Dracula's Wives

(Romeyn)

While the role of Dracula's brides is beneath that of Dracula, their garments emphasise their alluring and otherworldly qualities. Their costumes feature aspects that accentuate the themes of sexual attraction and the blurring between human and demonic characteristics. “Everything about Dracula’s wives reflects this new, subcultural movement – a conscious fetishization of Medieval dress, [...] with their long, centrally parted flowing hair and their velvet, liquid-like gowns” (Slee 35).

(Chingy 1224)

The bride's gowns contrast dramatically with Dracula's gloomy, ominous tones. The use of translucent textiles and trailing silhouettes give them an almost ghostly aspect, emphasising their existence outside the realm of the living, trapped between life and death. Furthermore, their costumes emphasise their dual roles as objects of desire and agents of vampire seduction. The use of flowing fabric enhances their sexuality, particularly during the scene where they interact with Renfield, portrayed by Dwight Frye. The brides embody the gothic ideal of beauty in death, blending sensuality and mortality. The outfits visually symbolise the women's dual positions as victims and predators in Dracula's realm, highlighting the film's complex commentary on desire and corruption.