Stumbling through the haunted hall, the girl searched urgently for her friends. As she heard the ghost creep closer, she hurriedly jumped into a musty closet. To her surprise, it was full of classic 90s whimsy-goth attire. This is when she realized—style inspiration can be found anywhere, even in an outdated scary movie.
From live-action slashers to supernatural stop-motions, fashion in the horror genre covers a variation of looks.
Julie James, the main character and final girl of the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” movie franchise, portrays a very niche aesthetic in her outfits. The movie takes place in Southport, North Carolina, a small coastal town. This location sets the scene for Julie’s outfits, which feature denim, sweaters and flowy white tops. It plays into her girlish innocence and gives the movie another layer, as watchers learn what she’s hiding and the consequences she’s facing. This common and recreatable look makes this movie feel like it could happen next door.
Freshman Brooklyn Daley stated, “I definitely like classic horror fashion more. It’s important because it sets the tone for the whole movie.”
“Coraline,” a modern household name, titles both a movie and a character. Both have a very distinct look, with deep hues, funky characters and notable fashion choices. Although a claymation, Coraline wears an assortment of intricate outfits that help portray her characterization and style. With vintage inspired patterns, bold color combinations and quirky accessories, this look shows her individuality and creativity, two traits that end up saving her life in the film. The outfits have a touch of magic that make the whole experience unique and playful, and the quirky accessories and playful patterns appeal to viewers’ feelings of nostalgia. These traits cause the movie to be even more addicting to watch and be many people’s favorite spooky movie.
Cult classics like “Scream” deep dive into the fashion of the mid-90s, with actors rocking bobs, bangs, classic punk skater boy hair and crew cuts. Conveying the cozy fall vibes, the teenage characters like Sidney Prescott wear oversized sweaters, baggy jeans and warm autumnal colors. The fashion and color scheme in this movie was heavily inspired by the painting “Scream” by Edvard Munch, which contains chartreuses, oranges, yellows and reds.
These looks can inspire day-to-day fashion, but most people dress up as the main antagonist of the movie for spooky season. However, there are other ways to show a passion for horror, not just on Halloween night.
“People can wear specific pieces from movies not just as a costume, but also just to reference pop culture moments to reflect their interests. My favorite horror movie is the newest ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, but people wear Freddy’s iconic sweater as a reference, not just to dress up,” explained Senior Coryn Stoy.
Over a decade after the first “Scream” film, another movie hit the box office. In 2009, “Jennifer’s Body” came out with themes of femininity, innocence and romanticism that contrasted with the main character’s monstrous transformation throughout the length of the movie. Jennifer weaponized her femininity to deceive men, seducing them into her various traps.
Senior Kyra Hartzell shared, “Jennifer’s pink jacket look with the charms is my favorite. It was a peak outfit since it portrayed how she’s like a vixen that traps men.”
A similar character is Buffy from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” a show that ran from 1997 to 2003. She’s a fierce, brave and calculated girl who rids her community of violent vampires. However, this show has something special. While “Jennifer’s Body” contains full-on 2000s fashion and glam, this show displays Buffy’s fashion while she’s maturing and trends are changing. She started grunge and bohemian, as a full on 90s teen, but as she grew up she became more polished and sleek, showing her character growth. The outfits were also very curated at the time, as she wore pieces by Prada and Maison Margiela, two well known brands in the fashion industry. Her looks are also especially easy to recreate with major brands such as Miu Miu, Blumarine, and Balenciaga recently coming out with 90s nostalgia collections. Since she was featured in a lengthy show, her fashion choices were more thought out and intentional to create a noticeable character.
Fashion inspiration comes in many forms, from antique prints to historic paintings. If movie viewers keep their eyes peeled, they can discover new looks while also developing a deeper understanding of the plot of the movie.
