Audrey Hepburn looks into a window a Tiffany鈥檚 in a still from the film 鈥楤reakfast at Tiffany鈥檚.鈥

10 movies with unforgettable shopping scenes

Written by:
June 2, 2022
Paramount Pictures // Getty Images

This story originally appeared on Giving Assistant and was produced and distributed in partnership with 麻豆原创 Studio.

10 movies with unforgettable shopping scenes

鈥淕et in, loser, we鈥檙e going shopping.鈥

Name a more cutting one-liner that resonates with the souls of shopaholics than this bittersweet dig from Regina George. Sure, Rachel McAdams鈥 acerbic delivery as the queen bee of 鈥淢ean Girls鈥 has a certain sting to it, but it鈥檚 the underlying sentiment (however insidious)鈥攖hat a little retail therapy can be the panacea for all of life鈥檚 problems鈥攖hat goes a long way.

As our favorite films have taught us, life-changing things can happen during casual trips to the mall with friends (or frenemies); behind dressing rooms, when that outfit wears you perfectly; and even while window-shopping outside Tiffany鈥檚 on a quiet morning in New York City. Vivian Ward, Cher Horowitz, and Holly Golightly are just a few of the many movie characters to have undergone major transformations in some of the most memorable shopping scenes in pop culture.

To that end, compiled a list of 10 films with unforgettable shopping scenes. To be considered, shopping had to play a central part in the scene or the character鈥檚 development throughout the movie or a memorable moment had to occur at or within a store where people are shopping. user scores and are provided for popular and critical context.

Keep reading to see if your favorite shopping scene made the list.

鈥楤reakfast at Tiffany鈥檚鈥 (1961)

- Director: Blake Edwards
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 115 minutes

Arguably in cinema belongs to Audrey Hepburn, who opens this classic rom-com in an Oscar-nominated performance as Holly Golightly. Emerging from a taxi in the most celebrated to grace the silver screen, Holly arrives in front of the Tiffany & Co. flagship store on an unusually quiet morning in New York City.

While enjoying her Danish and coffee, Holly window-shops one of the store鈥檚 jewelry displays before catching her reflection in another window that gives way to twinkling chandeliers. For Holly, Tiffany鈥檚 represents a place of solace as well as aspiration, perfection, and elegance鈥攖he antithesis of her actual lifestyle, which is anything but glamorous.

鈥楤ig鈥 (1988)

- Director: Penny Marshall
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 73
- Runtime: 104 minutes

What kid hasn鈥檛 experienced the bane of being too short for a carnival ride? Such is the predicament of 12-year-old Joshua Baskin (David Moscow), whose big wish comes true when a fortune-teller machine transforms him into an adult (Tom Hanks) overnight in the 1988 comedy caper 鈥淏ig.鈥

Now a grown-up but still a boy at heart, Josh eventually finds himself landing a job at MacMillan Toy Company, home to the giant Walking Piano. It鈥檚 on the massive dance-on keyboard where Josh and his boss, Mr. MacMillan, tap into their inner child,. This iconic moment was shot inside New York鈥檚 FAO Schwarz, which became a world-famous tourist attraction for 鈥淏ig鈥 fans until.

鈥楶retty Woman鈥 (1990)

- Director: Garry Marshall
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 51
- Runtime: 119 minutes

There鈥檚 no sweeter revenge than finding the perfect outfit鈥攐r two, or three. No one knows this better than Vivian Ward in 鈥淧retty Woman.鈥 After agreeing to be the arm candy for business tycoon Edward (Richard Gere) in exchange for cash and an expensive wardrobe, the street-smart sex worker (Julia Roberts)鈥攕porting a cut-out dress and black boots鈥攇ets rudely turned away by smug saleswomen while shopping at a boutique on Rodeo Drive. Big mistake.

After undergoing a lavish makeover, it鈥檚 Vivian who gets the last laugh when she returns to the store鈥攄ecked out from a shopping spree鈥攖o rub it in the women鈥檚 faces that they missed out on a huge commission. As fulfilling as this moment is in warning against judging women by their appearance, it鈥檚 been for its sexist undertones.

鈥楬ome Alone鈥 (1990)

- Director: Chris Columbus
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 63
- Runtime: 103 minutes

There are two memorable shopping scenes in the holiday classic, 鈥淗ome Alone.鈥 The first comes when 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) heads to the store to replace his 鈥攚hich is lost because his mom packed it for the trip because Kevin 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 know how to pack a suitcase.鈥 As the store clerk tries to find out whether the toothbrush is approved by the American Dental Association per Kevin鈥檚 request, Kevin gets spooked by his neighbor鈥攚ho he believes is the South Bend Shovel Slayer鈥攁nd runs out without paying. An action-packed police chase through town, including a packed ice-skating rink, follows.

Later, Kevin鈥攕ettling into his new responsibilities鈥攈eads to the supermarket to stock up. With his cart full of household staples and a package of little green army men鈥斺渇or the kids鈥濃擪evin successfully convinces the suspicious checkout lady his mom is in the car. The scene ends with Kevin walking home only to have the overstuffed plastic grocery bags break.

Both of these scenes were . The store where Kevin accidentally shoplifted the toothbrush was a real-life business called Hubbard Woods Pharmacy, and the park Kevin is chased through by police is Hubbard Woods Park.

鈥楥lueless鈥 (1995)

- Director: Amy Heckerling
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 97 minutes

In a revelatory moment from 鈥淐lueless鈥濃攚ith a cover of Eric Carmen鈥檚 鈥淎ll by Myself鈥 as the background music鈥攁 doubtful Cher Horowitz鈥檚 (Alicia Silverstone) ponders her life during a long walk home. As the 16-year-old rues her 鈥渢otally clueless鈥 intuition about ineligible bachelors in her life, she reexamines her contempt for her college-aged, ex-stepbrother Josh (Paul Rudd) and her friends鈥 attraction to him.

Naturally, Cher鈥檚 inner monologue gets interrupted at the sight of a pretty outfit she spots in a window display, drawing her inside to find one in her size. It鈥檚 upon her arrival home, in front of the illuminated water fountain, that Cher makes a startling realization: 鈥淥h my god, I love Josh.鈥 While fans have long debated the , Silverstone has said the pair鈥檚 relationship is 鈥渧ery unusual, but it鈥檚 cool.鈥

鈥楲egally Blonde鈥 (2001)

- Director: Robert Luketic
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Metascore: 59
- Runtime: 96 minutes

Who could object to this one? When we鈥檙e introduced to Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in the opening minutes of 鈥淟egally Blonde,鈥 the fashion-obsessed sorority president drags her Delta Nu sisters to in anticipation of a proposal from her boyfriend Warner. A sly saleswoman at a boutique takes Elle to be a 鈥渄umb blonde,鈥 and tries to sell her a marked-down dress as new. Elle retorts with a trick question about the fabric. Cleverly showing off her fashion expertise, she exposes the saleswoman鈥檚 scheme by explaining the dress in question was featured in last season鈥檚 Vogue. 

This moment shows the audience that Elle Woods is someone not to be underestimated鈥攁 theme that carries throughout the film as her journey takes her to Harvard Law School, where she continues to defy expectations. If nothing else, this iconic moment certainly won鈥檛 let anyone forget that 鈥渋t鈥檚 impossible to use a half-loop topstitching on low-viscosity rayon.鈥

Fans of the movie鈥攚hich is based on author Amanda Brown鈥檚 real-life experiences at Stanford鈥攎ight be pleased to know that this scene is also featured in the Tony-nominated Broadway musical adaptation of the film.

鈥楽weet Home Alabama鈥 (2002)

- Director: Andy Tennant
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Metascore: 45
- Runtime: 108 minutes

In one of the first scenes in the highly popular rom-com, 鈥淪weet Home Alabama,鈥 Andrew (Patrick Dempsey) leads his girlfriend Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) into a dark room for a surprise. The lights are switched on, revealing they are in a Tiffany鈥檚 store, which has been closed to the public for the occasion, leading to an over-the-top but intimate proposal. 

It turns out this almost dreamlike scene was actually filmed in the flagship Tiffany鈥檚 store in New York City. It was reportedly the first time the jeweler had let any production company film inside the store Years later in 2015, famously recreated the iconic proposal scene with a post on Instagram.

鈥楨lf鈥 (2003)

- Directors: Jon Favreau
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 97 minutes

Considered by many to be a modern Christmas classic, 鈥淓lf鈥 gifted audiences with what could arguably be one of Will Ferrell鈥檚 most lovable characters in Buddy the Elf. When Buddy from the North Pole in search of his father, he finds himself looking up at a sign for Gimbels department store. 

Enamored by the holiday decorations adorning the building鈥檚 exteriors, he makes his way inside鈥攖hough not before he is nearly run down by a NYC taxi. The following sequence treats the audience to some great visual gags as Buddy explores the store, including a moment where he awkwardly tries to ride an escalator by stretching his feet apart over several steps as other customers watch in amusement. And who could forget the scene where Buddy is eyeing Santa-themed lingerie鈥攐n display next to a sign that reads 鈥渢he perfect gift for that special someone鈥濃攚hich he later naively sends as a gift to his father.

The real Gimbels store鈥攐nce known as a competitive rival for Macy鈥檚 in its heyday鈥, later replaced by the Manhattan Mall.

鈥楳ean Girls鈥 (2004)

- Director: Mark Waters
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 97 minutes

When 鈥淢ean Girls鈥 came out, the mall was still a popular hangout spot for teenagers, thus the multiple scenes that take place at the mall in the film. In one scene, Regina (Rachel McAdams) takes the other Plastics to try on a dress for the upcoming Spring Fling. 

While Regina is shocked to find out the size 5 dress won鈥檛 zip up, it comes as no surprise to Cady (Lindsay Lohan), who, as part of her plan to sabotage Regina, has been giving her Swedish nutrition bars that encourage weight gain鈥攏ot weight loss like Regina thinks. When Karen (Amanda Seyfried) asks for the next size up, the salesperson snarkily tells the girls the store only carries sizes 1, 3, and 5 and delivers what has become a highly quotable joke burn: 鈥淵ou could try Sears.鈥

鈥楤ridesmaids鈥 (2011)

- Director: Paul Feig
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 125 minutes

While 鈥淏ridesmaids鈥 is full of outrageous moments, perhaps no scene is as iconically outrageous as the food poisoning disaster at a high-end bridal boutique. After Annie (Kristen Wiig) organizes a meal at a hole-in-the-wall Brazilian restaurant鈥攚hich is implied to have a questionable health-code rating鈥擫illian (Maya Rudolph) and her bridal party arrive at the swanky Belle en Blanc to try on dresses. The first sign of what鈥檚 to come is a particularly boisterous belch by Megan (Melissa McCarthy).  

A short time later, as each of the bridesmaids models the dress of their choosing and they debate over which dress to go with, more signs of gastrointestinal distress arise for everyone鈥攐r more specifically, everyone who ate the meat at lunch. Hilarity ensues as the bridesmaids (barring Helen, played by Rose Byrne) must share a single-person bathroom as they are violently ill. The over-the-top gross-out scene culminates in Lillian, who realizes there is simply no room for her in the restroom, running out the doors of the store and slowly squatting over a storm drain in the busy street鈥攚hile still fully dressed in a luxurious, and expensive, bridal gown. 

In an , director Paul Feig revealed the infamous food poisoning element of the film wasn鈥檛 originally in the script.

Trending Now