When Harry Potter is brought up, the central discourse is typically over things like Harry versus Voldemort or the best movie in the series. However, one aspect that fascinates me is the fashion within the films. The outfits that characters wear within the films are so impactful and very specific to each character and their personalities. I decided to go through each movie and point out my favorite outfits and their impact on the films.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
The first movie of the series may not have as memorable of fashion moments as others on this list, but it introduces the iconic Hogwarts uniforms. The uniforms include long black robes that correspond to each of four houses. These uniforms are a symbol of unity within the school but still show the sharp division between each of the houses. A rivalry introduced in the first movie is made very clear by these divided uniforms.
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
“The Chamber of Secrets” is where we start to get more eccentric looks with the introduction of another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart. His outfit includes a layered look with a white button-up shirt and a gold accented vest on top. Tucked into his vest is a burnt orange scarf, and over all of this is a rusty red-colored suit jacket and matching pants with a connected cape. This very outrageous outfit is one that perfectly matches his flamboyant personality.
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
“The Prisoner of Azkaban” is another movie where the fashion is not as prevalent, but we do get to see the students in more casual attire. My favorites are Ron’s orange t-shirt and red sweater combination and Hermione’s pink zip-up jacket. Paired with her pink jacket is her time-turner necklace, which serves an essential purpose in the movies, while also being gorgeous to look at.
“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
“The Goblet of Fire” is one of the most beloved movies and books of the series by fans, and it is also one of the best for clothing. This movie includes the Yule Ball, which is a winter ball that students dress up for. By far, the most talked about outfit is Hermione’s Yule Ball dress. While not accurate to the books, it is still magnificent—a layered dress with pink ombre that is the star of the ball. A contender for the dress of the night is Luna Lovegood’s dress. Luna also sports a layered dress, but while Hermoine’s is elegant, Luna’s is more of a party dress. It is silver and purple monochrome with a frilly top and gray shining tights underneath. This movie’s final look worth discussion is not from the Yule Ball but the uniforms of the French school of magic, Beauxbatons. The uniforms are a baby blue flowy dress with a small piece of sheer fabric of the same color on the shoulders that almost look like wings when the girls dance.
“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
“The Order of the Phoenix” is the introduction of two very iconic villain outfits. The first one is that of Bellatrix Lestrange, who was previously introduced in “The Prisoner of Azkaban,” but makes more of an entrance and impact in this movie, in which she is seen wearing a gown instead of a prison uniform. With her crazy brown curls, she channels the look of a stereotypical evil witch with her black corset around her long black dress. The second outfit is from someone almost the exact opposite, but some would say more wicked: Professor Umbridge, who wears all pink attire all the time. While her outfits are made to be exaggerated and ridiculous, they definitely make her character even more unforgettable.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
“The Half-Blood Prince” feels like one of the darkest Harry Potter movies, and the fashion is no different. Draco Malfoy is one of the people with the darkest outfits. Wearing all black with his slicked-back platinum hair, he mopes around the school in his haunting clothes. Throughout the whole series, he is seen as the bratty kid who is always getting into mischief, but everything seemed to change in this movie, and his clothes really show that. His attire perfectly fits with his new dark and brooding Death Eater persona.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”
In the last installments of the series, two outfits stand out to me, and both come from Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley’s wedding. Firstly, there is the obvious, Fleur’s stunning wedding dress. The dress makes her look like a swan on the dance floor, and her first dance with Bill takes the audience’s breath away. The second place for the best look of the night is Hermoine’s dress. Hermione’s outfits have continuously gotten so much better over the series, and this final dress proves that. The red matches the color of her Gryffindor house and shows her strength and boldness. It is the perfect statement look for the final movie.
All in all, Harry Potter is one of the most influential series of all time. The characters inspire and teach so many kids lessons throughout the books and films. The fashion is also very inspirational. From the bright colors and fascinating patterns to the mixing of fabrics and use of expression shown throughout their clothing choices, this series will go down as a fashion masterpiece.
Great job on this article! I love how describe their outfits with such detail!
I love harry potter it is my favorite book and movie.
Agreed, after I finished the series I wanted(and still do) to read them again.