Every so often, a costume choice becomes a character in and of itself. Jeff Bridges had The Dude’s bathrobe. Tony Soprano had his own robe. Now, Leonardo DiCaprio has joined the “dad robe hall of fame” in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, the critically acclaimed One Battle After Another. On that note, we now have some insight into how the plaid robe came to be in his 2025 movie release!
According to Variety, the faded plaid get-up wasn’t part of the plan. Costume designer Colleen Atwood revealed that Bob, DiCaprio’s revolutionary-turned-stoner-dad character, was initially supposed to just wear a sweatshirt. Then, in a very Dude-like turn of events, someone (maybe Anderson, maybe Leo) suggested, “What if he’s just in his robe?” The rest is cinematic loungewear history. Atwood explained to the outlet:
I found some vintage-looking fabric and made the multiples I needed for the robe… It’s an old, cheap dad robe. It’s a comfortable and cozy robe. And we aged the fabric a lot.
Additionally, DiCaprio leaned into the look reminiscent of one of the fit from one of the best movies of the ‘90s. At the film’s premiere, the Oscar winner even admitted his inspiration was none other than Bridges’ iconic Lebowski character, describing Bob as “a guy that sits home and smokes pot all the time.” In other words, The Dude abides… but now with a 2025 update.
Of course, the robe wasn’t the only part of Bob’s look. The whole vibe came together with a pair of sunglasses, a dad hat and sneakers DiCaprio apparently handpicked himself. Atwood says the Killers of the Flower Moon star preferred Altra Lone Peak trail runners because of their wide toe box. (Yes, even stoner dads in PT Anderson films need the proper footwear.)
The funny part? You won’t find this robe on any high-end designer rack. Atwood joked that if you want to cosplay Bob this Halloween:
A nice Goodwill shop will do the job.
This detail feels so quintessentially PTA, as he knows how to find beauty, humor and humanity in the faded corners of American life. The robe says as much about Bob as his dialogue does. He’s a man who once fought the system, and is now fighting inertia in his living room.
One Battle After Another, a book-to-screen adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, follows Bob, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, a burned-out former revolutionary who lives a paranoid life while trying to raise his independent daughter, Willa, away from the chaos of the world. When an old rival shows up and Willa goes missing, Bob is dragged back into the life he thought he left behind. This wild search forces both of them to deal with the mess from their past. This film is Paul Thomas Anderson’s second crack at adapting a Pynchon story, the first being Inherent Vice in 2014.
The Dude and his lounge wear still resonate after more than 25 years, so DiCaprio’s not about to dethrone him as the king of robes, but it’s definitely going to give it a run for its money. So don’t be surprised if you leave the theater wanting to hit up a thrift shop to hunt for the ultimate plaid robe. One Battle After Another is being touted as one of the best movies of the year and is now in theaters, so check your local listings for showtimes.
