Let's Give Nicole Kidman's The Undoing Coats All the Awards

Of the many celebrities in The Undoing, Nicole Kidman's coats deserve just as much of the spotlight. For a tribute to the sartorial stars of the show, just keep scrolling!

By Samantha Schnurr Feb 26, 2021 1:00 AMTags
Watch: Necessary Realness: Do "The Undoing"

If you watched The Undoing, you know there were many stars in the hit show. 

There was Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser, the wronged wife at the center of the series. There was Hugh Grant as Jonathan Fraser, her husband-turned-suspect in his lover's murder trial. There were also an array of supporting players—Édgar Ramírez as Detective Joe Mendoza, Noah Jupe as their son, Henry Fraser; Lily Rabe as their friend, Sylvia Steinetz; and, of course, Matilda De Angelis as the deceased Elena Alves. But, among the all-star cast was another emerging star not listed in the credits: Grace Fraser's fabulous coat collection. 

Ever since the camera zoomed in on Grace wrapped up in an oxblood fur coat at a Manhattan crosswalk seven minutes into the first episode, fashion lovers rejoiced. In the mix of a nail-biting murder case, it was a signal that the show was also going to serve up bold—and perhaps even divisive—style.

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Remembering All the Fashion Moments of 2020

Equal parts fashion and function, the outerwear proved to be an essential part of Kidman's character. After all, she was a working woman on the go in the snow-littered Big Apple. Plus, there was the suspicion-raising plot point that Grace liked to stroll...and just happened to walk by her husband's lover's studio on the night she was bludgeoned to death. 

"I was on one of my walks," Grace told her husband's lawyer, Haley Fitzgerald (Noma Dumezweni). "That's how I ground myself—I walk." Whatever the case, the Internet was glad she did because she got her steps in while sporting some swoon-worthy outerwear that will live on in the annals of 2020's fashion moments

As the 2021 Golden Globes inch closerThe Undoing is not lacking in award recognition. However, while it's been nominated in four categories, including Best Limited Series or TV Movie, it only seems right that the coats get their due, too. 

Unfortunately, the Golden Globes don't have a costume category, so this photo tribute will have to suffice. All you have to do is channel your best Upper East Side socialite psychologist and scroll away. 

The Coats

If you're noticing a theme in the style of the jackets, that's not by mistake. "I needed to find her a silhouette that was ongoing through the whole show," costume designer Signe Sejlund explained to HarpersBazaar.com about the recurring length of the garments. "Nicole is so tall and very slim, and she can carry those long coats. It's so elegant and so classic. I wanted that silhouette to be a part of her identity."

Green With Envy

Of all the coats she wears in the series, this custom green ensemble with a hood has sparked the most chatter and vocal division. Plus, it's as heavy as it is unique. As PopSugar reported, the costumer approximated its weight at around 15 pounds!

Crimson Couture

If this vivid number wasn't already enough of a showstopper, Sejlund actually made it even bolder. The costume designer ended up getting several of the same Max Mara coats to add more of that unique fabric to the bottom for a longer and wider look, PopSugar reported

Purposeful Plaid

While Grace Fraser's outwear is fashionable, it's also thoughtful, including when it came to this plaid design worn at the couple's beach house in the second episode. As Sejlund explained to PopSugar, it was meant to be part of the wardrobe she kept at her beach house as people with vacation homes often do. "In your summer house," she told the website, "you have things that just live there."

Spring Has Sprung

In a departure from her darker outerwear, Kidman's character sports this floral Etro trench coat at the start of the fifth episode. The style choice reflects the spring season the characters would likely be in by the end of the series considering it started with snow on the ground.  

It's a Wrap

This coat by The Row may appear black in some shots, but it's actually a dark teal. As for the unfussy style, Sejlund purposely picked it to fit the moment in the plot. "I thought that at that time, Grace needed something that was more simple," she explained to HarpersBazaar.com, "because this time, she really wants to disappear."

Check out E! Online's 2024 Golden Globe Awards page for a full recap of this year's ceremony and the best moments from the show and red carpet..