‘Tis the season for candy corn, pumpkin spice, and, of course, horror films. The beloved film genre has been around since the beginning of cinema, itself, surviving — and thriving — through many mutations, from 1920’s monster films and 1970’s slashers to 00’s torture porn and today’s A24 traumafests. One thing that has always remained the same, however, is the scream queen.
The history of women in horror dates back to the era of silent film. However, the phenomenon of the horror heroine wasn’t given a name until the 1930s, when actress Fay Wray was dubbed a “scream queen” for her shrill performance in 1933’s King Kong. Since the damsels-in-distress of the early 20th century, the scream queen, like her choice genre, has undergone her own transmutations. Sometimes she’s the first kill, sometimes she’s the final girl, sometimes she’s the monster herself. For starters, there’s Jamie Lee Curtis’ utterly unkillable Laurie Strode (Halloween), Neve Campbell as the astute Sidney Prescott, Megan Fox’s man-eating Jennifer Check, or Mia Goth as both final girl and slasher in the X franchise.
In addition to scares, the most iconic scream queens always serve up a side of style. Beyond the classic slasher lingerie, some of pop culture’s most memorable first kills have delivered a slew of cute, moodboard-worthy looks, like Drew Barrymore and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s gone-to-soon Scream cyphers. Think also the battle-weary garb of the final girl: blood-spattered and slashed separates, and the equally blood-soaked attire of the monstrous feminine. (Pearl’s not-so-subtly symbolic red dress, anyone?) Here, just in time for horror season, we look back at some of the most iconic outfits worn by the most iconic scream queens of all time.
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Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween, 1978
Of course the daughter of Psycho’s Janet Leigh was destined to become the ultimate scream queen. The 1970s was a seminal decade for horror, popularising the beloved slasher genre and raising the scream queen profiles of legends like Sandra Peabody (Last House on the Left), Olivia Hussey (Black Christmas), and Marilyn Burns (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Among the 1970’s scream queens, none is more iconic or prolific than Jamie Lee Curtis. The actress made her Hollywood debut as the unkillable Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and its subsequent sequels. Seriously: after facing off with Michael Meyers six times over the course of four decades, the actress returned to reprise her role and (possibly?) close out the franchise with 2022’s Halloween Ends.
Of course, all of Jamie’s Halloween turns are iconic. But none are as memorable as the first film’s final chase, Laurie playing one final game (or so she thought) of cat-and-mouse with Michael while wearing a slashed blue button-up and indigo jeans.
Sigourney Weaver in Alien, 1979
Sigourney Weaver gave us a slew of iconic looks in 1979’s sci-fi horror Alien, from a subversively boyish take on the classic slasher lingerie to a full-on space suit. However, no outfit from the film (or any of its sequels, for that matter) are quite as memorable as Ellen Ripley’s blue fatigue jumpsuit, accessorised with Nostromo crew patches and the film’s “final cat”, Jonesy.
Heather Langenkamp in A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984
By the 1980s, the slasher had gone supernatural. Films like Child’s Play, Suspiria and Phenomena introduced villains by way of possessed dolls and witch covens, and bestowed their protagonists with slasher-slaying psychic powers. Leading the pack of this new subgenre, however, was Wes Craven’s 1984 flick Nightmare on Elm Street, which introduced dream-jumping serial killer Freddy Krueger. Leading the film’s cast was Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson, horror’s “grittiest” final girl according to horror connoisseur Carol J. Clover. Seriously, don’t let the pink and pearls deceive you.
Neve Campbell in Scream, 1996
If anyone was to give Jamie Lee a run for her scream queen money, it’d be Neve Campbell. After starring in horror-lite teen flick The Craft in 1996, Neve earned her scream queen stripes in the appropriately-titled slasher, Scream. By the 1990s, the genre had grown a little stale, its scares and tropes predictable to the point of self-parody. Craven’s horror-satire, however, breathed life back into the genre, keeping audiences guessing from the iconic first scene to the final reveal. In the film (and its many sequels), Neve plays Sidney Prescott, the whip-smart final girl who’s always two steps ahead of the films’ masked killers. Though Neve has reprised her role five times, her most iconic Scream moment arrived in the original film’s iconic final act. Has blood-spattered denim ever looked so good?
Drew Barrymore in Scream, 1996
Is a cameo enough to make someone a scream queen? In Drew Barrymore’s case, we’d have to say yes. In 1996, the actress was tapped to star as final girl Sidney Prescott in Wes Craven slasher Scream. Before production began, however, Drew changed her mind and opted to play the smaller role of Casey Becker, who dies in the film’s opening scene. Why the switch up? “In the horror film genre, my biggest pet peeve was that I always knew the main character was going to be slugging through at the end, but was going to creak by and make it,” Drew revealed to Hot Ones host Sean Evans in 2020. “What I wanted to do is to take that comfort zone away. I asked if I could be Casey Becker, so we would establish this rule does not apply in this film.” The famous fakeout set the tone for the Scream franchise and spawned one of the most iconic horror scenes (and cutest 90s fits!) of all time.
Sarah Michelle Gellar in Scream 2, 1997
Next up is horror veteran Sarah Michelle Gellar. In 1996, Sarah rose to horror genre prominence as primetime’s beloved Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The following year, however, she was taking on more than just vampires, starring in serial killer slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer alongside fellow horror heroine Jennifer Love Hewitt and future beau, Freddie Prinze Jr. Since then, the actress has cemented her scream queen status with films like Scream 2 and The Grudge.
Over the years, Sarah’s had many, many stylish horror moments. (Just check out Buffy!) But if we had to choose just one, it would be her cute crocheted look from Scream 2. A look to die for — literally.
Paris Hilton in House of Wax, 2005
Heiress, songstress, and scream queen: Paris Hilton really does it all. After becoming a household name with The Simple Life, Paris graduated from the small to the big screen with 2005 slasher, House of Wax. While many horror fans initially disapproved of Paris’ casting, the film’s creators (and Paris herself) actually capitalised on the hate, marketing the film with the slogan “See Paris Die!” As the campaign suggested, Paris’ House of Wax cypher, Paige, doesn’t make it to the end credits. After being chased through an abandoned sugar mill — in lingerie, of course — Paris meets her gruesome end at the hands of a well-aimed metal pole. After all was said and done however, Paris had the last laugh, winning the Teen Choice Award for Best Scream. Touché, haters!
Megan Fox in Jennifer’s Body, 2009
It’s time to give Megan Fox her scream queen dues. In 2009 she starred in the iconic horror comedy Jennifer’s Body — directed by Karyn Kusama and written by the whipsmart Diablo Cody — as the titular man-eating cheerleader Jennifer Check. The film was maligned at the time of its release (hmmm, we wonder why?), but has gone on to become a girl internet classic for its quotable quips, shareable screencaps, and underlying feminist message. Oh, and let’s not forget Jennifer’s wardrobe, which includes cropped puffer jackets, heart-patterned hoodies, and, most notably, in a subversion of Carrie’s final look, a blood-stained prom dress.
Mia Goth in Pearl, 2022
Mia Goth’s newly-appointed scream queen title has been a long time coming. While the actress has been starring in horror films since 2017’s A Cure for Wellness, Mia had her big horror break with the one-two punch of horror slashers X and its prequel Pearl, both released in late 2022. Next year, the actress is slated to reprise the role of pornstar Maxine in the franchise’s threequel, Maxxxine. The series of films has already delivered us two mega-iconic scream queen looks and we’re betting the 80s-set sequel will bring us a few more.