'Game of Thrones'' Emilia Clarke: Daenerys 'Taught Me About Lady Balls'

Dany starts out Season 1 as the easily frightened little sister of Viserys Targaryen. They’re the last living Targaryens (as far as the audience knows at that point). Viserys is known in the books as the “Beggar King” because he and Dany have been on the run from King Robert Baratheon all their lives, living off the generosity of others in Essos. Here’s Dany in a thin “viewing dress” to meet her soon-to-be-husband, Khal Drogo. 

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Dany stands here on her wedding day to Khal Drogo. In the early Season 1, Dany is dressed in thin, sheer, light-colored dresses, emphasizing her innocence and inexperience. 

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Unlike her brother, Dany embraces the Dothraki culture. She quickly discards her flimsy silks and dons Dothraki garb, ideal for horseback riding and adventuring through the desert. This helps in earning the Dothraki’s trust, something that will greatly benefit her rule as the series goes on. 

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“Game of Thrones” is known for its unabashed nudity, and Dany’s character is no exception. At the end of Season 1, she emerges from Drogo’s funeral pyre naked, unburnt and the new mother to three baby dragons. A similar scene will appear again, several seasons later. 

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Moving into Season 2, Dany goes back and forth between her Khaleesi garb and more flimsy dresses. She is forced to ask for help from Xaro Xhoan Daxos in Qarth, where she visits the House of the Undying…

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… Which is where (in the books but not the show) the “dragon has three heads” prophecy is made. Though she’s still at the beginning of her conquering days, it’s important that Dany proves herself as a powerful and respected leader. This plated dress symbolizes that. In the books, it’s noted that Dany dresses in the fashion of wherever she happens to be (as she travels so much). This helps her earn trust of those around her and demonstrates that she respects various cultures. 

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Dany gets her “Breaker of Chains” title when she frees the slaves of Meereen and defeats the Masters. This is also where we get her iconic blue cutout dress with pants and boots underneath.  

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Pretty much all of Dany’s outfits have some sort of Targaryen or dragon touch, like this cutout dress. If you look closely, the shoulders and lining are made of a material that resembles dragon scales. 

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In Meereen, Dany takes an audience with her new citizens and plays the part of a ruler they call “Mhysa” (which means “Mother”). She’s back to wearing elegant gowns as their queen. 

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After Dany flies off on Drogon’s back at the end of Season 5, she’s lost in the Grass Sea and captured by the Dothraki. Her royal blues are battered and torn, but she emerges (naked again) the victor after burning up the Dosh Khaleen, proving that it’s not the dress that makes the ruler. 

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At the end of Season 6, we learn that winter has finally arrived. Dany’s headed to Westeros, and sports darker colors and more Targaryen detailing. She also dresses more like the Westerosi do, again adapting her dress to the culture she’s visiting. 

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When Dany finally arrives back in Dragonstone, for the first time in her adult life, she is regal as ever. Her dark winter-wear mirrors Cersei’s darker queen wardrobe. 

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Dany continues her wintery wardrobe throughout Season 7, culminating in probably her best outfit yet: a furry white piece of outerwear perfection that she dons to rescue Jon and The Brotherhood from beyond the wall. The white harkens back to her fashions in the early seasons, while the heavy material and half dress/half pants style is reminiscent of her days as conqueror. 

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