Passion, Wealth, and Power
Much like vibrant shades of red – burgundy and darker reds have the same passionate energy but because the darker reds have other colors and shades mixed in they have a timeless sophistication. Burgundy also has connotations of wealth and power.
This ranking is all about costumes that are darker red, but not purple. Colors include burgundy, maroon, crimson, red-magenta, etc. Think wines, not tomatoes. Bright red costumes have their own rankings. This ranking only considers costumes from Fantasy/Sci-Fi or any otherworldly type movie. Dark reds/burgundy costumes from modern and period movies have their own separate rankings.
Undergarments, cover-ups, sleepwear, outerwear, swimwear etc are not included. The costumes are ranked by aesthetics, memorability and how well it suits the character/film. And subjective options could have some impact on things.
List is subject to change.
10. Snow White from Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Designer: Colleen Atwood
Snow White and the Huntsman is a gritty, dark, action, and epic take on the tale. After the battle is won, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is crowned queen. For her coronation she wears a rich burgundy velvet gown with elaborate gold floral embroidery.
The neckline is square and trimmed with a cream lace that is also used to trim the sleeves. The sleeves are short and puffed. The gown flares out towards the floor and the pools out into a train.
9. Xayide from The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)
Designer: Heidi Wujek
The first installment of The Never Ending Story is a very memorable children’s film that is equal parts whimsical and heartbreaking. It was a hard act to follow and the sequel was lacking in certain areas however the villain does get some looks.
The Emptiness in the form of Xayide (Clarissa Burt) wants to control every story voiding their meanings. To do this she steals the memories of the protagonist every time he makes a wish.
In her introductory scene, she wears a sparkly floor length burgundy gown with a deep v-neckline. It’s sleeveless with large exaggerated shoulder structures that look wings or flames. There is also a long train. She wears large rings and earrings to complete the dramatic, yet glamorous look.
8. Padme Amidala from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Designer: Trisha Biggar
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the finale to the prequel trilogy and thus has a lot to set-up for the original trilogy. One of those set-ups is Padme (Natalie Portman) giving birth and her tragic death.
Due to her marriage to a jedi knight as well as her own status a senator she keeps her pregnancy hidden under large silhouette gowns and robes. These costume are ornate and suit her senator status as well as a former Queen.
One of Padme’s subplots was deleted from the final cut and it was her involve with origins of Rebellions along with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. In that scene as well as another scene that was in the final cut when she speaks with Anakin about her doubts on the senate, she wears a heavy cloak
made from purple-ish burgundy velvet that is heavily beaded and embroidered. The shoulders are double yoked with a circular gold brooch and purple stone set at the center. The effect of this costume is both regal yet casual.
7. Lisle from Death Becomes Her (1992)
Designer: Joanna Johnston
In the black comedy Death Becomes Her, a pair of toxic frenemies are given the chance to gain eternal youth through a potion supplied by the mysterious Lisle (Isabella Rossellini).
In her introductory scene she wears a costume that doesn’t have a traditional top as it is made from strands of multi- colored beaded necklaces. The predominant color of the beads is a rich dark burgundy which matches her skirt, which is long and casually tied at the side of the hip in a sarong style. It looks to be made of velvet with a gray sun motif.
6. Susan Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Designer: Isis Mussenden
The second film of the Narnia franchise takes place 1300 years after the events of the first installment but for the Pevensies only a year has passed. During the epic climactic battle, Susan (Anna Popplewell) who is also tasked with helping her sister find Aslan, wears a costume that strikes a good balance between utility and style.
For utility she wears chainmail with brown leather cuirass. The top of the cuirass has embossed details and there are large silver circular elements at the bottom. The Chainmail also has a gray velvet lapel collar which could be part of the underdress or separate pieces or it could be attached to the mail.
The under-dress is a deep crimson. The color shows through the chainmail. The skirt is long with inverted pleats for added movement. At the bottom of the skirt there is a regal gold pattern. This costume looks very simple but it is very well considered for the scene and is still elegant and regal.
5. Maria from The Secret of Moonacre (2008)
Designer: Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Loosely based on the 1946 novel The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, The Secret of Moonacre is about an orphan who finds herself amidst a feud between two families, a conflict she must fix before the next full moon or the valley will be destroyed.
Maria (Dakota Blue Richards) is the latest moon princess. Stepping into her role she wears a patterned velvet burgundy gown. Her gown has a square neckline with long sleeves with a gold embodied “L” at the cuff.
The waist is high and the skirt is floor length with a long train. At the waist is red and black sash which trails down the skirt. There are ties of red and black plaid at the biceps and at the back.
Also at the cuff and hem of the skirt is pattern aubergine trim. She wears her Saturn necklace. It looks fairly simple but all the details make it look very textural. Though her counterpart’s costume has even more textural details.
4. Padme Amidala from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Designer: Trisha Biggar
Throughout the first installment of Star Wars, Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) uses decoys and poses as one of the handmaids. She uses her actual given name, Padme.
Padme’s battle garb is the same as her handmaidens, which is a maroon velvet jacket with a high standing collar and cape sleeves. The jacket is lined in a scarlet satin that can be seen on the sleeves. There are undersleeves that is long, close fitting and has a gathered look.
The shoulders of the jacket are trimmed with a textured gold strip. This gold strip is used down the side of the pants.
She has a silver buckle with the royal symbol and knee high boots. This costume also strikes a good mix between function and elegance for battle scenes.
3. Liza from Lady in the Dark (1944)
Designer: Edith Head
1944’s Lady in the Dark is about Liza (Ginger Rogers,) a no-nonsense workaholic who is involved in a relationship with a married man. After a series of bad headaches and nightmares she gets a psychoanalysis. The theory is that she has trauma that makes her anxious and contributes to issues with her self-esteem. After a date that goes badly she has a hallucination about being on trial at the circus.
The costume she wears in this fantasy segment is the most expensive movie costume ever made. In 1944 it cost $35,000 to make and when adjusted for inflation (2026) that would be around $651,833.
The reason for this cost was that shrug and the front layer of the skirt was made from mink fur. The underside of the skirt which is lifted up for the dance number was lined in multicolored sequins. The predominant color is burgundy but there is a mix of other colors. The sequins match the bodysuit. The bodysuit has a narrow plunging neckline, structured shoulders with long sleeves that cover the hands.
Not this look needs anymore but she wears earrings with matching reddish dancing heels. This costume is quite over- the-top and glamorous which works very well within the craze hallucination.
2. Princess Mombi from Return to Oz (1985)
Designer: Raymond Hughes
Return to Oz is a 1985 sequel to the classic 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. Though the sequel factors in more of the books than the 1939 version and was considered generally terrifying for a children’s movie in that very 1980s way.
Mombi is a head switching antagonist who has trapped Princess Ozma in a mirror. When first introduced to her she is wearing the head of a young lady (Sophie Ward) though this is not her true appearance.
Her costume is very ornate. The inner gown is made from dusty dark magenta. The outer layer looks like a mantel hanging from her shoulders and is made from a burgundy velvet. Both layers have an assortment of orbital appliqués and gold embellishments. The sleeves of the inner gown are long made from a black sheer fabric with reflective details. The outer sleeves are bluish-purple, long and open. Both layers of the sleeves are trimmed with a thin gold trim.
On the center-front neck of the gown is a thick gold jagged element that extends to the back of the costume and becomes gold spikes. Also off the back is a train of sheer black and gold fabric which adds a touch of softness. She has a thick jagged bracelet which matches the gold at the neckline and the spikes. As far a costume goes it is as odd as it is beautiful which definitely suits the aesthetics of this movie, perfectly.
2. The Mirror Queen from The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Designer: Gabriella Pescucci and Carlo Poggioli
The Brothers Grimm is a 2005 fantasy adventure movie about two con-men going up against a supernatural immortal being who steals the youth from young ladies. The Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci) takes the form of a beautiful woman in the mirror. Her costume is a made-up deep crimson velvet outer dress that contrasts with a white under- layer.
The outer layer has a squared neckline that notches into a plunging V. The inner layer has the same V-cut revealing her skin through the lacing. Along the neckline are rich beaded appliqués. The inner layer has a multiple pointed collar trimmed with a gold lace ruffle.
The outer sleeves are detached bell sleeves, between the shoulders and the sleeves netting of red and white beads they are also trimmed with gold and the same beaded appliqués as the outer dress. They have a scalloped hem with a brighter red and gold pattern fabric. The inner sleeves are made from a lightweight white with rows of pearls with the same gold lace ruffle trim on the neckline.
She has an impressive gold henin inspired crown with gold, red, pearl beading. Matching that she has pendilia that are long like long earrings but they are suspended from her headpieces. This costume has a lot of details and textures that makes it ornate, seductive and otherworldly.
Honorable Mention: Princess Leia from Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
Designer: Aggie Guerard Rodgers & Nilo Rodis-Jamero
Princess Leia’s (Carrie Fisher) slave or dancing girl costume, is an iconic fan-favorite of the Star Wars Saga though Fisher hated it. Worn in the sixth episode, which closed out the original trilogy, Leia is forced to wear it when she and the gang is captured after a rescue goes awry.
It’s made of a metal halter bikini top with larger filigree details in the cup. The bottom is a maroon silk for the front-back paneled skirt that is attached to a belt-like piece. The maroon of the skirt makes up the predominant color of the skirt but as it further away from her face it’s hard to justify this costume as reading as maroon. It more metallic with a maroon element. It’s still iconic though.
She has a gold hair ornament, gold armlet, earrings with gray knee boots. She also has a collar which has a chain attached which she used to slay her capturer.
Canonically, the metal bikini top is made from bronzium and the skirt is made from lashaa silk. Though no metal was used in the construction it was made from rubber, leather, painted resin and silk. It’s an iconic look, everyone knows it even if they haven’t see any of the Star Wars movies.
