How Florence Pugh’s style in ‘A Good Person’ tells the story of recovery
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Zach Braff’s latest directorial project, A Good Person is a devastating and honest portrayal of guilt, grief and addiction. The film follows the story of a newly-engaged young woman named Allison, played by actress Florence Pugh, as she navigates life after a deadly car crash that takes the lives of her future sister- and brother-in-law. The cast glows with powerful performances from big- and small-screen legends Morgan Freeman and Molly Shannon. A Good Person is nuanced and poignant, underscoring the importance of support and community in the face of great loss—and even more critically, in the face of great addiction.
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We sat down with Tere Duncan, the costume designer behind the looks seen in the film, to discuss the role of clothing in addiction, the challenge of outfitting a character in mental turmoil and the style lesson to be learned by watching this compelling film.
On the connection between fashion and emotion
After being the sole survivor of a catastrophic car accident, Allison's life quickly spirals downward—culminating in her moving into her mother’s home, unemployed and with a rapidly advancing dependence on prescription painkillers. It was important to Braff, though, that this wasn’t a standard-issue “recovery movie.” So often, films dealing with addiction feature carefully culled wardrobes of grays and browns that remove any trace of the vibrant lives characters led before a traumatic event, but Braff and Duncan opted for realism in this portrayal.
“It was very important from the get-go to make sure we still see this preservation of who [Allison] was before,” says Duncan. And indeed, the film opens with a brief glimpse into what Allison’s life was like before the accident—carefree, song-filled and colorful. After the harrowing incident, however, Pugh is seen in sometimes nonsensical ensembles that convey both a look into her frazzled state of mind, as well as the need to hold onto the life she used to know.
This is perhaps one of the most authentic portrayals of grief and addiction seen on screen in some time, in part because Duncan wanted to stick “with the character, rather than what’s happening to them.” Speaking of the role of clothing in real life, the designer says, “You don’t go shopping for your ‘drug clothes’ or your ‘addiction wear.’ Things happen to you and you don’t always have the right clothing for it.” This means that we often see Pugh dressed in colorful sweaters, garish patterns and even Duncan’s own hoodie.
Dopamine dressing is an approach to style that privileges bright colors and patterns as a way of physically embodying a happier mood. Although wearing Duncan’s time-worn sweatshirt gave Pugh the opportunity to better understand Allison’s survivor’s guilt, clothing also has the distinct ability to impact our emotions and mental state. Take, for example, the bold colors and fuzzy texture of the Hit the Slopes Printed Pullover. The hoodie isn’t just a comfortable and functional style choice, the patterns and texture can also be an effective mood booster.
For a more traditional hoodie that better mirrors the one seen in the film, opt for the Cloudfleece Cropped Hoodie from direct-to-consumer affordable luxury label Italic. The sweatshirt is designed to age gracefully, wearing down over time to a staple that is both comfortable and meaningful. Speaking of her own sweatshirt that Pugh wears in the film, Duncan says, “It’s just the sweatshirt I’ve had for 15 years. It’s got paint stains on it from when I was painting something, and holes in the cuffs that I’d done. I showed [Florence] and she loved it. It had that lived-in effect, it just happened to have been done by me over many years.”
The Jordan Artist Series by Mia Lee Fleece Hoodie features designs by Chicago-based artist Mia Lee. The sweatshirt is ideal to keep on hand for moments when comfort is key, and when getting dressed feels more like a chore than an extension of your personality. Shop the style in women’s sizes XS to 2XL in two colorways.
Making movie magic with clothing
One of the main challenges in outfitting A Good Person lay in conveying Allison’s frayed mental state without veering into costume territory. “There were a couple of times that [a look was] too forced, and then it becomes an outfit or a fashion thing. You want it to look thoughtless, haphazard and not matching, but not funny. She’s not in a good place, so she can look a little off.” This meant that at times, Pugh was outfitted in athletic clothing, despite not exercising—a sign of hope for the character. “She spends a lot of her time on the couch watching YouTube videos thinking she’s going to workout that day, thinking ‘today, I’m going to change.’”
One of the most distinctive costumes in the film is seen when Allison rushes out of her home in a robe, jeans and a T-shirt, and rides a bike through her town. It was essential to Duncan that she nailed this look just right. “Immediately, I pictured the robe flying in the wind and I thought ‘we’re going to need multiples because [Florence is] probably going to be stunt doubled,’ and she wasn’t. I just knew from the moment I read the script that that outfit was going to be a big deal, so I was obsessively looking at robes.”
Despite the mismatched nature of Allison’s costumes, her wardrobe reminds us of who she was before the accident—of a character that was once defined by life and vibrancy rather than being punctuated by loss. Duncan achieves this by selecting knitwear that is classic with modern twists. To add a touch of contemporary elegance to your own wardrobe, reach for the Scotch & Soda Tulip Pullover Sweater. The bold blue ground and red tulip pattern signal the renewal of spring while adding a pop of color. The sweater is available in women’s sizes XS to XL.
There’s no bike needed to recreate the poignant drama from Allison’s ride through her town. The Magic Dance Border Print Kimono from Free People is available in eight timeless patterns that add movement and visual interest to any ensemble.
For an elevated look that’s better suited to at-home lounging, opt for the Block Shop Hand Block Printed Linen Robe. The lightweight robe is hand-printed with an oversized block print that is modern and minimalist. This robe is available in blue or purple, in women’s sizes S/M to Petite 2XL/3XL.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Florence Pugh's style in ‘A Good Person’ shows every side of recovery
