The secrets behind the best ‘Clueless’ outfits as the film turns 25

Costume designer Mona May possibly manufactured an indelible mark on the flicks of the ’90s: You have seen her patterns in “Romy and Michele’s High Faculty Reunion,” “Never Been Kissed” and “The Marriage ceremony Singer,” but her “Clueless” outfits, specially the appears to be developed for Alicia Silverstone’s Cher, are by much the most iconic.

Who can neglect Cher’s exchange about her dress with the mugger who tells her to get on the floor: “It’s an Alaïa.” Mugger: “An a-whatta?” Cher: “An Alaïa. It is like a entirely essential designer.”

Listed here, in honor of the film’s twenty fifth anniversary (it opened July 19, 1995), May possibly shares some of her preferred appears to be with The Write-up: “I took runway clothes and transformed them through the eye of the significant college female,” she says.

Cher’s 1st-day-of-college outfit

Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone.
Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone.©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Amy [Heckerling, the director] beloved a college uniform. So how do you completely transform it to significant style? This Dolce & Gabbana was a perfect 1st day of college outfit. In the quad, there’s a lot of people, a lot of greenery, how are we likely to pop Cher out? Yellow is like sunshine, like, oh, my God, she’s the sunshine of the college. And when Alicia set it on, that was it, that was the a person.

Cher’s cherry-purple Alaïa

Cher from 'Clueless' in her Alaia dress
Cher from ‘Clueless’ in her Alaia dressAlamy Stock Photo

It was so really hard to get anything, due to the fact no one was lending clothes back then! It experienced to be festive and experienced to glance excellent on Cher. It experienced to be tight and binding. It was not in our budget to commit a couple thousand on a designer dress! We bought a get in touch with that we could possibly borrow this, and we entirely jumped on it. When it arrived and she tried using it on, it was so perfect. The coverup boa is a Mona May possibly authentic. I really don’t feel quite a few people understood who Alaïa was in advance of the movie.

Cher’s white Calvin Klein dress

Justin Walker, Alicia Silverstone
Justin Walker, Alicia Silverstone©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

This was a minimal out of her coloration palette, pretty pale — I was not sure if it would be the appropriate matter. You by no means know what will hit the mark. When she set it on, it definitely seemed like lingerie, specially due to the fact of the coloration. Amy was beside herself. And then we found this sheer Vivienne Tam coverup — she was notable in the ’90s.

Dionne (Stacey Dash)

Donald Faison and Stacey Dash
Donald Faison and Stacey DashEverett Collection

Dionne was a minimal savvier … She was the reverse of Cher, who was variety of prim. I love her 1st day of college outfit: The black and white, with the vinyl lapels to go with the vinyl hat. She has these gorgeous skin. We did the skirts much shorter on her, a lot of classic purses and clutches, a lot of texture. I definitely like her Christmas get together glance, a Dolce & Gabbana shirt. She experienced the braids in a matching coloration ribbon and this captivating skirt to go with it.

Tai (Brittany Murphy)

Brittany Murphy
Brittany MurphyEverett Collection

Brittany Murphy was these a delight. When we 1st see her character, it’s like, who’s this hideous duckling? She experienced the undesirable hair and dishevelled clothes, and that gave us a lot to enjoy with. In the conclude, she’s developed, from the grunge through the extremely dressed and primped Cher doll, to come across she’s this definitely neat female, pretty down to earth … she’s a minimal boyish but female, way too.

Christian (Justin Walker), Cher’s crush’s complete vibe

Justin Walker
Justin Walker©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Justin entirely reminded me of these aged movie stars, James Dean, any of these men from the ’50s. And, wow, does he glance captivating in a tight T-shirt! We wanted to provide some thing retro to him, so we did the tight shirt with the pants with the pleats, and the pork pie hat. He definitely experienced the appropriate physique and the appropriate aura to pull it off.