‘It hides this dark interior’: Promising Young Woman’s weaponisation of feminine style

Carey Mulligan's character in this Oscar-nominated drama utilises the good girl' look to get revenge. Costume designer Nancy Steiner explains why the wardrobe packs such a punch

At one point in Emerald Fennell's debut film, Promising Young Woman, Cassie Thomas (Carey Mulligan) goes to lunch with a former college classmate, Madison McPhee (Alison Brie). Madison, who is a stay-at-home mother, gets - as she calls it - afternoon drunk" and proceeds to give her thoughts on gender politics. All guys want the same thing," she slurs. A good girl."

This desire - and Cassie's subversion of it - is spelled out in what she wears. Cassie's clothes are the epitome of the good girl" type - pink, floral and fluffy. There is a baseball shirt with a unicorn on the front. A sweater with daisies. A midi dress, softly flowing in sky blue. Her clothes are sweet - as sweet as the cupcakes on display in the coffee shop where she works.