Beetlejuice's Striped Suit: Victorian Undertaker Attire
Beetlejuice's black and white striped suit references Victorian undertaker/funeral director attire — a deliberately macabre costume choice for a character who deals with the dead.
Beetlejuice's iconic black and white vertical-striped suit is based on traditional Victorian-era undertaker and funeral director attire. The black and white striped pattern was associated with mourning clothing and the funeral profession. The costume choice is deliberately macabre — Beetlejuice is a "bio-exorcist" who deals with the dead, making funeral director clothing a perfect character choice. The exaggerated, disheveled version of formal funeral wear reflects his chaotic, disreputable nature. The striped suit has become so iconic that it's instantly recognizable as a Beetlejuice reference in pop culture, detached from its original funeral director context.