In June 1997, one book that would soon revolutionize the world was released: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This would be the first of seven fantasy novels written by J. K. Rowling following Harry Potter and his fight against Lord Voldemort, the world’s darkest wizard. These books became a worldwide sensation, inspiring millions of children and adults alike to read as they followed the story of this young wizard and his friends. Due to the success of this literary series, 2001 saw the theatrical release of the franchise’s first movie, directed by Chris Columbus, further increasing the saga’s success.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were the actors cast to portray the main characters of the story, joined by a stellar cast made up of both veteran and up-and-coming actors, such as Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Draco Malfoy and Helena Bonham Carter, among many others. The story of the boy who lived was adapted into eight feature films, concluding in July 2011, with Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates all directing. The Harry Potter saga has captured the hearts of millions of people, who to this day remain part of its fandom. Not only that: it has made its mark on popular culture, and some scenes and props are now icons. Although Harry Potter is not a film saga that stands out for the fashion it presents, throughout the movies there have been a few fashion moments that are worth reviewing. Here are the best ones.
10 Gilderoy Lockhart’s Golden Robes
There are many, many things we could accuse Gilderoy Lockhart of. This wizard and Hogwarts professor built his reputation on the exploits of other people whose memories he stole, so his road to fame is beyond questionable. Naturally, the fact that Professor Albus Dumbledore left him in charge of teenagers undergoing a learning process isn’t quite right either. However, there is one thing that Lockhart has mastered superbly and that no one can criticize him for: his aesthetics and celebrity looks. Gilderoy is aware that everywhere he goes, his fans’ heads turn his way, and he does his best to oblige by wearing the most flamboyant and luxurious outfits available. Usually, this teacher is seen wearing gold-toned ensembles, his hair perfectly coiffed and, needless to say, his charming smile.
9 Rita Skeeter’s Iconic Green Look
Green can symbolize many different things. Generally, it is the color associated with health, nature, harmony, and money, although depending on its hue it can also symbolize greed, jealousy, and envy. Surely, it is no coincidence that Rita Skeeter’s distinctive color is green. This journalist is undoubtedly among the best dressed in the entire film saga, with her iconic green silk dress accented at the collar and cuffs and her blonde curls embellishing her face. Throughout her career, Skeeter made a reputation for being an unreliable journalist, with a dubious record and who has no trouble fabricating stories about people she doesn’t like in order to increase her fame. Despite being one of the most irritating characters in Harry Potter, she certainly looks very glamorous and stylish.
8 Dolores Umbridge’s Signature Style
Just like Rita Skeeter, Dolores Umbridge also has an identifying color: pink. However, the difference with this infamous journalist is that the color pink symbolizes many qualities that are at odds with Umbridge’s personality, generating a very interesting contrast. While we could identify her as a feminine person, something with which this color is associated, Dolores is far from being the sweet, innocent, and romantic figure that her outfits try to convey to the audience. And, while at first glance she may seem harmless, her behavior in the saga has positioned her among the most ruthless villains in the wizarding world. Her aesthetic contradicts the image of a villain that one has in mind, yet her outfits include certain elements that denote her as a person of power and authority. Throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Umbridge’s outfits get darker as do her attitude and actions in the film.
7 Harry’s Dress Robes
Throughout the film saga, audiences have followed Harry Potter’s growth, and his transition from childhood to adulthood. They have seen him wear all sorts of outfits along the way, though most of the time he wears his Hogwarts uniform. However, one of Harry’s most notable outfits in the entire saga is the one he wore to the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. While it wasn’t the most fashionable and eye-catching outfit of the event, he still managed to rise to the occasion and wear his formal attire with style.
6 Ron’s Outfit for Bill and Fleur’s Wedding
Ron Weasley is not someone who stands out for his smart fashion choices. In fact, throughout the saga he may have stood out for just the opposite, especially if we consider the outfit his mother sent him for the Yule Ball. However, there is a particular fashion moment featuring Ron that often goes unnoticed: it is the outfit he chose for Bill and Fleur’s wedding in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. For this event, Ron chose a suit in greenish and bluish tones that fitted him perfectly, highlighting his pale features and red hair, as well as matching his personality.
5 Beauxbatons Academy School Uniform
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament, welcoming students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning. Undoubtedly, one of the most impressive moments of this film was the breathtaking entrance of the Beauxbatons students, wearing light silk dresses, capes and hats with light blue tones evoking France. According to the costume designer, her intention behind the students’ outfits was to create a sense of lightness and ephemerality to go with the gracefulness of these young girls.
4 Luna’s Christmas Party Look
Luna Lovegood is probably the most eccentric character in the entire Harry Potter universe, and, without a doubt, one of the audience’s favorites. This young girl stands out from all the other students at Hogwarts for her quirky personality and her sense of aesthetics, which many consider bizarre. In the movies she has been seen wearing the craziest outfits embellished with her own handmade accessories. Among her most iconic belongings is her lion hat, which hundreds of fans have tried to replicate over the years. However, the fashion moment that ranked her in this top is the one she carried out at Professor Horace Slughorn’s Christmas party. For this event, the young lady wore a silver dress with ruffles inspired by a Christmas tree that made her look heavenly, and accessorized the outfit with sparkling earrings in the shape of stars.
3 Harry and Ron’s Christmas Sweaters
Molly and Arthur Weasley are the heads of an extremely large family consisting of six sons and one daughter. Naturally, in this kind of family, it is very common for clothing worn by older siblings to be inherited by the younger ones, and Ron, being the sixth male sibling, is used to wearing clothes that his older brothers have worn hundreds of times before. Not only that: in the Weasley family, woolen garments knitted by Molly herself, are also in style, particularly sweaters. And while the Weasley siblings don’t fully appreciate these garments, there is someone who does: Harry. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the hero is given a jumper knitted by Molly with his initial on the front as a Christmas present, something that makes him feel like part of the family. This is not the only gift Molly gave Harry over the course of the saga: she also handed him, among other items, a scarf knitted by her.
2 Fleur’s Wedding Dress
The summer after the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur started working at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. While there, she met Bill Weasley, and eventually started dating him. About a year later, they decided to get married as a way to consolidate their love, and although the wedding was interrupted by Death Eaters, it did allow the audience to catch a glimpse of a few outfits that really lived up to the hype. Without a doubt, the most stunning person in the venue was the bride. Fleur wore a very luxurious floor-length white gown, with two black phoenixes forming a heart on the front and a matching headpiece. This outfit, which was a real eye-catcher, differed from the one Rowling described in the book, which was a more simplified version.
1 Hermione’s Yule Ball Gown
Topping this list is the best fashion moment of the entire Harry Potter film series and, probably, the one that comes to mind for most of the audience when talking about the saga’s outfits: the dress Hermione wore to the Yule Ball by Jany Temime. In this event, the brilliant student stole the show in a pink layered dress that looked spectacular on her and turned her into the star of the night. It was a very important moment in the saga regarding the development of her relationship with Ron, because the fact that she attended the ball with Viktor Krum aroused Weasley’s jealousy for the first time, as he was too afraid to invite her.