Cinema’s memorable movie characters would be nothing without the costumes they wear. Costumes complete our favorite film characters and those garments often become iconic themselves.
The power of costuming and the visual language costumes add to films was never more apparent than in 1939. The year spawned two of history’s most iconic films — “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone with the Wind.” The former featured several costumes that, to this day, remain iconic artifacts of cinematic history and storytelling. Dorothy’s ruby slippers, for example, still have a hold on cinema lovers today thanks to 2024’s “Wicked” and more.
“Gone with the Wind” recreated a wardrobe from the Civil War era in America, but few of the thousands of costumes in the film stand out as much as Vivien Leigh’s ruby red, off-the-shoulder dress.
Even by contemporary standards, certain film costumes earn their place in the pantheon of iconic movie wardrobes by virtue of their adaptability for recreation. Jacqueline Durran’s pink “Barbie” cowgirl outfit had many dressing up and saying “Hi, Barbie!” over Halloween in 2023, and Sandy’s memorable all-black “Grease” finale outfit still serves as inspiration for costumes to this day.
From the Halloween-ready costumes to memorable movie character moments and scenes, WWD looks back on some of the most iconic movie costumes.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Billie Burke, left, and Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” — costumes designed by Adrian Adolph Greenburg.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Vivien Leigh in “Gone with the Wind” — costumes designed by Walter Plunkett.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” — costumes designed by William Jack Travilla.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Sabrina’ (1954)
Image Credit: Everett Collection / Everett Col Audrey Hepburn in “Sabrina” — costumes designed by Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Carmen Jones’ (1954)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C Dorothy Dandridge in “Carmen Jones” — costumes designed by Mary Ann Nyberg.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘To Catch A Thief’ (1955)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Grace Kelly in “To Catch A Thief” — costumes designed by Edith Head.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘The Seven Year Itch’ (1955)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merch Marilyn Monroe in “The Seven Year Itch” — costumes designed by William Jack Travilla.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)
Image Credit: Everett Collection / Everett Collection. Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” — costumes designed by Hubert de Givenchy, Edith Head, Pauline Trigère and Joan Joseff.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Cleopatra’ (1963)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C Elizabeth Taylor in “Cleopatra” — costumes designed by Vittorio Nino Novarese and Renié.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Mary Poppins’ (1964)
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Evere Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins” — costumes designed by Gertrude Casey, Chuck Keehne, Bill Thomas, Tony Walton and Luster Bayless.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘My Fair Lady’ (1964)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady” — Cecil Beaton and Michael Neuwirth.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merch Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music” — costumes designed by Dorothy Jeakins and Julia Lazar.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope’ (1977)
Image Credit: ©Lucasfilm Ltd./courtesy Everet Carrie Fisher in “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope” — costumes designed by John Mollo.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Grease’ (1978)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in “Grease” — costumes designed by Albert Wolsky.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’ (1982)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col Nicelle Nichols in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” — costumes designed by Robert Fletcher.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Scarface’ (1983)
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Col Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino in “Scarface” — costumes designed by Patricia Norris.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett C Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder in “Beetlejuice” — costumes designed by Aggie Guerard Rodgers.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Pretty Woman’ (1990)
Image Credit: ©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman” — costumes designed by Marilyn Vance.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘The Addams Family’ (1991)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col Raul Julia, Jimmy Workman, Christina Ricci, Dana Ivey, Anjelica Huston, Carel Struycken, Judith Malina and Dan Hedaya in “The Addams Family” — costumes designed by Ruth Myers.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Basic Instinct’ (1992)
Image Credit: ©TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Ever Sharon Stone in “Basic Instinct” — costumes designed by Ellen Mirojnick.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/courtesy Everett / Eve John Travolta and Uma Thurman in “Pulp Fiction” — costumes designed by Betsy Heimann.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Clueless’ (1995)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone in “Clueless” — costumes designed by Mona May.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Romeo + Juliet’ (1996)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes in “Romeo + Juliet” — costumes designed by Kym Barrett.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Colle Pam Grier in “Jackie Brown” — costumes by Mary Claire Hannan.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett C Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix” — costumes designed by Kym Barrett.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’ (1999)
Image Credit: ©Lucasfilm Ltd./courtesy Everet Natalie Portman in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” — costumes designed by Trisha Biggar.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (2000)
Image Credit: ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Michelle Yeoh in “Crough Tiger, Hidden Dragon” — costumes designed by Tim Yip.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Moulin Rouge!’ (2001)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett C Nicole Kidman in “Moulin Rouge!” — costumes designed by Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Legally Blonde’ (2001)
Image Credit: ©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collectio Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde” — costumes designed by Sophie de Rakoff.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Kill Bill: Volume I’ (2003)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Colle Uma Thurman in “Kill Bill: Volume I” — costumes designed by Kumiko Ogawa and Catherine Marie Thomas.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Catwoman’ (2004)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett C Halle Berry in “Catwoman” — costumes designed by Angus Strathie.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005)
Image Credit: ©Focus Films/Courtesy Everett C Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in “Pride & Prejudice” — costumes designed by Jacqueline Durran.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Marie Antoinette’ (2006)
Image Credit: ©Sony Pictures/Everett Collecti Kirsten Dunst in “Marie Antoinette” — costumes designed by Milena Canonero.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Atonement’ (2007)
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everet Keira Knightley and James McAvoy in “Atonement” — costumes designed by Jacqueline Durran and Timothy Everest.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Sex and the City’ (2008)
Image Credit: ©New Line Cinema/Courtesy Evere Mario Cantone, Sarah Jessica Parker and Willie Garson in “Sex and the City” — costumes designed by Patricia Field.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Black Swan’ (2010)
Image Credit: ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Evere Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” — ballet costumes designed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Drive’ (2011)
Image Credit: FilmDistric/Courtesy Everett Col Ryan Gosling in “Drive” — costumes designed by Erin Benach.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett C Charlize Theron in “Mad Max: Fury Road” — costumes designed by Jenny Beavan.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (2018)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett C Constance Wu in “Crazy Rich Asians” — costumes designed by Mary E. Vogt.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Black Panther’ (2018)
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Evere Lupita Nyong’o and Letitia Wright in “Black Panther” — costumes designed by Ruth E. Carter.
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Iconic Movie Costumes: ‘Barbie’ (2023)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett C Margot Robbie in “Barbie” — costumes designed by Jacqueline Durran.