World-building in movies isn’t restricted to merely plots and characters. Costumes, settings, and set designs play a crucial role in fabricating the narrative that binds the watchers to the visual quality of the content. So we’re about to go through the top ten movies that showcased costumes and garnered critical acclaim for their perfection and relevance to the stories.

1. The Great Gatsby (2013)

Catherine Martin outdid herself by creating costumes for the classic tale about beauty and opulence. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s heartbreaking romance filled with glamor and grandeur needed the ever-golden charm of the 1920s to convey the eccentric and ostentatious world of Gatsby. The embellished suits and flamboyant dresses brought the physical world right out of the reader’s imagination.

2. Marie Antoinette (2006)

It won’t be the first time a designer tried to nail the 18th-century wardrobe and killed it. However, there’s something about the costumes of Marie Antoinette that is mentioned in every significant ‘fashion in movies’ debate. Sofia Coppola pieced together the towering wigs, lush accessories, and swoon-worthy gowns. Incorporating a modern touch to the vintage closet of the French queen, it makes it an unforgettable fashion extravaganza.

3. Black Panther (2018)

The theme is a futuristic style blended with African culture. Now who would dare to win an Oscar for that? The one and only Ruth E. Carter. Ever since its conception, the Wankandans were purely a figment of its author’s imagination. Their appearance represented the divine African culture with a perfect mix of fantasy and vibrance that left an indelible mark on film fashion.

4. Dune (2021)

Another imaginary wardrobe immaculately executed is in Dune. The book that was adapted for the big screen and impressed everyone including the fashion police. The thoughtful still costumes made for the desert settings with meticulously refined details like water carriers and utilitarian elements were brought to life brilliantly. It also did a tremendous job of showcasing range while designing the dresses according to the hierarchy of characters with a touch of sci-fi magic.

5. Atonement (2007)

We all know that period dramas are incomplete without their hard-to-ignore wardrobes. Keira Knightly’s spectacular charm enhanced by the periodically-perfect designs is what cinema is about. Throughout the film, many eras of fashion, beginning from WWI, are captured and they align perfectly with the story too. The cherry on top is the iconic green dress, worn at the climax of the movie by Knightly that sets the tragic sequence of the film in motion. Its emotional and literary significance leaves one awestruck and appreciative of the story-telling.

6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Straight from the distinctive world of J.R.R Tolkien, Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor pieced together the unworldly collection of re-imagined attires. From rugged to regal, the costumes varied according to their unique ranks. After all, it’s not every day one gets to dress Elves and Gondorians and end up creating a phenomenon.

7. Cruella (2021)

Jenny Beavan dressed the versatile Emma Stone for the re-imagined Disney villain story, Cruella. The punk rock designs of the 1970s brought together the breathtaking transformation of the young fashion enthusiast into a bold villain. The amazing trench coats with British influences in style, it is undoubtedly a major fashion flick.

8. Poor Things (2023)

Another one of Emma Stone’s iconic fashionable performances is in her Academy Award-winning film Poor Things. The fusion of fantasy and reality is manifested precisely in the outfits worn by Bella. She conveys the absurd complicated narrative of the movie through her weirdly gorgeous outfits, resonating perfectly with the dark humor of the film.

9. Little Women (2019)

The March sisters who represent the ambitions of many women from the 19th century had completely different styles according to their distinctive personalities. From everyday casual gowns to more formal ball gowns, each of them presented the best of period dressing and the quintessential vintage designs made by Jacqueline Durran. Their character transformation throughout the movie can be vividly observed through their sense of style, playing a major role in the film.

10. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

A movie considered the greatest of all times due to its timelessness and dedication to portraying the real world of fashion, The Devil Wears Prada needs no introduction to describe its relevance to the genre of fashion in films. The legendary Meryl Streep alongside Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt created magic by wearing an ensemble of designs from the biggest names in fashion. It is truly amazing how there isn’t a single bad outfit in this movie that is applauded by critics and audiences alike.

Defining their specific genres and taking their respective narratives forward, these movies proved that visual appeal in movies. It is what reinvigorates the imagination and what it’s like to witness creativity through artistic impressions. Let us know which one of these is your favorite in the comments below.