I initially thought I was genius for coming up with the idea of a post highlighting fabulous striped costumes from historical costume movies & TV series, and then I realized I was an idiot because I somehow have to narrow it down to ONLY FIVE. HOOOOOOWWWWWWW??!!
- You’re all going to hate me for not including Katrina’s black & white gown from Sleepy Hollow (1999), but I feel like this post could easily be a retread of my Top 5 Black & White Costumes post. So with all due respect to those fabulous stripes, I’m not going to include it here — have at me in the comments!
- Ditto Anna’s racing dress from Anna Karenina (1997) for the same reason
- I strongly considered between Gwendolen’s purple striped bodice from Daniel Deronda (2002), Seymour’s blue striped redingote from The Scandalous Lady W (2015), Anne Morris’s striped skirt from The Gilded Age (2022), and Kate’s black & white (? silver?) skirt from The Wings of the Dove (1997) — until I remembered the dress that I’m putting last in this post
So, these are going to be MY personal favorites, probably in no real particular order, and with huge apologies for all of the fabulous striped outfits I have omitted. Share your faves in the comments, and we can have a stripe fiesta! (Note: comments with links are held in our spam filter, but we’ll try to approve them as quickly as possible).
The Duchess (2008): Georgiana’s Robe à l’Anglaise Worn Retroussée
This beautiful grey, cream, and red stripe was shown to such advantage with the seaming and trimming! Designed by Michael O’Connor, who knows his stuff.
Mrs. Lovett’s Red Bustle Gown from Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Designer Colleen Atwood is SO talented, and this costume worked so well on two levels: one, it’s just a damn good stripey bustle gown; and two, it’s used in the flashback scene “by the sea” where we see happy, light-colored Todd and Lovett.
Lizzy’s Black & White Bustle Gown from The Buccaneers (1995)
Sadly there aren’t any good pictures, beyond screenshots, of this ruffly, Tissot-inspired black and white day dress. But it’s SO frilly and ruffly and stripey and fabulous! Designed by Rosalind Ebbutt.
Luckily Recycled Movie Costumes has tracked other wears of this gown, so here’s a decent shot from Sissis kleine Schwester (2001):
Miss Julie’s Stripey Bustle Dress from Miss Julie (1999)
Costume designer Sandy Powell really hit one of her pinnacles, in terms of strictly historical dress, with this dusty green and cream bustle number. The combination of stripes and dots, plus the embroidery with a hint of color on the collar, and those pleated ruffles are chef’s kiss! It’s particularly important in this film, because the main character wears this dress for 98% of the movie.
Georgiana’s Stripey Anglaise from The Duchess (2008)
This is one we haven’t yet gotten to in our deep dive on The Duchess, but I think I love this more subtly striped robe à l’anglaise more than the poufed one above! You can’t go wrong with black and white, and I love the delicacy of the stripe plus the variety of groupings. And then that back seaming! Another stunner by Michael O’Connor.
EXCEPT… after searching high and low, I finally found some photos of the dress on display. And the stripes are dark blue!
Which stripey costumes from frock flicks do you love?
The Duchess, so much that’s good! I can forgive the dreary color palette! I wish they’d combine the pastels of Sofie Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, with the historical accuracy of the Duchess!
Oh, god, Mrs. Lovett, looking like she’s risen from the dead, in blood-red stripes! (I confess to preferring accurate costumes, but especially on performers I like.)
What about Rose’s boarding tailored suit! So stripey, and almost dead on for 1912 Haute Couture!
Gwendolen’s gray striped bustle gown in Daniel Deronda.