4 Outfit Templates We Stole From Julia Roberts Characters Because They Remain Perfection
…though they might not be what you’d expect.
Images: Working Title Films | Warner Bros. | Touchstone Pictures
If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission. Gifted items will be called out (gifted), and affiliate links will include an asterisk (*). We have to eat, after all.
by The Candidly Team
Say what you will about long, scripted award ceremonies, the standing ovation given to Julia Roberts at the end of this year’s Golden Globes was extremely satisfying.
How else might we give props to almost 40 years (cue depression) of loving this lady?And today, albeit in a more stalkerish way, we give props to almost 40 years of wanting to dress like her.
There are so many iconic looks that leap to mind over the decades, some that we prefer to just gaze upon for their nostalgia:
Image: Mystic Pizza | The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Image: Satisfaction | 20th Century Fox
Image: Steel Magnolias | TriStar Pictures
Image: Pretty Woman | Touchstone Pictures
Image: Pretty Woman | Touchstone Pictures
Image: My Best Friend’s Wedding | Tristar Pictures
Image: Notting Hill | Working Title Films
But some, we are outright copying today, because they are as timeless and classic and effortless and “cool girl” as Julia herself has always been. There are 4 specific looks we are using to dress ourselves these days. Some you know, some may surprise you. All are foolproof.
And off we go.
Image: Pretty Woman | Touchstone Pictures
1. ThIS CLASSIC LOOK FROM PRETTY WOMAN
Our Editor-in-Chief wrote a whole article about this outfit, calling it out as the ultimate, put together casj/chic template. The whole look was so timeless, Julia pretty much wore it again 35 years later in After The Hunt.
Image: After the Hunt | Warner Bros.
It’s so simple, yet so smart. And here is all you need to do it:
J.Crew École blazer in Italian studio wool blend
Just adding a black blazer to jeans instead of some blah sweater or jacket makes you look more sophisticated and styled, which is surely why the brill Pretty Woman costumer designer Marilyn Vance chose just that to close out the movie. J.Crew made the most reliable blazers back then, and they make the most reliable blazers now. You can’t go wrong with this lightweight, J.Crew classic.
However, if you prefer a more snatched-at-the-waist look THIS* is our favorite hourglass blaze.
Price: $241
Quince Bella Stretch Straight Jeans
These jeans have just the right amount of stretch and straightness, a shape that makes legs look longer and leaner, even if you don’t have Julia’s lithe frame. They’re flattering on every curve we slide into them, and they cost only $50. We “would have paid four” times that. IYKYK.
Price: $50
Z Supply Modern Slub Tee
This is the absolutely necessary, quintessential, whispery soft, 90s tee that looks polished whether it’s tucked or untucked that we all need in our closets. Though, for this look’s purposes, wear it tucked.
Price: $39
Favorite Daughter The Statement Belt
Any black belt will do to punctuate this look, but we never get more compliments on a belt than when we wear this one.
Price: $118
And just to prove we’re as obsessed as we say we are, this is our editor wearing this whole ensemble:
Image: The Pelican Brief | Warner Bros.
2. THIS 90S SKIRT LOOK FROM THE PELICAN BRIEF
Why do we forget to wear long skirts like everyone did in the 90s? Swap out any pants for a not-too-tight-and-not-too-loose maxi skirt, and you’re already in a new category of grunge-infused chicness. Add a classic jean jacket and forget about it. Plus, the whole outfit will cost you less than $150, and no one would ever believe it.
Quince 100% Organic Cotton Denim Jacket
No need to spend $150 on a jean jacket. This one is the exact-right fit, organic cotton, and $50.
Price: $50
Petal & Pup Willow Midi Skirt
It’s amazing how skimming and lovely this shape of skirt is on curves. It’s more flattering than 97% of our pants and makes us look totally effortless and put together. And the choc brown/ blue color combo is an added bit of 90s perfection.
Price: $60
Quince Organic Cotton Micro-Rib Crewneck Tee
The more fitted 90s quintessential, tucked or untucked tee. Equally critical.
Price: $20
But wait! We must not forget the most important accessory:
Image: The Pelican Brief | Warner Bros.
Olivia Le Journey Black Onyx Beaded Gold Necklace With Coin
This transfixed us when we first saw the movie, and we still ache for it today. It’s a far more alluring everyday necklace that still matches everything and looks minimalist. Luckily, we found its spitting image.
Price: $120
Image: Mona Lisa Smile | Revolution Pictures
3. THIS CHIC ART TEACHER LOOK FROM MONA LISA SMILE
Fun fact: This was Julia’s favorite film wardrobe. Designer Michael Dennison had to come up with 7,000 costumes set in the 1950s, and somehow each is more captivating than the next. We think it has something to do with the brilliant choice of adding at least one statement or bold-colored thing to an otherwise neutral look of skirts, jeans, and sweaters to make the whole thing pop on screen. We replicate this ourselves by choosing a plaid, multi-color coat instead of black, a jewel-toned scarf instead of beige, or a floral embroidered button-down instead of plain white, and poof, we’re distinctive. Plus, we have something to set off a smoldering, just-bitten lip color like this:
Image: Mona Lisa Smile | Revolution Pictures
Sézane Ander Coat
Invest in one incredible plaid coat. Chances are it will pick up at least one of the colors you plan on wearing but make everything more vivid and exciting. For us, that’s this coat.
Price: $385
Klassy Ribbed Turtleneck Long Sleeve
Statement pieces are best set off against great-fitting basics, and a turtleneck is a smart way to keep things polished. This one holds us in like shapewear. Plus, there’s comfy built-in support so no bra required. How art teacher is that?
Price: $34
Sézane Sara Shirt - Sézane x Antoinette Poisson
Imagine wearing this with those aforementioned, straight-leg jeans* instead of a solid button-down. Outfit complete. Okay, maaaybe add that killer red scarf*.
Price: $170
Image: Nottin Hill | Working Title Films
4. THIS STREET-STYLE, MOVIE-STAR LOOK FROM NOTTING HILL
Apparently, Julia pulled from her own closet for this film. But even so, we didn’t necessarily long to dress ourselves like Anna Scott in every scene of this movie (we’re looking at you junket power suit), but we did want to dress like her in this scene. She mixed high and low, smart with casual, which is honestly the key to looking cool and quiet luxury. Leather jacket and sneaks. White tee and tailored trousers. It’s easy but so effective.
Norma Kamali Single-breasted blazer
Most leather blazers run between $500 and $1000. Oof. And if you want to invest this kind of once-in-a-lifetime piece, we love THIS* one and THIS* one. However, if you’re cool with faux leather that looks real and has a fantastic cut, this is the one to reach for. … buuuuut if your budget is under $100, we like THIS* one. See? Lots of options for the non-movie starts among us.
Price: $315
Aritzia The Effortless Pant™ - (Re)ssential
We keep writing about these pants and the vast majority of you keep ignoring us! We imagine it’s because they’re staple, black pants, and you just can’t tell from their fit on a 6ft model how they’ll look on you, but trust us when we say they are special. They have an incredible, elongating fit - not too wide, perfect pleating. Like they were tailored just for us. They come in 3 lengths and in curvy*. And if you want to see many photos of them on a non-6 ft model (one of us), go HERE.
Price: $148
Women's Time Off Win Lace Sneaker
The modern equivalent of her “cool girl” sneaks could very well be Adidas*. They’re certainly a shoe you can wear with something otherwise formal to give it more edge. But we’re also wild about this platform sneak from Dr. Scholl’s that went viral in white, but is also great in black for when we’re wearing black trousers and want our outfit to look good but our feet like they’re on the clouds of heaven.
Price: $60
Freyrs Ameli Sunglasses & Quince Mongolian Cashmere Beret
Whether or not you’re ducking from paparazzi in a London bookshop, pairing oval, cat-eye shades and a black beret is never a bad idea. Especially when you don’t feel like washing your hair or applying mascara that day.
Price: $85 for the sunglasses, $30 for the beret
Images: Touchstone Pictures | Tristar Pictures | Red Om Films
BONUS: 3 PERFECT DRESSES
Majorelle Dot Maxi Dress
We wrote an entire article about this dress, because we won’t consider our lives complete until we own the perfect version. Behold, our perfect version.
Price: $142
Birdy Grey Mia Dress
If you have the occasion, this dress will A) fit you like a smoothing glove and B) look great with your skin tone whatever it may be. That’s the magic of lilac.
Price: $129
Farm Rio black berry garden long sleeve pleated maxi dress
A recent obsession but an obsession no less. The exact dress she wore in Ticket to Paradise costs upwards of 2k, but this very similar one is just as gorgeous and easy to wear to all occasions - not limited to tropical weddings.
Price: $304
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
