Practical Magic 2 Revived Its Iconic ’90s Costumes

Practical Magic left behind more than a cult following when it wrapped in 1998. It left behind a wardrobe people still reference by name nearly three decades later. The boots, the shorts, the sheer layers Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman wore running through small-town Massachusetts remain iconic to this day, cited repeatedly across fashion retrospectives and fan communities alike. Nearly three decades on, the sequel’s stars just confirmed the new costume designer studied that legacy closely, without simply copying it wholesale.

Practical Magic 2 costumes are drawing early attention ahead of the film’s September 11 release. Joey King and Maisie Williams discussed the sequel’s wardrobe at Teen Vogue Fest in New York on July 25. Vogue’s Chloe Malle hosted the panel. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne, an Oscar winner, built the new film’s looks around lace, ethereal color palettes and vintage references. Consequently, the sequel appears positioned to honor the original’s fashion identity without becoming a literal reproduction of it.

What Do the Practical Magic 2 Costumes Look Like?

Joey King described the sequel’s wardrobe as heavily shaped by 1990s fashion references. She plays Kylie Owens, the elder daughter of Sandra Bullock’s character, Sally. Notably, King specifically highlighted the volume of custom pieces built for the film. She also pointed to a recurring emphasis on lace and soft, whimsical color choices throughout her costumes.

King’s description centered on texture and mood rather than a single defining silhouette. She noted the sheer amount of custom work involved across her costumes specifically. That detail suggested a production willing to invest heavily in bespoke costuming rather than relying on off-the-rack pieces or simple period-appropriate reproductions. Consequently, this Practical Magic 2 costumes approach reads as considered rather than a quick nostalgia play built around obvious callbacks to the original film.

Maisie Williams takes a different direction.

Maisie Williams plays Antonia Owens, Sally’s younger daughter, a character positioned as distinct from her sister within the family dynamic. She described her own costuming differently from King’s. She said fans should expect her looks to lean trendy with a vintage flair. That framing distinguished her character’s wardrobe from her sister’s more overtly ’90s-referencing pieces. Notably, that contrast suggests the film is using costume to differentiate the two sisters as characters, giving each actress a distinct visual identity within the same world. It is not simply building one cohesive retro aesthetic across the cast.

Key Takeaways

• Joey King and Maisie Williams discussed Practical Magic 2’s costumes at Teen Vogue Fest on July 25, ahead of the film’s September 11 release.
• Costume designer Alexandra Byrne, an Oscar winner, built the wardrobe around lace, ethereal colors and vintage references.
• King’s character wardrobe leans into 1990s fashion influences, while Williams described her own look as trendy with vintage flair.

How Does the Sequel Honor the Original’s Costume Legacy?

Practical Magic’s original costumes, designed by Judianna Makovsky, became truly iconic within the film’s cult following. King specifically referenced one scene from the 1998 film. She recalled Sally running down the street to Faith Hill’s “This Kiss,” wearing boots and shorts. That image has circulated as a defining picture from the movie for decades. Notably, King described that original wardrobe as sexy and iconic, setting a high bar for the sequel’s own costume design.

This is where Alexandra Byrne’s approach becomes significant. The original AOL report on the panel quoted King crediting Byrne with taking real care to build special fashion moments throughout the new film. Consequently, the sequel appears to be referencing the original’s spirit and craftsmanship. It is not attempting to recreate specific garments piece for piece.

The difference between homage and reproduction

A costume sequel faces a real design challenge. Copy the original too closely, and the new film risks feeling like a costume rather than a character choice. Stray too far, and longtime fans lose the connective tissue that made the original wardrobe memorable in the first place. Notably, Byrne’s reported approach threads that needle carefully. She pulls references, lace, ethereal palettes, and vintage-inspired silhouettes without directly recreating specific 1998 looks.

This Alexandra Byrne Practical Magic approach also benefits from nearly three decades of distance. Fashion has cycled through multiple revivals of 1990s trends since the original film released. That distance gives Byrne a wider palette of reference points to draw from than a designer working immediately after the original’s release would have had. Consequently, the sequel can feel period-appropriate to its 1990s-set world. It does not appear frozen in a single moment of that decade’s fashion history.

A costume challenge unique to legacy sequels

This tension between homage and reproduction extends beyond Practical Magic specifically. Legacy sequels across film and television repeatedly face the same design problem. Audiences want the nostalgia of recognition, but they also want a wardrobe that justifies a new film rather than simply reheating the original. Notably, Byrne’s decades of experience, including her Oscar win, likely factored into the production’s confidence that she could navigate that balance successfully.

Who Else Stars in Practical Magic 2?

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock both reprise their original roles as Gillian and Sally Owens for the sequel, marking a genuine return to characters they first played nearly thirty years ago. This project follows closely on the heels of Kidman’s Fendi couture moment earlier this summer, part of an unusually packed year for the actress. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also return. They reprise Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances, the eccentric relatives who raised the Owens sisters in the first film. Notably, this Practical Magic 2 costumes story extends across a cast blending returning stars with major new additions, giving Byrne a wide range of characters and eras to design for simultaneously.

Lee Pace joins the cast as Ian Wright, an academic character who becomes a love interest for Sally. Xolo Maridueña plays Kylie’s own love interest. Solly McLeod portrays Thomas Lockland, a dark warlock central to the film’s central conflict. Director Susanne Bier leads the production. The film draws from The Book of Magic, the final novel in Alice Hoffman’s original series.

Off-screen style already building buzz.

King and Williams have already been photographed extensively during the film’s promotional rollout, as part of the same celebrity-style coverage building around the film’s release. They have often worn lace pieces that echo the film’s costume direction. Cinemablend reported that King wore a black lace halter dress with a bow detail during a recent outing with Williams. Williams chose a cream lace skirt paired with a polka dot top for the Teen Vogue Fest panel itself. Consequently, the actresses’ own red carpet choices have already begun extending the film’s aesthetic beyond the screen. That pattern started well ahead of the film’s theatrical release.

What Comes Next for Practical Magic 2

Practical Magic 2 opens in theaters September 11, closing out a summer and early fall packed with major legacy sequels across the industry. That gives fans roughly six weeks to see additional costume reveals before release. Watch for further details on Byrne’s design process as the film’s marketing campaign continues. Also watch for confirmation of specific looks worn by Kidman and Bullock in their returning roles, given how closely fans have already scrutinized the film’s trailer and early promotional imagery. For the costume design and film fashion stories shaping the season, trust Runway Magazine.