2020-01-01_InStyle_Australia

“I’ve always absorbed my characters from the outside in. Some

were more challenging to take in than others. But in hindsight

it’s been fascinating to realise how much I’ve been influenced

by the costumes, hair and make-up that’ve helped me come as

close to my characters as possible. I got my start in the theatre,

and when I arrived on Broadway to play Eliza Doolittle in

My Fair Lady, all the clothes were so much more detailed

and beautifully made than I’d ever expected. The costumes

were designed by the great Sir Cecil Beaton, and though we

had to make some adaptations, his knowledge of the period

[the Edwardian era] was extraordinary. It wasn’t until I had

Eliza’s shawl on my shoulders and her silly broken hat

on my head that I knew how I was supposed to act.

My first time on live television was in

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s production of

Cinderella, and I quickly learned you have a

lot less time to embrace your costumes than

in the theatre. I did get to wear actual glass

slippers, though [laughs]. It was all very

hectic, especially when it came to Cinderella’s

big transformation ahead of the ball. As I

changed from rags to riches, the camera

was travelling up my body while I was

throwing my clothes on and flinging a

different hairpiece on my head. I knew that if

anything went wrong, I’d only have one shot.

Soon after, I landed the role of Mary

Poppins. When Walt Disney offered me

the part of Mary, he also offered my then-

husband [Tony Walton] the job designing

the costumes and principal sets. I was happy

to have someone I could trust so completely

next to me. Through the wardrobe, Tony gave

me so much of the character. He said to me,

‘I like to think that Mary has a little bit of a

secret life.’ And so, whenever one of her

very formal jackets was open or if her skirt

kicked up, he wanted it to reveal a scarlet

lining or lemon-lime flash of silk or some

other little thing that would turn her on.

Her clothes gave me that extra magical

spark I needed to become Mary Poppins.

Though, to tell you the truth, her wigs

were uncomfortable to wear [laughs].

The only piece of wardrobe I’ve ever asked

for on a film was Mary’s shoes from the

MY

FAVOURITE

THINGS

Star!

(1968)

WITH A NEW MEMOIR ABOUT

HER HOLLYWOOD YEARS,

JULIE ANDREWS REFLECTS ON

A LIFE OF PLAYING DRESS UP