Summary
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show costumes are iconic and beloved by fans of the movie, with a variety of options to choose from.
- The background characters of Magenta, Columbia, and Riff Raff have unique and unexpected outfits with nods to American Gothic and traditional servant attire.
- Dr. Frank-N-Furter's costumes, including his golden speedo and lab outfit, are flashy and memorable, solidifying his status as the heart of the movie.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show costumes are almost as iconic as the movie itself. Released in 1975 as an independent musical horror comedy, Rocky Horror was one of the biggest flops in movie history when it hit theaters. However, that all changed over the years when it morphed from a failed theatrical release to a beloved midnight screening. It has since become the longest-running theatrical movie in history, as it closes in on 50 years in limited release in theaters with that anniversary coming in 2025. The road has been glorious for the movie, as it even entered into the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress in 2005.
Now considered a cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has a lot of costumes for fans to choose from when dressing up for the popular live screenings that take place year-round. It is easy to pick out Tim Curry's sequined corset and fishnet garters when he introduced the world to Dr. Frank-N-Furter. However, it is remiss to forget about the maid and butler costumes, the alien costumes, and even the tiny speedo worn by the muscular Rocky himself. As there are plenty of fans who love to dress up in the iconic Rocky Horror Picture Show costumes, there is always plenty to choose from for a very diverse crowd.
The 55 Best Movies Of All Time
Screen Rant breaks down the best movies of all time, from old classics to modern masterpieces across multiple genres of cinema.10 Columbia, Magenta, & Riff Raff At The Wedding
American Gothic Themed Outfits
Avid watchers of Rocky Horror will know that Magenta, Columbia, and Riff Raff can be seen in the background during the musical number "Dammit, Janet!" At the beginning of the song, Magenta and Riff Raff are seen wearing outfits reminiscent of the art piece "American Gothic," complete with a pitchfork. Then they go inside the chapel and Columbia joins them. The outfits are almost pilgrim-like, and it's a fun and unexpected deviation from the trio's louder looks from the rest of the film. It's also an Easter egg from the movie that they're in the scene at all, and even their makeup makes them almost completely unrecognizable.
9 Brad & Janet At The Wedding
Brad & Janet's Wedding Clothing
Brad's plaid tie and cummerbund paired with Janet's lilac skirt suit and white sun hat blowing in the wind make this one of the most iconic and well-known looks of the movie. While it's not the most entertaining thing the pair wears in Rocky Horror, it's the first outfit viewers think of when they hear "Brad and Janet." It's also the first official glimpse viewers get into the main characters of the story, which gives the costumes an added special meaning to the audience watching. It just isn't as iconic as some other costumes from the movie.
8 Rocky's Golden Speedo
Dr. Frank-N-Furter's Greatest Creation
As the "Frankenstein's Monster" equivalent in the movie, viewers might think Rocky would look more like a monster. Instead, he is the bronzed god that Dr. Frank-N-Furter created for himself, so he's tanned, bleached blonde, and golden metallic, all while wearing a Speedo. Rocky, who famously does not sing his song in Rocky Horror, even has matching metallic gold boxing boots to complete his look. Rocky is the titular character of the movie, and when he makes his first appearance in his flashy and memorable costume, he turns a lot of heads.
7 Eddie's Leather Jacket & Head Wound
Meat Loaf's Homage To Elvis
In one of the most iconic looks of the movie, Meat Loaf shows up channeling Elvis. When Eddie comes flying out of the freezer on a motorcycle to sing "Hot Patootie! (Bless My Soul)," he couldn't look more scary, yet cool. He's got a biker jacket on that's cut into a vest by hand. It's got an animal print, chains, and a red-painted sun design on the back. Eddie's use of accessories makes this outfit amazing, as he rides around, sings, and dances, all with a saxophone over his shoulder. One of the things that make this look truly unique is Eddie's very prominent wound across his forehead, inflicted some time ago by Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
6 Riff Raff & Magenta As Aliens
The Aliens' True Appearances
In a bizarre twist, Riff Raff and Magenta reveal themselves to be not only aliens, but they are also plotting against Dr. Frank-N-Furter. They also happen to be incestuous siblings, a part of Rocky Horror that has not aged well, although it was strange at the time as well. Incest aside, they detail their plan while wearing insulated silver minidresses with pointed black shoulder details and garters. Magenta has a Bride of Frankenstein hairdo and Riff Raff has a tiny bun on the top of his head. It's exactly what you might expect from aliens from the Transylvania galaxy.
5 Magenta's Maid & Riff Raff's Butler Outfits
The Rock Horror Aliens' Disguises
The most iconic costumes for Magenta and Riff Raff are their disguises before revealing themselves as aliens. Riff Raff had a giant faux hump that was an homage to Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, Igor? He also wears a tuxedo vest as a shirt, all with blood splatters on it. For Magenta, her costume plays on the classic maid outfit, which is equal parts creepy and sultry. She even has an old-time apron and French maid hat, but spices up the look with garters and her signature heavy black eyeliner and dark red lip gloss. The two were only pretending to be a maid and butler, but they looked the part.
4 Dr. Frank-N-Furter's Lab Look
The Rocky Horror Mad Scientist
Dr. Frank-N-Furter has some amazing costume changes throughout Rocky Horror, and one of the best ones is his mad scientist outfit in the lab while showcasing Rocky to his party guests. He wears a dirty green surgical gown with hot pink rubber gloves over fishnet tights and pumps. Paired with his pearl earrings and necklace, Dr. Frank-N-Furter reveals his creation. If fans look closely, there are a few uncleaned spots of blood on the surgical gown that are most likely from Eddie. One theory about the pink triangle on his gown is that it's a reference to the symbol given to gay prisoners in Nazi concentration camps and reclaimed as a symbol of gay pride (via Reddit).
3 Columbia's "Time Warp" Ensemble
The Time Warp Dance
Columbia sports one of the more intricate and colorful outfits in the film for the majority of her time onscreen. She wears a sequined multicolored corset with shorts that have multicolored ribbons sewn on. During the "Time Warp" number, she pairs it with tap shoes, a gold sequined jacket, and a top hat for her dance solo and dons a pink face mask over it in the lab. Columbia has fewer outfit changes, but it may be because her look is perfect. The sequins and sparkles reflect light to the camera and the bright and shiny costume perfectly reflects her bubbly countenance and high-pitched voice. She has child-like excitement, and her look translates that.
2 The Floor Show
The Cabaret Dancers
The Floor Show features some of the more extravagant and over-the-top outfits of Rocky Horror. Each character has exaggerated clown-like makeup on, and a can-can style corset with feather boas, fishnet garters, and full-length fingerless gloves. The dancing that accompanies this scene in these outfits is unforgettable, with Brad's leg shaking adding to it. The entirety of Rocky Horror flips gender roles, making it one of the most influential movie musicals of all time. This scene especially does a wonderful job of that because all the characters are wearing the same thing, regardless of gender, and they all look incredible.
1 Dr. Frank-N-Furter's "Sweet Transvestite" Debut
Tim Curry Makes His Film Debut
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is the heart of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He based his voice and mannerisms on his mother when she would talk on the phone, mixed with Queen Elizabeth II. His entrance into the film, complete with a full-blown cloak with a Dracula-esque collar concealing the most famous outfit of the film, introduced the film world to Tim Curry for the first time. Dr. Frank-N-Furter's black sequined corset, fishnet garters, black glitter gloves, and pearl jewelry are perfectly complemented by his makeup and "Mom" tattoo. He also spends the entire movie in sky-high heels, making it the most iconic look in the entire movie.