Style Awards for Every “Harry Potter” Movie

by · July 29, 2024

Since Back-to-Hogwarts Day is just around the corner and it’s time to purchase back-to-school clothes, we find ourselves contemplating wizarding world style. From Hogwarts Express travel ensembles to Diagon Alley daywear, we scoured each movie to find the top style moments.

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Admittedly, Sorcerer’s Stone isn’t exactly flooded with fashion (we have just two words for Quirrell and his ill-advised turban: Sashay away!). In the end, we required a Revelio charm to uncover two sartorial gems: We award Albus Dumbledore the “best dressed” distinction thanks to his stylish half-moon spectacles, voluminous robes, and star-studded velvet cap.

 

Dumbledore gives a speech wearing velvet robes and a plush velvet wizard hat

 

Professor McGonagall takes a close second, earning high praise for her accessories game. We love her posh evening robe and her tartan witch hat with a matching scarf. 

 

A collage depicts Professor McGonagall wearing numerous Scottish outfits, including a neat evening robe and a tartan witch hat with matching scarf

 

 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Thankfully, Chamber of Secrets is a fashion redemption. In first place, we found no shortage of outrageous outfits from the wizard we love to hate: Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. He might be a useless wizard and a terrible person, but boy, can he style an outfit!

Nothing topped his dapper green suit, which he assembled with unmatched skill… right before turning Harry Potter’s arm into a limp noodle. Oh well – we can’t be winners at everything.

 

Film stills show several shots of Gilderoy Lockhart in a stunning green suit, while he comedically boggles Harry's broken arm

 

We also tip our hats to Lucius Malfoy and this random witch at Lockhart’s book signing. Sure, she has awful taste in men, but we love her taste in high lapels and puffy sleeves.  And yes, Malfoy’s a terrible father and probably a murderer, but he’s also murdering that three-piece brocade suit and serpentine pin set, so we’ll look the other way.

 

There are two pictures: One of a stylish witch at Gilderoy Lockhart's book signing and another of Lucious Malfoy in a sharp vest and coat

 

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Prisoner of Azkaban might be a fan favorite – but not due to its fashion game. Woof. Yet in a surprise twist, Hagrid serves a giant style moment midway into the film: We love his playful printed tie and punk-rock mohair overcoat. We award him first place!

 

Rubius Hagrid gazes into the distance, wearing a yellow polka dotted tie and a shaggy brown overcoat

 

Honorable mentions must also extend to Dumbledore’s glitzy beard clasp and frosty embroidered ensemble, Lupin’s cool-and-loose suiting with tweed cape, and McGonagall’s flawless winter wear. Well done, professors.

 

A collage shows Professor Lupin on the Hogwarts bridge wearing a stylish suit, Dumbledore in a dressy set of blue wintry robes, and Professor McGonagall in a chic wintry cape and hat

 

 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Incredibly, despite its parade of criminally ugly haircuts, Goblet of Fire actually brings some of the most redeeming fashion moments of the entire film series.

In the manner of Rita Skeeter, did we blatantly cheat by referencing a deleted scene? Yes. But come on – we must praise this scrumptious winter tux on Draco Malfoy. Cheating was the only right thing to do here.

 

A behind-the-filming-scenes photo shows Tom Felton in a beautiful white tux at the Yule Ball on the set of Goblet of Fire

 

Then again, we also can’t drool enough over Ginny Weasley’s Yule Ball dress, so we’re calling this one a tie. (Did Miuccia Prada smuggle herself into Hogwarts, design this exquisite dress, and then Floo-powder herself back to Italy?). This bewitching little dress is a total triumph!

 

Ginny's dress at the Yule ball is a soft mint green and pink two-tone triumph

 

We also award special marks for the style-slaying Beauxbatons and Harry’s adorable tuxedo-and-toothbrush moment. 

 

Harry Potter holds a toothbrush while wearing a tuxedo; in another photo below, the Beauxbaton students look stylish in their edgy blue uniforms

 

 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In Order of the Phoenix, it’s a hoodie-strewn style desert. Professor Umbridge stands out the most… but in an unsettling grandma-Barbie-eats-Coco-Chanel kind of way. The only smart ensemble we see in the entire film is Sirius Black’s plush velvet waistcoat with silver chains and pinstripe jacket. It’s a fairly dapper look, but nothing to die for.

 

Sirius Black wears a plush velvet vest with silver chains under a pin striped jacket

 

 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Happily, Half-Blood Prince majorly raises the fashion bar, competing with Goblet of Fire for the most stylish film overall. We have a slew of special ensembles to feature here, but Luna Lovegood easily takes first place.

In fact, Luna’s ornate silver dress at the Slug Club Christmas party might be our favorite outfit from all eight films. We love its peculiar tiered structure, delicate ribbing, and how perfectly it matches Luna’s odd personality. During a visit last month to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London, we photographed the real dress and admired its wondrous details in person.

 

On the left, a film still shows Luna Lovegood standing in a layered silver dress; on the right, a worker at the London Studio tour holds up the same dress for a group of tourists to admire

 

Half-Blood Prince features many other notable style moments, including Slughorn’s fabulous striped pajamas, Narcissa Malfoy’s intricately embroidered overcoat, the Weasley twins’ playful three-piece suits, a younger Dumbledore’s stylish silk scarf and pinstriped waistcoat, and Hermione’s timeless tea dress.

 

A set of images depict numerous characters: Slughorn in his handsome silk striped pajamas, Narcissa Malfoy in an expensive embroidered coat, a younger Dumbledore in a dotted silk scarf and pinstriped vest, Hermione Granger in a dressy pink cocktail dress, and the Weasley twins in brown striped matching 3-piece suits

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

And that brings us to the final films. Okay, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 mainly consists of Harry moping around his tent in nerdy dad sweaters (vaguely hot, but we digress). Yet fashion finds a way! Let’s not forget the opening wedding scene: We’re obsessed with the dress jacket worn by Elphias Doge. Its bizarre lapels stack up in layer after layer of fashion, forming a truly avant-garde wizarding masterpiece. We award him first place! Fleur Delacour’s swanlike wedding gown is quite bewitching, too.

 

Several images show Elphias Doge, whose dressy jacket has not one—but four lapels! Plus Bill Weasley dancing with his bride, Fleur Delacour. Her dress is black and white and feels as if it was designed to look like a swan

 

By the final movie, people have been blown up, stabbed, buried, and burned alive – and it shows (mainly in their hopeless, tasteless outfits). Yet amid the chaos and the frumpiness, one towering figure remains undeniably stylish: Professor McGonagall never looked so good. With her fiercely tailored shoulder pads and imposing black silhouette, she easily sweeps first place in Deathly Hallows – Part 2. 

 

Professor McGonagall stands amidst the battle of Hogwarts, looking very chic in her jet-black robes with pointed shoulders.

 

Of course, fashion’s subjective, so leave us your passionate opinions in the comments and tell us if you agree or disagree with our favorite style moments.

Virginia

Growing up, I always had a fictional book in my hand. I read through countless dinners, math classes, family gatherings, and sporting events. By my mid twenties in Boston, with four jobs and the "Harry Potter" books to keep me warm at night, I earned my degree in Literature and Journalism. Find me online @RobesForAllOccasions