Laura Dern Recreates Her Iconic Jurassic Park Outfit, 30 Years Later
While Jurassic Park was heralded for its breakthough special effects, somehow the relatively simple hiking outfit Laura Dern wore as Dr. Ellie Sattler throughout much of the original 1993 film remains one of the franchise’s most enduring visuals. And the franchise seems to know this very well—when the trailer for Jurassic Park Dominion trailer was released this morning, not only did it welcome back Dern alongside her original co-stars Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill, it also payed homage to that iconic fit.
What exactly is it about that rusty salmon shirt tied in a knot over a blue tank and a pair of khaki shorts that remains so endearing? Well, it’s decidedly feminine without overtly catering to the male gaze. It’s casual, yet conveys a sense of authority and intellect. In a way, the outfit helps communicate that Dern’s character is every bit the scientific and survival equal as the men in the film (if not greater). Certainly, though, the outfit is an expert use of color matching, especially amid a cast that otherwise tends to wear denim and neutrals. In short, it’s exactly what you’d want to wear while running from velociraptors on a distant island all day. There was no running in heels for Dr. Sattler.
According to the book Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History, most of the original film’s costuming came from relatively accessible brands like Gap, Banana Republic, Filson, and Ralph Lauren. Dern’s fit seems to be no exception. One auction listing from 2019 indicates that the salmon over shirt was indeed simply from Gap.
Whatever the case, apparently almost thirty years later, Dr. Sattler still favors the style. She appears in an updated version for a brief moment in the latest trailer. It’s slightly modernized, with a few tweaks (navy shorts instead of khaki), but it’s unmistakably an homage to the original.
Dominion will mark Dern’s third appearance in the Jurassic Park franchise, and her first in over twenty years. While she sat out Jurassic Park II, she had previously returned for the third installment alongside Neill.
