Later this month, Vogue World: Hollywood will take place on the iconic Paramount Pictures Studio lot in Los Angeles. The show will celebrate the rich conversation between film and fashion, while featuring the work of renowned Hollywood costume designers such as Colleen Atwood, Ruth E. Carter, Arianne Phillips, and more. In anticipation of the grand event (and in honor of spooky season) we couldn’t help but think of the role costume design has played in horror films over the years. Sure, more glamorous or historically-accurate fashion may come to mind when you think of costuming for the big screen, but for those who have leaned into more macabre creations, the end results have been just as thrilling.
If you think about it, strong costumes are a must for a well-executed scary movie (though a great score and special effects will help, too). For years, costumers have been creating spooky serial killers—from Ghostface to Michael Myers—and conjuring up original designs that remain seared into our brains (and promt some of us to look under the bed each night). Take the hockey mask-wearing Jason, or Freddy Krueger in his striped Christmas sweater and knives-for-fingers. Both came to fruition thanks to a costume designer.
One of the most iconic on-screen serial killers to date is Scream’s Ghostface. When the Wes Craven franchise first came out in 1996, costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom was tasked with coming up with the original costume. Shew drew inspiration from the classic Edvard Munch painting Scream—though at one point, she toyed with the idea of an all-white getup. “We put a friend of mine in the white costume, and he basically looked like a giant Casper the Ghost,” said Bergstrom. The more nondescript black cloak they landed on was the perfect choice—especially for a killer that often lurks in the shadows.
Some of the best horror film fashions have been unexpectedly glamorous. In American Psycho—costume designed by Isis Mussenden—Christian Bale plays businessman Patrick Bateman, who is all suave and sleek in his Cerruti suits by day. But by night, he nonchalantly preys on his victims—though you would never expect it, due to his impeccable wardrobe. “He had to look perfect,” Mussenden said earlier this year, on the occasion of the film s 25th anniversary. In the 2019 film Midsommar, a devious Swedish cult also sports vibrant floral headpieces and prairie dresses; you would never guess that they partake in suicide rituals and prey in innocent travelers.
The memorable style of these evil forces is matched by that of the final girls who manage to evade them. Whether it has been the skirt-suited Tippi Hedren in The Birds, or a denim-clad Neve Campbell in Scream, horror film costumers have created memorable characters that you can still spot at Halloween parties every year. Just how they would approach any other genre, these pros use what characters wear—even those fighting for their lives—as a way to further the plot and evoke emotion.
Take the chunky J.Crew sweater and jeans that Bergstrom dressed Drew Barrymore in for the opening murder sequence in Scream. “I wanted it very basic, something to wear when she’s at home making popcorn,” said Bergstrom. “So, comfortable and casual.” It was not just a cozy-chic look, rather, a strategic outfit that made us instantly relate to her character; You could literally imagine yourself in her shoes, and imagine being harassed by a killer at home, too.
One could argue, then, that these costume designers are among Hollywood’s unsung heroes. They treat gruesome spooks and scares as an art form. It is no secret that major awards ceremonies have long shunned the horror genre (though that seems to be slowly shifting, thanks to films like The Substance and Parasite getting their due). But the costumes in scary movies are worthy of many more nominations. Not only do costumers have to create looks that are realistic and relevant to the plot, they also have to conjure up ideas that will frighten you to your core.
Fans of this costume designing niche have a lot to look forward to: Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein hits theaters this month, while Scream 7 and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple arrive next year. Should you be brave enough to uncover your eyes while you watch them on the big screen, try to zero in on what the frightening ghouls are wearing. You may be surprised to find some fabulous—and perhaps even chic—looks. We will never stop thinking about how elegant Sissy Spacek’s prom dress was in Carrie. You know, the pink slip dress she donned before going all telekinesis on her bully classmates?
Below, more of the best horror costume moments over the years.
