Fashion / Style

On screen icons: 35 of the best fashion moments in film history

When fashion and film collide, magic happens. Memorable moments that leave us thinking of them for years to come. The backbone of character development, and the pillars of both inspiration and nostalgia, sometimes the fashion moments in the films hold up longer than the films themselves. Whether you're a green dress in Atonement, kind of person, or an Annie Hall devotee, we've all been swayed to seek out a bias cut silk dress at the credit of these scenes, so below, is a round up of the 35 best movie fashion moments, according to the RUSSH editors.

Teknolust (2002)

best movie fashion moments

Tilda Swinton as four different clones as herself in varying jewel-toned satin robes will always be burned into our memory.

 

Mr & Mrs Smith (2005)

best movie fashion moments

If this doesn't make you want to drink tequila in the rain wearing vintage cotton, we are lost on what will.

 

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

best movie fashion moments

Will we ever manage to forget the moment Andy Sachs gets an unrealistic fashion cupboard makeover and "the Chanel boots"? No, we won't.

 

Annie Hall (1977)

While we can't morally support Woody Allen's films for obvious reasons, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the effect Diane Keaton in 70s menswear had on women everywhere. The waistcoat lives on.

 

Almost Famous (2000)

best movie fashion moments

Kate Hudson plays the girl on the road that we all want to be. A shearling collared coat never looked so good.

 

How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

A silk gown almost as iconic as Kiera Knightly's Atonement dress was another Kate Hudson moment. We all fell in love with her in this scene.

 

A Bigger Splash (2015)

Considering Dior and Raf Simons both worked on Tilda Swinton's wardrobe for A Bigger Splash, not taking note of her oversized button down shirt dresses, clean, tailored lines, and impeccably elegant swimwear would render this round up incomplete.

 

Poetic Justice (1993)

best movie fashion moments

The reference point for perfect 90s style, and a clip that always launches us back to when cats cradle was cool. The styling in all of Poetic Justice was superior, but these are the looks we remember best.

 

Coyote Ugly (2000)

The hot girl bartender was never again seen the same, and nor were low rise leather jeans, baby tank tops, and western buckles. If early naughts style wasn't for you before, Coyote Ugly plead its stylistic case very well.

 

Broken Embraces (2009)

Penelope Cruz in this dress. Is there much more to say? Sending ripples through the film and fashion community at once, this iconic vintage Chanel chain dress has never really left our minds (or Lily Rose Depp's).

 

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood For Love always made us feel things, but Su Li-zhen's floral dress in this scene made us feel infinitely more things. If you've seen anything more dreamy, please let us know.

 

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

best movie fashion moments

Yes, it's everyone in The Royal Tenenbaums, but quite specifically it is Gwyneth Paltrow's Margot Tenenbaum that takes the stylistic cake. The classic brown Birkin bag, the pale pink gloves, the fur coat, the perfectly placed barrette, all tied together with a large scribble of kohl eyeliner. Delightfully out of place and yet so memorable.

 

Clueless (1995)

This piece would be factually incorrect if Cher and Dion from Clueless' matching tweed outfits weren't accredited. The pillar of popular school girl dressing everywhere and the launch pad for naughties fashion copycats, the joy that is sparked from one of the 90s most iconic coming-of-age fashion moments in history, is indescribable.

 

Queen and Slim (2019)

Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas' Queen and Slim was prolific for so many reasons, and the costumes, expertly created by Shiona Turini, stood up to all that the film was. Beyoncé, who's Formation music video was directed by Matsoukas, loved Queens python boots so much, she later wore them to the film’s premiere party.

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

While all of the outfits Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly wore throughout the film were indisputably chic, nothing is more iconic than the black dress in the opening scene of the film. The elbow-length gloves, the pearl necklace, the tiny diamanté crown, and the oversized sunglasses have gone down in history.

Dreamgirls (2006)

Nothing says a musical about show business in the 60s like oversized headbands, a-line cuts, huge hair and a lot of glitter. Dreamgirls services all of this and more.

 

Romeo and Juliet (1996)

While the 1968 version of the film may have won awards for costuming, many of us can agree that Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrman's 1996 adaptation of the Shakespeare play wearing a mostly unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt will live in our mind rent free forever.

 

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

It is safe to say that the gathering of Abbey-Lee Kershaw, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Courtney Eaton was quite the moment for on-screen history, and the costuming somehow never looked better. Who knew dirty rags could feel so covetable?

 

La Piscine (1969)

best movie fashion moments

Jane Birkin's style has always been one of note, and La Piscine is basically just one long display of this. The breakfast scene, in particular, has had us thinking about turquoise lenses ever since our first viewing.

 

Legally Blonde (2001)

Legally Blonde is a fashion film. We will not be elaborating at this time. Each outfit as much fun as the last, we will dream about these Chanel sunglasses forever.

 

Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love (1996)

best movie fashion moments

There was really nothing quite like Maya's looks in Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love. She gave us all glamour all the time!

 

Mahogany (1975)

best movie fashion moments

Nothing could have prepared us for Diana Ross as Tracy Chambers and the looks that subsequently came with this memorable film. Nothing at all.

 

The Fifth Element (1997)

Show me a version of Mila Jovovich that is hotter than her bandage costume change in The Fifth Element. Inspiring hot halloween costumes since 1997.

 

Atonement (2007)

best movie fashion moments

One of the most iconic dresses in on-screen history, the green Atonement dress. Need we say more? Kiera Knightly in this silk moment shook the world to its core. Tik Tok is still pining over it over a decade on.

 

Empire Records (1995)

90s nostalgia summed up in Liv Tyler's iconic Empire Records outfit.

 

Taipei Story (1985)

An entire film that felt like a love letter to perfectly tailored menswear. Nothing serves as a pared back style icon quite as well as Tsai Chin's character in this legendary film.

 

Scarface (1983)

It's safe to claim that Michelle Pfeiffer's Scarface character, Elvira Hancock, made us all want to emulate her pared back, glamorous style, with just the right amount of glitter. I still do.

 

Casanova (2005)

Heath in a billowy cotton blouse will always make us feel things. Harry Styles could never!

 

A Single Man (2009)

best movie fashion moments

The perfect red head doesn't exi-

 

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Summer outfit inspiration across the board that has gut us thinking about the return of the straw sunhat.

Black is King (2020)

Beyoncé in a Marine Serre bodysuit for Black is King was the highlight of 2020. No further questions.

 

Pretty Woman (1990)

So many moments of note in the wardrobe department of Pretty Woman. From the body con thigh high boot moment, the oversized shopping shirt, the polka dot dress, and the red evening gown Julia can do no wrong.

 

Pulp Fiction (1994)

While her character has been effectively ruined by tiresome halloween costumes, we'll never forget the moment we first laid eyes on Uma Thurman's Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction. Has anyone worn a white button down so well?

 

Barb Wire (1996)

Pamela Anderson clad in leather. Could we ask for anything more?

 

Charlie's Angels (2000)

 

Specifically, the above scene. Maybe leather clad babes are my thing, but this look will go down in history.

 

She's All That (1999)

The basic red dress from our dreams.

 

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