Every superhero and villain alike need to find their own way, to develop as a person. Harley Quinn is no exception. Despite her popularity, even Harley Quinn's fans might be surprised to learn that she had many looks both in the comics, in the movies, and on TV shows.
The differences weren't just cosmetic changes, they served to highlight who Harley was as a person at that time. Harley herself liked to switch things and tried on many personas over the years but some of her looks have already become iconic and stand out among the rest. Only one of them can be the best one, and with Harley, the competition is tough!
5 The Harley Quinn TV Series
Even though it's yet to become as iconic as other versions of Harley, the TV series Harley Quinn where Kaley Cuoco voiced the titular heroine, has already left a strong impression. In this story, Harley has said her goodbyes to the Joker and established her own villainous slash antihero team... with mixed results. She also grows closer to Poison Ivy and the two start dating. Looks-wise, the series borrows a lot of elements from Harley's previous appearances both in TV series and in the comics.
Harley wears her blonde hair with dyed tips tied in two ponytails, and she switches between multiple outfits, the jester one and more civil clothing (but still colorful enough) that she wears after she breaks it off with the Joker. Even though the colors of her clothes no longer match the color of her hair, this Harley still looks fabulous and her changing style once again represents the fact that she evolved as a person, and became her own woman.
4 The Video Games
As a prominent DC villain, Harley made her way into videogames as well - most notably in the Arkham series and Injustice. In both cases, Harley wears more revealing outfits with corsets as a shared element and has her blonde hair tied into two ponytails. She also put on pants or leggings, depending on the exact game. This style made Harley look more dangerous and less playful than her previous looks. That corresponded well with the overall dark tone of the games where danger seemed to lie at every corner.
The modernized style fit well with the aesthetics of the games, but some fans objected that it would make it more difficult for Harley to move around and fight, leading to her premature death as a result. However, it also shows that Harley herself is developing as a person and is capable to adapt to new situations as she makes changes to her looks throughout the games.
3 The New 52
Just like in the games, Harley Quinn sported multiple different looks in The New 52 comic book line. The series by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti focused on Harley's break-up with the Joker and her solo, independent life. As such, it makes sense that Harley adopted a new look in this new phase of her life. Of all the looks she had, the most iconic one sees her red-black hair, dyed in the middle, worn in her iconic ponytails.
It's Harley enough to be recognizable thanks to the ponytails but different enough to suggest that she's on a new path, due to the lack of blonde hair. Her costume matches her hair, color-wise, and proves that Harley has a strong sense of style and isn't afraid to stand out from the crowd. As Harley builds her new home in Coney Island, she becomes even more open to experimenting and throughout her various outfits and different hairstyles, she rediscovers who she is as a person now that she's no longer just the Joker's sidekick.
2 The DCEU
Thanks to the mainstream popularity of the DCEU movies and Margot Robbie's rise to fame as Harley Quinn, many people recall this version of Harley when someone mentions her. Style-wise, Harley's looks in the movies draw inspiration from the New 52. Once again, Harley wears her hair tied in ponytails and dyed (she chose a similar hairstyle later on in the New 52 comics and returned to her blonde hair) and she switches between various colorful outfits.
The movies show her transformation from somebody hopelessly in love with the Joker (as the t-shirt in the 2016 movie Suicide Squad suggests) to a woman who's no longer tied to the Joker and is ready to explore various facets of her personality. As a result, Harley alternates between various outfits in Birds of Prey (2020) and The Suicide Squad (2021), unlike in the first movie where she relied on a single outfit for the most part. Margot Robbie pulls off Harley's personality with ease, and thanks to her, Harley looks amazing regardless of which outfit she has on at the moment.
1 Batman: The Animated Series
Unlike most villains, Harley Quinn didn't first debut in the comics but on TV. More specifically, in 1992 in Batman: The Animated Series. Back then, Harley wore a full-body jester outfit with a cap. The outfit immediately marked her as a unique personality, and it served her well since it allowed her to move freely, unburden by impractical, tight clothing. As a capable gymnast, Harley used clothing that let her use her skills, not suppress them.
The outfit also suggests Harley has a cheerful nature and likes to play pranks. Overall, it manages to characterize her fast even before she speaks for the first time. It's less revealing than Harley's later outfits which might be a downside for some fans but an upside for Harley, considering the nights in Gotham must be very cold. Overall, this look is the one many people think of when somebody mentions Harley Quinn. It set up the tone for her future looks as well, making it the most iconic one.
Harley Quinn season 3 premieres on July 28th, 2022, on HBO Max.