Love 'em or hate 'em, rom-coms have a means of sewing their fashions into popular culture's collective reminiscence, particularly on the subject of the main woman's closet of showstopping robes. Earlier than these clothes grew to become annual Halloween seems to be and Pinterest board inspo, they had been simply cloth and imaginative and prescient — conjured by costume designers who’ve a eager eye for storytelling.

From the impromptu determination to place Jenna (Jennifer Garner) in her now-iconic Versace mini costume in 13 Going on 30 to the meticulous coloration testing behind Vivian's (Julia Roberts) unforgettable crimson robe in Pretty Woman, these canonical seems to be all have histories value remembering. Right here's how all of them got here to be.

Andie Anderson's (Kate Hudson) yellow silk slip in How one can Lose a Man in 10 Days (2003)

The costume that launched a thousand slips at proms throughout the nation was immediately iconic — a lot to the shock of designer Karen Patch. “I feel Kate [Hudson] stated to me as soon as, she by no means had worn something that acquired that a lot consideration,” Patch says. “I imply, it was pretty, and it was good, however you realize, it’s a easy costume!” And deliberately so: The cool, understated Andie “would have entry to samples,” as a author at a trend journal, however “it could have been out of her character to do something too fussy,” the designer says. “I wished it to appear to be all of it got here collectively simply.”

Patch lower the neckline of the robe to set off the 51.94-carat yellow sapphire necklace that Andie tries on (Patch selected Harry Winston's “Isadora” necklace, and had a duplicate made) and designed the open again to swimsuit Hudson’s physique, however the trendsetting coloration wasn’t a lock. “I believed I might most likely do distinction,” says Patch. She examined navy and moss inexperienced along with this matching shade, all in silk charmeuse. “It was sort of uncommon at the moment for blondes to put on yellow,” Patch says. “And I believed, nicely, this fully breaks that rule, however who cares?” —Mary Sollosi

Eva Dandrige's (Gabrielle Union) two-piece occasion costume in Ship Us from Eva (2003)

The basic Shakespearean really feel of Eva’s night look “is a bit of little bit of what I supposed,” says costume designer Debraé Little, who put Gabrielle Union in a two-piece outfit by Elie Tahari for the occasion scene on this Taming of the Shrew replace. As this marks the primary time the viewers sees the high-strung Eva out of her stiff wardrobe, “I wished it to be eye-catching, however I nonetheless wished it to be considerably reserved,” Little says, particularly in distinction to flashy social climber Renee (Kenya Moore, pre-Real Housewives of Atlanta). “[She’s] the basic magnificence versus the attractive magnificence.”

The outfit nonetheless signifies that Eva is “slowly changing into this butterfly and opening herself up and being extra trusting and open and fewer managed,” although, with the bustier’s vivid ruby crimson. “I feel [Union] was a bit of hesitant concerning the coloration,” Little recollects, however the actress acquired on board after discussions about it. “I informed her, ‘That is your second, you’re making a stance. You’re popping out, so to talk, however you’re displaying that you just’re sturdy and also you’re highly effective,’” Little says. “I felt that crimson was the colour that represented that greatest.” —M.S.

Jenna Rink's (Jennifer Garner) Versace mini costume in 13 Occurring 30

The multi-colored striped Versace mini costume Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) wears whereas zombie-walking at her first grown-up occasion — as a 13-year-old trapped in a 30-year-old's physique — immediately grew to become a bit of popular culture iconography. But shockingly sufficient, none of it was deliberate.

In response to costume designer Susie DeSanto, "The costume actually wasn't premeditated" — as she and her workforce selected it on the final minute, believing it struck the proper stability between girlishness and maturity. "Tradition took the costume and went with it," DeSanto informed PEOPLE in April 2024. "The rationale I feel folks fall in love with it’s due to Jen. I feel anyone else in that position, it could've simply been a cute film, however I feel proper then she was the precise proper particular person with [the] proper power and talent to faucet into her youthfulness." —James Mercadante

Julianne Potter's (Julia Roberts) lavender maid of honor costume in My Greatest Good friend's Marriage ceremony (1997)

Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland’s inspiration for Julianne’s (Julia Roberts) private model was Katharine Hepburn. However when he was designing a maid of honor costume for her to put on to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) and Michael’s (Dermot Mulroney) wedding ceremony, “I knew, character-wise, that Julianne’s costume needed to be one thing that Julianne would by no means choose, that it could solely be picked by [Kimmy],” says Kurland.

So the thought of this lavender costume — which Kurland modeled after ’50s and ’60s night put on, constructed from a classic piece of silk duchess satin, and beaded on the fitted bodice — “was really, in a means, horrifying to Julianne,” the designer says. “However on the similar time, she seems to be nice in it. In the long run, she owned it. Which sort of goes with the entire concept of the film.” —M.S.

Georgia Byrd's (Queen Latifah) crimson night robe in Final Vacation (2006)

“I checked out a variety of Outdated Hollywood films,” costume designer Daniel Orlandi says of the inspiration for this dramatic look, which Georgia (Queen Latifah) wears to what she believes might be certainly one of her final dinners. “We wished that sweep of chiffon when she walked in and there was a bit of little bit of a breeze.”

The producers wished crimson from the start, and Orlandi layered scorching pink and crimson chiffon over silk crepe to provide the colour dimension, “so it form of shimmers, then once you transfer it form of will get that iridescent high quality.” It’s an enormous change for the heretofore frumpy Georgia, however a welcome one for the designer. “It was more durable to make her look sort of plain,” Orlandi admits, “as a result of her character’s so sturdy and delightful.” —M.S.

Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) designer wedding ceremony costume and "label-less" wedding ceremony swimsuit in Intercourse and the Metropolis (2008)

This voluminous wedding ceremony robe by Vivienne Westwood was "the One" — at first, anyway — for Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) simply as a lot as Mr. Huge (Chris Noth) was — and have become as synonymous with the character as her opening-credits tutu. “You recognize, if one thing is appropriate, it takes root,” observes costume designer Patricia Subject, who dressed Parker and firm all through the sequence’ run. “If one thing is just not essential, it flies away. It goes with the wind.”

After (spoiler alert?) Carrie is jilted, she complains to her pals about having "put a chicken on my head" for his or her doomed ceremony in “a type of good coming-togethers of the costume and the script,” says Subject. “That was actually cool concerning the writers; they paid consideration to the style aspect of it.” When she lastly does make it to the altar (quietly, at Metropolis Corridor), Carrie wears a “candy little swimsuit." Subject likens the marriage wardrobe disparity to the 1973 trend battle of Versailles, by which 5 revered French designers confirmed reverse 5 upstart People. “That [suit] actually contrasted with the dream costume. It helped to explain the whole scene, you realize?” she says. “The Versailles wars, visuals that I’ve seen of it, it was so well-defined, the distinction between Paris and U.S. And U.S. gained — and deserved it!” —M.S.

Cher Horowitz's (Alicia Silverstone) crimson Alaïa minidress in Clueless (1995)

“You don’t perceive! That is an Alaïa!” Cher (Alicia Silverstone) memorably cries after being informed to lie on the bottom when being mugged. Her attacker (Jace Alexander) actually didn’t perceive — that costume was not straightforward to get. “This film was made within the ’90s. There was not a lot promo on the time. Individuals [were] not sending [costume] designer clothes like they do now. We additionally had unknown actors. We needed to go to sure designers and make some calls and see who would work with us,” recollects costume designer Mona Could. “Alaïa was very useful. He was one of many designers that basically wished to work with us.”

Could opted for the colour to maintain it Christmassy, and the easy, subtle silhouette as a result of “we by no means wished to be too frou-frou or too over-designed in a means. I feel simplicity was actually what sort of Cher seems to be had been. It was at all times clear.” The costume particularly pops when juxtaposed with the juvenile occasion, the place “they're throwing up into the pool and there she is in her lovely costume with the hair up,” Could says. “It was a really grown-up search for her.” It’s, in any case, like a very essential designer. —M.S.

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Andie Walsh's (Molly Ringwald) pink promenade costume in Fairly in Pink (1986)

“Fairly in Pink was so organized," says costume designer Marilyn Vance. “There have been the richies that each one wore gentle blue, beige, whites, gentle grey. The [zoids] had been the fellows who wore robust leather-based, black, chains, or thrift retailer garments. And she or he was certainly one of them.” Even earlier than she makes her pink Franken-dress for the promenade, Andie “began to do her personal factor. She would sew little charms onto her sweater,” Vance says. “Simply all these totally different concoctions that she [put] collectively as a result of she couldn't compete with the richies. She didn't even try to compete.”

“Sadly, in the true world, [Molly Ringwald] loathed that costume,” admits Vance of the DIY promenade look, sewn collectively from two others in a intentionally easy design that integrated components from Andie’s present wardrobe (just like the neckline of the highest she’s carrying when she’s sketching it). “She wished to be the Madonna — the strapless with the total skirt. [But] all people else was doing that. She’s distinctive. She is just not a type of women.” —M.S.

Rachel Chu's (Constance Wu) blue Marchesa robe in Loopy Wealthy Asians (2018)

Rachel (Constance Wu) spends her time in Singapore feeling like a fish out of water, however by the top of Crazy Rich Asians, she’s making a splash. When she arrives on the opulent wedding ceremony of her boyfriend’s (Henry Golding) greatest pal (Chris Pang) carrying this ethereal pale blue robe by Marchesa, with out the billowy sleeves that appeared on the runway model, Rachel proves she will costume with the crazy-richest of them.

It’s a battle of “blue v. blue,” in accordance with costume designer Mary E. Vogt, between Rachel and her boyfriend’s mom (Michelle Yeoh), whose extra structured blue Elie Saab outfit contrasts with the heroine’s softer look. —M.S.

Vivian Ward's (Julia Roberts) crimson night robe in Fairly Girl (1990)

Vivian’s trend evolution “confirmed how good she was by realizing that she needed to be easier,” explains costume designer Marilyn Vance, who created Julia Roberts’ customized wardrobe to show her progressively growing sophistication. “I pared every little thing down,” Vance says. “She sees how the opposite half lives, and she or he will get it. And she or he pares herself all the way down to attempt to slot in.”

For this closing proof of Vivian’s mastery of Edward’s (Richard Gere) way of life, the studio wished Roberts in black, however “nothing however crimson was proper,” Vance insists. Discovering the proper shade required a laborious color-testing course of for each the designer and the actress. “I don’t know if she’d do it at present, as a result of it was a variety of work on her half,” Vance says of Roberts. “She labored actually, actually exhausting. She was such a sport.” In the long run, after all, it was all value it. Black would have been a "big mistake. Big. Huge." —M.S.

Marisa Ventura's (Jennifer Lopez) pale pink Bob Mackie costume in Maid in Manhattan (2002)

For the museum gala, costume designer Albert Wolsky wanted “what can be, with out going to a fairy-princess land, a sort of enchanting second,” he recollects. One night after capturing, Jennifer Lopez and the crew caught round so she might check 10 totally different clothes for the digital camera, narrowing it down to 2 or three.

“Then, because it at all times occurs — I suppose it occurs on the Oscars — no person is aware of what they’re going to put on till the final 5 minutes,” Wolsky recollects. When the time got here, J. Lo herself selected this archival Bob Mackie robe. “It needs to be [her decision],” Wolsky says. “She has to really feel fantastic in it additionally, as an actor.” —M.S.

Giselle's (Amy Adams) purple floor-length robe in Enchanted (2007)

After having spent her time in New York carrying precise princess clothes, Giselle (Amy Adams), sarcastically, has her true Cinderella second when she reveals as much as the King’s and Queen’s ball wanting glossy and modern. “That costume was actually impressed by her journey. We did the massive sleeves, then we did the empire costume, then we did off-the-shoulders. What can be subsequent?” says costume designer Mona Could. “She was the fairy-tale princess. She's now a contemporary lady.”

Might also needed to contemplate that Giselle can be dancing and “checked out outdated Fred Astaire films, how they layered the chiffon clothes” so they’d transfer fantastically; she selected purple as a result of it’s a royal, “magical” coloration. Finally, “it’s a Disney character,” she says. “You wish to have a follow-through [with] the Disney Princess look, however then make it recent, make it trendy.” —M.S.

Samantha "Sam" Montgomery's (Hilary Duff) white robe in A Cinderella Story (2004)

Sam Montgomery (Hilary Duff) didn't want a fairy godmother to show she was very pretty and very bright — simply the proper costume for her faculty's Halloween dance. Nevertheless, in accordance with costume designer Denise Wingate, the robe was initially supposed to emulate the Disney animated model earlier than finally switching gears to a extra timeless look.

"Once we had been first attempting to determine Sam’s costume for the ball, I used to be harkening again to the unique Cinderella, utilizing all of these coloured layers with [these] iridescent blue materials such as you’ve most likely seen within the Disney cartoon, and it simply didn’t work out. I wished it to be this colourful factor however after we digital camera examined it, it ended up wanting like a mish-mash," Wingate told Interview Magazine in 2018. "So we went for one thing extra basic, nearly like a marriage costume, and simply this lovely imaginative and prescient of white. It was a Monique Lhuillier costume and it ended up being good. And for the masks…we made 12 totally different masks — there’s a variety of trial and error to get it proper once you’re coping with a press release outfit." —J.M.

Juliet's (Keira Knightley) sheer wedding ceremony look in Love Truly (2003)

Style, truly, is throughout at Juliet's (Keira Knightley) and Peter’s (Chiwetel Ejiofor) wedding ceremony. The bride wore a cool ensemble for her winter ceremony, overlaying a crop high and lengthy skirt with a sheer, feathery overlay.

In response to costume designer Joanna Johnston, this was a compromise; director Richard Curtis had envisioned a sexier, barer outfit. The unconventional nuptial look isn’t for everybody, however not less than to Mark (Andrew Lincoln), it’s good. —M.S.

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