The Famous Jackets of Horror!

Here at PARKA, we are getting in the Halloween spirit (pun intended), but we still wanted to talk about coats, because, well, that’s what we do best!

To celebrate this spooky holiday, and the upcoming release of the new HALLOWEEN film, we are taking a look at some of our favourite horror films and the coats the famous characters wore on set.

Horror Jacket #1 Dracula's Cape (CHRISTOPHER LEE, 1958)

Perhaps the most portrayed villain in film history, everyone knows the cape Christopher Lee wore in his 1958 depiction of the infamous Count Dracula although not technically a coat, we couldn’t leave it out.
His black cape cocoons around him flow as he walks and when he opens it to reveal a dramatic blood redlining, it’s a perfect example of how a horror villain should dress!

Horror Jacket #2 The Birds Suit Jacket (TIPPI HEDREN, 1963)

Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’ may have been filmed back in the 1960s but it remains terrifying to this day. We’ve broken the rules again because she’s not a villain, but she’s so stylish that we don’t even care. She stars as socialite Melanie Daniels and manages to look chic, even when she is being attacked by birds. Hitchcock envisioned using a lot of green in the film, so the wardrobe department came up with a sophisticated wool dress and matching ¾ length sleeve jacket which fits beautifully.

Horror Jacket #2 The Shining Corduroy Jacket (JACK NICHOLSON, 1980)

Adapted from Stephen King’s book, ‘The Shining’ has become a cult classic, despite not originally being well received by critics. The burgundy corduroy jacket worn during filming by Jack Nicholson, as lead character Jack Torrance, was actually Nicholson’s own Margaret Howell design. Howell was contacted to produce several identical coats which were to be used on set.

Horror Jacket #3 American Werewolf in London Puffa Coat (DAVID NAUGHTON, 1981)

American Werewolf in London features the original puffer jacket in true 80’s style, with David Naughton and his co-star Griffin Dunne wearing them in the movie, it has become associated with this classic horror-comedy. Dunne has even said he continued to wear his for years after filming had stopped!

Horror Jacket #4 The Thing Pilot's Jacket (KURT RUSSELL, 1982)

Set in Antarctica, as expected, there are lots of great coats in this 1980’s horror, from gilets to puffers and not forgetting the classic parka! Kurt Russell stars as R.J. MacReady a helicopter pilot and of course he needs the appropriate jacket to go with the job. He wears a distressed, brown, leather flight jacket with a shearling stand collar – coat perfection.