Top 10 Times People Wore the Same Costumes & We Didn't Notice

There’s something about the British and red coats. In the 1998 period drama, “Elizabeth,” Cate Blanchett starred as Queen Elizabeth I. Her wardrobe was as ostentatious as everything else in the film. But one item, a gorgeous red coat, has had a life after the Tudor Era. Well, technically, it was about 1,000 years or so before the Tudor Era. In Starz’s short-lived series, “Camelot,” Eva Green seemingly wore the same piece as antagonist Morgan Pendragon . But this robe appears to have been around the block many times. It was also used on “The Tudors,” worn by Natalie Dormer who played Elizabeth I’s mother, Anne Boleyn.

Paintings of Marie Antoinette’s sumptuous fashions have inspired countless artists. This is perhaps never more true than in Sofia Coppola’s underrated 2006 biopic based on Antoinette’s life. Kirsten Dunst stuns in an array of ensembles, namely a sugary sweet peach-colored pastel garment by Oscar-winning designer Milena Canonero. The pink dress is so good, it seemingly found new life. The acclaimed fashion notably appears to have made its way onto “A Royal Affair”’s film set a few years later. There, it was worn by Alicia Vikander, who played Queen of Denmark, Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, in the historical drama.

When we first see the rich and spoiled Rachel Green, she’s running into Central Perk in an ornate, embroidered wedding dress. She has just realized her impending marriage is a mistake, and has run from the altar. Thus begins a beautiful adventure and journey of self-discovery. But perceptive “Friends” fans would’ve gotten déja vù years later if they happened upon the 2016 web series “Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party.” After roughly 22 years, the dress, sans veil and captured in more sinister lighting, seemingly appears on ghost protagonist Lenore.

“Mad Men” had a keen eye for period details. From its inspired professional wear to the mod fashion of the ‘60s, the costuming is always the second star of the show. This dress, with its memorable checker print, can notably be seen on Elisabeth Moss, whose character wears it for Easter Sunday in the show’s second season. But the concrete jungle of New York isn’t the only place the garment appears to have been. Indeed, you can spot it at a Mississippi gathering in “The Help.” There, it appears, albeit in different lighting, on Anna Camp’s southern society lady.

The tragedy of “Titanic” is the lives lost. One of the ways the film made us feel the scale of the tragedy was through the costuming. James Cameron’s 1997 disaster epic cost about $200 million to make, and the clothes surely made up a solid portion of that. We might never know where most of Kate Winslet’s wardrobe ended up, but we do think we’ve seen one piece (or one copy of it, at least) since. The coat she wears as she descends into the flooding corridors of the lower decks appeared to show up again on Alexis Bledel in 2002’s “Tuck Everlasting,” thankfully under less dire circumstances.

Just because you’re doing a period piece doesn’t mean you’ve got to break the bank. The acclaimed medieval series, “Vikings,” has apparently seen its fair share of recycled costumes. Michael Fassbender’s “Macbeth” armor would reappear on the series, worn by actor Alexander Ludwig. Whether you’re fighting demons or an army of Saxons, a medieval warrior is in need of some good armor. Indeed, King Harald Finehair actor Peter Franzén donned what looks like the same armor Nicolas Cage sported in “Season of the Witch” for battle scenes on the historical drama.

It takes a real diva to pull off a Bob Mackie look. Cher, Diana Ross, and Tina Turner could attest. Fran Drescher clearly had the flair to pull it off. The audience howled as she slinked down the stairs in it on “The Nanny”. But if you could’ve sworn you’d seen it before, you probably did. A year or so before it appeared on “The Nanny,” Sharon Stone strutted across a Las Vegas casino in this glittery and graphic striped Mackie number in 1995’s “Casino”. Great, now we can’t stop thinking about Fran Drescher in a Martin Scorsese movie. What a missed opportunity.

If you were challenged to name two actresses you don’t think could pull off the same wardrobe, Shirley MacLaine and Queen Latifah would probably be a safe bet. Well, think again. MacLaine wore this colorful coat when she played the quirky Aunt Zena in a 1990 comedy called “Waiting for the Light.” The movie appears to have been largely forgotten, which is probably why the garment’s reappearance some 17 years later didn’t garner much excitement. But the coat seemingly did resurface on “Motormouth" Maybelle in the 2007 musical adaptation of “Hairspray.” Talk about a statement piece.

It’s a love story, baby, just say… Hey, I know that dress! Although it’s not even the most iconic prom dress Josie rocks in “Never Been Kissed,” it’s just as distinctive. Even when you see it for just a split second in the margins of the screen, it makes an impact. Indeed, in Taylor Swift’s music video for “Love Story,” an extra in the ballroom is seemingly wearing the gown Drew Barrymore’s character dons in the 1999 flick’s climax. This is as blink-and-you-miss-it as it gets, but those dresses definitely look identical. To the rom-com-loving, eagle-eyed Swifties who probably spotted this one, we thank you.

The stylized performance of “Vogue” at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards still stands as one of Queen Madge’s legendary moments. It was a fitting tribute to the aspirational opulence of the ballroom culture that inspired the song. But if you’re a big fan of costume dramas, you may have recognized this beautiful, frilly piece inspired by 18th century French fashion. While Madonna’s look was commonly compared to clothing worn by Marie Antoinette, it’s actually reportedly one of the gowns worn by Glenn Close in 1988’s “Dangerous Liaisons.” Talk about opulence. The James Acheson-designed piece wasn’t the only one to find new life in an unexpected form. One of Michelle Pfeiffer’s dresses from the film ended up in the 1993 Halloween classic, “Hocus Pocus”.

Have you ever noticed a costume being reused in another movie or TV show? Tell us about it in the comments.