Admit it, Julia Roberts isn’t the first actress who comes to mind when you think of fashion. Though she’s fronted campaigns for Givenchy, has stepped out in Alessandro Michele’s designs for Gucci, and pulled out a vintage Valentino find to accept her Oscar, Roberts has never been one to spend her time in the front row, or try out every last trend. In her personal life, Roberts—who turns 49 today—prefers an unfussy wardrobe befitting her status as America’s sweetheart. Letting her characters do the bulk of the wardrobe experimentation, Robert’s personal style is understated, but on-screen she’s a chameleon. Throughout her nearly three decades in film she’s gotten the chance to take on nearly every archetype and she, along with the directors and costume designers she works with, have had fun using clothing as a means of defining the women she’s portrayed. From Pretty Woman to Oceans 11, fashion provides Roberts’s characters with visual cues that correspond to their circumstances while saying something about their state of mind. Her lonely movie star in Notting Hill wouldn’t be quite the same without the beret and sunglasses she wears to hide from the paparazzi. To play opposite the male style icons Brad Pitt and George Clooney in Ocean’s 11, she adopted a sleek wardrobe of suits and mandarin collar jackets that worked with Tess Ocean’s curator backstory. Mona Lisa Smile’s earnest Wesleyan teacher called for 1950s prim skirts and cardigans, but with off-kilter add-ons that spoke to her rule-defying spirit. So often, Roberts plays heroines who undergo a reversal of fortune, and the pieces they adorn themselves with correspond to that transformation. In Erin Brockovich, the title character’s turn from down-and-out single mom to fiery activist, Roberts’s outfits go from sultry (bustier tops and denim miniskirts)—to slightly less so (pink blazers and leather skirts). For her most famous switcheroo, in Pretty Woman, Roberts trades thigh-high boots and crop tops for the sophistication of opera gloves and ruby necklaces gifted by her corporate raider beau. The power of presentation is further illustrated by the film’s revenge shopping scenes and the out-of-touch reactions of snooty salesgirls. As Vivian, Roberts’s clothes aided in the creation of a classic on-screen moment, and they also helped to make her a star. When you see a white dress with oversize shoulder pads and a wide-brim hat you can’t help but think, “Big mistake. Big. Huge,” as the star delivers the ultimate retail comeuppance and cements herself as a fashion icon for the ages.    

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