12 Glaring Inconsistencies In Movies That Only Eagle Eyes Can Spot

There’s a lot of work going into keeping a character’s look consistent. In cinema and television, this is because continuity errors happen the most in props and costumes. Errors between takes can range from using different colored mugs in different shots of the scene or a shirt changing its number of buttons.
While small continuity hiccups don’t quite affect the whole production, they can feel jarring for the audience. Especially during repeated screening or watching of the same movies. Little details that escape the audience during their first viewing become glaringly obvious.
For the wardrobe department, keeping the costume continuity in check is a super stressful job. Especially during scenes that require multiple takes, or films that take place on multiple days. Also, reshoots happen; during those, everything has to look exactly like the previous shoot.
This makes costume continuity errors a forgivable mistake. But that doesn’t mean we cannot pick them apart. So here are 12 costume continuity errors that are too obvious to miss.

#1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Source: © The Wizard of Oz / MGM Studios and co-producers, © The Wizard of Oz / MGM Studios and co-producers

In The Wizard of Oz, the length of Dorothy’s curly braids, played by Judy Garland, keeps changing throughout the movie. It reflects the 10 months that it took to film the movie.

#2 Cleopatra (1963)

Source: © Cleopatra / 20th Century Studios and co-producers

During filming, actress Elizabeth Taylor has complications with pneumonia, which result in an emergency tracheotomy. This leaves a notable scar in some scenes in the movie. A scar that we are pretty sure Cleopatra does not have - unless she also went through a life-saving tracheotomy.

#3 Top Gun (1986)

Source: © Top Gun / Paramount and co-producers, © Top Gun / Paramount and co-producers

In Top Gun, the scene where Maverick and Charlie meet in an elevator was likely a reshoot. Kelly McGillis’ hair is in a darker shade, and she has to hide it with a hat. But our eagle eyes still glimpsed at it easily during close-ups.

#4 Pretty Woman (1990)

Source: © Pretty Woman / The Walt Disney Company and co-producers, © Pretty Woman / The Walt Disney Company and co-producers

During the opera date, Vivian’s hairstyle changed between scenes, before and after she received her necklace. Before she received the necklace, her hair was in a high bun, but after it was changed into a half up half down bun.

#5 Braveheart (1995)

Source: © Braveheart / Icon Productions and co-producers, © Outlander / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers

In Braveheart, the costumes for the noble class were very accurate. However, a glaring historical mistake was made in every other class. This is because belted kilts were not worn until the 18th century.

#6 Clueless (1995)

Source: © Clueless / Paramount and co-producers, © Clueless / Paramount and co-producers

Clueless also spots some continuity mistakes in the costume departments. The most obvious is Amber’s hair; its length keeps changing in the movie. Yes, even we are clueless as to how this could happen.

#7 A Knight’s Tale (2001)

Source: © A Knight's Tale / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers, © Wikimedia Commons, © CC0 1.0

This is likely a historical inconsistency. In A Knight’s Tale, while the men’s costumes are historically accurate, the same cannot be said about Jocelyn’s. Her hairstyle and dress in very contemporary styled. Women in the same era would have worn tighter dresses with a girdle.

#8 The Last Samurai (2003)

Source: © The Last Samurai / Warner Bros. and co-producers, © The Raven / FilmNation Entertainment and co-producers

Contrary to Tom Cruise’s hairstyle, 18th-century men do not wear their hair long. Among the 36 different hairstyles for men at the time, none involves long hair. They do include mustaches or beards, however, so that part was correct.

#9 Marie Antoinette (2006)

Source: © Marie Antoinette / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers

Marie Antoinette’s historical hiccup was fleeting, and you have to stop the movie to catch it. In one of the scenes, we can spot a pair of Converse tennis shoes lying among the other 18th-century styled shoes on the floor. No matter how much of an avant-garde she is in fashion, there’s no way Marie Antoinette can be this ahead of her time.

#10 The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Source: © The Other Boleyn Girl / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers, © The Other Boleyn Girl / Sony Pictures Entertainment and co-producers

The Other Boleyn Girl takes place in the 16th century. During this time, as women had to wear a kind of undergarments under their dresses. In the movie, women are more liberal; they have no undergarments, showing off their cleavage instead. At least we know why Henry is so weak-willed now.

#11 Brave (2012)

Source: © Brave / The Walt Disney Studios and co-producers, © Brave / The Walt Disney Studios and co-producers

Pixar’s Brave might be set around the 12th century. This was based on Queen Elinor’s hairstyle, which includes 2 knee-length braids tied with ribbons. However, if that is correct, then Merida’s long and loose hair would be appropriate for an unmarried woman at the time. How wonder Queen Eleanor was so set on correcting her daughter’s wild hair.