As far as the filmography of Julia Roberts is concerned, we’d contend that the minimal, off-duty style of her Notting Hill character, Anna Scott, remains the most underrated.
Pretty Woman may have a place in our hearts—and history— as Roberts’ most memorable on-screen costuming, but it’s Scott’s ‘American girl in London’ silhouettes, lived-in approach to dressing and romantic aptitude that’s enshrined the fictional actress’ sartorial legacy. (Her floppy beret! Straight from a Helmut Lang store knits! Orange juice-stained white tee!)
The habitual quality of Scott’s clothing is partly what made them so resonant. The other being the enviable setting of picturesque Notting Hill and her screen partner, Hugh Grant.
But what we didn’t know those 20 odd years ago is that the reason for the clothing’s inherently familiarity was due to the costuming coming from Roberts’ own wardrobe. Now, 23 years since the film’s release, Roberts has reflected on the beloved role, revealing for the first time the hidden part she played in breathing life (and style!) into Scott.
In a rare conversation with the film’s screenwriter Richard Curtis, Roberts shared that the film’s unforgettable climax—which, for the uninitiated is when Scott returns to William Thacker’s flailing travel bookstore to declare, “I’m just a girl, standing in front of boy, asking him to lover her”—almost had an entirely different aesthetic. Roberts divulged that she was originally supposed to wear a completely different outfit—one that she self-proclaimingly “loathed”.
The legendary actress recalled asking her driver to pick up some pieces from her own closet for her to wear instead. “My driver, lovely Tommy, I sent him back to my flat that morning,” she remembered. “I said, ‘Go into my bedroom and grab this, this and this out of my closet.’ And it was my own flip-flops and my cute little blue velvet skirt and a T-shirt and my cardigan.” No wonder the film felt so natural!
Later, while recalling her life in looks with British Vogue, Roberts revealed the sweater actually made its pop-culture debut in 1994 when she wore the pale blue cardigan to a Vanity Fair party at London’s Serpentine Gallery. “This might’ve been the sweater that I wore in that scene in Notting Hill with Hugh at the end,” she said, pointing at a picture of herself and Muhammad Ali from the soiree. “It looks the same,” she added.
Of course, given the meta contents of a famous Hollywood actress playing a famous Hollywood actress falling in love with a clerk, having Roberts wear her favourite closet staples does fittingly contextualise the romantic comedy even further.
As we know, Roberts went onto deliver one of the best red carpet displays at the film’s 1999 premiere, in which she seemingly lifted her hand to expose underarm hair peeking out from the sleeve of her red Vivienne Tam dress.
“I waved, and people saw I had armpit hair,” the 56-year-old said matter-of-factly. “It was a scandal,” she said before jokingly adding, “I could scandalise you people right now if I took my jacket off.” Oh Julia, may you never, ever change.
