Villanelle is the best-acted character on television, but she’s also the best-dressed character on television, and as Season 3 of Killing Eve approaches, it’s the perfect time to celebrate her achievements in the world of fictional couture. Many people online have ranked Villanelle’s best looks, but what of her worst? What of her more forgettable disguises, her casual loungewear, her street style? The best isn’t enough. We must rank them all.
And so here we are: I rewatched the entirety of Killing Eve and took screenshots of every outfit Villanelle wore in the first two seasons of the show. I ended up with 61 outfits total, with a few conditions: If an outfit showed up in more than one episode, I counted it only once; I also primarily chose to count coats as their own entry in addition to the clothes beneath, unless the clothes worn before Villanelle added the coat weren’t notable enough to judge on their own. (For example, I didn’t give an entry to the white T-shirt she wears beneath her military getup in the Season 1 dinner scene, but I did give an entry to the pink shirt she’s wearing when she gets stabbed in the finale.) Was I completely consistent with my judging of various outfits? Perhaps not, but fashion is subjective, and so is this list.
According to my calculations, Villanelle peaked at nine costume changes in one episode (Season 2, Episode 5). Thank God for episodes in which she wore only one outfit, like in the Russian prison episode at the end of Season 1. I don’t think I missed anything, but Villanelle loves a split-second costume change, so it’s possible. My brain broke a little by the end of this, so cut me some slack. I now see pinstriped blazers and flared trousers when I close my eyes. Suddenly, I feel a close kinship with Aaron Peel and his many monitors.
But let’s get to my definitive and completely correct list. Ranked from worst to best, here’s everything Villanelle put on her body in the first two seasons of Killing Eve.
61. The Crocs (Season 2, Episode 1)
Perhaps the worst thing Villanelle has ever had to wear. These are ultimately part of a full doctor disguise, but the Crocs stand out in their horror. It’s all uphill from here.
60. The coat she stole from a homeless guy (Season 2, Episode 1)
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
59. The icky nightgown (Season 2, Episode 2)
58. The laundromat fit (Season 2, Episode 2)
The first few episodes of Season 2 are Villanelle’s toughest fashion period, as she’s repeatedly forced to don other people’s gross clothes. She stole this fit from a laundromat—I just hope it was already washed.
57. The kinky nurse disguise (Season 1, Episode 3)
This disguise made me supremely uncomfortable, which I suppose was the goal.
56. The OG nurse disguise (Season 1, Episode 1)
“Wear it down.” Iconic! The nurse uniform was not the most flattering of Villanelle’s disguises, but it got the job done, and it made a lasting impact on Eve.
55. That one pink shirt (Season 1, Episode 8)
Villanelle gets stuck in this damn shirt for so long: She’s wearing it beneath her obnoxious fur coat (we’ll get to that in a moment) in the last few episodes of Season 1, and after she’s stabbed by Eve, she staggers around Paris in it, soaking it with a concerning amount of blood in the Season 2 premiere. I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t so ill-fitting and unflattering. Maybe Eve wouldn’t have stabbed Villanelle if she was wearing one of her nicer outfits at the time of the confrontation. You can never be overdressed for a heart-to-heart with your long-distance love interest!
54. The ugly hat disguise (Season 1, Episode 3)
What is this hat, and why doesn’t it fit her head?
53. The car wash employee disguise (Season 2, Episode 5)
52. The hotel robe (Season 2, Episode 4)
Villanelle loves a robe, but this one is decidedly Not It.
51. The waitress disguise (Season 1, Episode 2)
Efficient, but not particularly groundbreaking. Watching your target slowly suffocate in the ladies’ room while wearing a beatific smile, though … that’s special.
50. The elevator hit disguise (Season 2, Episode 3)
The more boring the disguise, the more colorful the murder. In this fit, Villanelle strangled a man by pulling his tie through a rising elevator door. She’s back, baby.
49. The military field outfit (Season 1, Episode 4-5)
Villanelle is stuck in this no-frills fit for nearly two episodes, though she loses the jacket for her infamous dinner appearance at Eve’s house. Whatever, it gets the job done.
48. The workout set (Season 1, Episode 2)
Apparently even international assassins shop at Lululemon.
47. The fur coat (Season 1, Episode 8)
I respect a big swing, and this look is this far up the list because it gets a lot of screen time at the end of Season 1. But ... I can smell this coat from here. Sorry, V.
46. The frumpy Italian dress (Season 1, Episode 1)
45. The prison outfit (Season 1, Episode 6-7)
No one is supposed to look good in a prison jumpsuit, but hear me out: Villanelle kind of does? I’m not saying I would let her shank me in this, but I’m not not saying that.
44. The silk pajamas (Season 2, Episode 8)
Villanelle loves to swan around in silk pajamas, and I personally love to watch her do so.
43. Another random silk set (Season 2, Episode 5)
I rest my case.
42. The rainbow minidress (Season 2, Episode 6)
Villanelle had a lot of fun dressing as an American party girl named Billie in Season 2, but this rainbow minidress was the worst of her looks. We can do better. We will do better.
41. Art teacher chic (Season 2, Episode 3)
This is one of the most fun disguises we get from Villanelle, perhaps because she thought she was going to run into Eve. She even made her own macaroni jewelry! Professor Trelawney could never!
40. The superhero PJs (Season 2, Episode 1)
Villanelle hated these, but they were the best of her stolen looks in the Season 2 premiere. Memorable, if not fashionable.
39. The printed date dress (Season 1, Episode 2)
38. The pink, pre-prison coat (Season 1, Episode 6)
Not her best, but we love an outerwear moment. Even better ...
37. The kebab/threesome coat (Season 2, Episode 6)
Villanelle threw this coat over her Billie disguise after her ill-fated dinner with the Peels, and then went on to grab a kebab and a casual threesome to boot. I want this in my closet—not for either of those reasons, just because I think it’s a dope coat.
36. The red blouse and yellow skirt (Season 2, Episode 7)
Aaron Peel is a dick and made Villanelle take off this belt, which is clearly necessary for the overall impact of this look. Men!
35. The pink coat and striped trousers (Season 1, Episode 1)
The first time we see Villanelle, she’s in a black sleeveless blouse and a dark wig, incognito (sort of) in an ice cream shop. As soon as her assassination is complete, Villanelle spruces up her disguise with a pink overcoat and ditches the wig. Much better.
34. The turquoise blouse and jean shorts (Season 1, Episode 1)
33. The red peplum set (Season 2, Episode 8)
Villanelle spends nearly the entire Season 2 finale in this red two-piece set, and while it’s certainly eye-catching, it’s not my favorite, considering the amount of screen time it received.
32. A striped blazer (Season 2, Episode 6)
You just can’t go wrong with any of this.
31. Another striped blazer (Season 2, Episode 6)
Those shoulder pads!
30. The embroidered kimono and jeans (Season 2, Episode 6)
It’s the striped shirt underneath that really makes this one.
29. The striped jumpsuit (Season 2, Episode 5)
This is a throwaway look in the episode in which it appears, which again, features nine costume changes. That this constitutes a blip is why Villanelle is the best dresser on TV.
28. The striped silk robe (Season 1, Episode 1)
Villanelle loves a silk robe more than anything on earth. I decided to group them together for the sake of comparison, but there are no losers here.
27. Another silk robe (Season 2, Episode 3)
26. Another silk robe (Season 2, Episode 7)
25. Another silk robe (Season 2, Episode 5)
24. Another silk robe (Season 1, Episode 5)
23. The embroidered pajamas (Season 1, Episode 1)
The only thing better than that last robe? A similarly printed set of pajamas. You can’t tell here, but they come with matching red silk pants. Elite loungewear.
22. The floral bomber and pink flares (Season 1, Episode 2)
Did Villanelle purposely dress to match her bruise? Feels like yes.
21. The green military jacket (Season 2, Episode 5)
This is a super-underrated Villanelle fit, and it would have been higher up if I could have gotten a decent picture of the whole thing. She matches this great jacket with slouchy, embellished joggers and huge military boots. It’s a Moment.
20. The green bomber and braids (Season 1, Episode 2)
This is how I like to imagine I would dress to carry out a hit on someone.
19. The frilled coat and sunglasses (Season 1, Episode 3)
18. The Konstantin costume (Season 1, Episode 4)
Huge points for attention to detail here—Konstantin shows up in the exact same outfit, down to the shoes. How did Villanelle know?
17. The pinstriped pants and blazer (Season 2, Episode 6)
16. The embroidered coat and red pants (Season 2, Episode 5)
This is a coat worthy of Carolyn, and that’s the highest compliment I can give.
15. The poofy-shoulder blouse (Season 2, Episode 3)
The first true Villanelle fit of Season 2, in which she immediately returns to her frilly bullshit. We love to see it.
14. The fur coat and red boots (Season 2, Episode 6)
13. The yellow velvet jumpsuit (Season 2, Episode 7)
This is a throwaway outfit that Villanelle wears while she’s packing for Italy, but I would like to see so much more of it.
12. The kimono and bedazzled jeans (Season 2, Episode 7)
The aftermath of a Billie disguise. Look at those jeans! My seventh-grade self would kill for this outfit.
11. The “touch it” jacket (Season 2, Episode 7)
Aaron Peel gives Villanelle this jacket along with an entire closet of new clothes, then commands her to “touch it” during lunch in Italy. Weird, but I too would like to touch it, so he has a point.
10. The green silk duster (Season 2, Episode 4)
As I hope you can tell—by the quality of the outfit, not by, you know, this item being preceded by the number 10—we’ve officially entered the top 10. This was another outfit that proved tough to capture, but Villanelle wears this green duster and matching silk dress to mope around Amsterdam for a night (and briefly beat someone’s ass in line for the bathroom, as you do).
9. The pig mask and tutu (Season 2, Episode 4)
Her all-time best disguise, and that’s all there is to say.
8. The horse-print blazer and silver pants (Season 2, Episode 3)
Villanelle bought this outfit as a huge “fuck you” to Raymond, who told her not to misbehave after taking over her contract for The Twelve. Konstantin breaks her out before Raymond can see it, and while I’d have liked to have seen her kick some ass in this, it’s probably for the best. Some may look at the silver pants and ask, “Why?” But I ask you: Why not?
7. The plaid fit (Season 2, Episode 7)
The most wearable of all Villanelle outfits! I would like this in my closet right now. It’s the perfect outfit for locking your girlfriend’s husband in a storage container and killing his new girlfriend; special in its simplicity.
6. The pink blazer and floral pants (Season 2, Episode 4)
The noise I made when this outfit appeared on my screen! I’m trying to be relatively objective here, which is the only reason this isn’t in the top three.
5. The pink Amsterdam fit (Season 2, Episode 4)
Perhaps Villanelle’s most ridiculously over-the-top outfit, for absolutely no reason. Absurd and perfect. Amsterdam was a special place for our girl.
4. The Oxford fit (Season 2, Episode 5)
The absolute, pure BDE of this Oxford cosplay. I have no more words.
3. The dinner party veil (Season 2, Episode 5)
Rather than look at screenshots of Villanelle’s dinner party outfit, featuring polka dot veil and floor-length black dress, I recommend you just go rewatch the entire episode. I can’t do it justice. Iconic.
2. The printed suit (Season 1, Episode 3)
The top two outfits were set in stone before I even started rewatching the show for the purposes of this list. Barely missing out on the top spot is this Dries Van Noten suit, which Jodie Comer named as her favorite look of Season 1. For an extra psychopathic touch, Villanelle pairs it with the green scarf she stole from Eve’s suitcase. Her hair is great here, too. Whenever the braids come out, someone is about to die—in this case Eve’s coworker Bill, in spectacular and horrifying fashion. But what a suit!
1. The OG pink dress (Season 1, Episode 2)
It couldn’t be anything else. This Molly Goddard dress has become synonymous with the flamboyant, scene-stealing Killing Eve villainess. This is the dress that made headlines, launched 1,000 blogs, and boosted the designer’s career. This is the Villanelle Halloween costume. Not highlighted enough, though, are the huge stompy boots Villanelle chooses to go with the dress. A cultural reset, as they say.
