Seven of the most iconic costumes in cinema history

The silver screen has provided us with no shortage of iconic outfits over the years. Both recent and classic movies have delivered memorable costumes that are forever etched into our memory, so let’s take a look back at a few big screen favourites.

Doc Brown’s hazmat suit

Picture a scene from Back to the Future and chances are you’re seeing Christopher Lloyd in a moonlit car park, wearing a white radiation suit and babbling to Michael J Fox about his latest invention. While the car is the real superstar of that trilogy, nobody can think of Doc Emmett Brown without the white one-piece that cemented his status as one of cinema’s best loved nutty professors.

Hogwarts school uniforms

While the books sparked the imaginations of young readers in a way never seen before, it was the resulting films that gave us a real insight into the wardrobes of Diagon Alley’s most defining characters. Everything from Snape’s black cloak to the blazers and scarves of Hogwarts students were brought to life on the big screen, many of which form part of Harry Potter Studio Tours’ impressive Wizarding Wardrobe exhibition today.

The Ghostbusters’ get-ups

Oversized backpacks, combat boots and those classic tan-brown jumpsuits – the Ghostbusters are an instantly recognisable team. Both the 1980s classic and the modern revival of the franchise kept the look, proving just how iconic the ghost-busting uniform has become.

Neo’s shades and trench coat

The Matrix was an iconic piece of cinema, with plot twists that remain impressive even today. Hacker Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, dons a black trench coat and sunglasses once he awakens to his true destiny as a saviour in a world of computer generated illusions. The outfit became iconic overnight, and with another Matrix movie on the way we can expect to witness its revival soon.

Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name

A Fistful of Dollars shook the world at the time of its 1964 debut. Clint Eastwood’s timeless squint and grizzled sneer is one of the first images that comes to mind when anyone mentions Westerns, yet the rustic poncho and brown leather cowboy hat are never far behind.

Dorothy’s dress in The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz was an extremely ambitious film for its time. Of course, without Judy Garland’s appearance in her blue gingham dress and spangled ruby slippers, it just wouldn’t be the same. There might be no place like home, but at least she checked out The Emerald City in style.

Willy Wonka’s fine purple suit

Few can deny that Willy Wonka was one of the late Gene Wilder’s most evocative performances. The film lights up imaginations to this day, and only the vibrant Oompa-Loompas can steal the scene from Wilder’s fantastic purple blazer and brown top hat.

Missed anything out? An iconic cinema costume you’d love to share? Let us know!

The editorial unit