10 Stupid Movie Costume Mistakes That Make No Sense Whatsoever

Making a historical film is no easy task. More than just a good plot, you also need to have a proper understanding of the time period, especially when you’re a costume consultant. Sadly, some movie costume mistakes still somehow bypassed the systems and ended up on the silver screen. This happens quite regularly, even in big-budget movies.
So let’s see what these films get wrong about the outfits and how badly they mess it up. Here are 10 movie costume mistakes that make you want to roll your eyes and say “Really?”

1. Little Women

Source: Sony Pictures Releasing/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

Little Women might have won an Oscar for “Best Costume Design,” but it didn’t mean that their costume game was on. In fact, there are so many inaccuracies in the movie. The silhouettes and the color schemes were wrong, the hairstyles were a mess, and the bonnets were completely absent in the film.
However, the worst mistake that the costume designer Jacquelyn Durant made was the quality of the dresses. The March family was poor, and the story was set during the war. Many fabrics, especially cotton, were very hard to come by. So how can they afford the dresses they wore in the movie?

2. Life Is Beautiful

Source: Miramax Films/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

If you pay close attention to the opera scene, you can see Dora’s long hair under her scarf. This is a historically incorrect detail. The women who lived in concentration camps were regularly shaved to prevent the proliferation of lice. There is no way her hair could have gotten that long.

3. Schindler’s List

Source: Universal Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

Schindler’s List might be one of the most realistic movies about war, but it too did have some movie costume mistakes. During that time, women didn’t shave their legs or armpits. However, the girls in the movie appeared to be trimmed and groomed.

4. The Tudors

Source: Sony Pictures Television/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

If a lady, especially one of high status, wears this costume at a ball in the 16th century, it will turn into a huge scandal. These collars with ruffles can only be worn with a closed chest. Anna Boleyn was bold, but she wasn’t THAT bold.

5. Gladiator

Source: Universal Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

When the tigers attacked Maximus, he rolled over to doge them, revealing the Lycra shorts he wore underneath. Last time we check, Lycra was made only in the 20th century. Did the gladiator also have time traveling buff?

6. The King’s Speech

Source: The Weinstein Company/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

In The King’s Speech, the kilt that George VI wore had an Irish pattern that wasn’t even created until 1997. The color was also completely wrong. The British Royal Family members wore kilts with a Scottish pattern known as Balmoral on them. Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, are the ones who created this pattern in the Balmoral Castle.

7. Captain America: The First Avenger

Source: Marvel/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

Peggy Carter is gorgeous, but her hairstyle is totally historically inaccurate. Back in the 40s, military women couldn’t have their hair down. They also wear little to no makeup. Peggy’s makeup is way too bright.

8. The Favourite

Source: Searchlight Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

In close-up shots of the actresses, you can see that they use mascara and have holes in their ears for earrings. Mascara was only invented in the 19th century. A lady at the beginning of the 18th century having holes in her ears would’ve been strange. Fashion experts also pointed out many other mistakes. However, director Yorgos Lanthimos chose to ignore them because he wanted the film to be a bit “surreal.”

9. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Source: Walt Disney Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

At that time in the movie, the officers and sailors of the Royal Navy should have had different uniforms. Their outfits should look a little different from each other. It was not until 1748 that the first uniform regulations for officers were issued.

10. Back to the Future

Source: Universal Pictures/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

The iconic guitar-playing scene at the school prom in Back to the Future got one thing wrong, and that was a very important detail. The guitar that Marty played was a Gibson ES-345, which was released in 1958. The prom happened in 1955 so that guitar must have been time-traveled too.
Can you spot these movie costume mistakes on your first watch? Unlike these movies, there are films wherein the outfits are flawlessly historically correct. Check those gorgeous and breathtaking gowns out in this post!