Top Ten Green Movie Dresses –Youth, Renewal, and Success
There is a lot symbolic meaning to the color green. It’s a color of youth, vibrancy, greed, jealousy, renewal, growth, nature, abundance, success, peace and calm.
Green is also the only color that can be warm or cool as it’s considered a neutral color. All this combined with that many women look beautiful in the color it’s not wonder that so many timeless movie costumes are green.
This is ranked list for green costumes from period movies. Green costumes from Modern and Fantasy/Sci-fi have their own rankings.
Articles of clothing, like undergarments, cover-ups, bathing suits, sleepwear, outerwear etc are not included.
The costumes are ranked by aesthetics, memorability and how it suits the character/film. My own subjective opinions do influence the ranking as it is my list. I do try and be objective as I can be but I won’t pretend that I am.
The List is mostly likely to change because they keep making movies and movies need costumes.
Also costumes that I deem more blue-green (Teal, Turquoise, and the like) will have their own ranked lists.
List is subject to change
Spoilers
10. Queen Elizabeth from Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Designer: Alexandra Byrne
2007’s Elizabeth the Golden Age is the follow-up to the 1998 movie Elizabeth, which followed Elizabeth’s early days as Queen. The sequel showcase her in conflict against the Spanish Armada and the difficulties she endures during her rule.
Queen Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) wears this sumptuous green damask gown was she wrestles with the decision of what should be done with Mary Queen of Scots who is also her cousin.
This color choice is indicative of Elizabeth feels of jealously. However the color is suits to this interesting blend of a grand majestic silhouette that is pared down to look almost casual. The fabric is luxurious with it standing collar lined with a darker green is dramatic as is the slight volume at the waist gives this costume a regal presence. And yet it also looks like something that she could lounge in as the monarch.
It looks both quite wearable and imposing.
9. Queen Cleopatra from Cleopatra (1963)
Designer: Irene Sharaff
There is no denying that costumes from the 1963 version of Cleopatra are iconic.
You know exactly what you are looking at when you see an image of Elizabeth Taylor as the famous Queen. Are the costumes at all trying to be historically accurate? Absolutely not. They are early 60s fashion stylistic approximations of what Ancient Egypt would look like in a fashion concept. It’s more about modernity in the setting than really trying to evoke an immersive film experience and the film really reveals that with regards to Cleopatra’s fashion.
Many of her costumes are well known but it is hard to really get past the early 60s aesthetics. Her deep emerald green costume is one costume the definatly invokes the 60s look but is very on brand with Ancient Egyptian inpsiration.
In classic Cleopatra fashion this lovely shade of green is embellished with gold snake embroidery. The silhouette is very much to the 60’s style with it long sleeves, squared neckline, and cinched in waistline.
She completes with look with gold hair ornaments that are of course very snake-like.
While the historical Queen would doubtless not have ever worn a look like this, this costume is one of Taylor’s more iconic and recognizable costumes from the epic movie.
Side Note- I also love her muted dark green dress she wears that is a little more a harmonic blend of 60s fashion with
antiquity. That muted green costume was used in promotional materials but it less well-know than this green one.
8. Su Li-zhen from In the Mood for Love (2000)
Designer:William Chang
In the Mood for Love tells the story of neighbors whose spouses are having an affair with each other. They look to each for support and understanding and that morphs into feelings of love and that due to a series of mis-opportunities doesn’t come to fruition.
Throughout the film Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) wears very fashionable cheongsam. They have a variety of colors, some are bright and some are muted. Some have bold geometric patterns while others floral and others fluid abstract patterns. The costumes can therefore blend or stand out or co-ordinate with her love’s look. All of them though have a higher collar and more defined shoulders than is typically seen on cheongsams. This reflects her state of feeling trapped and not really being able to escape her life.
Su Li-zhen wears this bright green cheongsam at work in which she blends into the green walls and she wears them against a red walled hotel room and hall. In the shot of her in the red hall wearing this outfit it looks like an art piece.
This cheongsam has a white angle grid pattern that is geometric and modern.
7. Rose DeWitt Bukater from Titanic (1997)
Designer: Deborah L. Scott
In her introductory scenes as a youth on the ill-fated Titanic, Rose (Kate Winslet) showcases just how miserable she is with her life. She is in a controlling restrictive relationship with not just her mother, fiancee but also her society. She’s more inclined towards art, philosophy and science which is all out of step with the vapid pleasantries of her social circle.
All this is perfectly shown in the lunch scene and followed by her seeing Jack for the first time as they are drawn to each other.
In these scenes she wears a day dress. The dress is made from a muted darkish chartreuse silk. The over layer is made from white English net lace. This lace layer forms a hobble skirt which evokes her life of restrictions. The lace also makes up the sleeves which have a flounce cuff adding a romantic touch.
The look is contrasted by a wide coral waist sash with a fabric flower at the center front.
6. Chandramukhi from Devdas (2002)
Designers: Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Neeta Lulla & Reza Shariffi
The 2002 version of Devdas is an ornate spectacle for the eyes. Pretty much every shot of this movie is gorgeous. Devdas is a depressing movie about a weak-willed man’s path down self-destruction and the two women who deeply love him. While Devdas can not be with his childhood sweetheart, Paro. He finds a connection with Chandramukhi, (Madhuri Dixit) a courtesan but becomes devoted to Devdas who in turn is devoted to Paro.
Prior to the start of a musical number, Chandramukhi says she will only start when Devdas arrives which she does and she dramatically reveals this bright green and gold outfit.
Green has connotations of new beginnings and happiness in India so this color choice speaks to Chandramukhi’s change of heart towards her life because of her deep feeling for Devdas.
This costume is very extravagant with all the of details. The bodice is a combination of a transparent yoke and the rest is heavily embroidered with metallic gold thread. This metallic gold embroidery is also on the hem of the sheer skirt, the churidar, and along the edge of the veil. The embroidery looks to have gold beading sewn in it as well. The sheer skirt and veil also have some reflective details which are in green which could sequin or something like to give the costume more sheen and dimension.
She also wears lots of stunning gold jewelry.
5. Héloïse from Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Designer: Dorothée Guiraud
Set in the late 18th century, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a sublime and intimate look of two lovers who can not be together but possess the beauty and passion of the memory of their love.
Reluctant bride-to-be, Héloïse, (Adèle Haenel) is a member of the gentry and prior to her marriage her intended wants see a portrait of her. Marianne is hired to paint her without her knowledge in the guise of a walking companion. Marianne tells Héloïse about the painting and agrees to portrait so that Marianne can capture Héloïse’s true self.
After Héloïse agrees to have her painting down she wears an Emerald green sack back, or Robes à la française, gown. The color of this gown is very important to the visuals of the film. The color green is all about renewal, growth, abundance and nature. In this context the color is indicative of Héloïse taking her power back as she agrees to be painted on her terms as well as agrees to the marriage.
The color also contrasts against the landscape of the isolated coastline as well with the orange of the fire. The color also contrasts with Marianne who wears red. Also the texture of the costume as Marianne has a rougher texture on her garments while Héloïse’s gown is smooth.
There is not a lot of detail on the gown; this means the deep emerald green color is the real point of interest however there are a few little details like the ruffle of the three-quarter sleeves, the white lace of under-layer at the neckline and at the cuffs and the pleats down the bodice. There are also panniers under the gown giving it structure.
4. Anne Boleyn from The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Designer: Sandy Powell
The Other Boleyn Girl is based on a historical novel of the same name that tells a very fictionalized account of Anne and Mary Boleyn. The movie depicts Anne (Natalie Portman) as an ambitious young woman who schemes her way into a royal position. Her ambition is reflected in her costumes with more bold simplistic details which is the opposite of Mary. Mary’s patterns are more complex and smaller which reflects a sweeter demeanor.
After Anne returns from France to the English Court she catches the eye of Henry the VIII in this stunning green gown. The color makes her stand out as she is the only one in the scene wearing a bright color.
The gown appears to be made of silk and has velvet turned back over-sleeves. It is low cut and has metal elements along the neckline. The underskirt and the under sleeves looks like they are made from a green and gold saree fabric.
She wears a matching French Hood with a billiment that matches the adornments on the bodice. The tubular fabric that conceals her hair is also made from the same green velvet that is on the sleeves.
This look was used to promote the film.
3. Empress Elizabeth from Sissi – The Young Empress (1956)
Designers: Leo Bei, Gerdago & Franz Szivats
Among the swirling pretty princess-like gowns, Sissi (Romy Schneider) wears some very equally lovely less formal gown than the ballgowns that populate the Sissi trilogy of the late 1950s.
One such gown is the more informal is a dark green velvet dress. She is wearing it when she meets with Count Andrassy. This dress looks more 1950s than 19th century in terms of its simplicity, lack of detailing and lower neckline for a day look which the movie does a lot with the day costumes.
The dress is made from a dark green velvet. The sleeves are long and the neckline is square. The bodice is pointed at the waistline. The skirt is full and has two tiered overlays that seem to be just at the sides. There is a bustle like detail at the back.
She wears a green and gold jewelry set with a stand of pearl woven in her elaborate hairstyle.
2. Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind (1939)
Designer: Water Plunkett
Many of the costumes from Gone with the Wind are iconic but few are so remembered as “The Curtain Dress.”
When a large tax bill is due, an impoverished Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) makes a gown out her Mother’s curtain to seduce Rhett Butler to secure the funds. When that plan fails she tries the same tactic but with her own sister’s beau and she succeeds.
The gown is made from dark and olive green velvet. The neckline is a narrow v-neck with a lapel collar. The sleeves are asymmetrical with one sleeve having a cape like over-layer.
The costume uses other components of the curtain to showcase its origins such as the corder belt with large tassels, the trim along the cape sleeve and the gold fringe that makes up the hat.
It’s a cheeky bold design that has some grace and humor and yet it is still stunning and one of best remembered movie costumes.
Shout-out to her Green Floral Sprig dress but I consider that one more of a floral.
1. Cecilia Tallis from Atonement (2007)
Designer: Jacqueline Durran
When Atonement first came out, this gown was already the subject of discussion and very much beloved. And it is still highly regarded as a movie gown.
Cecilia (Keira Knightley) wears this gown during her tryst with Robbie in the library the evening when everything goes wrong. Cecilia’s younger sister Briony, who also harbors affections for Robbie but is deeply confused about adult relationships and lies about what she thinks she saw and what she thinks she understands.
The gown is meant to be revealing, delicate and subtle. It is made from a flowing green silk that was cut on the bias. The fabric is almost sheer and also such a great sense of fluidity that it seems to float.
The green of the dress changes in the movie, it starts off lighter and seems to get darker as the scenes progress. The color is represents Briony’s feeling of jealousy but there is a wild mysterious quality that adds to the scene.
It is sleeveless with a wide v-neckline. At the neckline are laser cut-out details. It is also backless. At the waist there is a knotted drape. It’s also ruched in the back that extends into a train.
It is just an insanely gorgeous gown with a timeless appeal.
Honorable Mention: Queen Victoria from The Young Victoria (2009)
Designer: Sandy Powell
While the costume design of The Young Victoria does sports many regal and formal looks it also features many informal looks for the young Queen.
Victoria (Emily Blunt) wears this dark green day dress a few times in the film. It has a blue circle pattern on it. The only real detail aside from the all over patterned fabric is the smocking at the upper sleeves right before the slight puff effect.
The dress is just so informal and yet looks so rich with this color choice.
This dress was also used for the film’s promotion
