Fashion is second only to bread in terms of how large a role it plays in The Hunger Games series. In the Capitol, citizens wear elaborate costumes that communicate their status as being above the physical labor that defines life in the Districts. After all, it's tricky to pull off this turquoise suit in a coal mine.
Meanwhile, those living in the Districts only get a taste of this sort of luxury in the worst circumstances possible: as one of 24 tributes in the annual Hunger Games. From interview gowns to tacky chariot costumes, tributes are forced to perform to get the attention of the Capitol citizenry before they're all dressed in the same uniform and tossed into the arena.
With that in mind, I've ranked 15 costumes from the 2012 adaptation of The Hunger Games from "Get a Cannon Ready" to "(Briefly) Made Me Forget This Is a Dystopia." The highly mathematical algorithm I've used to determine each costume's placement is based on two factors: the impressiveness of its design and execution and how much it contributes to the storytelling.
UNRANKED: Seneca "I Hope Those Are Blueberries" Crane's Beard o' Evil
Somehow, in a movie about teenagers fighting to the death, this beard is the one who woke up and chose violence. That is all.
15.Katniss's Interview Dress
This dress is probably my least favorite costume from the franchise. Not because it strays from what the book describes, which is a gem-encrusted ball gown, or because the "fire" burning at the hem of the dress comes across as a half-hearted encore of the chariot costume, which already had its own special effects woes...
...but because it looks like an afterthought. Sure, Katniss isn't the one making an unexpected declaration of love here, but that doesn't mean she deserves a bodice that's basically one big wrinkle.
14.Glimmer and Marvel's Fuchsia Showgirl Chariot Costumes
The chariot parade costumes are all bonkers, and no single accessory could convey that more than Glimmer's hat. Why doesn't Marvel get a hat? They're the luxury district, and they can only afford one hat between the two of them? At least he gets the same weird Ikea shag rug cape she does.
13.President Snow's Maroon Suit of Doom
Obvious moral deficits of the character wearing it aside, I like the suit just fine, and I'm glad his creepy rose habit (not a phrase I've ever typed before) gets a shoutout courtesy of that lapel pin. But the gray gloves don't fit with the rest of the outfit, and let's be real — this guy was never going to rank higher than this.
12.Haymitch's Series of Increasingly Rumpled Suits
Haymitch looks pretty much exactly the way I imagined, to which I say:
But it's a natural consequence of the characters he shares scenes with — namely, Effie in her Capitol finery, and Katniss and Peeta in their Games costumes — that his clothes fade into the background more often than not. Also, he's wearing this pocket watch the entire time, and I cannot imagine a person less likely to own a watch than this man.
Book Caesar changes the color scheme of his suit and hair with each Games. That suit is also always embroidered with tiny electric lights. This costume delivers on that promise without being a fire hazard, and for that, I applaud it.
10.Peeta's Interview/Prom Tuxedo
I like this costume because the flame appliqués ask the same question all of the internet did when this movie came out: If they were both on fire, why did Peeta get stuck being the Boy With the Bread, while Katniss became the Girl on Fire? I know giving Katniss that bread saved her life, but even with that heartwarming backstory, it's not the kind of intimidating nickname you hope to bring with you into the gladiatorial death match. But despite the flames, this tux just isn't interesting enough to rank any higher.
9.Katniss's Reaping Dress
In the books, this dress in an unexpected gift from Katniss's mother, and a relic of her life before she lived in the impoverished Seam. Absent that context, this dress is mostly memorable for being what Katniss is wearing when she volunteers as tribute.
It's perfectly lovely, and its muted color and relative plainness emphasize Katniss's role as a hero plucked from the masses (against her will, but still), but I'm ranking it slightly lower than I otherwise would, purely because it's featured in this GIF that I've seen approximately 1 billion times, and someone has to answer for tattooing it on my hippocampus against my will.
8.My Second-Favorite Capitol Extra Costume
Not only is this the exact right amount of black tulle to wear on a day-to-day basis, but this lady is implied to be one of the people who sponsor Katniss. Which is great, but if she pawned all of her pearl necklaces and threw in her eyelash extensions, she could've bought Katniss a tank. Still, you have to respect how fully she committed to the Capitol look book.
7.Cinna's Simple "Not Like Other (Capitol) Girls" Ensembles
When the rest of the Capitol looks like this...
...Cinna's already stylish outfits look even better in comparison. From the statement pendant to the straight-from-the-books gold eyeliner to the black animal-print jacket that seems like a subtle nod to the Capitol's more outrageous tastes, Cinna's whole vibe screams, "Trust me enough to let me set you on fire." And you know what? He pulls it off!
This is my favorite of the Capitol extra costumes, mostly because of this. Do you see it? I see it.
5.Effie's Lavender-and-Green Look
*Applause break for the amount of detail and craftsmanship that went into every single one of Effie's costumes, and for whichever costuming wizard made these two colors work together, and for this big belt, too, because I wish I owned it.*
4.Katniss's and Peeta's Fiery Chariot Costumes
These costumes are hugely significant because they mark the point at which the tributes of District 12 become contenders. And, suitably enough for the heroes of our story, Katniss and Peeta look much, much better than the other tributes we see. The jumpsuits are a little bit alien, a little bit ice dancer, and a little bit assassin, and the intersection of those three aesthetics is a Capitol sweet spot.
The fire special effects leave something to be desired — namely, better fire special effects — but up close, it looks way better than I remember. Far away, it looks as if Katniss and Peeta are being chased by the fire emoji, but the jumpsuits are too good on their own to be too harshly penalized for some shoddy 2012 CGI.
3.Katniss's "I Won and Now Things Are Somehow Worse" Victor Ball Gown
I love this dress. In the books, its simple design is an attempt by Cinna to portray Katniss as a lovesick girl and not a murderous revolutionary. It doesn't work, but hey, still a nice outfit.
And it goes great with a crown...
...and a big ol' middle finger to the Capitol, otherwise known as this mockingjay pin.
2.Katniss's "Illegal Hunting, but Make It Fashion" Ensemble
This is an outfit that gets a lot of love in the book series — especially the leather jacket, which belonged to Katniss's father — and it's beautifully brought to life in the film. It's functional, it's stylish, it's what Katniss is wearing the last time she's happy until the last like three minutes of the series; what's not to like?
And I don't know how anyone could've seen these knee-high boots and not immediately known that Katniss was the one to bring this dystopia crashing down.
1.Effie Trinket's Reaping Day Suit
This particular shade of Complicit Pink™ helps Effie stand out in the gray concrete expanse of District 12, and for a single costume, it's carrying a ton of narrative weight. This skirt-and-jacket combo tells us all we need to know about the Capitol's cruelty and excess, and as I watched this scene over again, it struck me as near miraculous that Effie ends the series as a friend to Katniss and Peeta, rather than a magenta monster whom they remember mainly for delivering them to a death match.
She can spot mahogany from a mile away, but she can't see a war crime when it's right in front of her?
What's your favorite costume from the movie? Was Seneca Crane's curly beard unfairly vilified? Let us know in the comments!
