By Bryanne Salazar
4:00pm PDT, Apr 17, 2024
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Michelle Pfeiffer oozed glamorous indifference in the slinky deep-blue spaghetti-strap dress with a thigh-high slit that her on-screen alter ego, Elvira Hancock, donned during a night out with her husband, Al Pacino's Tony Montana, in 1983's "Scarface."
MORE: The most beautiful royal wedding dresses
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There's a certain sense of comedy to the emerald green velvet dress that Scarlett O'Hara (played by Vivien Leigh) wore in the 1939 historical drama "Gone with the Wind." Scarlett doesn't want Rhett Butler (played by Clark Gable) to know she's running out of money, so she makes this dress from her curtains, fashioning them together using her mother's dress patterns. The result? Scarlett looks "good enough to eat," according to Rhett.
But it wasn't the only memorable gown Vivien wore as Scarlett…
MORE: The all-time greatest Oscar fashion moments
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Vivien Leigh is seen here on the set of 1940's "Gone With the Wind" in the red dress worn by her character, Scarlett O'Hara, when husband Rhett Butler forces her to attend a birthday party for Ashley Wilkes — the man for whom she still has feelings. The hand-sewn velvet Gilded Age-style gown embellished with glass beads and ostrich feathers, which was designed by costumer Walter Plunkett, was a smoldering, sexy departure from what all the other women were wearing at the time and was meant to scandalize Scarlett, who instead held her head high.
MORE: The best period costumes of all time
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In one of the most unforgettable moments in the 2003 rom-com "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Kate Hudson's Andie Anderson dons a Harry Winston necklace featuring a massive yellow rock called the Isadora diamond.
The film's costume designer collaborated with fashion designer Carolina Herrera to create a look that would perfectly complement Andie's bling: "[The costume designer] worked with the [Carolina Herrera] team to create something that she felt was timeless, classic and clean. I remember all of our fittings and making sure that the lines of the dress were clean and sharp, and the back was all very specific. … I love that dress. I think that color just was one of those statement colors and was great on camera," Kate told Vanity Fair in early 2023.
Said her on-screen love, Matthew McConaughey, of the iconic look, "[Kate] in that dress was 100 out of 100 knockout. It completely worked."
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The custom Givenchy frock that Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly donned in the 1961 rom-com "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is considered the garment that made little black dresses a staple in every woman's wardrobe. In 2006, the original LBD was auctioned by Christie's for more than $900,000.
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Nobody puts Baby in a corner in this stunning but simple baby pink dress. Jennifer Grey donned this unforgettable frock in the final scene in 1987's "Dirty Dancing."
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When Julia Roberts' character, prostitute Vivian, stepped out in this red gown with a sweetheart neckline and long white gloves in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman," we all let out a collective sigh. What followed was the famous scene where Edward (played by Richard Gere) opens a box and shows Vivian the beautiful necklace he's borrowed for her to wear, then playfully snaps it closed when she goes to touch it. Everyone from that moment on wanted to be Vivian, in that dress, with that handsome man looking at her in complete and utter awe.
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Often referred to as the "Shall we dance?" dress, this stunning satin number from the 1956 biographical drama "The King and I" worn by actress Deborah Kerr still makes our hearts flutter. The gown featured a corseted bodice, puffy Elizabethan sleeves embellished with sparkling gems and a beautiful front bow, culminating in one of the most elegant dresses in movie history. Literally no one would be surprised to learn that the costume designer for the film, Irene Sharaff, won an Academy Award for her work.
MORE: The most iconic movie wedding dresses
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Emma Stone donned this instantly recognizable yellow belted A-line dress during a pivotal scene with on-screen love Ryan Gosling in the hit 2016 musical "La La Land."
The scene — during which the pair sing and dance to "A Lovely Night" while denying their obvious chemistry following a house party in the Hollywood Hills — was featured on the movie poster and in other promotional materials for the film.
Costume designer Mary Zophres, by the way, scored an Oscar nomination for her work on "La La Land."
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Natalie Wood's Maria memorably rewears her communion dress to the dance where she meets Tony for the very first time in the 1961 big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical "West Side Story."
"It is now to be a dress for dancing, no longer for praying!" she tells her brother's girlfriend, Rita Moreno's Anita, as she begs to have the neckline lowered. "Could we not dye it red, at least? White is for babies. I will be the only one there in white," she gripes… until she tries it on and happily admits, "It is a beautiful dress!"
(It certainly catches Tony's eye…)
Costume designer Irene Sharaff, by the way, won the Oscar for best costume design for her work on the film.
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So nice, they did it twice! In Steven Spielberg's 2021 big-screen adaptation of "West Side Story," Rachel Zegler's version of Maria also wears the character's iconic white short-sleeve dress with a red belt and matching shoes.
This time, it was costume design Paul Tazewell who scored an Oscar nomination for his work on the movie musical.
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We'll always love the Barbie-inspired multi-colored party dress that Jennifer Garner sported as 13-year-old Jenna Rink, who's trapped in the body of her 30-year-old future self, in 2004's "13 Going on 30." As she tells her teenage neighbor, it works 'cause she's "got these incredible b**** to fill it out." Ha!
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Deborah L. Scott won the Oscar for best costume design for her work on the 1997 blockbuster hit "Titanic," which saw Kate Winslet make her debut as Rose DeWitt Bukater in this tailored coat-dress. The structured black-and-white number — topped off with a wide-brim hat — gave Rose an air of power and elegance. It also showed how closed-off she was from reality until Jack helped her unbutton her beliefs (and her dress).
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There's one more dress from 1997's "Titanic" that deserves a spot on this list! Kate Winslet's Rose DeWitt Bukater dons this truly fantastic — and instantly recognizable — beaded gown when she meets Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack Dawson for the very first time.
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It's the most iconic prom dress in movie history: the homemade pink polka-dot frock that Molly Ringwald's Andie Walsh creates from two older dresses in 1986's "Pretty in Pink."
Keep reading to see one of the original frocks that made it possible…
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Annie Potts' Iona — a boss, mentor and friend to Molly Ringwald's Andie in 1986's "Pretty in Pink" — tried on her own old prom dress before offering it to the wise-beyond-her-years high schooler to use in making a new dress for a new era.
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Michelle Pfeiffer smoldered as lounge singer Susie Diamond — opposite brothers Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges — in the 1989 movie "The Fabulous Baker Boys."
Costume designer Lisa Jensen found most of the clothing for Michelle's character at discount and vintage stores — except the red velvet dress she memorably wore in this scene where she uncurls atop a piano while belting out the jazz hit "Makin' Whoopee." The red dress is the one piece Lisa designed herself.
Keep reading to see it from another angle…
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Here's a full-length view of Michelle Pfeiffer in the red dress during a jaw-dropping scene from 1989's "The Fabulous Baker Boys" with Jeff Bridges on piano.
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Winona Ryder memorably donned a bold red wedding dress as Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton's 1988 horror-comedy masterpiece "Beetlejuice." The look has been recreated for countless Halloween costumes over the years.
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You may not like it, but we bet you recognize these matching blue dresses! Real-life twins Lisa Burns and Louise Burns played Charles Grady's daughters in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining." The ghostly girls' sweet blue dresses with white ruffled trim, which they wore with pink ribbon belts tied in bows, stood in stark contrast with their circumstances. (Their father, the previous caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, murdered them and their mother.)
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Ingrid Bergman's wardrobe in 1943's "Casablanca," courtesy of Australia-born costume designer Orry-Kelly, was the epitome of that decade's impeccable style. We're particular fans of this incredibly simple but impossibly chic white look, accessorized with a sparkling brooch, that she wore (seen here in a colorized pic) when she asked Sam, the pianist at Rick's Cafe Americain, to play "As Time Goes By." See another memorable look from the film next…
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And then there's this stunning piece from 1943's "Casablanca" — a floor-length lace gown with a full skirt that Ingrid Bergman's Ilsa wore for a night of dancing with Humphrey Bogart's Rick.
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There are few dresses more iconic than Carrie Fisher's (ahem, Princess Leia's) flowing white robe gown in 1977's "Star Wars." The dress and her hair have inspired many fashion trends over the last 40-plus years and we don't think that's going to change any time soon.
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When we think of Grace Kelly, we often picture her in this look from 1954's "Rear Window." The blonde beauty and future princess donned a stunning gown with a fitted black velvet bodice and a full white skirt with floral details along the waist for her role as socialite Lisa Fremont. Famed Paramount costume designer Edith Head worked on the Alfred Hitchcock-directed thriller.
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Here's a closer look at the lovely gown that Grace Kelly donned as socialite Lisa Fremont in Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 masterpiece "Rear Window."
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Of all the fantastic ensembles that Barbra Streisand dons as the titular matchmaker in the 1969 big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical "Hello, Dolly," none is finer than this golden gown.
According to Hollywood legend, it cost $10K for costume designer Irene Sharaff — who scored an Oscar nomination for her efforts — to create the dress. (That was a lot of money in 1969!)
When it sold at auction — along with Barbra's headpiece and shoes — for $123K in 2011, the Debbie Reynolds auction house described it like this: "Over 1/2 pound of 14K gold is in the thread and jewel surrounds (some estimates put it as high as 1 pound) accented over its entire surface by gemstones of numerous types and colors, including Swarovski crystals, creating an extraordinary shimmering rainbow effect when turned in the light."
Irene reportedly once said of the gown, "The thread used in the 'Hello, Dolly!' dress is made of pure gold. It comes in very fine tubes, is pliable and can be threaded like beads. Because of some technical lighting problems, the pure-gold material was the only way I could achieve the quality that both the director and I wanted."
Impressive, right? Now let's take a look at another dress that deserves mention…
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The titular matchmaker typically dons a red gown in the big finale in the "Hello, Dolly!" stage show, but Barbra Streisand wanted to mix things up — which is how her Dolly Levi ended up wearing that stunning gold gown to close out the film. Instead, Babs donned red earlier in the movie — this remarkable cardinal confection — while singing several numbers including "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," appropriately.
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Audrey Hepburn donned an unforgettable look in the 1964 musical "My Fair Lady," which centers around a poor Cockney flower seller, Eliza Doolittle, who's transformed into a member of high society by Rex Harrison's Professor Henry Higgins.
Toward the end of her transformation, Eliza dons this stunning white dress with black accents and a matching hat to the Ascot horse races.
Costume designer Cecil Beaton took home the Oscar for best costume design for his work on the film.
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Emma Stone was red-hot — literally! — in a pivotal scene from the 2021 Disney flick "Cruella," in which she starred as the titular misunderstood fashion designer.
Cruella arrives at a black-and-white ball hosted by her rival, the Baroness, in a silky white cloak, which she incinerates with a match, revealing the bold red dress-code-breaking gown underneath — a vintage piece designed by the Baroness that Cruella revamped herself à la Andie's "Pretty in Pink" dress.
Costume designer Jenny Beavan won an Oscar for her work on the film.
Keep reading to find out what she had to say about Cruella's "transformation" dress…
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Oscar-winning "Cruella" costume designer Jenny Beavan told Screen Daily of Emma Stone's red "transformation" dress, "For the dress itself, because it's a black-and-white ball, we felt that red would be the most anarchic color. Yellow simply wouldn't do the job. It's inspired by [British-American fashion designer] Charles James — he made these spiral creations. Ian Wallace, one of my incredibly talented cutters, has always wanted to make one and decided this was the opportune moment. I said, 'Go for it,' and he absolutely did, he made a phenomenal dress. And we developed this asymmetric look for it, which became Cruella's style."
"The only problem was I felt that Emma Stone wouldn't be able to move enough in it, that we should give her a bit more knee room but she swore she could. And she looks so great in it," she added.
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We can't decide if Billie Burke's sparkling pink gown in the 1939 fantasy classic "The Wizard of Oz" was more memorable than Judy Garland's blue-and-white gingham dress, but then we realized we don't have to choose. We're positive if anyone wore either of those dresses, we'd know exactly who inspired their look. That's iconic.
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Keira Knightley donned this unforgettable green gown in the 2007 romantic mystery-drama "Atonement."
Hailed as one of the best dresses in film history, the slip style sheath featured an open back and a full skirt that was necessary for the scandalous scene that followed.
Costume designer Jacqueline Durran was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film.
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Of course this pink satin stunner Marilyn Monroe wore during her performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in the 1953 musical comedy "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" made the list! The dress, which hugged every curve and was accentuated with a playful bow on her backside and long, slender matching pink gloves, was an instant iconic fashion moment in cinema. The dress sold at auction in 2010 for a reported $310,000 — although some believe the dress wasn't the original.
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Much in the same way that Belle's sunlight yellow dress in "Beauty and the Beast" is iconic, so is the powder-blue ball gown worn by Lily James in the 2015 live-action fairy tale classic "Cinderella." The dress wasn't just immaculate in its beauty — it was also a signal of Cinderella's transformation from victim to queen-in-waiting. The costume designer, Sandy Powell, was nominated for an Oscar for her visually stunning work.
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Elle Woods' sparkly pink courtroom look was perfect on Reese Witherspoon's Harvard Law School student in 2001's "Legally Blonde" as she strutted into court with Chihuahua Bruiser tucked inside her matching pink bag — and proceeded to question her hostile witness into confessing to the crime, exonerating Elle's client.
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The year was 1963 and the movie was "Cleopatra," which starred the world's most sensuous actress of the time, Elizabeth Taylor. Her dress was one of the most ornate designs ever made in film history. The glittering phoenix-inspired cape was made from strips of gold leather, fashioned with countless sequins and beads. Costume designer Renie Conley won the Academy Award for best costume design — even though the cost for such elaborate costumes contributed to the movie going far over budget. Liz's golden cape and matching gown inspired an entire generation to glitzify their own wardrobes, and by 1964, jewelry, headpieces and dresses like Cleopatra's were an official thing in the world of fashion.
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"Oh, no, you don't understand: This is an Alaïa. … It's like a totally important designer," Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz famously says while being mugged at gunpoint in the hit 1995 comedy "Clueless." In honor of the film's 25th anniversary in 2020, costume designer Mona May told E! News she had to jump through a bunch of hoops to secure the dress: "We had to, like, find somebody who knows how to get to [designer Azzedine Alaïa] and borrow the dress, but then we had to make sure that we can alter the dress to fit Alicia, and it was going to be on the ground, so if it ever snags, can we return it?" she recalled.
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In our all-time favorite love story, 2004's "The Notebook," Rachel McAdams' Allie dons a baby blue button-down dress with floral-print buttons and matching trim to reunite with her former sweetheart, Ryan Gosling's Noah.
It's the same dress she's wearing when they share that rain-drenched makeout session in the '40s-set film — see that pic next…
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This image of Rachel McAdams' Allie — in a baby blue button-down dress with floral-print buttons and matching trim — embracing Ryan Gosling's Noah in 2004's "The Notebook" is a classic!
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We just have one (very long) word for Julie Andrews' frilly white Victorian-influenced dress with its matching parasol from the 1964 film "Mary Poppins" — Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! We don't need a spoonful of sugar to imagine ourselves dancing and singing in this very girly, undeniably iconic dress.
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Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino donned these shiny minidresses created by their on-screen alter egos — a pink mini with a tiny bow at the empire waist and a fur-trimmed hemline for Michele and a blue mini with silver detailing for Romy — as the titular ditzy amateur fashion designers in the 1997 comedy "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion."
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You won't be surprised to learn that the creator behind Emma Watson's beautiful, billowing golden ball gown in "Beauty and the Beast" was Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (from "Atonement" and "Anna Karenina").
The dress was inspired directly by the 1991 animated version of the film, with Jacqueline adding historical touches from 18th century France to make the dress come to life.
Emma also had a say in the design — she wouldn't wear a corset — and wanted a dress that had movement. The result? This amazing gown that looks like it was ripped from the pages of a fairy tale.
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Even if you've never seen the 1954 film "The Seven Year Itch" starring Marilyn Monroe, you probably have some sort of cognitive association with the image of her dress flying up while she stands over a subway vent. We all do. The sexy white halter dress and Marilyn's playful pose have become part of our collective conscious, rising above the status of iconic to become one of the most legendary moments in cinema history.
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Here's another iconic Julie Andrews movie look: the simple frock and apron she donned to portray Maria in the 1965 musical "The Sound of Music." While it might not be the most beautiful gown in existence, it is a classic look that's made its way into Halloween costume stores and our hearts, inspiring us all to sing, "The hills are alive, with the sound of muuusic…"
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Robin Wright donned several unforgettable looks for her role as Princess Buttercup in 1987's "The Princess Bride" — from her red riding gown to her country dress and not one but two wedding gowns. But our favorite is the blue dress she sports while barely tolerating the advances of Chris Sarandon's Prince Humperdinck. It truly made her stunning blue eyes pop!
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We'll just say it now: Vanessa Bell Calloway looked fierce in the 1988 comedy "Coming to America." In the movie, she played Imani Izzi, the intended bride-to-be of Prince Akeem (played by Eddie Murphy). Her extremely fitted leafy gold dress with an impossibly long train was one of the most dazzling looks in the film and, dare we say it, of the entire decade.
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Claire Danes had a memorable fashion moment when she starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." The talented teen donned a sleeveless white sheath with an empire waist and a pleated skirt — and accessorized with angel wings — for the scene in which Juliet attends her family's costume party and meets Romeo (dressed as a knight) for the very first time. The look has been recreated for countless Halloween parties over the years. Let's take a closer look…
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Here's another look at the simple yet iconic white dress that Claire Danes wears as Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."
Costume designer Kym Barrett later explained that the decision to put Juliet in an angel costume was inspired by a line from the original play: "Oh, speak again, bright angel," Romeo tells Juliet after he falls in love with her at first sight.
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It's another one of cinema's most iconic style moments: the (usually red) dress that Julie Christie's Lara Antipova is forced to wear by her older lover in the 1965 adaptation of "Doctor Zhivago," which is set in Russia between 1903 and the 1930s. The epic love story won five Oscars, including best costume design!
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In the 2012 romantic drama "Anna Karenina" Keira Knightley slayed in a wide array of stunning gowns, but we were head over heels for this billowing satin plum gown, which she wore with a fur stole and matching feathered hat. All of the looks Keira wore for the film were designed by "Atonement" costume designer Jacqueline Durran, who took home an Academy Award for best costumes. Clearly she and Keira make for a winning combination!
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Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen might spend most of the 2012 sci-fi film "The Hunger Games" in her arena uniform — which is meant to be more tactical than fashionable — but before she's forced to fight for her life, the District 12 Tribute has at least one major fashion moment: the "Girl on Fire" dress. During her interview with Stanley Tucci's Caesar Flickerman, Katniss dons a strapless red mermaid dress that actually sparks flames in the skirt when she twirls.
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Don't cry for Madonna, Argentina, because the truth is, she looked fierce as Eva Perón in the 1996 biographical drama "Evita." Toppling Elizabeth Taylor's former record in the movie "Cleopatra," Madge had 85 costume changes for the film. Of all the looks, one of the most iconic dresses in the movie is this simple black-and-white button-up sheath with detail work on the collar, sleeves and hip. The matching black hat create a perfect fashion story of a woman who's embraced her new life as the wife of Agentina's president.
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The 1991 dark comedy "The Addams Family" brought the classic skin-tight and seductive style of Morticia Addams to the big screen and we're still mesmerized. Worn by actress Anjelica Huston, the black, long-sleeved dress with a train almost looked like dripping tar, giving Morticia that "risen from the underworld" appeal we'll never forget.
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The 1998 film "Shakespeare in Love" won Gwyneth Paltrow her first (and so far, only) Oscar, but it also happened to win an Academy Award for best costume design. With decadent period dresses like this one, it's easy to see why. This is one of the gowns that stood out and remains a testament to the creative genius of costume designer Sandy Powell — an elegant cream-and-gold number with shimmery embellishments, a heavy gold cape and an empire waist. Based on fashion from the 1500s, this dress made us all want to take a time machine and join the theater.
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We actually had a hard time deciding which dress from "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" to choose. Cate Blanchet starred in the title role and wore several gowns that are forever etched in our memories. One of the most striking, however, was this saffron yellow gown with an intimidating full skirt meant to create distance between Elizabeth and her court. Designer Alexandra Byrne described finding inspiration from historical paintings as well as from fashion labels like Vivienne Westwood and Balenciaga. Her work paid off, as she won the Oscar for best costume design for the film.
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Another Academy Award-winning film for best costume design was 2001's "Moulin Rouge" starring Nicole Kidman as the gorgeous red-headed courtesan Satine. One of her most stand-out looks in the film was this baby-pink skin-tight number featuring jeweled hearts on the bosom and a long, open, feathered skirt. The ensemble was both playful and sexy, which were the hallmark characteristics of Satine's personality.
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Mia Wasikowska donned this simple baby-blue house dress in the 2010 semi-animated fantasy adventure "Alice in Wonderland." While remakes of this classic story have been told and retold, costume designer Colleen Atwood didn't want the film's style to be a mere repeat. Instead, she paid homage to the original drawings in the 1865 manuscript, bringing this film's fashion a sense of authenticity. It also allowed audiences to feel a sense of familiarity without looking at the same-old style. For her work, Colleen won the Oscar for best costume design.
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Can we get an amen for this little black dress (and amazing wig) worn by Angela Bassett in "What's Love Got To Do With It"? The 1993 biopic on the life of hit singer Tina Turner was as big and bold as we expected, but it came alive when Angela donned this classic Tina look. Seriously, we had to do a double take during this scene to make sure Miss Tina herself wasn't on the stage.
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We can't get over how dreamy Liv Tyler looked in the 2002 film "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" as Arwen wearing this floor-length crushed velvet medieval gown. Half Elven and half human equaled 100 percent stylish in our book.
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Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) wore one of the most gorgeous wedding gowns of the century in the 2008 "Sex and the City" movie. The only problem? The gown, designed by Vivienne Westwood, never made it to the altar since Carrie's husband-to-be, Mr. Big (played by Chris Noth), got cold feet and skipped the wedding. Still, wasn't it a thing of glory? Also, a shout-out to Carrie's bridesmaids, Miranda (played by Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte (played by Kristin Davis) and Samantha (played by Kim Cattrall), who looked stunning in their sexy, bold dresses.
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These are the dresses everyone remembers when they think of the movie "Dreamgirls." Starring Beyonce, Anika Noni Rose and Jennifer Hudson as a soul-singing trio in the early 1960's destined to take over the airwaves, the women shined in these knee-high dresses with fitted bodices, sweetheart necklines and flaired hems. Sharen Davis, who designed the costumes for the film, was later nominated for an Oscar for her work.
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As Queen Amidala in 1999's "Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace," Natalie Portman rocked some futuristic garb that made it clear she was royalty. This look — a crimson-cloaked gown with gold embroidery and a fierce headpiece — stands out as one of the most powerful and regal looks from the film.
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Can anyone forget the gorgeous look Whitney Houston rocked as Rachel Marron on stage in the 1992 romantic drama "The Bodyguard"? While Rachel had several jaw-dropping costumes in the film, one of our favorites is this halter-style black gown paired with a jeweled headdress and stacked bracelets, which made her look regal as well as edgy. It's no wonder Kevin Costner's character, Frank Farmer, fell head-over-heels in love with her.
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Leave it to Audrey Hepburn to make more than one appearance on our list of most iconic dresses in film history! The actress, seen here alongside co-star William Holden, starred in 1954's "Sabrina," which featured some incredible fashion including this elegant white gown covered in intricate black embroidery all designed by Hubert de Givenchy.
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When we were little, we dreamed of growing up to look like Jennifer Connelly's Sarah Williams in the magnificent ballgown she dons during a masquerade scene in 1986's "Labyrinth." (The dream also included sharing a dance with David Bowie's Goblin King Jareth, we admit.)
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Two words: money and Prada. That's the genius at play in the dazzling chandelier dress worn by Carey Mulligan in Baz Luhrmann's 2013 adaptation of "The Great Gatsby." Featuring a mink stole and a nude tulle overlay embroidered with hundreds of Swarovski crystals, Carey's character, Daisy Buchanan, looked like a vision of wealth and privilege.
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Nearly four decades before Carey Mulligan brought Daisy Buchanan to the big screen in Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," Mia Farrow took on the role in a 1974 film written by Francis Ford Coppola. We particularly remember the glitzy beaded gown Daisy wore with a matching beaded headdress, pearls and a cream feathered bag.
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There's a reason the 1958 musical comedy "Gigi" starring Leslie Caron won best costume design at the Academy Awards — and it has everything to do with this dress. Made of shimmery white satin with a lengthy and dramatic train and black feather embellishments, the dress made Leslie (as Gigi) stand out amongst the crowd and look so elegant and refined, everyone fell silent.
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In the 2006 biopic "Marie Antoinette," Kirsten Dunst took on the title role, playing the queen consort in love with the finer things in life (even as the people of France were starving). Of all the gowns Kirsten wore, our hands-down favorite is the heavily embroidered wedding gown worn during the marriage ceremony between Marie and King Louis XVI. The satin gown was made of creamy silver silk and embellished with beads, jewels and some serious panniers.
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The satiny purple gown Vida Boheme (played by Patrick Swayze) wore in the 1995 comedy "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar" was unforgettable. As Vida sashayed down the runway to the song "She's A Lady" by Tom Jones during the drag queen beauty pageant, she had every one of us slack-jawed and even a little bit envious. That dress was poppin'!
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Just by looking at this magnificently embroidered midnight blue gown worn by Glenn Close in the 1988 drama "Dangerous Liaisons," we totally see why the film won an Academy Award for best costume design. In the film, Glenn plays the Marquise de Merteuil, a femme fatale and noblewoman intent on revenge. Of all the many luxurious, elaborate costumes, this dress is a clear contender for No. 1.
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Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang wore several gorgeous traditional Chinese gowns in the 2004 romantic drama "House of Flying Daggers," but none were as classic (or beautiful) as this colorful, flowing Hanfu dress that allowed her to show off her martial arts expertise while still looking royal and elegant. Costume designer Emi Wada styled the dress after Chinese paintings from the same time period.
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The sexy red sequined flapper dress and dazzling beaded headpiece worn by Margaret Avery's character, Shug, were the un-credited stars of "The Color Purple" — they also played a role in helping Whoopi Goldberg's character, Celie, come out of her shell and feel beautiful for the first time in her life.
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To the untrained eye, Salma Hayek's simple green cotton dress with a crimson shawl in the 2002 biopic "Frida" might not have seemed iconic. However, the dress, like the film, gave viewers a renewed appreciation for traditional Mexican clothing and heritage. Even 15 years after the film's premiere, when someone wants to look like Frida Kahlo, they often do so by donning a sack dress and red shawl (and, let's be honest, that awesome braided hairstyle too).
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Dorothy Dandridge starred in her breakthrough role with the 1954 film "Carmen Jones." Dorothy's fitted black off-the-shoulder blouse paired with a sultry red skirt (and bare feet) were so sexy, they almost outshined her Oscar-nominated performance.
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You might see a tutu, but what we saw when we watched "Black Swan" was a Swarovski crystal and feather-embellished costume that empowered Natalie Portman's character, Nina, to embrace her deviant side and become the sinister title character — and go a little crazy in the process, but we digress. The elegant black tulle tutu designed by Rodarte inspired controversy because the sisters behind the label weren't eligible for an Oscar nomination because they weren't members of the Costume Designers Guild. Scandal aside, the look inspired trends on the biggest runways, including Chanel, Oscar de la Renta and Lanvin. Thanks to Nina, wearing a tutu in everyday life became a possibility for us all.
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2018's "Crazy Rich Asians" was filled with several scenes that featured stunning couture pieces. One that particularly stood out? The wedding, where Constance Wu's Rachel Chu arrives wearing a fairy tale-like tulle gown by Marchesa. Fun fact: The light blue confection has since been donated to the National Museum of American History.
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Yes, even the 2016 biographical drama "Hidden Figures" gave us an iconic dress we'll never forget. Thanks to costume designer Renee Ehrlich's studious work researching the time period (1960s) and the fact that the main character in the film, Katherine G. Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), made her own clothes with respect to NASA's strict dress code policies, the clothes featured in the film had to be realistic as well as beautiful. When Katherine stepped up on the ladder to solve a complicated math equation wearing this stunning full-skirted floral dress, we couldn't help but cheer.
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Jennifer Lawrence looked white-hot in a shimmery halter dress with a plunging neckline in the 2013 crime drama "American Hustle," which scored 10 Oscar nominations including best costume design.
Her on-screen alter ego, Rosalyn, memorably wears this look while confronting Amy Adams' character in a bathroom over her ongoing affair Rosalyn's husband.
The dress was such a vibe, it was featured on movie posters for the David O. Russell-directed film. Let's take a closer look…
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Here's another look at the unforgettable little-white-dress that Jennifer Lawrence (pictured with co-star Elisabeth Rohm) wore in 2013's "American Hustle."
Costume designer Michael Wilkinson, who scored an Oscar nomination for his work on the film, told Vanity Fair that he constructed the dress from fabric that cost just $3.99 a yard because director David O. Russell wanted it to look cheap and be stretchy.
He made four different versions of the gown — and it's a good thing it was so inexpensive to make…
"Jennifer Lawrence is a very … let's say … raw and intuitive young lady, and she's not against eating Doritos and snack food in her costume. So we were glad that we had a couple [backup gowns]," the costumer told Vanity Fair.
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Of all the lovely dresses that Gwyneth Paltrow donned in the 1996 adaptation of the Jane Austen novel "Emma," this cotton candy pink look is our favorite. It was costume designer Ruth Myers' favorite too!
"This is the dress that gave traditionalists the horrors because it was bright pink," she told Insider in 2021 in honor of the film's 25th anniversary. "It was Gwyneth, and it was summer, and it was everything joyful about the English country. … I remember being thrilled because it looked exactly as I'd hoped and imagined it would. The weather was perfect. Everything about it was exactly as it should have been."
The costumer, who scored an Oscar nomination for her work on the film, also noted that her goal was to create "completely free and completely lovely" dresses for Gwyneth, who starred in "Emma" opposite Jeremy Northam.
There's at least one other dress that deserves mention…
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In a 2021 interview with Insider, Oscar-nominated "Emma" costume designer Ruth Myers reflected on Emma's wedding dress and its impact on pop culture: "For several years after that dress was used, it was the most copied wedding dress," she said. "At one point, Vera Wang said in an article that it was the dress people constantly asked her to reproduce."
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Like its predecessor, the 2020 adaptation of "Emma" — in which Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the titular matchmaker — embraced bold colors. Take this unforgettable yellow pelisse, for example: It made such an impact, it landed on the movie poster!
Costume designer Alexandra Byrne scored an Oscar nomination for her work on the film.
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Cameron Diaz shimmied her way into our hearts when she rocked this little gold dress while making her feature film debut in 1994's "The Mask." She starred as nightclub singer Tina Carlyle opposite Jim Carrey as Stanley Ipkiss in the iconic comedy.
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A redheaded Goldie Hawn had a Jessica Rabbit moment in a stunning red gown with a sweetheart neckline as glamorous writer when she played Helen Sharp in the 1992 dark comedy "Death Becomes Her." The look was further elevated by the character's volumized Old Hollywood-style 'do, gold cuff bracelets and matching red manicure.
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In the 1998 romantic drama "Ever After," which is loosely based on the Cinderella fairytale, Drew Barrymore's on-screen alter ego, Danielle De Barbarac, wears her mother's wedding dress to a ball hosted by her love, Prince Henry. Costumer Jane Law created the stunning look, which is now known as the "Breathe" dress.
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There is so much magic and beauty in the 2006 Spanish-Mexican film "Pan's Labyrinth." The star of the movie, Ivana Baquero, played a young girl named Ofelia who wore a simple, drab shift-dress throughout much of the film. But when she stepped into the faun's royal court, she was suddenly wearing a shiny red and gold dress and given a new lease on life.
