched what teenagers actually wore locally.

Directors sought authentic period details

O'Sullivan wanted the period embedded in characters' lives rather than presented as a cartoon version of history. Grace consulted O'Sullivan's yearbooks and pressed friends to unearth old photographs from their first digital cameras. Their costumes displayed Minnie's self-image and the existence she desired to inhabit. This approach ensured trends reached teenagers through limited options and a still-developing sense of style.