The costumes in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow are as legendary as the story the movie is based on. Originally a part of Grimm's Fairytales before it was repackaged as a ghost story by Washington Irving in 1820, Sleepy Hollow has remained a standard of the Halloween season since it premiered in 1999. Its instantly recognizable costumes, designed by long-time Burton collaborator and costuming genius Colleen Atwood, played as much a part in bringing the Legend of Sleepy Hollow to life as the stars who wore them.
When Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is called from New York City to the little town of Sleepy Hollow to investigate multiple murders, he investigates in his impeccably practical long coat. It's not long before the enchanting Katrina Van Tassel catches his eye, and who can blame him, when she wears her luxurious blue velvet riding cloak?
Each costume reflects the traits of the wearer, providing clues to the mystery of the Headless Horseman. Don't lose your head over this ranking of the top ten Sleepy Hollow costumes!
LADY CRANE
Lady Crane may be a relatively minor character in Sleepy Hollow, but she is integral to Ichabod Crane's backstory. A playful young woman who pursues witchcraft despite being married to a fanatically religious man, she raises Ichabod to trust in the magic of his natural surroundings.
On the surface, Lady Crane's costume may seem plain, but its construction conveys much more than meets the eye. As a preacher's wife, she doesn't wear opulent clothing and her chest is almost comically bound. Whenever her bodice loosens, it coincides with scenes where she threatens to cast off the rigid confines of her husband's household.
BALTUS VAN TASSEL
Getting a star with the theatrical gravitas of Michael Gambon gives dramatic weight to the supernatural vex that befalls Sleepy Hollow. As the richest man in the small conclave, Colleen Atwood dressed Baltus in Georgian finery befitting his status among the population.
Baltus wears rich brocade, silk, and velvet in earth tones, with a mixture of natural materials (bone and wood buttons), fur collared-cloaks, all accented with gold brooches and ornate pins. His outfit(s) are the most period-appropriate, and undeniably resplendent, but fail to capture much of his personality the way the rest of the film's costumes manage to.
ICHABOD CRANE
Ichabod Crane only wears two main costumes throughout the film; his constabulary uniform in the beginning, and the outfit he wears during his visit to Sleepy Hollow. He isn't a wealthy man, so his clothing is plain and monochromatic, but made from durable materials that can be depended upon during his investigation into the Headless Horseman.
Great care was taken to dress the film's male lead. Like a hero of the Hammer Studio films ready to wage war against a litany of famous monsters, he wears a long waistcoat with gold trimming and tall boots. Crane's outfit is unfettered by any personal touches, save his tools of deduction. A man of science and reason, he is logical, thorough, and practical, like his clothing.
THE WESTERN WOODS CRONE WITCH
The Western Woods Crone Witch, played with lugubrious ambiguity by Miranda Richardson, may not play a large role in the film, but she leaves a lasting impression. Residing outside of the town of Sleepy Hollow, she's a mysterious figure known to the townsfolk as a hermit and a heretic.
When Ichabod and Katrina travel to meet the witch to discern more clues about the town murders, we get a better look at her costume. It's an intricate pastiche of delicate lace that rests almost like cobwebs over her face, which is concealed by a veil. Lurking beneath is the face of a once beautiful woman, along with something else entirely.
KATRINA'S GOLD DRESS WITH BLUE CLOAK
When Ichabod Crane first meets Katrina Van Tassel, they share an intimate moment; a kiss, as part of a party game at the Van Tassel home. Katrina is a romantic at heart, not only indicated by that one moment, but also by the romantic details in her wardrobe. As a practicing witch, she also has great ties to the natural world, hints of which are found in her garments.
One of the most strident examples of this aspect of her character is her blue velvet cloak with red roses. Red is one of the most statement-making hues in the entire film, especially in the form of spilled blood. As Katrina and Ichabod get closer throughout Sleepy Hollow, her outfits' color palette fade from ethereal pastels and sentimental ruffles to more structured, artificial lines.
LADY VAN TASSEL'S GOLD AND BLACK GOWN
From the moment we first see Lady Van Tassel, her outfit outshines everyone else's in the room. Ichabod Crane has come to investigate the murders in Sleepy Hollow and arrives at the Van Tassel home while it's in the midst of a raucous party. She is a gracious and charming hostess, and her ensemble is both sensational and in stark contrast to even her husband's finery.
As the newly appointed Lady of the House (and Katrina's stepmother), she doesn't wear the garments of her station - she wears beyond them. Hers is a "rags to riches" tale, and she wears clothing that is indicative of her station among the "nouveau riche."
KATRINA'S BLACK AND WHITE DRESS
One of the most memorable dresses (from a film that had many) was the black and white striped bustle dress worn by Katrina Van Tassel when she accompanied Ichabod Crane back to New York City as 1799 drew to a close. Throughout the film, we watch the slow evolution of Katrina's character via her dresses.
In the beginning, she wore pastels; shades of peach, then shades of gold, and eventually shades of blue, with the flowery details giving way to structured lines (so often associated with Tim Burton) that governed Ichabod's world of reason. It makes sense that Katrina would wear a dress that is both whimsical and practical to New York.
LADY VAN TASSEL'S GOLD AND GREEN GOWN
Lady Van Tassel wears a striking gold and green ensemble into the Western Woods. It's a dramatic, theatrical gown and shrug with a high collar, full of miss-matched patterns and colliding chaotic patterns.
The chaos reflects her shifting allegiance, as we see her becoming less of a benevolent maternal figure, and more of the evil stepmother of fairytales. Like Katrina Van Tassel, her character's metamorphosis is undergone through her many costume changes.
LADY VAN TASSEL'S BLACK AND WHITE GOWN
The gown that Lady Van Tassel wears at the end of the film is one of the most fascinating costumes to appear in Sleepy Hollow. Instead of an attempt at anything to do with the Georgian period, it takes on a Pre-Raphaelite look, evoking a complete union with the natural world.
As Lady Van Tassel turns out to be a witch that controls the Headless Horseman by keeping his skull, the spider web motif is appropriate. It also foreshadows her eventual swallowing by the Tree of the Dead, when the Horseman drags her back to Hell.
THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN'S COSTUME
The Headless Horseman is the real star of Sleepy Hollow. The most discussed character of the entire town, he is seen at integral instances, and his costume plays a large part in making him terrifying. Its black leather armor boasts beautiful craftsmanship, etched with complicated designs befitting a Hessian warlord.
Of course, nobody can forget the nefarious and perfectly-cast Christopher Walken appearing in flashbacks and at the dramatic climax of the film, with crazed hair, jagged teeth, and bizarre penetrating eyes. It's the apex effort of a series of fantastic pieces, reflecting the creativity and workmanship of Colleen Atwood and her talented design crew.