From earthy button-downs and flannel overshirts to Converse with everything, here’s how Twilight became an unexpected fashion film that redefined cool girl style for a generation
Bella Swan isn’t meant to be a style icon. As the archetypal ‘not like other girls’ YA protagonist, she doesn’t care about clothes. To prove just how little she cares about them, she wears Converse to prom and looks like she’s about to die of boredom when her friends take her shopping. Despite this, her basic, cosy wardrobe has become the foundation for Twilightcore fashion, a 2000s autumn aesthetic delineated by flannel shirts, light jackets and winter accessories in dark, desaturated shades. It’s the embodiment of sad girl autumn style, something for the Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers fans who make TikToks about ‘cosy autumn vibes’, own multiple cardigans and read a lot of books.
With supermodels favouring granny cardigans, crumpled prairie skirts and button down tops, it’s no wonder then that Bella Swan’s low-maintenance wardrobe has become an unexpected beacon of cool. Looking a little frumpy has become a fashion flex, and Bella’s style is the perfect balance of shabby and wearable. Etsy is full of Bella Swan and Twilightcore thrift bundles that promise to let you “live out your Twilight fantasy” through fashion. There’s also a thriving market for ironic merch, like Praying’s Twilight collection or t-shirts printed with infamous quotes from the films.
When Twilight hit cinemas in 2008, the on-screen fashion landscape was dominated by the ultra-glam rich kids of Gossip Girl and 90210. While the ‘not like other girls’ trope might have aged badly, for many teenage girls at the time, it was liberating. Bella Swan represented a more realistic and achievable fashion ideal, one that acknowledged the awkward, angsty nature of adolescence. To dress like Bella, you didn’t need a lot of money or the confidence of someone double your age. You could simply slip on some trainers, jeans and a plaid shirt, comfy, practical clothes for pining after your forbidden lover. She was a different kind of romantic heroine and her wardrobe reflected that.
“I guess it gave me permission to be less ‘sexy’ and more androgynous,” says Twilight fan Rose, 27. “Bella only wanted to wear trousers and even wore leggings under her prom dress.” Ankanksha, 25, agrees. “Bella Swan’s awkward dresses that were midi instead of mini made me feel seen during my teen years when I just wanted to hide under my clothes. The fashion choices throughout the film were super practical and understated which I liked. It could be incorporated into our daily lives without feeling like playing dress up.”
Twilight hasn’t always been considered a fashion film by the masses, but for some super fans, – aka the Twihards – it always has been. The blog Inside Bella’s Closet was founded by Bella Swan cosplayer, Christilynn, in 2009 to match clothing worn by Bella in the film with similar pieces you can get on the high street. A 2010 Livejournal post details the writer’s extensive collection of outfits worn by Bella in the film. “It’s escalated into a huge money and time sucking hobby that pretty much sucked in a whole community of girls all over the world,” writes user nicole169898. “The real question is….why? I absolutely love how I can own what I’m watching on the TV screen, especially with something we all love – the story of Edward and Bella.”
“Bella Swan’s awkward dresses that were midi instead of mini made me feel seen during my teen years when I just wanted to hide under my clothes. The fashion choices throughout the film were super practical and understated which I liked. It could be incorporated into our daily lives without feeling like playing dress up” – Ankanksha
With Twilight nostalgia treating the films like cult classics, it’s possible to forget quite how huge Twilight mania was at the time. In 2012, a group of Twilight superfans tried to set the world record for the longest chain of brides outside Oxford Street's HMV to celebrate the release of Twilight: Breaking Dawn. As with many fandoms, dressing up gave Twihards a sense of belonging. “I think for Twilight fans, it isn’t about the big, in-your-face fashion trends,” says Rose. “We all had one of those ‘Jesus bracelets’ that you could pick up from Camden market. It’s the more subtle things like that that show you’re a true fan.” Twilight is about the subtle aesthetic details, like the iconic blue tint that sets the film’s gloomy mood. Ankanksha has a blue filter keychain inspired by the film’s bluish tones. “I like that I have a piece of that aesthetic on me at all times,” she says.
According to director Catherine Hardwicke, the film had a strict colour palette of icy blues and earthy browns. This impacted the characters’ wardrobes too. While Bella has become a sad girl autumn style icon, the first film’s most memorable costume choices don’t stem from her. Bella’s down-to-earth look is positioned as the aesthetic contrast to those around her. Vampires have traditionally been depicted as the epitome of elegance, style and sophistication. “The first outfit that comes to mind is Victoria in her furry white coat running barefoot,” says Twilight fan Dani, 23. “I think I wanted to be Victoria more than I wanted to be Bella. I’m having a Twilight themed birthday party soon where I’m dressing up as her.”
Another iconic style moment comes when Bella and Edward hard launch their relationship in the school car park. He rocks up to school wearing Wayfarer shades with his classic grey peacoat. It wasn’t sunny that day, – his skin would have been sparkling if it was – so the sunglasses were just added to make him look cool. He’s more stylish and put-together than the other high school boys, which makes sense given he’s had more than 100 years to refine his personal style. Yet even these markers of vampiric cool feel quaint compared to more over the top depictions of vampires in media.
Twilight’s fashion revival might be born from the same nostalgia that brought back Juicy tracksuits and indie sleaze, but its approachable nature is part of a collective yearning for comfort that’s taken over runway shows and TikTok feeds. At first glance, the fashion of Twilight might appear dull and basic, but it’s as layered as the love story at its core. And it’s easy to pull off. Part of what makes the costumes in Twilight so appealing is how timeless and accessible they are. The characters don’t follow trends so their clothes exist outside of them. It’s an antidote to micro trend mania, proving that, ultimately, Twilight’s sad girl autumn fashion legacy isn’t a trend at all. It’s a lifestyle.