This is an interesting and amusing post about Harley Quinn‘s costume and the Joker’s influence on her:
Harley Quinn’s Costume
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But going 1000% clown means that Harley would be redefining herself /in terms of the Joker/. Not leaving him behind at all. She would be basing her new identity 100% on him, even if it’s for revenge, as opposed to being herself.
And having an outfit that is new but still has traces of her old one in the color scheme also makes sense. As a psychiatrist, she knows that what she is now is moving away from who she was, but it’s still a major influence on who she it. It gives her it’s differences while she acknowledges she has more to go, and gives her the room to change her costume again when she has actually gained that distance.
And when she’s feeling bored of committing crimes — she ACTUALLY WORKS as a clown. Offers to do a gig at some kid’s birthday party or something. Just for a change of pace. Just for the fun of it. No secret plans, no villainy, nothing.
And she flexes on the Joker AND Batman by never letting on to ANYONE, not even the person she trusts most in the world, not even her PET lest somebody have put a wire on said animal, that Giggles McGee (or whatever her name is in this alter ego) is also Harley Quinn.