The on-screen style evolution of Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie’s transition from Aussie soap opera regular to Hollywood sensation seemingly occurred overnight. After three years on Neighbours, her first feature film came in the form of the Richard Curtis-directed British rom-com About Time. The same year, Robbie was co-starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s three-hour epic following the life of Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street.
Since then, her place in Hollywood has been unwavering, starring in superhero films, period dramas and, most recently, taking on the role of Mattel’s Barbie. Robbie’s ever-changing career has been accompanied by an ever-changing on-screen style, which she recently broke down during an interview with Vogue. Charting her breakthrough as Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street through to the pink-infused wardrobe of Barbie, the actor talks through looks from characters across her career so far.
In her breakthrough film The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie played Belfort’s love interest, Naomi, who is introduced to audiences in a vintage Herve Leger bandage dress. Naomi’s appearance is a pivotal aspect of her character, allowing her to manipulate Belfort. As Robbie notes: “It’s like her sexuality was her currency in this world… What she wore was very much a part of that, or what she didn’t wear.” She picks out the famous nursery scene, recalling, “I remember being really worried that I was going to stab Leo in the face.”
The actor also reflects on her role as Harley Quinn in the 2016 DC anti-hero blockbuster Suicide Squad, stating, “I mean, you just look at that character, and you’re like, ‘That is just bad news’.” Robbie pitched the spin-off Birds of Prey while shooting the film as she wanted to see the character with other women, which she later produced and starred in.
Prior to Birds of Prey, Robbie’s production company LuckyChap released I, Tonya, which told the story of infamous Olympic skater Tonya Harding. Robbie’s lead performance gained her an Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Actress’. The character’s wardrobe was built on a low budget – both due to the financial constraints of the film and for character authenticity: “She didn’t have any money, and she would sew her own costumes.”
This realism also stretched to Robbie’s makeup for the film, and she recalls that even when Harding was going to the Olympics, she was doing her own makeup: “Deborah, who was the makeup artist, would always hand me the eyeshadow palette and be like ‘Stick your finger in it and rub it on your eye’ because Tonya wouldn’t have had makeup brushes.”
Robbie’s makeup for Mary Queen of Scots was also built around accurate characterisation and imperfection. She notes that the real Mary Stuart had smallpox scars, so she would layer her makeup on thick. The actor also shares that costume designer Alexandra Burn made everyone’s costumes out of denim. Grateful for a physical constraint that reflected her character’s situation, trapped by her position, she shares: “I was in constant pain, and I couldn’t breathe, and my movements were totally restricted, and it was perfect for the character. It was exactly what I needed.”
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, meanwhile, saw Robbie don the outfits of 1970s actress Sharon Tate, including white gogo boots and a black Chanel purse. She recalls speaking with Tate’s sister, who told her that “she always had that purse. She loved that purse.”
Robbie added: “She was just so happy and lovely and lighter than air and just this golden floaty angel.”
Robbie rounds out the discussion with her starring role in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie. She suggests that her wardrobe, like everything in the film, is “super superficial” and “incredibly profound at the same time”. Barbie’s wardrobe is as ever-changing as Robbie’s: “She can put on a suit, and she’s a lawyer. She can put on a space helmet, and she’s an astronaut.” Ryan Gosling’s Ken, on the other hand, is just an accessory.
Between designer pieces, glittery figure skating costumes, and period ruffled collars, her filmography is full of coherent, authentic costume design that has only enhanced her performances. Her biggest role yet, Barbie takes Robbie’s career and on-screen style to new heights.
Watch the full interview below.
