Gale Weathers’ 10 Most Iconic Scream Outfits, Ranked

Summary

• Gale Weathers has been a constant figure in all the Scream movies, sporting bright, colorful outfits in every installment of the beloved slasher franchise.
• From her neon green skirt suit in the original Scream to her rainbow of colorful pantsuits in the reboot movies, Gale’s eclectic fashion sense has remained mostly consistent throughout the franchise.
• After dipping into darker hues in Scream 2, Gale’s wardrobe started to brighten up again in Scream 3 before fully returning to form in the legacy sequel, Scream 4.

Whether she was trying to get the scoop on the latest murders or running from Ghostface herself, Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers has sported a ton of iconic outfits throughout the Scream franchise. Gale was first introduced in Scream (1996) as the insensitive, opportunistic news reporter who would go on to write about the Woodsboro murders and all those that follow. With David Arquette and Neve Campbell’s absences from Scream VI (2023), Gale is the only original Scream character to appear in all six Scream movies.

Arquette was absent from
Scream VI
because his character, Dewey Riley, was killed in the previous film,
Scream
(2022). Campbell opted not to return for
Scream VI
(2023) due to a pay dispute.

Since Gale didn’t die in Scream 6, her legacy lives on in both her relentless survival and eclectic fashion. As a character, Gale has definitely softened up over the years, but her chic fashion sense has (almost) never wavered. Gale is known for her bright, colorful outfits, often paired with statement jewelry. Though these bold, flashy getups are her signature look, Gale’s style can vary from film to film, depending on the costume designer. Every Scream movie employed a different costume designer, each of whom brought their own unique touch to Gale’s iconic wardrobe.

10 Black Blazer With White Shoulder Pattern, Black Trousers, & White Scoop Neck Top

Scream 2 (1997)

After Scream (1996), Gale’s style was toned down quite a bit in Scream 2 the following year. This shift toward a more neutral color palette was likely due to the change in costume designers, which gave Gale some edge. She also debuted a new hairstyle and color in Scream 2, donning a bob with some burgundy streaks and a makeup look to match, which provided the only pops of color in Gale’s wardrobe in the sequel.

Although the blazer added a certain eccentricity, the outfit is arguably more memorable without it.

Like the first Scream, Gale only wears a few different outfits in Scream 2, the last of which she dons for most of the movie. The look begins as a pair of black trousers, a white scoop neck top, and a black blazer with a white stitch pattern on the shoulders, which she later removes before getting chased by Ghostface. Although the blazer added a certain eccentricity, the outfit is arguably more memorable without it.

This same look might’ve been forgettable on someone else, but on Cox with this specific hair and makeup, it left a lasting impression.

This outfit lands at the bottom of the ranking for failing to possess even a hint of color, but it still beats out some of Gale’s other, more colorful looks for a top 10 spot because of how well Cox pulled it off. She managed to make a simple white top, black trousers and loafers look effortlessly chic. This same look might’ve been forgettable on someone else, but on Cox with this specific hair and makeup, it left a lasting impression.

9 Purple Blazer, Pink Top, & Blue Jeans

Scream VI (2023)

The second-to-last spot on this top 10 ranking goes to Gale’s second look in the most recent installment of the Scream franchise: Scream VI. After the perceived murders of Quinn Bailey (Liana Liberato) and Anika Kayoko (Devyn Nekoda), Gale shows up in a lilac blazer, pink top, and blue jeans to bring the franchise’s new sister leads, Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega), and the rest of the gang to an abandoned theater, now home to a Ghostface murder shrine.

This shade of purple isn’t quite loud enough

to rank this outfit any higher, especially since it’s already dressed down with denim and sneakers.

Compared to all the previous installments, Gale’s wardrobe was much more casual in Scream VI, but she still never compromised on color. This is one of her most iconic looks simply for maintaining consistency with her affinity for colorful blazers, but truthfully, this shade of purple isn’t quite loud enough to rank this outfit any higher, especially since it’s already dressed down with denim and sneakers.

8 Pink Blazer With Rose Detail, Purple Top, Black Skirt

Scream 4 (2011)

Eleven years after Scream 3, Cox returned to deliver more iconic looks as Gale in the legacy sequel, Scream 4. One such look was this pink blazer with a rose detail on the front, paired with a purple top and black skirt. Gail appears in this girly getup outside the hospital following Olivia (Marielle Jaffe)’s murder, standing out amidst the crowd of fellow reporters in dark neutrals as always. She forms an alliance with Charlie (Rory Culkin) and Robbie (Erik Knudsen) before Sidney’s publicist Rebecca (Alison Brie) falls off the roof during Dewey’s press conference.

A matching pink skirt or pair of trousers would have elevated this outfit and brought it up higher on the ranking, but as is, the blazer isn’t enough to carry this look on its own.

While the rose cinch on the blazer is a nice touch that distinguishes this ensemble from the rest, similar to the blazer-jeans combo, it loses points for having bottoms that don’t match the top. Although it’s barely visible onscreen, the black skirt holds this look back. A matching pink skirt or pair of trousers would have elevated this outfit and brought it up higher on the ranking, but as is, the blazer isn’t enough to carry this look on its own.

7 Long Black Button-Up Vest & Mini Skirt Set

Scream 2 (1997)

Although it has even less variety in color than the other Scream 2 outfit on this list, Gale’s opening look in the first sequel ranks higher because the structured vest silhouette is more in line with her established style in Scream the year prior. This time, Gale is rocking a sleeveless skirt suit as she struts around Windsor College looking to interview Sidney about the return of Ghostface. Gale ambushes the franchise’s final girl with the now-exonerated Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), provoking Sidney to slap her in the face as a callback to the first movie.

Unique

details like the open metal cinching on the back warrant this
Scream 2
look to rank among Gale’s most iconic outfits.

Again, the combination of Gale’s fierce new hair color, matching lip, frosty eye makeup, and silver accessories elevate this number and give it an instantly polished feel. This is also one of the only sleeveless garments Gale wears in the whole Scream franchise, which automatically makes it stand out. It still loses points for the color (or lack thereof), but unique details like the open metal cinching on the back warrant this Scream 2 look to rank among Gale’s most iconic outfits.

6 Canary Yellow Pantsuit With Matching Handbag & Red Top

Scream 3 (2000)

Between her choppy baby bangs and mix-and-match ensembles, Scream 3 was a low point for Gale looks-wise. Cox was still as beautiful as ever, but the styling was lacking. Gale’s wardrobe did brighten back up in Scream 3 after Scream 2’s stream of neutrals, but most of her looks contained just a pop of color rather than the maximalism of the original Scream. The only true exception is the bright canary yellow pantsuit, matching handbag, and red top Gale dons while sneaking onto the set of Stab 3.

This may not be Gale’s most complimentary color-pairing, but it’s so attention-grabbing that it still lingers in the
Scream
fandom’s collective memory even decades later.

Right before running into Dewey on set, Gale meets Jennifer Jolie (Parker Posey), the actress who portrays her in the Stab movies. Jennifer is rocking an iteration of one of Gale’s garments from the first Scream movie, which makes for quite the color-clashing sight with Gale’s Ronald McDonald-esque getup. This may not be Gale’s most complimentary color-pairing, but it’s so attention-grabbing that it still lingers in the Scream fandom’s collective memory even decades later.

5 Bright Blue Pantsuit

Scream VI (2023)

Gale’s role was less prominent in the Scream reboots with the new lead cast, which meant that she didn’t appear onscreen in Scream VI for quite a while. When she did, though, she was hard to miss. Gale makes her first appearance in Scream VI in a beaming sky-blue pantsuit outside the NYPD precinct. When she approaches Sam and Tara to ask about the latest Ghostface murders, Sam swings at her in a callback moment to Sidney punching Gale in the first Scream. Sam misses, but Tara finishes the job by decking Gale in the face.

All-in-all, this ensemble fits perfectly in fifth place: it’s more iconic than most but not quite as iconic as the four above it.

As mentioned, Gale generally dressed more casually in the latest Scream movie, but this monochrome moment was the one exception. The buttoned-up blazer gave this pantsuit a uniform look and the nearly fluorescent blue hue filled in a missing color in Gale’s rainbow of pantsuits throughout the Scream franchise. All-in-all, this ensemble fits perfectly in fifth place: it’s more iconic than most but not quite as iconic as the four above it.

4 Red Pantsuit & Patterned Top

Scream (2022)

Another eleven years passed after Scream 4 before Gale Weathers returned to the screen in the first Scream reboot movie with more eye-catching looks. Other than a split-second appearance on her morning show on Dewey’s TV, Gale makes her first reboot appearance in this cherry-red monochrome pantsuit upon her return to Woodsboro. Outside Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton)’s house where the sheriff and her son Wes (Dylan Minnette) have just been slaughtered, Gale meets Sam for the first time before running into her now ex-husband, Dewey.

The red is also a fun throwback to one of her earliest
Scream
looks from the first movie…but more sophisticated and grown up.

Ultimately, this red-hot number ranks so high because it fits her so well, and not just in regards to the tailoring: it’s a solid, punchy matching set that could stop traffic, which is exactly the kind of power Gale enjoys possessing. The red is also a fun throwback to one of her earliest Scream looks from the first movie (next on the ranking), but more sophisticated and grown up. This is without a doubt her most iconic outfit from this movie and one of her best from the Scream reboot era.

3 Red Jacket, White Top, Red & White Plaid Mini Skirt, & Brown Leather Trench Coat

Scream (1996)

Gale spends the majority of the first Scream movie’s runtime wearing this third and final outfit, which starts off as a bright red open jacket with large white buttons, paired with a white top, a red and white plaid mini skirt, and red pumps. The styling is all very matchy-matchy, but in retrospect, it totally suits her. Later, when Gale accompanies Dewey to Stu (Matthew Lillard)’s party, she brings the look from day to night by putting on a brown leather trench coat over her now-buttoned-up red jacket.

This red, white, and sometimes brown ensemble is still engrained in the memory of every original Scream fan.

Both versions of this outfit are great in their own way, but the brown coat-pairing is arguably more iconic since Gale is sporting it during her first encounter with Ghostface (in this case, Billy (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu). Neither version is quite as iconic as her other OG movie look on this list, but this red, white, and sometimes brown ensemble is still engrained in the memory of every longtime Scream fan.

2 Purple Blazer & Sheath Dress Set

Scream 4 (2011)

More than a decade had passed since her jaunt in L.A. in Scream 3, but Gale’s return in Scream 4 proved that she still hadn’t lost her fashionable touch. In fact, this eggplant blazer and matching dress set in Scream 4 felt like a true return to form for the Scream franchise’s favorite nosy news reporter, despite Scream 3‘s previous attempts to get her back on track.

By striking the perfect balance between classy and flashy, this outfit beats out all but one of Gale’s
Scream
looks.

Other than a brief scene in her pajamas, this purple ensemble serves as Gale’s first look in the legacy sequel. She sports the combo to Sidney’s book launch but ditches the blazer at the police station to help Dewey with the investigation. While other Gale outfits may be more outlandish, this Scream 4 look checks all the right boxes: it’s bold and bright but still feels timeless, and it’s just as flattering with the blazer as it is without. By striking the perfect balance between classy and flashy, this outfit beats out all but one of Gale’s Scream looks.

1 Neon Green Skirt Suit

Scream (1996)

When it comes to serving looks, Gale started off strong—so strong, in fact, that Gale’s debut look in the Scream franchise remains her most iconic to date. Gale Weathers made her first appearance in this neon green (but yellow in some lights) skirt suit outside Woodsboro High as she reported on the murders of Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) and Steve Orth (Kevin Patrick Walls). She later shows up at the Prescott household and again outside the police station to try to interview Sidney, but gets punched in the face and called a “b*tch” by the targeted teen.

With this iconic first outfit, Scream solidified Gale as a “slashionista” right out the gate.

As the very first Gale Weathers outfit ever, there’s already an iconic quality embedded in this eye-catching number, which set the tone for Gale’s distinct personal style and equally obnoxious behavior. In the decades since Scream was released in 1996, this blinding highlighter skirt suit has become the quintessential Gale Weathers look that most fans associate her with, inspiring more Gale Weathers Halloween costumes than any of her other looks that followed. With this iconic first outfit, Scream solidified Gale as a “slashionista” right out the gate.