10+ Movies That Either Costume Designers Or Makeup Artists Made Unforgivable Mistakes

Jessica Wilson
Mar 02, 2023
Mar 02, 2023

Costume and makeup are interpretative tools in movies that describe the characters’ appearance. Choices of costumes are not only to add aesthetic value to the actor’s role but to design the character, devoting occupation, mood, status, or religion.
A project requires dozens of professional costume designers and makeup artists to create characters’ looks flawlessly. They are responsible for the characters’ styles and make sure the costumes correspond to the epoch shown in the flick. However, it isn’t easy to take care of every detail of a film, even experts make silly mistakes. At that time, some directors choose to turn a blind eye and ignore inaccuracies. Most of us hope we will not see any obvious mistakes like wearing earrings or a hairstyle in the wrong historical period.
We've collected 11 movies where experts didn't complete their jobs well.

#1 Head in the Clouds

Source: © Head in the Clouds / Arclight Films

The movie is set in the ‘30s but Penélope Cruz’s character has natural eyebrows despite the fashion trend of those years. Fortunately, the brows of Charlize Theron’s character match the standards of that epoch.

#2 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Source: © Lara Croft: Tomb Raider / Paramount Pictures, © Robert Bertoia/ Everett Collection / East News

It is easy to notice a translucent dark spot visible from the under makeup of Lara Croft. It turns out to be Angelina Jolie’s tattoo.

#3 The Tudors

Source: © East News, © East News, © akg-images / East News

Character Anne Boleyn should appear with French hood instead free-flowing hair. In some scenes, Natalie Dormer appears in the headgear, but it has the wrong shape.

#4 The Edge of Love

Source: © The Edge of Love / BBC Films

In this scene, we can notice flesh-colored shapewear on Keira Knightley. However, the film takes place in the ‘40s when they haven’t even been invented yet.

#5 Dirty Dancing

Source: © Dirty Dancing / Vestron Pictures

The movie is set in the ‘60s but the characters wore costumes that correspond to the ‘80s. While Jennifer Grey’s character walks around with free-flowing hair, Patrick Swayze appears with the mullet hairstyle.

#6 The Vikings

Source: © The Vikings / Bavaria Film, © The Vikings / Bavaria Film

Janet Leigh’s character wears a strapless, cone-shaped bra, which exists in the ‘50s, not in early medieval Scandinavian society.

#7 Emma

Source: © Emma / Working Title Films, © Emma / Working Title Films, © The Piano / Miramax Films

In the 19^th century, women often wear headgear and tie its ribbons under the chin to prevent it from flying off in the wind. However, in the movie, the hat’s ribbons are tied weakly but the girl magically keeps the coif on her head.

#8 The Virgin Queen

Tom Hardy’s character keeps appearing in an open doublet which, at those times, was comparable to an unzipped fly in modern times in terms of the degree of indecency.

#9 One Million Years B.C.

The movie portrays a fictional prehistoric era, where people have to fight with giant insects, dinosaurs, and lizards. While men fit our idea of our ancestor’s appearance, women are so weird, with plucked eyebrows, beautifully styled hair, perfect makeup, and smooth skin.

#10 Troy

After marriage, Greek women often gathered their hair a bun. But in the movie, the actresses appear with loose curls.

#11 Easy Virtue

The plot takes place in the ‘20s when women wore dresses without waistlines, lacking any hint of a neckline, and special underwear. However, the movie’s creators focused on Jessica Biel’s body shape and put tight outfits on her.

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