What Dakota Johnson's Outfits In Materialists Teach Us About Female Agency

Imagine watching a film where the clothes speak before the characters do. In Materialists, Dakota Johnson's  Lucy moves through love, power, conflict, and self-reinvention, but she doesn't always say what she's feeling. Her wardrobe says it for her. Materialists isn't just a romantic comedy; it's a sharp exploration of value: emotional, financial, and moral.

In Materialists, Lucy, a luxury matchmaker in New York whose polished surface hides quiet unrest. Directed by Celine Song, the film doesn't just rely on dialogue to explore Lucy's contradictions; it uses clothing to chart her shifts in power, identity, and longing.

Style as Subtext: How Dakota Johnson's Wardrobe Tells the Story in Materialists 

From the opening scenes, Lucy's wardrobe is defined by structure. Tailored coats, muted palettes, oversized blazers, all reflect the curated detachment of a woman who has built her life on observation and control. These are not romantic clothes. They are transactional, strategic, and immaculate, much like the elite dating service she operates.

But as Lucy's inner world begins to loosen, as she confronts past choices and leans into emotional risk, her clothing follows suit. The silhouettes soften. Silk replaces wool. Button-downs give way to draped knits and slouched outerwear. There's no abrupt transformation, only quiet erosion. In a film that holds back on exposition, these visual choices do the narrative lifting.

Importantly, Materialists is not a makeover story. Lucy's wardrobe does not liberate her, it mirrors the fine line she walks between ambition and intimacy, self-reliance and connection. Even in her most emotionally vulnerable moments, her style remains composed, refusing melodrama. That restraint is part of what makes the costuming so effective. 

Power Dressing and What It Silences

Lucy's first appearance is in a navy pinstripe skirt suit, structured blazer, sleek skirt, sheer tights, knee-high boots, all high-street sophistication with vintage flair. This ensemble signals her confidence and role as a branding matchmaker: strong, precise, and controlled.

The corporate-chic aesthetic throughout also speaks to a broader cultural moment where women in power still dress to be taken seriously, often by muting themselves. Lucy's greys and navies aren't accidental. They are part of a larger question: What do women give up or take on to be seen as competent, desirable, or in control?

Her clothes tell you she has her act together, even if she doesn't feel that way underneath. These outfits are her armour. When you're a woman managing other people's emotions for a living, you learn to package your own.

The Return to Self

The recurring silver accents highlight her analytical side, contrasted against Harry's gold, symbolising money and status. In flashbacks and reunions with John, Lucy retreats into soft florals and casual jeans: thrifted tops, lightweight blouses, relaxed skirts or flares paired with sneakers. These outfits signal emotional openness, nostalgia, and a shedding of her strategic facade

Toward the film's end, Lucy appears in a simple dress and canvas sneakers. Knitwear is tied around her waist. She no longer needs to prove her worth through polished tailoring or sharp accessories. She's come full circlile, not to who she used to be, but to who she's allowed herself to become. Materialists relies upon the wardrobe to speak. And through every cuffed sleeve and neatly pressed line, it does.

Views and observations expressed by the author are their own.