The most iconic looks of our cartoon heroes

Cartoons are a big part of many people’s childhoods, and the name Disney immediately comes to mind. The American company released its first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in 1937. This film marked a milestone in Disney’s continued success as a company.

In 1938, Walt Disney was awarded an Oscar for this film. However, it wasn’t the typical Oscar; instead, it was a regular-sized Oscar statue, accompanied by seven symbolic miniature Oscars to represent the seven dwarfs.

However, not every film mentioned in this article comes from Disney Studios, although the majority were produced there. You’ll learn more about this as you read on, but first, let’s take a look at the presentation of the popular film award.

The Oscars

The Oscars, officially known as the Academy Awards, are an annual ceremony that honors outstanding achievements in the film industry. Organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the awards were first presented in 1929. Key categories include Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, and Best Director, among others. These prestigious awards are considered the highest recognition in the film world and have become a global event for both the film industry and the public.

To be eligible for an Oscar nomination, a film must be publicly screened in Los Angeles for at least one week. There are exceptions, such as for foreign films, which can be submitted by their respective countries​

The Oscars are considered the most prestigious awards in the film industry, attracting millions of viewers every year. Not only do audiences tune in to watch the awards ceremony, but they also admire the fashion on the red carpet.

The most iconic looks of our cartoon heroes

In the following list, we take a look at the most iconic looks of our animated heroes. In addition, the Oscar awards and nominations are listed. The selection is not based on objective criteria, but merely reflects my personal taste.

Since this article focuses on the characters’ looks, no distinction will be made between animated and cartoon films.

The list follows a chronological order.

• Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians(1961)

When Cruella De Vil appears, it quickly becomes clear that the chain-smoking woman has little regard for the well-being of others. She dreams of a fur coat made of Dalmatian pelts and, with the help of the bumbling crooks Jasper and Horace, she kidnaps the 15 puppies of Dalmatian Pongo and Perdita.

Before she can realize her dream of a Dalmatian fur coat, she wears a beige fur coat. Her iconic appearance includes her gaunt figure, which seems to bend under the weight of her enormous coat, and her two-tone hair, split exactly along the parting into white and black.

In the old De Vil villa, the 99 Dalmatian puppies are held captive. But eventually, they manage to escape. Roger and Anita, the owners of Pongo and Perdita, adopt the 99 puppies and start a Dalmatian breeding business with their 101 Dalmatians.

🏆The film 101 Dalmatians was not awarded an Oscar.🏆

• Madame Adelaide Bonfamille from The Aristocats (1970)

The film is set in 1910, when the wealthy Madame Adelaide Bonfamille names her beloved cat Duchesse and her kittens, Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz, as her heirs. This surprising will disappoint her butler Edgar (pictured left, in the center), who had hoped to inherit her fortune. As a result, Edgar schemes to make the cat family disappear. The Aristocats embark on a journey back to Paris, with the help of the street cat Thomas O’Malley.

Madame Adelaide Bonfamille’s fashion reflects the style of the Belle Époque in France. This period was characterized by a particularly vibrant time, marked by peace, prosperity, and economic growth, describing especially the era leading up to World War I.

🏆The film The Aristocats was not awarded an Oscar, but it was nominated for a Grammy.🏆

• Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991)

At the beginning of Beauty and the Beast, a story is told about an ignorant and superficial prince who refuses to offer shelter to a beggar woman on a cold winter night. The woman, who is actually a sorceress, curses him, transforming him into a Beast. The curse can only be broken by true love.

Belle, who lives in a nearby village, searches the castle for her father, who has been imprisoned. She sacrifices herself to have her father released. Over time, the Beast becomes somewhat gentler, and they begin to get to know each other better.

Her yellow ball gown, paired with her long, dark brown hair, captivated audiences then and continues to do so today. It remains a popular inspiration for costumes, particularly for Carnival or Mardi Gras celebrations.

🏆The film Beauty and the Beast won two Oscars in 1992: one for Best Original Score and another for Best Original Song for “Beauty and the Beast.”🏆

• Jasmin from Aladdin (1992)

The story is set in the city of Agrabah and begins with a mysterious peddler telling of a lamp that will determine the fate of a “diamond in the rough”—the young thief, Aladdin. The Grand Vizier, Jafar, searches for this lamp in a magical cave that can only be accessed by someone who is “a diamond in the rough.” Upon realizing that Aladdin is that person, Jafar leads him to the cave, but Aladdin is betrayed and trapped. By rubbing the lamp, he frees the Genie, who grants him three wishes. With his first wish, Aladdin becomes a prince to win the heart of Princess Jasmine.

Jafar discovers Aladdin’s true identity and steals the lamp to gain great power for himself. In the final battle, Aladdin outsmarts him, causing Jafar to become a genie himself and be trapped in a lamp. In the end, Aladdin wishes for the Genie’s freedom and is allowed to marry Jasmine, despite not having royal blood.

Much like Aladdin, we were also captivated by Jasmine’s long black hair, striking gold jewelry, and her light blue two-piece outfit. As a result, Jasmine’s look is one of the most iconic among our animated heroes.

🏆The film Aladdin won an Oscar in 1993 for Best Original Score and another for Best Original Song for “A Whole New World.”🏆

• Muses from Hercules (1997)

The son of the godfather Zeus and his wife Hera is kidnapped by Hades, the god of the underworld, and turned into a mortal. After discovering who his real parents are, he wishes to become a god so that he can be with them.

The only way to achieve this is by becoming a true hero. Hercules is given the chance to prove himself as a true hero and falls in love with Meg. Throughout the film, the Muses appear repeatedly—goddesses of the arts and singers of heroes. The five Muses are iconic due to their typically Greek looks and the diversity in their body types and hairstyles.

🏆The film Hercules was not awarded an Oscar, although the song “Go The Distance” was nominated for Best Original Song in 1998.🏆

• Anastasia from the movie Anastasia (1997)

The Tsar’s daughter Anastasia survives the Russian Revolution in the 20th Century Fox-produced film Anastasia. During her escape, the young princess fails to jump onto a train and falls on her head, which causes her to lose her memory and forget everything from before.

With the help of a former servant named Dimitri, she discovers her true identity and embarks on a journey with him from St. Petersburg to Paris to find the Grand Duchess Anastasia’s grandmother. They first see her grandmother in the opera in Paris.

For this special occasion, Anastasia wears an off-shoulder dark blue dress with a sparkling train. She accessorizes with white gloves, a dazzling necklace, earrings, and hair accessories. At the beginning, she also wears a petrol-colored coat with fur elements.

🏆The film Anastasia was not awarded an Oscar, although it was nominated in 1998 for Best Music and Best Song for “Journey to the Past.”🏆

• Kida(gakash) from Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2002)

Atlantis, according to legend, sank into the ocean thousands of years ago. In 1914, scientist Milo Thatch presents his findings at a museum and believes he has discovered how to find the lost city by locating the Shepherd’s Journal in Iceland, a key to Atlantis’s location.

Despite being mocked like his grandfather, Milo quits his job at the museum. That night, Mr. Whitmore, an explorer, reveals that Milo’s grandfather had already located the Shepherd’s Journal. Whitmore then funds the expedition to find Atlantis.

The inhabitants of Atlantis are characterized by their tan skin, white hair, and primarily blue clothing adorned with golden accessories. Kida, one of the characters, embodies the iconic look of the Atlanteans, representing their culture and style in the film Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

🏆The film Atlantis: The Lost Empire was not awarded an Oscar.🏆

• Kim Possible from the eponymous series Kim Possible (2002 to 2007)

In the eponymous Kim Possible series, Kim, alongside her best friend Ron Stoppable and his pet naked mole-rat Rufus, battles several villains to save the world. Among their most frequent adversaries are Dr. Drakken and his accomplice Shego, who repeatedly stand in their way.

Neben ihren Abenteuern als Heldin wird auch ihr Leben als Tochter, große Schwester, Highschool-Schülerin und Cheerleaderin gezeigt. Besonders einprägsam war hier das schwarze Crop-Top in Kombination mit der weitgeschnittenen, khakigrünen Cargohose. Auch die hellbraunen Haare der Hauptdarstellerin fanden besonderen Anklang. Die Serie wurde in Deutschland auf SuperRTL ausgestrahlt.

Alongside her superhero adventures, the series also explores Kim’s life as a daughter, older sister, high school student, and cheerleader. One of her most iconic looks is her black crop top paired with loose, khaki green cargo pants. Her light brown hair also became a defining feature of her character.

🏆The Kim Possible series was not awarded an Oscar.🏆

• Tiana from The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Inspired by the classic fairy tale The Frog King, this Disney movie brings an exciting twist. Released in 2009, The Princess and the Frog was primarily inspired by the children’s book Esmeralda Froschprinzessin (2004) by E. D. Baker.

In the movie, Tiana, like the princess in the fairy tale, transforms into a frog after kissing the prince. Together, the frogs escape into the swamps of the southern United States. Set in the 1920s, the fashion in the film stands out, especially when Tiana and Naveen break the curse, and Tiana is seen wearing a green ball gown. To the right in the gallery, you can see a picture of a classic 1920s Charleston dress. Both of these iconic looks have earned a spot on this list.

🏆The film The Princess and the Frog was not awarded an Oscar.🏆

• Elsa from Frozen 2 (2019)

After the great success of the first film, the sequel was highly anticipated. Six years after the original film, Disney released the follow-up. In Frozen II, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven journey to the Enchanted Forest.

There, they uncover some family secrets and eventually find themselves at the wreck of their parents’ ship, where they discover a map to the mysterious river Ahtohallan. Elsa, against Anna’s wishes, goes there alone. The spirit of water reveals itself in the form of a horse that guards the river and glacier of Ahtohallan. At this moment, Elsa’s look transforms into the white, ice-blue dress with flowing hair as shown above.

🏆The film Frozen II was not awarded an Oscar, although it was nominated for Best Original Song in 2020 for “Into the Unknown.”🏆

Which of the looks is the most iconic to you?