Compare 10 Historical Outfits That Were Perfectly Recreated By Designers To Their Real-Life Counterparts

Jessica Wilson
Apr 18, 2023
Apr 18, 2023

Building a believable world for the audience to immerse themselves is an amazing job. Actors’ brilliant performances and fascinating plots really impress on audiences’ minds. What’s more, costumes are something that we can’t take our eyes off, especially historical outfits.
It is true that historical costumes are elaborately created and it takes hours and hours for designers to complete an outfit. They not only show a glimpse of the past, but help audiences feel transported back to the era the movie is portraying. Even if a movie fails to deliver in other departments, sometimes it’s worth watching to see the impeccable costume design which are seen as an adaptation of originals.
Here are 10 times costume designers perfectly recreated real historical outfits.

#1 Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story (1995)

Source: © Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story, © East News

Many original outfits of the famous diva, including the iconic slip dress was recreated perfectly in the biographical drama “Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story”.

#2 Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Source: © Dangerous Liaisons, © François Boucher / Wikimedia Commons

Despite the low budget, designers created impressive outfits. These outfits perfectly repeat the ones depicted in the paintings of that epoch. Take Glenn Close’s dress for example. The richly draped dress made of dark-blue satin looks like the same outfit that Marquise de Pompadour wore.

#3 The Scandalous Lady W (2015)

Source: © The Scandalous Lady W / BBC, © Joshua Reynolds / Wikimedia Commons

The designers did a great job that create a scarlet dress based on the historical outfit from Joshua Reynolds’ painting. From the tiniest details to the lacing on the back of the vest, everything is perfect.

#4 Diana (2013)

Source: © East News, © Julian Parker / Getty Images

Jacques Azagury used to cooperated with Princess Diana in real life so he could help the team recreate her outfits. the most impressive one is the gorgeous turquoise silk dress that she wore at the charity evening in Sydney in 1996.

#5 The King’s Speech (2010)

Source: © The King's Speech, © East News

The designers created the uniform of the King by renting the one from London’s Angels Costumes and finding shoulder straps at a flea market.

#6 Sissi (1955)

Source: © Sissi / Erma-Film, © Franz Xaver Winterhalter / Wikimedia Commons

Although there were costumes with inaccurate details, one dress not only matches the era but copies the real-life outfit of the empress. We can see it in the painting of Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

#7 Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair (1993)

Source: © Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair , © East News

Dozens of actresses portrayed Marilyn Monroe and the designers tried their best to recreate her outfits. Many viewers impressed the outfits of the 1993 movie “Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair”. It was denser and enriched the embroidery.

#8 Elizabeth R (1971), Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

Many movies depict the life of the English Queen Elizabeth I but not many movies accurate costumes. “Elizabeth R”, starring Glenda Jackson and “Marry Queen of Scots”, starring Margot Robbie grab huge attention. In both cases, designers recreated outfits with the great accuracy.

#9 The Crown (2016 — present)

Source: Bettmann / Getty Image

The designers made costumes of all the members of the British royal family in detail. The flowy dress Princess Margaret was wearing when posing for photographer Cecil Beaton alone deserves a separate round of applause.

It’s worth mentioning the blue dress Queen Elizabeth II was donning at a state reception organized for the Kennedy couple.

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