You most likely watch horror movies for the thrill of being scared, the suspense of knowing a jump scare is right around the corner, or maybe — depending on your style — the blood and gore that so often appear in the genre. It’s not likely that you’re watching these movies for fashion, but why not?
Horror movies, like all movies, have teams of people behind the scenes working to design the most perfect wardrobe for the cast. They create looks based on the movie’s time period and location and the character’s personality and style. The fashion seen in all movies, regardless of the genre, is truly an art form and an important aspect of the movie, even if it goes unnoticed by most viewers. In case you haven’t noticed them before, these are some of the most iconic outfits in horror movies.
Updated on November 26th, 2023, by Samuel Cormier: If you are a fan of horror movies and fashion statements, then you'll be happy to know his article has been updated with more content.
10 Mod Fashion — Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Rosemary's Baby is a well-known psychological thriller that premiered in 1968 and is based on Ira Levin's 1967 novel of the same name. It's about Rosemary (Mia Farrow), a young, pregnant woman who comes to believe that her odd, elderly neighbors are part of a Satanic cult and are grooming her to use her baby for their rituals. This horror classic was remade years later in 2014 as a two-part TV miniseries with Zoë Saldana in the lead.
Throughout the movie, Farrow sports very timely clothing pieces, most of which are chosen to create a sort of sweet and innocent look to fit her character. She wears babydoll nightgowns and lots of light pastel colors — specifically a lot of blues and yellows, which were very popular colors in the '60s. Rosemary's looks are very mod and also feature a lot of collars, varying plaid, and other patterns and hats as accessories. Stream on Paramount+.
9 Tiffany's Wedding Dress and Leather Jacket Combo — Bride of Chucky (1998)
Bride of Chucky is the fourth film in the Child's Play franchise. It follows killer doll Chucky, well-known to audiences at that point, and his fiancée Tiffany, another murderous doll, as they attempt to find the magic amulet that will help them regain their human form and get married. Unlike the previous movies, this one takes on a comedic approach and ends up being one of the best films in the franchise (how could you not giggle at two stiff dolls attempting sexual intercourse?)
Chucky himself has a pretty iconic look, but it's his fiancée, Tiffany, who takes the fashion cake. She wears a simple, modern cream-white silky wedding dress with a lace corset. This is accessorized with a leather Perfecto jacket, mesh tights, lace-up boots, and a black velvet choker (most of the time). She also sports goth purple and black makeup with a smoky eye and a dark lip, pencil-thin eyebrows, and platinum hair that could do with some fixing of the roots before the wedding. A rock'n'roll bride is undoubtedly the partner everyone imagined for Chucky, and Tiffany is very fun to dress up as for Halloween. Stream on Starz, DirecTV, and TubiTV.
8 Michael Myers' Boiler Suit — Halloween Franchise
Halloween is by far one of the most well-known and successful horror movie franchises. The first movie featuring the babysitter stalker-killer, Michael Myers, premiered in 1978 and turned into a massive 13-movie franchise. Directed and scored by John Carpenter with co-writing by Debra Hill, Halloween is considered one of the greatest and most influential horror films ever made and has even been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Plus, it featured Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut.
In terms of movie villains, Michael Myers is immediately recognizable and his outfit and haunting silhouette are a big part of why. From his blank, sinister white mask to his navy blue boiler suit, it's a stand-out look that has lasted throughout the entire franchise and has inspired decades of easily replicable Halloween costumes. Stream on AMC+.
7 Wendy Torrance's Cozy Overalls — The Shining (1980)
The Shining is one of Stephen King's most famous book-to-movie adaptations. Premiering in 1980, with Stanley Kubrick in the director's chair, this psychological horror focuses on writer and recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who takes a job working as a caretaker at the historic Overlook Hotel during the winter months with his son Danny (Danny Lloyd) and wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall). There's a lot to unpack in the movie's complex plot, from Danny's psychic abilities to Jack's slow descent into madness after a winter storm strands the family in the hotel, where supernatural forces are at work. All of this comes together to create a captivating, layered horror film.
The fashion in this movie is '80s winter and the best looks come from Duvall's character, Wendy. From her red sweater and tights with a blue dress layered on top, to her signature look during the famous "Here's Johnny" scene. She wears a cream-colored turtleneck with a green, plaid button-down shirt, layered with a brown overall dress, tights, and boots. It's a simple, layered winter look, but it's very stylish and would look amazing recreated today. Rent on Apple TV or Vudu.
6 Casey Becker's Movie-Watching Sweater — Scream (1996)
Wes Craven's Scream premiered in 1996 and featured one of the greatest cold opens ever. The movie opens with Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore), who is home alone preparing for a movie night with her boyfriend. She's starting to pop some popcorn when she receives a mysterious phone call from a stranger who ends up being Ghostface. He taunts Casey, making her increasingly uneasy, asking her questions about her favorite scary movies, and some of the other most quotable lines from the movie. Eventually, it is revealed that Ghostface is in Casey's house, and he chases her around before eventually killing her before her parents get home.
During this entire scene, Barrymore sports a cream cable knit sweater and loose, light-wash jeans — perfect for a cozy movie date. She also has a perfectly shaped blonde bob with bangs and dark reddish-brown lipstick, which was very popular in the 1990s. It's such a simple look, but it's immediately recognizable and iconic and is an easy look to recreate, making it perfect for Halloween. Stream on Max.
5 Carrie's Prom Dress — Carrie (1976)
The eponymous character in Carrie is an unfortunate 16-year-old girl (portrayed by Sissy Spacek) raised by a single mother who is a religious fanatic. After an incident reveals to the whole school that she just got her first period, she becomes bullied to no end, especially by a female classmate named Chris. While Chris goes to great lengths to play a very cruel prank during prom night, Carrie discovers that she has telekinetic powers.
One of the most well-known horror scenes in the history of cinema is the blood poured over Carrie's dress during prom night. However, many viewers forget just how gorgeous Carrie looked before she became all covered up. Sissy Spacek's natural beauty is enhanced by a simple powder pink dress, quite unusual for the time, which is closer to a nightgown than a prom dress, but is not vulgar whatsoever. It has spaghetti straps holding a v-neck collar and falls all the way down to the floor. Carrie wears this dress with no accessories but her strawberry blonde hair and the crown that comes to adorn it as she wins the title of Prom Queen. There is no doubt that her look has been copied many times over the last five decades, not just for Halloween but also for prom itself. Stream on Max and Paramount +.
Another Wes Craven success, A Nightmare on Elm Street, premiered in 1984 and — like Scream — went on to become a successful film franchise. By this point, the concept of A Nightmare on Elm Street is well-known. When teens fall asleep, they have nightmares where the blade-finger-wielding Freddy Krueger attacks them, but the nightmares are real because the teens wake up, barely making it out of the dream alive, and some don't wake up at all.
A Nightmare on Elm Street was Johnny Depp's film debut at 21 years old. He got attention for his broody, bad-boy demeanor and catapulted into a massively successful career afterward. His most iconic look comes from his last scene before he dies. He's wearing a cropped football jersey and joggers when he's sucked into a hole in the middle of his bed by Freddy when he falls asleep. This is one of Craven's most iconic movie scenes, with the blood fountain that sprays from Glen's bed that his mother walks in on. The cropped shirt for men was very trendy in the '80s and is admittedly a great look, but has faded up until recently when the trend slowly started making a comeback. Rent on Apple TV and Vudu.
3 Jennifer's Heart Hoodie — Jennifer's Body (2009)
Jennifer's Body is a horror-comedy from 2009 about a demonically possessed high schooler (Megan Fox) who kills her male classmates. Jennifer's Body didn't stand out at the box office but has gained a cult following and has since been identified as a feminist cult classic movie, with stars Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried saying it's their favorite of their own movies. The movie has plenty of great 2000s fashion moments, but one of the best is Jennifer's pink cropped hoodie with red hearts all over it. Jennifer is the hot "it girl" of the school, so her looks are often top-notch compared to her classmates, and while this hoodie look is fairly simple, it's a funny juxtaposition that her demonic, boy-killing character is wearing a cute, pink hoodie. Stream on Max.
2 Grungey Fashion — The Craft (1996)
The Craft premiered in 1996 starring Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, and Rachel True. It's a supernatural horror following a group of outcast teenage girls who start practicing witchcraft but experience negative consequences for their practice. It's such a fun, witchy movie that likely inspired a generation of teens to become wannabe witches.
The fashion in the movie is very '90s, witchy, and a little goth. There are long maxi skirts and dresses, lots of layers, floral patterns and plaid, dangly necklaces and cross pendants, and plenty of black and muted colors. It's all very grungey and cool, and it's a timeless aesthetic as it has made a comeback and become trendy again today. Stream on Paramount+.
1 Freddy Krueger's Green and Red Sweater — A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
While Johnny Depp's performance as Glen in The Nightmare on Elm Street is celebrated due to multiple factors including his cropped football jersey, nothing can beat the killer's look. Freddy Krueger himself (Robert Englund) has a very recognizable outfit with his tattered, red and green striped sweater and brown fedora. These clothes are somehow more iconic even than Freddy's burnt face and clawed glove, and anyone seeing the striped knit top will instantly think of the dream killer. Rent on Apple TV and Vudu.
Need to get your horror fix? Here are six of the most rewatchable horror movies:
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