The other day, I was randomly watching the 1971 film “Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb”, a Hammer film production (and I mean I randomly chose this) and while watching it, my eye kept getting caught by the lead character Margaret (played by Valerie Leon) and her purple coat. Every time she wore this coat, I just kept looking at it. And then it dawned on me how a simple addition or subtraction of a character’s look really changes either the character overall or the movie itself.
I mean, I can go into the color theory of her purple coat being a representation of royalty (she is, in a way, a doppelganger for the Queen Tera depiction) and it looked to be made of corduroy as well. Thick material, the movie was set in the London/England era, appropriate for the weather and very mid to late 60s looking.
So then I thought, what other horror movies, in my opinion, have this same kind of effect? That gasp moment or that iconic moment that is forever symbolized in cinema history? Costume design or fashion is so important in film overall and horror is no exception. Except a lot of people don’t seem to make that correlation or acknowledge it. As much as we love Clueless, Grease, Black Panther, The Great Gatsby, Little Women, Moulin Rouge, Roman Holiday and the number of films can go on and on and on, where’s horror at? Sure, we can throw in fantasy and sci-fi but horror? Where’s the love for that? Oh right, it shows up in October when everyone dresses up for Halloween.
BUT, but, but… I wanted to share some of my favorite moments where costume design or a fashion choice shapes a horror movie. Maybe spoilers ahead?
Carrie (1976) – The beautiful prom dress that Carrie wears, light pink almost white silk, feminine, soft, dainty, she looks beautiful. It gets ruined by pig’s blood and yet it’s almost as if the dress just transforms into something that melds to her skin. 
The Cell (2000) – Eiko Ishioka is going to be featured on this list more than once but she was super talented and creative and her work needs more praise. Jennifer Lopez, as much as a polarizing person she is, we cannot deny how beautiful she looks in this film. It was a toss up between the nun inspired look or the one where she’s in the black sheer bodysuit with the face mask but I pick the latter. It’s memorable, it’s more sexual and borderline bdsm energy that the other which is more “religious” inspired.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – The entire film would fit this category and I know what you’re thinking, it’s Lucy’s white burial dress. And the answer is no. As much as I love that dress and how lizard-like it is with the collar, the shift for me is when Lucy is wearing that out of time period reddish-orange dress. It goes against her pale skin, her red hair, it’s flowing in the wind and creates volume and shapes. Eiko Ishioka did that.
Midsommar (2019) – Becoming May Queen, donned in a huge bouquet of floral arrangements sounds hot aka burning up to me but you know, when Dani (Florence Pugh) is in that costume, watches her boyfriend burn and surrounded by chaos to only succumb to the chaos herself, it’s almost like a literal break in the character. I’m tired, I’m overwhelmed, I’m happy to not be alone, I get to share my pain, etc. The ending you can go different many areas of interpretation but I think that smile, is a shift in her character of “I’m free” to a mental breakdown coming along. 
The Love Witch (2016) – You either like or dislike this movie but what you cannot deny are the aesthetics of the film. It feels 60s inspired by the fashion choices, the color schemes, and for me, personally, it’s the all pink look. I love the blush color against her skin tone, especially the darker hair, the big hat with the flowers that’s a deeper pink to her dress. We have lace, jewelry, the blue eyeshadow, that mysterious energy around Elaine (Samantha Robinson) reads soft feminine but confident.
Suspiria (2018) – Ahh the more I think about this movie, the more I love it. I am a defender of this remake and I think it does what a remake should do which is take the essence of the original but do something different. And this movie certainly does! My choice is the dance performance sequence, the makeup and deep blood red outfits. It’s all ribbon/rope textures, open with shapes and there’s a vulnerability with those outfits.
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – I mean, do we have to talk about how cool her entire look is? We know how iconic it is. I see it every day because I have the 2 pack set of The Bride of Frankenstein collaboration with Mattel Creations. The all white ensemble with wrappings, feather like tips, the mixed color hair, it’s beautiful but simple.
Beetlejuice (1988) – The entire cast overall is memorable. We can talk about Beetlejuice’s black and white striped suit, Lydia’s all black outfits, the Maitlands looking like they stepped out of the American Gothic painting. But my pick is Lydia in red bridal, such a color out of her comfort zone. We know Lydia, she wouldn’t wear red, especially like that. Red is all about love, passion, anger, sacrifice and danger. The latter two make a lot of sense with Beetlejuice trying to marry a child!
Scream (1996) – This is a wild card. Scream is not really known for its fashion choices or costume design, however, the introduction of the character Casey is my pick. I have seen so many people dress up as Casey (Drew Barrymore) with the blonde bob, the sweater, jeans, it’s very wholesome, girl next door, so simple and basic. And yet easy to replicate. 
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) – A musical that uses lingerie as costume choices is a first yet appropriate. Lingerie in my opinion can represent sexuality, sensuality, freedom, power, all of these things. Most, if not all characters, wear lingerie but the one chosen is Frank (Tim Curry), or Dr Frank-n-Furter’s introduction. It’s the makeup, the glimpse at the heeled shoes and boom, he reveals an all black look with corset and tights. Once he enters the film, nothing is the same.
Vamp (1986) – Grace Jones. Grace Jones in a red wig. Grace Jones in a red wig, painted white face and essentially naked minus a swirl cone bra and painted on by famed artist Keith Haring.
American Psycho (2000) – 80s Yuppie is something I do not know about. I was born in the 80s, late 80s but you can distinguish Yuppie fashion. However, that’s not what I want to talk about here. What I’m picking is exactly what you think it is. Let us protect our clothing as we axe an acquaintance over my floor. The clear protective lab coat is so iconic that I remember that Hannibal (2013 television series) also wears something similar in an episode two as a nod. That’s iconic.
NOW with those out of the way, here are some honorable mentions that came after I made this list but well worth mentioning. Also I can see these as popular Halloween costumes to live on in the future: 
Pearl (2022), The Birds (1963), M3GAN (2022), Us (2019), Interview with the Vampire (1994), Audition (1999), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1983), Psycho (1960), Rosemary’s Baby (1968) aaaand my mind went blank!
What movies would you add in this list of fashion/costume moments in horror that pretty much shaped or changed the movie when that moment happened. Leave a comment below and we’ll see each other next Wednesday!
Shots of Horror 
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