Disney movies might always end with a happily ever after, but in order to get there, the strong-willed princesses, animals who can talk, and handsome heroes must fight the villains first.
Just like some sidekicks are low-key better than their besties, sometimes the villains are actually more interesting characters than the leads. And some of them are definitely more stylish. Whose signature ensemble would you wear?
16. Sid Phillips
See him in: Toy Story
Sid Phillips might be one of the creepiest Disney villains around, but he’s also the least fashionable. The kid decapitates, mutilates, and destroys toys — sure, he thinks they’re inanimate objects and doesn’t actually know they’re secretly alive… but it’s still creepy! And rude, since he’s stolen some of the toys from his little sister. Sid loses style points for his skull-bearing t-shirt, not because of the skull but because of his lack of fashion evolution. Sid is one of the few Disney villains shown in future years, but even in his appearance as an adult in Toy Story 3 he’s still wearing the same black skull t-shirt. No creativity, no growth!
15. Mother Gothel
See her in: Tangled
Considering that Mother Gothel’s defining characteristic is her vanity — she kidnaps a royal infant away from her parents and her kingdom so that she can use the child’s magical hair to appear young forever — it’s surprising that she doesn’t put more energy into her sartorial ensemble. Mother Gothel maintains her youthful glow and luscious hair thanks to her imprisonment of Rapunzel, but the red velvet dress she wears is pretty standard and boring, especially for a Disney villain, who are often masters of accessorizing. Fun fact: Mother Gothel’s physical appearance was inspired by Cher.
14. Lady Tremaine
See her in: Cinderella
Don’t get me wrong, Lady Tremaine looks every inch the wicked stepmother, but her look lacks vision. Everyone knows the phrase, “dress for the job you want,” but Lady Tremaine’s outfit doesn’t portray her desire to be the mother of the future wife of the prince of the kingdom. The teal earrings and matching brooch, rather than evoking a put-together tastefulness, just lend her an air of “try hard.” She’s also just so incredibly wicked that it’s hard to grant her any leeway. Lady Tremaine isn’t after magical powers and her victim isn’t a stranger; she manipulates those around her to try to put her daughters in power and she essentially imprisons her own stepdaughter, whom her late husband adored, sentencing her to a life of servitude in the very home she grew up in.
13. Shan Yu
See him in: Mulan
Climbing the Great Wall and conquering China is no easy feat, so it’s understandable that Shan Yu would need an outfit that provides warmth while also allowing freedom of mobility. The various neutral colored scraps he adorns himself with don’t do him any favors, though. The fur hood, when he wears it, is the most stylish element, particularly as it covers his strange hair situation. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going bald, but going bald on top and maintaining a long fringe around the sides is a strange choice. Shaved heads are hot! Shan Yu’s best accessory is his bird.
12. Queen of Hearts
See her in: Alice in Wonderland
Black and red are colors commonly incorporated into Disney villain’s wardrobes (Jafar, Captain Hook, and Cruella De Vil also feature these hues), but the Queen of Hearts’ combination just doesn’t work as well. The blocky mix of red and black on alternate sides isn’t flattering, the yellow and black geometric insert in the massive skirt of the dress totally clashes, and that starchy white collar just looks uncomfortable. The Queen’s heart-shaped hand fan is at least on-brand.
11. Governor Ratcliffe
See him in: Pocahontas
Governor Ratcliffe would rank so much higher if it weren’t for one thing: pigtails. His get-up is totally inspired: the purple suit, a royal color, with the cape representing his power, and the matching hat with the teal plume that coincidentally matches the color of Pocahontas’s iconic necklace. But what was Governor Ratcliffe thinking with those pigtails? His raven hair would have looked much better in a low ponytail, or even just a shiny curtain around his face. But no one above the age of 10 should be seen wearing pigtails in public.
10. Elsa
See her in: Frozen
Elsa is only loosely classified as a Disney villain — while not villainous in her intentions when she accidentally sent Arendelle into an eternal winter, and her powers are what create the force that the other characters fight against – rendering her the antagonist. Fortunately, Elsa is able to redeem herself for her actions. Unfortunately, she does so in a dress that shows none of her character’s originality. A blue dress? Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland have been there, done that. It’s sparkly and pretty and looks good on her, sure, but it’s nothing unique.
9. Jafar
See him in: Aladdin
Jafar is a pretty stylish dude, not that it detracts much from his manipulative tendencies, maniacal quest for power, and poor treatment of his obnoxious bird. The black and red ensemble, complete with a superhero-esque cape and a beautiful but dangerous serpentine scepter, which Jafar uses to hypnotize the Sultan, are fitting for his smooth and sneaky character. The one big drawback of Jafar’s style sense is his facial hair. The long, curly, skinny goatee accompanied by the pencil-thin handlebar mustache is not an advisable look. He’s quite talented at his winged eyeliner, though.
8. Hades
See him in: Hercules
Finally, we have a male Disney villain who actually gains points for his hairstyle. How can you beat blue flames for hair? Oh right, by having it turn into massive yellow flames when Hades gets angry. The rest of Hades’s style is just average; all black will always be in style, but it’s nothing exciting, although the skull fastening pin helps by fitting with both his job and his personality. Of course, having flames for hair does come with the risk that someone will put the fire out, as Pegasus does. It’s worth it for hair that cool.
7. Ursula
See her in: The Little Mermaid
Finding an outfit that accommodates an octopus (especially one that has just six legs instead of eight) is difficult. Ursula does a pretty good job. Little black dresses are always in style, and hers is no exception. But that’s part of the problem: little black dresses are always in style. What sets her apart? This is where accessories are key. Ursula’s shell necklace is adorable, along with her coordinating — but not matching — shell earrings. Plus her hair and makeup are on point – for a sea witch drawn in 1989, anyway.
6. Captain Hook
See him in: Peter Pan
Not only is Captain Hook a pretty fashionable guy, he’s a pretty fashionable guy who managed not to totally destroy his clothing with his massive hook hand, so it’s extra impressive. He has great hair (especially for spending so much time at sea; salt water can’t be good for keeping your locks soft) and that plume on his hat is second to none. The only thing he really loses points for, aside from being a villain, is his creepy pencil-thin handlebar mustache. Why not just grow a full beard?
5. Maleficent
See her in: Sleeping Beauty
Honestly, Maleficent is a fox. Despite hiding her figure, her black cloak still manages to be sleek, and the pop of purple really makes gives it dimension. Her scepter and her bird (villain necessities) add an air of bad gal vibes that enhance her image. But of course, it’s the horned headdress that really makes the ensemble. Not everyone could pull that off, but Maleficent does. Plus, she can transform herself into other forms like a spinning wheel (not that cool) and a dragon (very cool) so she earns major points for creativity.
4. Clayton
See him in: Tarzan
Mr. Clayton might have been a glorified bodyguard (and an evil one at that), but traipsing through the jungle didn’t stop him from being stylish — and no wonder, considering the animator based his character off of Clark Gable. Clayton managed to merge both form and function with his khaki getup, accented with a red neck scarf. The man was smooth. Seriously, he shaves his face with a machete. He ends up accidentally hanging himself (one of those Disney movie moments that you don’t notice/understand until you rewatch it as an adult), which is a fate I’d wish on no villain, but at least no one ends up wearing gorilla pelts due to his duplicity.
3. The Beast
See him in: Beauty and the Beast
The Beast is not necessarily the villain for Beauty and the Beast — Gaston is a pretty grotesque antagonist, too — but he definitely has some villainous characteristics. He captures an old man and throws him in a cell, swaps him for his daughter, and essentially imprisons her, even if it happens to be inside a mansion with a stellar library. When he breaks out of his shell to treat Belle to a nice dinner and dance, we see the sweeter side of the Beast, as well as his fashionable side. He forgoes his stylist’s initial over the top hairdo for a more understated but still well-groomed mane, and honestly one of the biggest aspects of style is knowing who you are and being confident about it, and that shoots the Beast to the top.
2. Cruella De Vil
See her in: 101 Dalmatians
PETA might hate her — and for good reason; puppies are not clothing! — but Cruella De Vil was stylish as hell. She rocks an LBD accented with red pumps and red gloves, tied together further by her classic red lipstick. If her massive coat and coordinating purse was fake fur and fair trade, it would be the ideal outfit. Cruella De Vil also pulled off a two-tone Sia hairstyle before Sia even did. Plus, her car is a slick piece of work.
1. Yzma
See her in: The Emperor’s New Groove
Yzma might be a spoiled brat who takes advantage of her big-hearted bodyguard, but Emperor Kuzco is also a spoiled brat who needed to be taken down a peg anyway. And despite her unwillingness to walk anyway herself, Yzma certainly moves in style. She sports a regal purple dress, mile-long eyelashes, and pom-pom earrings before pom-pom earrings were as trendy as they are now. Those nails would make Kylie Jenner proud! Plus, the no-fur thing puts Yzma just that much higher up on the fashion scale than Cruella De Vil.