Alicent Hightower: A Member of The Greens
Based on “Fire & Blood” by George R. R. Martin, the second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon premiered on June 16th, 2024 with a total of eight episodes. Following immediately after the events of season one, the second season sets up more mounting tensions between the warring factions as while as the early conflicts of “The Dance.”
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Queen Alicent: The Dowger
Alicent: Olivia Cooke
Alicent Hightower is now the Queen mother and serves as a temperate voice on the small council, giving what she thinks is sage advice. She is not as pious as she was in the second half of the season one and has taken a lover.
As season goes on she learns she was mistaken about her husband’s final wishes for her son to rule, she is dismissed from the council and goes through an existential crisis and rebirth and tries to sues for peace at expense of her children.
The costumes for season two were designed by Caroline McCall who has previously designed for “Downton Abbey” and “His Dark Materials.” For the green faction McCall chose to give the characters a more naturalist style (source.)
In season two Alicent wears around nine costumes that are in the green family of color reflecting the Hightower war color. Her looks has a medieval look by way of pre-Raphaelite art.
Her season two costumes also have a parred-down less elaborate quality due to a paranoia over her staff implying that Alicent dresses herself.
This page is a ranked list of five of Alicent’s best looks. They were ranked by aesthetics and memorability.
5. Riot Gown
In episode six, Alicent has a conversation with her brother about her youngest son who has been fostered in Oldtown. She then goes to the sept with Helaena when a riot ensues.
In these scenes, Alicent wears a simple vivid emerald green gown with a swirling fiddlehead frond pattern. It has a scoop neckline with hanging sleeves both are trimmed with a gold braid with green beading. The sleeves are lined with gold fabric with a gold inner sleeves.
She has a gold chain belt that features the seven point star which she also wears as a pendent. She also wears emerald and pearl gold earrings. To the sept she adds her gold and emerald diadem with a sheer veil.
4. Patterned Velvet Gown
Of all of Alicent season two costumes, she wears this teal-green velvet costume the most. It seems to be more of a less-formal and more casual look for her as she wears it in more informal settings.
It made from velvet with a floral pattern though it hard to make out how the pattern was created though there seems to be some beading used as it catches the light. Down the center front of the bodice are gold metal fasteners with the largest at the waistline. The sleeves are simple for her as they flared towards the wrist.
Her under gown is blue with a crinkle texture and small ball-shaped beads on the edge of the sleeves.
Olivia Cooke seems to be talking about this costume as one her favorites as it was easy to get in and out of.
3. Gold Lace Inset Gown
The first time we see Alicent in the first episode of season two she having a tryst with her lover, Sir Cristin Cole.
Her gown is a muted green brocade with hanging sleeves. At the neck of this costume there is a lovely sheer gold inset with ribbons in a criss-cross design. At the end of the neckline there is gold beading with a faith of the seven pendant.
She wears this costume later in episode one to the sept where she adds her signature emerald diadem. She also wears this costume again in episode five when Aemond assumes the role of regent over her.
2. Dark Green Velvet Gown
After Rhaenyra loses her son, she demands a Aemond Targaryen; A Son for A Son. However it’s Aegon’s young son that loses his life. Otto Hightower, ever the strategist, uses the tragedy for political gains as he has Alicent and Helaena be in the procession through King’s Landing.
Alicent’s costume is a gorgeous dark emerald green velvet gown. Like many of her other costumes it has a scoop neckline with long hanging sleeves. with gold under-sleeves. The neckline, sleeve opening and the center front of the gown are trim with a gold braid. Also down the center front are gold metal fastener that appear to be decorative.
1. Woven Web Embroidered Gown
Easily Alicent most elaborate costume is her heavily embellished teal-green gown that she wears in episode three when she encounters Rhaenyra at the Sept and again in episode six when she is dismissed from the small council by Aemond who is acting Regent.
The color of the gown is slightly more blue than green with a slight texture to the brocade fabric. It’s off-shoulder with hanging sleeves and matching fitted under-sleeves.
The bodice of the gown is heavily embroidered and beaded in a web-like design which is meant to show the cracks starting to form in Alicent.
Honorable Mention
A rather simple look to close out the season with but it was very nice to she the Alicent wearing a light blue for a change of pace. It’s also a throw back to early season one when Alicent worn blue as girl.
