There’s a reason the villain always walks in with a sharper collar and better tailoring.
We recognize power before we understand it. And we’re trained by films, by fashion, by centuries of storytelling to see danger as desirable when it’s dressed right.
Villains wear black. They shimmer. They glide. They don’t sweat. Their looks are high concept. Their lines are quotable. And they own the room because they own the narrative, even if just for a moment.
But that obsession with aesthetics isn’t random. It’s strategy. Powerful people (real and fictional) understand the armor of presentation. If you can’t be loved, be feared. If you can’t be trusted, be unforgettable.
What that says about us, as viewers and readers, is complicated.
Maybe we crave clarity. Maybe we secretly admire those who refuse to shrink. Or maybe, deep down, we understand that villains get better outfits because they’re the only ones who know they’re performing.
And they never apologize for it.
That being said, what do you guys think about these dystopian questions and ideas I’ve been getting into lately? Let me hear your thoughts!