Top 10 Iconic Movie Looks of the Decade (2010s)

Some of the fashion moments we’ll be discussing today are from some of the most popular movies of the decade, but this is one example that flew somewhat under the radar. “A Simple Favor” was a stylish 2018 movie starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, and there’s one look in particular that Lively’s character wore that we want to highlight. For a scene where she picked her kid up at school, costume designer Renée Ehrlich Kalfus had her wearing a three-piece menswear inspired vintage Ralph Lauren suit as well as sky high heels. Oh yeah, and this was all despite the fact that it was raining.

One of the earliest films on our list is “Black Swan”, released in 2010 and starring Natalie Portman. The film got tons of attention when it was released and became something of a pop culture phenomenon. One of the reasons for this was the incredible and instantly iconic design of the black swan costume that Portman wore, which was featured on most of the promotional material for the film. The classic ballet outfit was given a sinister twist, with fashion industry darlings Rodarte even having a hand in the design. Portman’s avian makeup only made this look all the more memorable.

One of the most hotly anticipated films of the decade also had some of the best costumes. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter was the woman behind the looks seen in “Black Panther”, from the titular character’s suit to the powerful looks seen on the rest of the characters. She took a lot of inspiration from real life, saying, “I looked at the Maasai warriors and infused that red color into the costumes of the Dora Milaje, Black Panther's elite female bodyguards.” She took a novel approach for dressing the female warriors in the film, making sure they were dressed as if they were actually going to war, not a fashion show. Wakanda forever!

If we mark the success of a movie look on how many kids used it as inspiration for a Halloween costume, this one would probably be at the top of our list. After Disney’s “Frozen” was released in 2013, it seemed like there were little Elsas running around everywhere, sporting the icy blue dress and long platinum blonde braid that the film’s main character wears for the majority of the action. Even years later, we’re still not ready to let it go. And with the second movie being released right at the end of the decade, you shouldn’t expect this look to go anywhere anytime soon.

One of the biggest franchises of the decade had to be the “Hunger Games” series, based on the dystopian novel trilogy by Suzanne Collins. While protagonist Katniss Everdeen wore several memorable outfits throughout the four films, we’re picking her over the top wedding dress as the most iconic. It was created by designer Tex Saverio and manages to look simultaneously romantic and futuristic. The tiers of organza and chiffon seems as though they were just made to be twirled in.

We knew that Baz Luhrmann’s big-screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel “The Great Gatsby” was going to be a feast for the eyes, and the costumes certainly didn’t disappoint. While all of the visuals in the film were as sumptuous as we assumed, Daisy’s outfits in particular were especially noteworthy. Since the story is set in the roaring ‘20s, we got to see decked out flapper dresses galore, and Carey Mulligan pulled off the look perfectly. The wardrobe was a collaboration between Miuccia Prada and Catherine Martin and the entire thing was just perfection.

Perhaps the biggest romantic comedy of the decade was “Crazy Rich Asians”, which was full of unique costumes representing both the “old money” and “new money” families of Singapore. In a climactic scene, however, all eyes were on Constance Wu’s character while she donned a blue Marchesa dress as a wedding guest, managing to outshine even the bride, who was in quite the notable dress herself. If you needed proof that this dress would go down in history, consider the fact that it is now being housed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History alongside many other iconic movie costumes.

Interestingly enough, the most iconic outfit that Emma Stone’s character wore in 2016’s “La La Land” was actually inspired by a red carpet outfit that the actress wore in real life. The sunny yellow dress that is featured in the Hollywood Hills dance sequence came from the costume designer seeing Stone in an Atelier Versace gown in the same hue. Like all of the other outfits Stone wears in the film, this look is particularly timeless. The designer said, "I wanted to place the movie firmly in this time and place without it being ‘trendy’”.

It must have been a huge challenge to redesign Wonder Woman’s classic outfit for the modern age but the film’s costume designer, Lindy Hemming, unquestionably did an excellent job. The line had to be straddled with making her look incredible and giving her a practical outfit to fight in, and the film’s director Patty Jenkins said of the final decisions, “It's total wish-fulfillment. I, as a woman, want Wonder Woman to be hot as hell, fight badass and look great at the same time — the same way men want Superman to have huge pecs and an impractically big body.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Rey's Outfit
“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” (2015)

Elton John's Orange Devil Costume
“Rocketman” (2019)

Maleficent's Outfit
“Maleficent” (2014)

Cinderella's Blue Gown
“Cinderella” (2015)

Jasmine’s Outfit
“Aladdin” (2019)

If there’s one movie look from the 2010s that has been cosplayed more than any other, it has to be this one. “Suicide Squad” may not have been a critical success, but if there’s one positive thing that came of it, it was Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn. This super villain’s look has changed a lot since its earliest iterations in “Batman: The Animated Series” and the comics, and the 2016 version features multicolored pigtails, hotpants and a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Daddy’s Lil Monster”. This look is so popular it almost seems overdone, which is why it appears at the top of our list today - though it’ll undoubtedly be updated for the next decade as seen in 2020’s “Birds of Prey.”