There’s Something About the Way She Wears Clothes

The Movie: “There’s Something About Mary”

The Setup: Years after their one and only date in high school, Ted (Ben Stiller) is determined to locate Mary (Cameron Diaz), for whom he still has a thing.

The Costume Designer: Mary Zophres, whose credits include “Mary” directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s hit “Dumb and Dumber,” plus “Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski.”

The Look: Mary doesn’t look that much different from the average young woman seen around this summer in pedal pushers and ankle-length flared pants, some by Chaiken and Capone and some from the Elisa B. store in Pasadena.

But there’s definitely something about Mary’s spin on the look that makes it just about perfect. There are the little knit tops, including a sleeveless, bias-cut Jil Sander sweater and several cotton Agnes b. T-shirts. (“The sleeve comes to a perfect point on her biceps,” says Zophres.) There are the cK sunglasses worn as a hair accessory, the casual stainless steel watch, tiny silver hoop earrings, and the small black Kate Spade nylon tote. (Set against Ted in his pathetic hooded sweatshirt, Providence College T-shirt, Paul Smith trousers and thrift-store Puma sneakers, and Pat (Matt Dillon) in machine-washed Brooks Brothers seersucker suits and used Hawaiian shirts, almost anyone would look great, but that’s not the point.)

Inspiration: Zophres pictured a cross between Audrey Hepburn’s now-classic 1950s pedal pushers and flats, and ‘60s mod supermodel Jean Shrimpton, whom she saw photographed in real life wearing the ankle-length flared pants. “I didn’t want Mary to look like she’s a heavy shopper. I think she picks up a Sports Illustrated before she picks up Vogue,” says the designer.

Trend Watch: Pay close attention to Mary’s indigo Helmut Lang jeans. They rest slightly below the waist and are rolled at the cuff. “The directors hated those jeans, and Cameron and I were going, ‘These are right.’ It was Cameron’s instinct to roll them up. It seemed really fresh,” says Zophres.

Triumph: Along with a few other small-chested actresses, Diaz is bucking the breast-implant look. She doesn’t even try to fake it with a push-up Wonderbra. Her lingerie of choice, in fact, is no bra at all. She either wears a body-hugging camisole made of a Lycra blend (by Only Hearts or the all-cotton model by Diane Merrick from her eponymous West Hollywood boutique). Or she wears nothing underneath at all, as is quite evident with clingy clothes, including one particular halter top by Laundry.

There’s no question that it’s sexy. Is it a sexier look than big breasts? You be the judge. As Zophres put it, “She’s sexy, but not like stripper sexy.”

The designer adds that the anti-bra decision was mutual. “Cameron is extremely confident about her body. I don’t think it even occurs to her to wear a bra. I asked her if she had a particular bra she likes to wear, and she said she likes these camisoles. To me, the undergarments you put on an actress are just as important as what they wear on the exterior. It helps create the character from the skin up, and Mary is more interested in sports than in pumping up her breasts.”

Hemline Watch: A slim black Gucci skirt and salmon jersey Susan Lazar dress are worn knee-length or just above the knee, classic looks especially worn with Christian high-heeled sling back pumps.