Watching & Wearing: Pretty Woman

A classic, and with good reason, Pretty Woman is one of our top guilty pleasures. If we’re flipping channels on a Sunday afternoon and we chance upon this film, we always stop for a rom com refresh. Yes, it’s romanticised (and often naive) with its take on the dark underbelly of prostitution, but a little escape from reality never did us harm. Plus, we’re suckers for a cliché when it’s handled well.

And then here’s Julia Roberts, with her gawky Bambi-ness and her still-delicious wardrobe that we’d gladly dip into even today. Considering it was released in 1990, the costumes borrow heavily from the decade before. From a structured day-dress with extra-large shoulder pads, to a relaxed silk short suit, there are definitely some hits and the odd miss. There’s one ensemble though, that sticks.
We’ll say it again, our love for the polka is no secret. And Vivian’s (Julia Roberts) brown polka dress at the polo match is our absolutely favourite. That it’s paired with a derby hat, white gloves, and a matching bag makes it the one perfectly complete ensemble. It’s no coincidence we’ve got a few of our own polka pieces and if we may say so ourselves, they’d do beautifully on a sunny autumn day outdoors.

Our flirty polka dress is in ash-grey with irregular dots that feature in an ombre of sizes from top to bottom. It nips in at the waist and flares out, floaty and feminine, much like Vivian’s. And with those pretty sleeve ties, yep, it’s a Nicobar favourite.