19 Celebs Who Kept Their Iconic Looks From The Roles They Played

    These celebs wore the outfits so well, they really deserved to keep them for life.

    Devin Herenda
    by Devin Herenda

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    The outfits worn by actors as they play film and TV characters can leave a huge impression on viewers.

    KISS FM UK / Via giphy.com

    Who could forget Fran Drescher's many chic fashion statements as Fran Fine in The Nanny?

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    Or Henry Winkler's awesome leather jacket as Fonzie in Happy Days?

    Miller-Milkis Productions / Via giphy.com

    Once filming ends, celebs may be able to keep the wardrobe items they wore for a project. These 19 lucky actors got to take their legendary looks home with them.

    1. Ashley Tisdale held onto Sharpay's High School Musical outfits.

    Ashley Tisdale appears as Sharpay Evans in various "High School Musical" scenes
    Salty Pictures

    In 2018, Ashley said the first item she took home from a set was "all of Sharpay's wardrobe from the first High School Musical movie." Later on, Disney made efforts to get some of the iconic outfits back from her, but Ashley didn't budge.

    "Did I think I was going to wear them on the red carpet? Probably, at the time," Ashley said of the outfits. "A lot of our clothes are in like, hall of fames, and they didn't have Sharpay's stuff. Disney tried so hard to get the clothes from me and I was like, 'No, this is mine.' So, yeah, they don't have any of the clothes from the first movie. I do."

    2. Ralph Macchio still has his Karate Kid headband.

    Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso fights Johnny in "The Karate Kid," and he tries on his karate gear again in "Cobra Kai"
    Columbia Pictures, Counterbalance Entertainment / Via youtube.com

    In a 2014 Oprah: Where Are They Now? episode, Ralph showed off some Karate Kid mementos he took home after shooting the 1984 film: the trophy his character, Daniel LaRusso, wins at the close of the movie, as well as the flower headband that was a central part of the character's wardrobe. Two of these headbands were used on set after actor Pat Morita had the accessory in his pocket and "just decided to put it on [Ralph]" during filming.

    The actor has since worn the headband again while reprising his role for the Netflix series which continues the Karate Kid plot, Cobra Kai.

    3. Gabrielle Union rocked her Bring It On cheerleading uniform nearly 20 years after playing Isis in the movie.

    Gabrielle Union as Isis wears her Clovers cheerleading outfit next to fellow cheerleaders
    Universal / ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Gabrielle told People in 2017 that her Clovers cheerleading outfit from the 2000 comedy, Bring It On, was still sitting in her closet. Two years later, in a Halloween dress-up photo posted on Instagram, Gabrielle wore the uniform again. Her daughter, Kaavia James Union Wade, sported her own matching cheerleading outfit in the image. Gabrielle captioned the adorable photo, "Brought It."

    4. Chris Evans kept his Knives Out sweaters.

    Chris Evans as Hugh Ransom Drysdale sits across from Marta in "Knives Out"
    Lionsgate / Via youtube.com

    In a 2019 interview with People, the Knives Out cast was asked if they'd taken any items from the set. Chris, who starred as Hugh Ransom Drysdale in the movie, said he'd been given permission to take some clothes home, so he "got all the sweaters" from his character's wardrobe. 

    5. Annie Murphy's closet houses her "A Little Bit Alexis" dress.

    Annie Murphy as Alexis auditions for Moira and Jocelyn by singing  "A Little Bit Alexis"
    CBC / Via youtube.com

    Fans of Schitt's Creek will not soon forget Annie as Alexis Rose performing "A Little Bit Alexis" for Moira and Jocelyn. Although she doesn't have plans to wear it in real life, Annie kept the dress she wore in the hilarious scene, she told Harper's Bazaar in 2020.

    "I don’t know if Dan [Levy] knows this, but I also took the dress that Alexis wears for her Cabaret audition — the 'A Little Bit Alexis' dress that’s a purple baby doll thing, which I will never ever wear, but it was a special scene," Annie said.

    6. Ryan Reynolds took his Deadpool suit home.

    Ryan Reynolds as Wade/Deadpool inspects a piece of paper
    20thcentfox / ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Deadpool was made after Ryan spent roughly a decade attempting to move the project forward. Once the shooting of the long-awaited film was completed, Ryan told MSN he didn't hesitate to keep the suit worn by his character, per Cinema Blend.

    "I loved wearing it and I have run away with one — I'll probably get into trouble for saying that, but I've waited 10 years to do this movie so I'm leaving with a fucking suit," Ryan said.

    7. Olivia Newton-John had iconic Grease wardrobe items that she later auctioned off.

    Olivia Newton-John as Sandy sings "You're The One That I Want" at the end-of-the-year school carnival
    Paramount Pictures / Via youtube.com

    For years, Olivia owned the ensemble she wore as Sandy during the epic post-makeover scene in Grease before auctioning off the outfit in 2019. Her famous tight pants sold for more than $162,000, while the also well-known leather jacket was auctioned off for $243,200. Part of the proceeds from the auction were used toward the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Research Centre.

    8. Henry Winkler still has a very special Happy Days accessory.

    Henry Winkler as Fonzie gives a thumbs-up in "Happy Days"
    Miller-Milkis Productions

    The brown leather jacket Henry donned as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli in Happy Days is a historic television wardrobe accessory. A few of these jackets were worn by Henry throughout the series, such as one that has been in possession of the Smithsonian museum since 1980.

    Henry told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 that he was planning to auction off one of the jackets, with some of the proceeds going towards the nonprofit organization, This Is About Humanity. He additionally still owns another original Fonzie leather jacket. 

    9. Rue McClanahan got all of Blanche's Golden Girls looks.

    Rue McClanahan poses as Blanche Devereaux on the set of "The Golden Girls"
    Nbc / NBCUniversal via Getty Images

    There was a clause written in Rue's contract that allowed her to take all of her Golden Girls wardrobe items home with her. For years the clothes were in storage, and some of them were later sold at an estate sale in 2011.

    10. Daniel Radcliffe kept his Harry Potter glasses.

    Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter sits and listens to a lecture during a Hogwarts class
    Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com

    In 2018, Daniel revealed that he held onto some souvenirs from the Harry Potter franchise, like a pair of Harry's glasses.

    "... I did keep the glasses from the Harry Potter set," Daniel said. "I kept one pair of glasses, and I think other little bits and pieces of props that I stole along the way."

    11. Reese Witherspoon got 77 pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes and the rest of her Legally Blonde 2 getups.

    Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods wears an all-pink outfit in the trailer for "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, & Blonde"
    MGM / Via youtube.com

    It was written in Reese's contract that she would keep every single wardrobe piece she wore as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, & Blonde. Reese stated this in a 2019 episode of The Graham Norton Show. The performer also said that she got 77 Jimmy Choo shoes as a result of this contractual agreement.

    12. Jennifer Lawrence kept a couple of key clothing items from The Hunger Games.

    Jennifer Lawrence poses in the wilderness as Katniss in "The Hunger Games"
    Lions Gate / ©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Two items from Katniss' Hunger Games attire were kept by Jennifer after filming wrapped: the character's leather jacket and boots.

    13. Sarah Jessica Parker saved her Sex and the City looks.

    Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie wears a mini dress and sunglasses, a patent leather dress and a red dress
    Darren Star Productions

    In a Vogue interview from 2021, Sarah Jessica said she owns "every single" item from Carrie Bradshaw's Sex and the City wardrobe. 

    “I had all of the original stuff in my own storage," Sarah Jessica said. "Furniture, clothes, everything, packed according to season and episode and scene ... I kept every single solitary thing."

    14. Emma Watson owns her Hermione Granger Harry Potter cloak.

    Emma Watson as Hermione Granger sits at a table in the Great Hall of Hogwarts
    20thcentfox / ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Daniel Radcliffe isn't the only Harry Potter star who held onto some of their onset wardrobe. Emma Watson told Collider in 2010 that she was given permission to take three accessories home from the Harry Potter set. The Gryffindor cloak that she wore in character as Hermione Granger was one of the items she kept.

    "I asked for permission to take Hermione’s time-turner from the third movie, and the cloak, and my wand," Emma said. "So those are my three things that I took with me."

    15. Chris Pratt kept his red jacket from Guardians of the Galaxy for a sweet reason.

    Chris Pratt as Peter Quill talks with Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy"
    Marvel Studios / Via youtube.com

    As Guardians of the Galaxy was set to debut in 2014, Chris said he took some clothing he wore as Peter Quill/Star-Lord home with him, like his red jacket. He did this in case he might be able to visit young fans of the film in hospitals.

    "I stole the jacket and some of the wardrobe so that if this movie comes out and does what everyone hopes it can, I can follow the example of someone, say like a Russell Wilson, and go visit kids," Chris told Panzer TV. "I would love to go if it was a big enough movie to where it would mean something to a kid who's sick in a hospital for Peter Quill or Star-Lord to come visit him, I'll do that. I think that's awesome ... That would give me real meaning for this movie."

    16. Rider Strong took the leather jacket he wore as Shawn Hunter from the Boy Meets World set, but it was later stolen.

    Rider Strong and Ben Savage act opposite each other as Shawn and Cory in an episode of "Boy Meets World"
    Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection / Everett Collection

    It was revealed in 2013 that Rider kept Shawn's leather jacket from Boy Meets World. Sadly, however, a thief later took the jacket from the actor's car.

    “I stole the jacket from the show — Disney wouldn’t let us take anything, but I had a leather jacket that I had bought on my own, and I swapped it,” Rider told CNN.

    17. Alicia Silverstone kept Cher's wardrobe from Clueless but was too different from the character to wear it IRL.

    Alicia Silverstone as Cher walks around campus in a yellow co-ord outfit in "Clueless"
    Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images

    In 2021 Alicia revealed to Glamour that she "wore a green T-shirt every day with jeans" in real life when she starred as Cher in Clueless. She ended up keeping Cher's outfits from the 1995 film but later found that they were better left on screen.

    "After the movie ... I ran home with a lot of the clothes," Alicia said. "And I tried to wear them in real life, but then I realized, 'I'm not Cher. So this doesn't make any sense. I still want to just put on some jeans and a T-shirt and my tennis shoes. So I didn't find a way to use those in my real life, and I gave them all away."

    18. Darren Criss took his Warblers blazer when Glee finished filming.

    Darren Criss as Blaine smiles in a promotional photo for "Glee"
    Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

    In 2015, a few Glee cast members visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show and talked about the souvenirs they scooped up as they completed the final taping of the series. Darren stated that he took his Warblers blazers, which he wore as Blaine Anderson from 2010 to 2015, from the wardrobe department.

    19. Melissa Joan Hart has stored her Sabrina the Teenage Witch looks in a cedar closet.

    Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina wears a red blouse, an "Alice in Wonderland" costume, and a black and white outfit
    Finishing the Hat

    Throughout the seven seasons of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Melissa rocked many stylish outfits as Sabrina Spellman. In 2021 the actor told PopSugar she owns nearly all of these wardrobe pieces and has plans to auction off the items.

    "I have almost all of [the costumes] in a cedar closet, actually," Melissa said. "I took some stuff when I moved recently and I dug through closets and memorabilia and the attic, and I have tons of stuff that's going to go for auction soon. And I think the cheerleader uniform might be one of them, because I don't think I'll ever fit in that thing again. I have the Alice in Wonderland [costume]. I have so much stuff."