A few years ago I went to a fantastic exhibition at ACMI in Melbourne called Hollywood Costume.  The exhibition featured some of the most iconic costumes in film history, including costumes from The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, Valley of the Dolls and The Seven Year Itch.  As I person who adores films and fashion, it was a very moving experience for me.  I actually teared up as I stood in front of the gingham dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.

Last week, while cleaning out my desk I found the program that I’d saved from the exhibition.  While I was looking at it I started thinking about movie costumes and imagining what it would be like to own some of those gorgeous outfits to wear in real life.  I set myself a creative challenge, trying to imagine which costumes I would choose to stock my wardrobe with if I could…

Scarlett O’Hara’s scarlet dress from Gone With the Wind

This dress takes my breath away every time I see it.  It’s brazen, it’s sexy and it’s the most intense shade of crimson I’ve ever laid eyes on.  I adore the figure-hugging line and the fact that it has feathers AND sequins.  This is a dress to get you noticed.

Elle Driver’s trench coat from Kill Bill

The comic book fan in me adores this trench coat.  It’s so simple and yet so eye-catching.  The hand-drawn details give it a cartoonish look but it is such a classic line and style.

Penny Lane’s boots from Almost Famous

Those incredible lace-up boots are the stuff this hippy-chick’s dreams are made of.  I can just see myself gliding down the street with those boots peeking out from under a denim skirt topped off with a whisper-thin sheer blouse with my hair flowing free.

Elvira’s dagger brooch from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

There is something delightfully tacky about wearing an enormous, bejewelled dagger pinned to your dress.  But I still desperately want to do it anyway.  I can imagine wearing that spectacular brooch on a luscious velvet blazer, or on the waist of a skin-tight dress to play homage to the Mistress of the dark.

Enid Coleslaw’s glasses from Ghost World

As a Gal with Glasses, I was super excited by Enid’s wardrobe of frames.  She wears a different pair in practically every scene, from Buddy Holly spectacles to sexy cat’s-eye frames.

Mrs Flax’s polka dot dress from Mermaids

I would have such fun shimmying into that hip-hugging wiggle dress and sashaying down the street in a pair of mules and thick-rimmed sunglasses.  Although this dress is very 1960’s, there is a timelessness to the cut that I adore. Also, note the fact that it has pockets.  POCKETS!  How fantastic.

I could go on and on, but those are my top picks.  If you could, which movie costumes would you fill your wardrobe with?