Katherine Pierce Outfits and Costume Guide (The Vampire Diaries)
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Katherine Pierce, born Katerina Petrova, is the 500-year-old vampire in The Vampire Diaries who shares a face with Elena Gilbert; both are played by Nina Dobrev. The show distinguishes them with styling: Elena wears straight hair and soft casuals, while Katherine wears big, bouncy curls, fitted dark clothes, leather, deep reds and high heels. That contrast is what you're recreating.
Her modern-day look is the one most people want, and it's built from a few pieces that are easy to find. The show also gives you two period options, 1864 Mystic Falls and 1492 England, if you prefer a gown. If you want a Salvatore brother along, our Stefan Salvatore outfits guide covers his look.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rough budget: $40–$100, less if you own a leather jacket
- Time to put on: 30 minutes, most of it curling hair
- What people recognise first: Big dark curls + leather jacket + dark lip
What you need
- Long dark brown curly wig (or a curling iron) — Voluminous, glossy curls parted in the centre or slightly off-centre. This is the single clearest Katherine-versus-Elena signal.
- Fitted black leather jacket — Cropped or hip-length, worn closed or open over a low-cut top.
- Deep red or black fitted top — Burgundy, oxblood or black, often with a V or scoop neck. Lace detail suits her.
- Black skinny jeans or leather pants — Dark and fitted. She's rarely seen in anything loose.
- Black heeled boots or stilettos — Heels are consistent across her modern looks.
- Dark red lipstick and smoky eye kit — A deep berry or red lip and defined, smoky eyes. Elena wears a neutral lip; this is the other half of the contrast.
- Vervain-free statement jewellery — A long pendant or layered necklaces. Katherine's lapis lazuli daylight jewellery is usually a bracelet or a ring; a blue-stone ring is a nice nod.
- 1864 or 1492 period gown (optional) — For the flashback versions: a Victorian-style gown with a fitted bodice for 1864, or a Tudor-style gown for 1492 England.
How to put it together
Modern Katherine
- Put on the fitted top and skinny jeans, then the heeled boots.
- Add the leather jacket, sleeves pushed up slightly, and the necklace or ring.
- Keep the palette to black, burgundy and a little gold; no bright colours.
Hair and makeup
- If using your own hair, curl it in large sections away from the face and brush the curls out gently for volume. Finish with shine spray.
- Do a smoky eye in brown or charcoal, winged slightly, and fill the brows.
- Apply a dark red or berry lipstick and blot. Katherine's look is polished, not messy.
Attitude and extras
- Her posture is confident and her default expression is a half-smile. Practise the raised eyebrow.
- For a vampire version, add a little blood at the corner of the mouth and fangs, but Katherine is more often immaculate than feral.
- If you're going with an Elena, agree on the contrast: her straight hair and soft colours versus your curls and black leather.
About the character
Katherine Pierce is introduced in the first season of The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017) as the vampire who turned both Salvatore brothers in 1864 and whose face Elena shares as her doppelgänger. Born Katerina Petrova in Bulgaria in the 15th century, she has spent five hundred years running from Klaus Mikaelson, manipulating almost everyone she meets and occasionally revealing a conscience.
Nina Dobrev played both characters for most of the series and the writers leaned on costume and hair to signal which was on screen, which is why Katherine's styling is so consistent: curls, leather, dark colours, heels and red lips. It makes her one of the easiest TV characters to dress as and one of the hardest to pull off without the attitude.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look like Katherine and not Elena?
Curl your hair big and glossy, wear black or deep red with a fitted leather jacket, add heels and a dark lip, and carry yourself with a smirk. Elena is straight hair, soft colours, flats and a natural lip.
What does Katherine wear in the 1864 flashbacks?
Victorian-style gowns with fitted bodices and full skirts, often in blues and creams, with her hair curled and pinned up. A Civil War-era ball gown costume is the closest off-the-shelf match.
What jewellery does Katherine Pierce wear?
Her daylight piece is lapis lazuli, usually worn as a bracelet. Beyond that she wears long pendant necklaces and gold or dark-stone rings. A blue-stone ring is an easy, recognisable nod for fans.
What are good couples costumes with Katherine?
Stefan or Damon Salvatore in a dark henley or button-down and a leather jacket, or an Elena so the two of you can play the doppelgänger contrast. Klaus or Elijah Mikaelson in a suit also fits her story.
Further reading
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