Costume designers on the set of Harry Potter have their work cut out for them. On top of a slew of characters that they have to dress up, they had to keep up with wardrobe changes that were pertinent to character development. Hermione, for example, is typically fashioned in her Hogwarts robes or standard Muggle garments. And notable outfits like her Yule Ball dress has received praise throughout the years.
But to be able to judge the Harry Potter costumes in their entirety, audiences have to look at the level of unique consistency that each character showcases. That’s why people such as Hermione won’t appear on this list. Rather, you will find characters whose changing wardrobe looks fresh, new, and relevant to the wizarding world and each situation that these characters find themselves in. So here are the best costumes in the Harry Potter movies, ranked.
Beauxbaton Girls
The Beauxbaton Academy all-girls school make their appearance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. While their entrance is a bit silly, at least their wardrobe accurately depicts their characters. Fleur, for example, is part Veela, which is a creature that is remarkably good at luring in men with their beauty. The light and airy uniforms help to depict that flawless effort, and the beguiling blue shade works well with the satin texture.
Not to mention, the girls are described as wearing uniforms of fine silk, so it seems like no better uniform could have been contrived for these particular students. At the very least, they are far more interesting to look at than the Hogwarts uniforms.
Professor Trelawney
While they may be lacking in vibrant colors, Professor Trelawney’s outfits make up for it in whimsical designs. There is no doubt that the costume designers added in these eccentric details as a subtle way to describe the Divination professor's strange persona.
Our first glimpse of Trelawney is in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Her thick black circle-rimmed glasses and wild hair are only further pronounced by a colorful scarf and distracting accessories. It’s obvious that her wardrobe is taken into serious consideration, and it’s worth noting that this character is a favorite to replicate in the cosplay community.
Rita Skeeter
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, audiences get to see a fleshed-out version of Rita Skeeter, the conniving Quick Quotes Quill writer for the Daily Prophet. Her costume is wildly pronounced, which highlights her personality quirks perfectly.
She is almost exactly what readers would have imagined reading the books, and despite not making more obvious appearances in later films, her wardrobe is always on point.
Professor McGonagall
While her costumes can sometimes be a bit lackluster, they suit her character perfectly. McGonagall's most rememberable costume is the green cloak that she wears in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. She has a few different costume changes throughout the series, with some of those costumes being simply made out of muted green or gray materials.
However, her costume intricacies are picked up again in the final Harry Potter installment with her commanding and high neck cloak that instantly gives the illusion that she means business. There's also her illustrious Yule Ball gown with its hanging sleeves and vibrant green fabric that is well-designed for her character.
Bellatrix Lestrange
While Bellatrix's costumes are ceaselessly black, the attention to detail is outstanding. Like Professor Trelawney, her wild features are present from head to toe. Designers start with her dark makeup look and wild curls with her corset tops and flowing dress to follow the menacing trend.
It’s even more interesting to note that Bellatrix seems to trade in her lace garments for a more armor look in the final Harry Potter film. Her corset in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two is made out of weathered leather material with wayward stitchings. Her sleeves are made out of a faux dragon scale material instead of the usual lace, which is a small but relevant attribute that the costume designers slyly added on.
Dolores Umbridge
She may be the most hated Harry Potter character in the entire series, and maybe part of it is due to her wardrobe. Embellished with pink clothing from head to toe, the atrociousness of her costumes help play a role in her demeaning character. It's what makes her costumes some of the best in the Harry Potter films.
The fur shawls and accents are features that most certainly reflect her weird cat obsession, and the pink light is in total juxtaposition with her personality. Her famous wardrobe is as awful as her personality, which is what makes her overall look so glaring (and somewhat intimidating).
Lucius Malfoy
The Harry Potter fanbase severely overlooks Lucius Malfoy‘s costumes. Like Bellatrix, he does wear all black, but the attention to detail is what makes them incredible. Each set of robes that he wears is different from the last, which subtly hints at the Malfoy‘s family wealth. And naturally, Lucius is one who wants to showcase his superiority.
Fans can also notice the change in his wardrobe following his demise as a prominent figure in the wizarding world to a cowering follower of Voldemort. Not only do his garments become less polished and refined, but his accessories are more like artillery. Overall, his costumes become more and more weathered as his situation takes its toll.
Professor Dumbledore
While Professor Dumbledore’s costumes fall a bit short in the later films, there’s no denying that Dumbledore's got style in the first two films. Richard Harris’s version of Dumbledore is nothing less than magnificent. His costumes are the perfect representation of the wise old teacher, with his subtly dark robes embellished with illustrious gold details. It's a classic wizard look, but Dumbledore's look definitely stands out.
Later versions of Dumbledore are a bit more subdued, and seemingly more fitting for Gandolf the Gray than Dumbledore. Still, the details and fine attachments are whimsical enough to be of notice and they suit Dumbledore's character all the same.
Hagrid
Hagrid's costumes in the film are hysterically accurate to how the books describe them. His monstrous overcoat is strikingly different than those of other wizards, and it gives note that Hagrid may not be as well-off as your standard witch or wizard. He even hoists somewhat of a utility belt every once in a while, which is perfect for the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
One of his more catchy outfits is his "suit" that he has to wear to the Ministry hearing concerning Buckbeak. It’s a primitive fur coat which he combines with a clashing stripe and polka dot tie. It’s horrible in terms of fashion statements, but wonderful considering it’s Hagrid who’s wearing them.
Luna Lovegood
Unlike the other Hogwarts students who frequently sport Muggle clothes in the films, Luna Lovegood's wardrobe is consistently pleasing. Well, maybe not her silver Slug Club party dress. Nevertheless, Lunas costumes are always bold and interesting to look at.
From her sunny orange dress from Bill and Fleur's wedding to her incredible and supportive Gryffindor Quidditch attire, Luna Lovegood‘s costumes are the most interesting out of all of the characters in the Harry Potter films.