Taking Fashion Inspiration From Classic Horror Films
Taking Fashion Inspiration From Classic Horror Films
By: Audrey Cooper
While watching halloween and horror classics this October season, take the time to pay special attention to the fashion in between the screams. Halloween movies have a shockingly wide display of iconic styles and high-end couture moments. These horror flicks serve as time capsules of different trends throughout American history and showcase major fashion moments that influence what people still wear today.
Scream (1996)
Scream showcases a variety of 1990s teen fashion staples with bright green Hush Puppies shoes, Moschino jean jackets, lots of denim, animal print handbags, oversized sweaters, mini skirts, and so on. In a sea of suburban 1990’s fashion, Gale Weathers stands out as the leading fashion icon of the film. As the over-the-top news lady, Weathers is always chic and usually featured in a Versace power suit (say less). Another honorable mention goes to the Ghostface costume that first made its appearance in the 1996 picture and is still a popular Halloween costume to this day.
American Psycho (2000)
Serial killer and Wall Street yuppie Patrick Bateman was the perfect embodiment of the 1980s businessman style. The so-called “decade of decadence” is illustrated through Bateman’s high-end accessories – cashmere scarfs, colorful ties, braces, XXL shouldered coats, and a Rolex Datejust 16013 to name a few. Bateman is also consistently featured in top brands such as Calvin Klein, Comme Des Garcons, and Valentino, with his most notable Valentino suits being a double-breasted tuxedo and a boxy, pinstriped suit.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski’s Rosemary's Baby has some of the best costume designs of all time, still influencing designers and fashion fans today. Star Mia Farrow, golden girl of the 1960s, steals the spotlight in every scene with floral shift dresses, quilted housecoats, bibbed babydolls, and silk pantsuits.
The Craft (1996)
This iconic girl gang displays the gothic side of 1990s fashion and created many infamous looks that still resonate with gothic fashion today. Pieces like lace-up boots, black chokers, slip dresses, fishnet tops, red tinted glasses, and the signature shiny, black vinyl trench coat all epitomized 1990s grunge.
The Shining (1980)
As one of the most notable fashion icons of the decade, Shelly Duvall brings couture to one of the most prominent scary movies of the 1980s. Looking past the jump scare scenes, Duvall wears outfits that are making a comeback in today’s fashion scene such as midi skirts, layered overalls, jumpers, statement boots, sherpa leather jackets, and knit sweaters paired with her striking black hair.
Carrie (1976)
Coming out in the late 1970s, Carrie features the last bit of the hippie era and the growing women’s liberation movement through looks with bell bottom jeans, blown out hair, halter tops, and flowing skirts. The film’s costume designer Rosanna Norton is infamous for her role in creating one of the most iconic prom dresses of all time. The dress is a simple white satin gown, but is turned stark red with splattered blood. The dress is memorable and the perfect allegory for Carrie’s state of mind.
Heathers (1988)
Heathers is one of the most fashion-filled horror movies of all time and one of Winona Ryder’s most iconic looks as the gothic, preppy murderer. Heathers embodies the preppy style of the 1980s with structured blazers galore, pleated skirts, colored tights, brooches, lots of plaid, and Mary Janes.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Ford Coppola’s 1992 adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is fantastic to say the least, winning three Academy Awards, one of which was the prize for Best Costume and Design. The Victorian-style costume designs by Eiko Ishioka are magnificent and beautiful. Ishioka creates a visually delightful story of Dracula, with seven distinct costumes all different in design. The film is filled with veils, jeweled headpieces, and flowing, gorgeous gowns.
Psycho (1960)
Janet Leigh brings the beauty to one of Hitchock’s scariest and most known movies of all time, Psycho. Unlike other films at the time, Hitchcock cast his lead female characters as powerful and confident, and the styling for these characters is just the same. Costume designer Rita Riggs presents a woman who exudes sophistication and thrill by the way that she dresses Leigh’s character Marion. Marion is featured in a somewhat risque style for the 1960s, with her first appearance in crisp white lingerie and later a menswear-inspired dress shirt. Over time, these looks have been borrowed by designers such as Alexander McQueen and Prada as inspiration for their collections.
In between passing out candy, be sure to snuggle up on the couch and enjoy a good scary movie; you might just walk away with some fashion inspiration for the season if you do.
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