A good film adaptation of a book or play you've always loved can be one of the most epic and emotional cinema or sofa experiences known to man. The swooping and soaring your heart experiences, even though you – and everyone else in the world – already know what is going to happen, is testament to how far into their own worlds well-loved works like this can suck you.

That's why costume is so crucial a part of the universe that the filmmakers have created. That, and – let's not pretend we're completely high-minded – sometimes staring at a lovely bit of clothing is enough to get you through two hours of not-quite-understanding what's going on. A full-skirt and corset just have a certain je ne sais quoi that jeans and trainers lack.

We've rounded up some of the best-dressed literary film adaptations for you to marvel over and remember, and maybe make some notes about watching the next time you have a spare afternoon and a box of tissues to hand.

Click the gallery for some of the most sumptuous literary style ever committed to celluloid...