Luxury fashion and cool-girl brands boosted by Freakier Friday costumes

The sequel to the early-2000s body-swap comedy arrives with a wardrobe as loud and deliberate as its premise. Freakier Friday, which hits theaters August 8, turns costume design into a character of its own, fusing Y2K callbacks with high-fashion names and tongue-in-cheek references that reward close-eyed viewers. (Spoilers ahead.)

What feels new is how the film outfits four characters who briefly live each other’s lives — a setup that lets the costume team play with identity, age, and cultural cues. The result is both a nostalgia trip for fans of the original and a modern, luxury-driven catalog of statement pieces.

Reimagining familiar characters with fresh fashion

The new movie reunites Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) in another body-switching fiasco — this time with two younger relatives thrown into the mix. Costume designer Natalie O’Brien approached the project by balancing respect for the original film’s signature looks with a desire to evolve each character’s wardrobe. Rather than repeat the same outfits, she threaded subtle echoes of the first movie through updated silhouettes and luxe labels.

O’Brien aimed for homage over imitation, using clothing to signal who the audience is watching while also suggesting how time and life changes have shifted each character’s taste.

Anna’s new era: music industry polish meets rock cred

Anna, once a teen rocker, has grown into a music manager at Capitol Records. Her style reflects that transition: she keeps an underlying rock-and-roll attitude while embracing elevated pieces that signal professional success. The wardrobe mixes grunge roots with glittering, designer-forward choices.

• Everyday cool: worn leather belts and star-studded boots that look lived-in, not costume-y.
• Luxury sleepwear and party dresses: Olivia von Halle silk pajama sets and multiple Self-Portrait embellished dresses.
• Statement daywear: a Staud dolphin mini, a Frankie Shop suit, and Dôen florals that feel polished but still playful.

O’Brien even leaned into the absurdity of cross-generational dressing: when Anna winds up in teenage surfer clothes, the team gave her a high-fashion rash guard (a Balenciaga piece) rather than a basic swim top — a detail that reads as both hilarious and on-brand for this elevated Disney sequel. Later surfwear nods include a Cynthia Rowley floral wetsuit, used to underline who’s inhabiting which body.

Tess’s tailored palette and punk-tinged makeovers

Tess remains a successful psychiatrist-turned-author-and-podcaster whose aesthetic evolved from strict all-black looks to more considered monochrome ensembles in mauve, burgundy, navy, and the occasional silk scarf pop. Her signature is clean, structured, slightly authoritative — but never boring.

When Tess swaps bodies with teenager Lily, the film leans into fashion as roleplay. O’Brien didn’t shy away from letting Tess feel awkward in youth-driven looks; that discomfort helps sell the body-swap comedy while also allowing for playful reinvention. A notable example: the movie poster’s light-blue Reiss suit gets a ripped-and-reworked treatment that channels Vivienne Westwood’s rebellious edge — trimmed, reshaped, and paired with a Jean Paul Gaultier printed mesh top and chunky New Balance sneakers to make the ensemble read like a designer-minded teen’s edit.

Accessories that sharpen character voices

• Reformation cardigans and ladylike scarves to ground Tess’ softer, more domestic side.
• Chunky designer jewelry and novelty earrings to hint at Lily’s fashion-forward influence.
• Playful bags and small details — like a Simon Miller silver puffy heart purse — that help stitch together dual identities.

Pajamas, clues and costume storytelling

Because the switches happen while characters sleep, pajamas become a storytelling device. O’Brien used matching and coordinated sets to convey adultness, while individual nightwear reflects each character’s personality:

• Anna: crystal-buttoned Olivia von Halle set with a soft pink cloud print.
• Tess: a regal royal-blue pajama set with a lacy negligee peeking out.
• Harper: slightly mismatched Urban Outfitters sweats that read teenage-casual.
• Lily: a frilly Petite Plume short set that telegraphs preppy designer aspirations.

These sleep looks act as visual breadcrumbs for the audience, helping viewers track who’s in whose body even as onscreen behavior changes.

Show-stopping sequences and red-carpet ready moments

Several set pieces double as runway showcases. At a Rolling Stone photoshoot for Anna’s client Ella, characters try on ostentatious and whimsical garments — some themed to Ella’s album titled “Hungry” — before taking them out into the city.

Anna’s pick from the racks — a Christopher John Rogers red bustier paired with an army green handkerchief skirt, pink Dior shades, a rosette choker, and black mesh Norma Kamali gloves — intentionally riffs on her original-era look without repeating it. It’s theatrical and unapologetic, a modern Disney moment that leans into maximalism.

For Tess, one of the boldest moments is a denim-on-denim outfit covered in giant safety pins, anchored by a Max Mara bustier belt and accessorized with playful earring motifs from Coperni and layered bracelets. This blend of her muted color palette and Lily’s experimental tendencies makes for some of the film’s most visually interesting contrasts.

Standout brands and costume highlights

The production’s fashion choices span accessible labels and high-end houses, creating a contemporary palette that still nods to early-2000s teen-movie staples. Notable brands and pieces featured include:

• Olivia von Halle (silk pajamas)
• Self-Portrait (bejeweled dresses)
• Balenciaga (designer rash guard)
• Staud, The Frankie Shop, Dôen (daywear staples)
• Cynthia Rowley (wetsuit)
• Christopher John Rogers, Dior, Norma Kamali (photo-shoot and red-carpet looks)
• Moschino, Manolo Blahnik, Jean Paul Gaultier (specialty pieces)

Reworking a costume archive and small triumphs

One of the movie’s cleverest Easter eggs is a near-recreation of Tess’ post-makeover Diane Furstenberg dress from the original Freaky Friday. When the studio couldn’t provide the exact archival piece, the costume team tracked down a vintage version, altered it with added gussets and matching fabric, and finished the look with vintage-style sunglasses and a small star necklace — a collaborative, resourceful effort that underscores how costumes can be storytelling archaeology.

Beyond thrift-store triumphs, there are plenty of custom bits that deliver character detail: Tess’ pickleball activewear, a fictional band tee for Harper, and Ella’s glittering stage dress each function as shorthand for who these people are when they’re themselves — or someone else.

Costumes as character maps: why the wardrobe matters

Freakier Friday uses clothes not just as fashion moments but as narrative signposts. When a blazer is shortened, a headband is chosen, or a pajama set is coordinated, those choices tell the audience which character’s sensibility is in play. The film’s mix of designer splurges and familiar high-street items creates an approachable fantasy: it’s aspirational without feeling unreachable.

By leaning into both 2003 nostalgia and modern luxury fashion, the costumes do more than look good — they help explain identity, age, and ambition within a comedic story about walking in another person’s shoes.

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David Miller

David Miller is an entertainment expert with a passion for film, music, and series. With eight years in cultural criticism, he takes you behind the scenes of productions and studios. His energetic style guides you to the next big releases and trending sensations.