It has been a full 35 years since Julia Roberts picked up the first of several awards that established her as one of the most beloved and well-known faces in international cinema, the Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her work in Herbert Ross’s film, Steel Magnolias.
More than for the award, the actress caused a stir with her outfit: an oversized men’s gray suit designed by Giorgio Armani, paired with a white shirt and purple tie. It was a bold look for the time, and destined to make history as one of Roberts’ most iconic ensembles.
Well, the Pretty Woman star still has that three-button jacket and high-waisted wide pants in her closet. In an interview with the cast of the film After the Hunt, the actress recalled buying the now-famous suit herself for the event: “This was 1990. I went into the Armani store and, as I recall, downstairs is women’s clothing,” the actress explained, “I went upstairs to the men’s department and I remember I put this suit on and I loved it.” She had it tailored to fit her, and the rest is red carpet fashion history.
Roberts has kept and carefully preserved the sentimental outfit, and it’s in good enough condition that she recently lent it to her 18-year-old son, Henry: “He had it the other day,” Roberts said, to the astonishment of her colleague Ayo Edebiri, who is also a lover of fashionable menswear-inspired suits.
“I love those ’90s Armani suits. They are simply the best,” Edebiri, who wore a Louis Vuitton look inspired by the Roberts classic to the 2025 Golden Globes, where she scooped up a statue of her own, said.
Turns out, Roberts is willing to loan the suit outside the bounds of her family, upping the ante for her co-star, saying, “I’m going to bring it to work tomorrow and I want you to wear it.”
The suit isn’t just on offer for friends and family: Roberts herself wore a similar look this week, donning a dark two-piece ensemble for her guest slot on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on October 1.
Elizabeth Stewart, Roberts’ longtime stylist, told Vanity Fair that the star’s latest menswear moment was the result of a collision of nostalgic sartorial and personal influences.
“The suit is from Salon 1884 and they were inspired by Julia’s wardrobe in My Best Friend’s Wedding and I was inspired by Julia in the ’90s, so it was the perfect storm,” she said via email.
Decades later, the dapper silhouette—paired Wednesday with a steely top and skinny floral-embellished necktie—still suits her.
Originally published on Vanity Fair Italia with additional reporting by Kase Wickman.
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