In the festive film "Holiday Touchdown," a family of Chiefs superfans experiences a side of holiday romance. Costume designer Keith Nielsen and his team worked against the clock to create Hunter King's stunning party dress. King wholeheartedly agreed with Nielsen's decision to go with an "original" rather than a ready-made dress. As they bought various options, they realized nothing in the stores quite captured the essence they were looking for.

The Magic of Keith Nielsen's Custom Dress in Holiday Touchdown

Designing for the Chiefs Party Scene

For the scene where Alana (King) and Derrick (Tyler Hynes) attend a Chiefs party at Arrowhead Stadium, Nielsen was inspired by an Alice + Olivia dress with boning in the bodice. He took the top part and edited the pattern, using the external bones as a reminder of football padding. The full tutu skirt added a festive touch. Selecting the fabric was crucial as he didn't want Alana to blend into the red backdrop. The perfect ombré red and gold effect made the dress stand out. However, the dress wasn't completed until an hour before shooting, causing stress among the team. Nielson paired it with gold SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker shoes with a low heel to complete the look.

It was a meticulous process that required careful attention to detail to ensure the dress was just right for the Chiefs party scene.

Nielsen's dedication to creating the perfect dress was evident in every aspect of its design and construction.

Wardrobe for the Christmas Movie

King's wardrobe also included a variety of coats suitable for a Christmas movie in the Midwest. One of the standout pieces was the varsity jacket she wore at the end of the movie, another custom creation by Nielsen in Chiefs colors. It was predominantly red with golden yellow sleeves, adding a sporty touch without branding. What's exciting is that Nielsen took inspiration from this unique coat and collaborated with local Kansas City artisans to make a limited run of similar coats for sale.

This shows Nielsen's ability to not only create unique costumes for the movie but also to bring a sense of local pride through his designs.

The coats added to the overall charm and authenticity of the Christmas movie setting.

Battling the Heat on Set

While King and the cast were seen in their coats, it's important to note that the movie was actually filmed in July. Costume designer Nielsen has learned some "tricks" for dealing with the heat when dressing his stars. He has ripped out linings of jackets to lighten the load and used ice packs, but that comes with its own challenges like making the actors sweaty. He also emphasizes the importance of finishing the look with gloves, even though it can lead to sweaty hands.

Nielsen's experience in working on Hallmark Christmas movies in hot weather has taught him how to balance the need for authenticity with the comfort of the actors.

Despite the challenges, the costumes still managed to create the desired fantasy on screen.