In the grand history of horror, however, more traditionally spooky figures have stood out. One of the most iconic on-screen serial killers to date is Scream’s Ghostface. When the Wes Craven franchise first came out in 1996, costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom was tasked with coming up with the original costume. She drew inspiration from the classic Edvard Munch painting Scream—though at one point, she toyed with the idea of an all-white getup. “We put a friend of mine in the white costume, and he basically looked like a giant Casper the Ghost,” said Bergstrom. The more nondescript black cloak they landed on was the perfect choice—especially for a killer that often lurks in the shadows.
Some of the best horror film fashions have been unexpectedly glamorous, too. In American Psycho—costume designed by Isis Mussenden—Christian Bale plays businessman Patrick Bateman, who is all suave and sleek 80s swagger in his Cerruti suits by day. But by night, he nonchalantly preys on his victims—though you would never expect it, due to his impeccable wardrobe. “He had to look perfect,” Mussenden said earlier this year, on the occasion of the film’s 25th anniversary. In the 2019 film Midsommar, a devious Swedish cult also sports vibrant floral headpieces and prairie dresses; you would never guess that they partake in suicide rituals and prey on innocent travelers.
