7 Times Historical Movies & TV Shows Got The Costuming Right!

Historical fiction can be some of the best types of fiction out there, from "Bridgerton" to even "Stranger Things". But, if you are a fan of history outside of that, you can and will notice how Hollywood, well, Hollywood-ifies the costumes. Often they give modern makeovers, add in strange colors, and they just love putting corsets directly against the skin of the actresses. If you want something that looks as good as the story is, here is a list of incredible series to watch!

1. "Rome" (2005-2007)

"Rome" is a HBO drama that follows the lives of Romans as the country turns into the Roman Empire through violence. It depicts both the aristocracy and the ordinary citizen in the legendary time period. Though the story may not be accurate, it is authentic to the time. The people looked like they lived in the city, and the color contrast between the poor and rich is completely accurate. If you were poor, you wouldn’t be able to afford the dyes necessary to have lavish clothing. They were even accurate in how the nobles would dress in colorful tunics when they were at home, and in public they had very strict laws on what they could wear. Overall, the series and costume designer, April Ferry, did amazing with the costuming, and the TV Academy agreed, awarding her and the series with an Emmy for Outstanding Costumes in 2006. Available on VOD/Digital or via Prime, Hulu, and YouTube Premium subscriptions.

2. EMMA. (2020)
Based on the classic Jane Austen novel, Emma. is the story of a girl who loves to play matchmaker. However, her matches are often misguided and she must learn not to meddle so much in her family’s affairs. Alexandra Byrne did what should be done for all historical dramas when possible -- she made an effort to study surviving Regency Era garments and it was done with love. In particular, the pale pink Spencer jacket Emma wears is a replica of an 1815 piece at the Chertsey Museum. The wealth of Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy) is made clear through the extensive and colorful garments she wears throughout the film. It is a major indicator of her personality and overall where she is in her life during the Regency peiod. Even the students in red riding cloaks were fairly standard for the students of the time. The colors are beautiful, and the stylization had so much care even to the point that it appears Emma passes on the out-of-style clothes to her friend Harriet (Mia Goth). The story is told not just by the actors but by the clothing as well. Stream on Prime Video.

3. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Sense and Sensibility (1995) is another classic Jane Austin novel-turned-film, about a woman whose family dies and loses her financial stability. She moves to the countryside where she must decide who to marry to restore their financial status. The setting is once again the early-1800s when clothing had smooth lines and a draping silhouette. The colors were bright, and instead of a tight corset, a higher position for the bust became favored. Once again, the costume designers used the clothing to tell the story just as much as the script. The contrast between the wealthy and the poor is carefully thought out and researched. Jenny Beavan and John Bright made an effort to ensure each design matched a character’s personality while also keeping the designs unique overall. Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) kept her clothing simple and modest while her younger sister Marianne (Kate Winslet) was less so. The details of the bonnets to the trimmings were constructed well and perfectly thought out. Available on VOD/Digital.

4. "Interview with a Vampire" (2022-)
The story is, of course, an interview with a vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) about his life as a vampire for the past 100 years. He is always dressed to fit the highest fashion of the time. The story is around two centuries forward from what the original book and movie were set in, so we see a lot of early 20th Century fashion. It is clear through the series that care was taken. From New Orleans 1910 to the modern day, the color choices are made a little brighter than the fashion of the time would depict, but that is so the characters are brighter in contrast to those around them. The nods and understanding to how fashion would work are incredible, especially with Grace (Kalyne Coleman) still wearing a jacket falling out of fashion. It was a well-thought-out set of costumes overall. Stream on AMC+, Philo, and Sling TV.

5. "Gentleman Jack" (2019-2022)
HBO's "Gentleman Jack" is the story of real-life Anne Lister and her life with her family and servants. The series is based in 1830, using the real-life diaries of Lister, most of which were written in code, depicting her life as a lesbian in the early-1800s. In the 1830s, fashion seemed to have a weird stage, and most films edit this idea out, but the costume designer, Tom Pye, embraced it. Broad shoulders and puffy sleeves were the height of fashion for the time. This was also important to the story, as it showed how different List’s character was from the average woman. The female silhouette for the time felt youthful with strangely placed waistlines and ballooned sleeves. This was the industrial era, and that changed the fashion for everyone. The goal was to look ultra-feminine at this point, which is made very clear in the series. List’s character design as based on the diaries and often fits more into the fashion of men at the time. Black seems to be her preferred color of choice and, of course, matches the few portraits we have of the industrialist. The work was well done and respected who she was at the time. Stream on Max.

6. The Alamo (2004)
The Alamo, of course, is based on the infamous 1836 battle at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. The costumes for this movie may be one of the most important parts of the film overall. Daniel Orlandi took months to study the costumes for the film to ensure it was as accurate to history as possible, from the soldiers of the Mexican army to the generals. He even bought raccoons from a taxidermist to ensure the accuracy of raccoon skin hats! Available on VOD/Digital.

7. Barry Lyndon (1975)
The story of Barry Lyndon is about an Irish man who marries a rich widow to take over her wealth and her dead husband’s place in society. Be warned, this is a slow film, so it is important to watch it when you have the time to enjoy it. The costume designs were made by Milena Canonero and Ulla-Britt Söderlund, and the film was directed by Stanley Kubrick. There is a lot of focus early on the military uniforms at the beginning, and they look beautiful. The red and white is, of course, how we recognized the British troops in any form of media. Fop makeup wasn’t shied away from either -- it was very popular for the upper class at the time. Even the details of the hats of the nobility were accurate for the time. Large and feathered. It is the epitome of fashion when it comes to correct costuming. Everything fits for the "macaroni" styling of the time (yes, as in "Yankee Doodle"). Available on VOD/Digital.

Overall, it is hard to find films with good costumes for the period they want to depict. These are some of the better ones, even if there may be flaws here and there. There are many great period dramas out there but just miss the mark in costumes. If the care done in these pieces were done every time, it would just be icing on the cake.