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Halloween often involves dressing up as one of the most infamous onscreen serial killers, whether that’s Jason, Michael, or Freddy. But spare a thought, too, for the equally memorable characters from these cult-classic horror films—the leading ladies who tried to escape them. Armed with killer screams and killer shoes, these stylish heroines stand the test of time with ensembles that are as memorable as the jump scares. Who could forget, for example, Drew Barrymore’s opening look in Scream? That chunky-knit sweater and jeans is still a classic pairing almost two decades later. Or take fellow blonde Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds; fleeing a flock of psychotic birds in a minty dress and jacket has never looked so good.
On the flip side the chic female villains of scary movies have also had plenty of their own iconic fashion moments. An unforgettable scene in 2002’s Queen of the Damned, for one, was when Aaliyah slithered about a dark nightclub as a bloodthirsty vampire queen. Her chainmail bra and maxiskirt? So Paco Rabanne. Or there’s Carrie, the vengeful prom queen whose blush pink slip dress was the picture of minimalism (before it got ruined with pig’s blood, of course).
So if you’re in need of a last-minute Halloween costume for that upcoming house party, look no further than these five leading ladies from horror films—both good and bad—for some serious outfit inspiration. With these looks you won’t just be on-theme, you’ll also the best dressed at the bash too.
