Most people have an idea in their own minds of what a vampire should look like, but which TV vamps have the most memorable style?
Vampires have appeared in hundreds of movies (Dracula himself has been portrayed more than ten dozen times), but their presence can't be discounted from television, where multi-season arcs allow for greater character development - and even greater wardrobes. Television allows for vampires to break the mold, often being seen as figments of a bygone era, or ageless champions of a new one.
For every fan of Barnabas Collins' sepulchral Victorian garb in Dark Shadows, there's someone who relishes Eric Northman on True Blood wearing something stylish and contemporary. Vampires have been seeing a renaissance on the small screen thanks to new methods of storytelling and a variety of streaming services, and the most stylish among them know how to change with the times while still retaining their sense of personality.
In his khakis and plain button-up shirts, working at his boring office job, the "emotional vampire" Colin Robinson was a perfect foil for his more extravagant roommates who seemed to ooze Old World romantic charm in What We Do In The Shadows. In many ways, he was the most successful hunter of them all because he didn't stand out with his wardrobe and his victims assumed he was human.
His dull garments ironically helped him stand out at home, though, where the rest of his vampire coven stalked about in high collars, capes, and black lace, and as far as vampires were concerned they didn't impress (not even when he cut a rap song).
Carrying on the grand tradition of tattered leather jackets and blood-stained undershirts as seen in vampire movies like The Lost Boys and Near Dark, Cassidy represented a sort of brutal hooligan that could both make light of the various vampire tropes as well as highlight their inherent tragedy.
Cassidy used humor to deflect serious situations in Preacher, and that was most often reflected in his strange outfits, but make no mistake - he could be a cold-hearted killer when he chose to be.
Whether he was William the Bloody in ruffles and tweed in the 18th century or sporting eyeliner and safety pins in a subway in the '80s, Spike always made a statement on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it was his black leather trench coat that made him a TV icon.
Taken from a slayer he killed, Spike wore the trench coat as a battle trophy, and it became synonymous with his reputation as a bad boy and a killer. Beneath it, he often wore a can't-go-wrong testament to angsty '90s fashion; black jeans, a black shirt, and combat boots. With his signature style set, his character was the one that did the changing.
As the leading member of a thousand-year-old vampire dynasty, it stood to reason that Elijah Mikaelson would be the best dressed of his brood. He debuted in season two of The Vampire Diaries as a villain, but could sometimes be viewed as a hero, and he had the style and sophistication to become a memorable part of the series.
Elijah's wardrobe consisted mainly of a multitude of tailored suits, giving him an air of grandeur and setting him apart from the more casually dressed Klaus. Like his siblings, his style reflected his personality - he simply had more of it.
Whether wearing a perfectly-tailored twill gray suit or a simple black leather jacket and undershirt, True Blood's Eric Northman managed to reflect both the age and wisdom of his many years with his wardrobe choices while also having fun with it.
As the owner of the popular vampire club Fangtasia, it was important Eric dress the part of an entrepreneur and businessman, and even when he kept things casual, he always highlighted a classic silhouette that set him apart from his fellow bloodsucking peers. Besides, what other vampire could possibly pull off a tracksuit and trainers so effectively?
From the moody, gothic soap opera Dark Shadows (which became a Tim Burton movie by the same name), Barnabas Collins cemented the classic vampire livery when he appeared in his finest Victorian garb. He epitomizes vampiric decadence with his ruffled cravat, long frock coat, and silver-handled walking stick.
Other than Count Dracula with his high collar and cape, Barnabas Collins implanted in most viewers' minds the quintessential vampire, an elegant aristocrat transplanted to the modern era but unbothered by the styles of the current time.
Dracula has appeared in 200 movies, making it seem impossible for him to appear more stylish than he already has in cinema, but there have been several times on television where Dracula has appeared to be one of the most well-dressed gentlemen on the screen.
Whether he was appearing as an infamous foe on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as a television father in Young Dracula, or in his own series like Dracula (2013) or Dracula (2019), he always managed to remind viewers why he would forever be the Prince of Darkness. It's no wonder he's defined what vampires have looked like for a century.
With her patent leather pumps and Channel suits, Pam presented an altogether different vampire vixen than viewers had ever seen. She was Eric Northman's child as well as his right hand when it came to Fangtasia, and she never let anyone forget it.
Not only was Pam a glamorous woman, but she was also a sympathetic character whose depth resonated with fans of the series. She could be just as depraved as any other vampire around her, but she did it with style.
While any one of her roommates could be aesthetic ambassadors when it came to vampire fashion, Nadja stood out for her intoxicating combination of old school charm and whimsicality. For all her traditional values, she thrived as an agent of unbridled chaos and calamity and became one of the most beloved characters in What We Do In The Shadows.
Nadja took pride in her appearance and mostly wore ensembles that were out of time and incongruous with the present day. That being said, they're some of the most ornate and extravagant garments ever seen on a vampire.
When it comes to televised vampires it gets no more impressive than the Countess from the fifth season of American Horror Story. As portrayed by music entertainment sensation Lady Gaga, Countess Elizabeth was a tour de force of terror. An ancient being who kept herself alive through sanguinary means, she did not skulk in the shadows, but reveled in her debauchery.
In full possession of her powers and her poise, Countess Elizabeth stunned again and again in outfits that possessed enormous attention to detail. While a tragic figure -as most vampires are- she proved her fate didn't manifest itself in atrocious ensembles!
