“Power Starlet: Scarlett Letters,” by Sally Singer, first appeared in Vogue‘s March 2004 issue. For more iconic Vogue stories, sign up for the Nostalgia newsletter.

Scarlett Johansson is relaxing at New York’s Soho House, chatting about transformations—specifically, her sleek red-carpet hairstyles. “I had a terrible mullet while filming Girl with a Pearl Earring,” she says, running a hand through her bleached, Warhol-esque hair. “It just kept getting worse until I was fully ‘mulletized.’ I loved it for a while, but then I wanted long hair. Growing out a mullet is brutal.”

The awkward process of growing out a mullet—layers, spikes, and all—could easily symbolize the messy transition from youth to adulthood. But Johansson’s journey has been anything but messy. In just a year, she went from child actress to full-fledged star, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase with her roles in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation and Peter Webber’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. In both films, she plays quiet, lonely young women who find themselves awakening alongside older men grappling with their own desires. Johansson’s greatest strength? Her ability to convey deep emotion with subtlety. “She expresses so much with very little,” Coppola notes.

Off-screen, Johansson is as down-to-earth as any nineteen-year-old. Despite starring in five films since graduating high school (The Perfect Score, A Love Song for Bobby Long, and A Good Woman among them), she’s still navigating life’s milestones. Moving from New York to L.A. meant learning to drive: “It changes everything—your independence starts at the DMV.” She also debates décor with her Danish architect father: “I love ’50s kitsch; he’s all about minimalism. But since it’s my apartment, I win.” And like any young adult, she wrestles with expectations: “There’s so much pressure to change after high school. It’s a harsh reality.”

Johansson’s bold personality shines in her style too. Today, she’s wearing a hooded tunic by Imitation of Christ, wool tights, and chunky Hogan boots. “I like looking like an old lady,” she jokes (though she actually resembles a rebellious Sherwood Forest rogue, complete with diamond-encrusted rings on both hands). She adores vintage jewelry, especially “Victorian pieces—15K gold with that rich yellow tone.” Her taste is quintessential downtown Manhattan: cool, confident, and unpretentious. She loves Barneys because “it’s nice to shop somewhere you don’t have to be trendy, just yourself.” (A sentiment that might surprise Barneys’ usual clientele.)

Fashion-wise, Johansson is just beginning to embrace her bold, polished aesthetic. She gravitates toward timeless glamour, especially for awards shows. “I want my dress to be the most beautiful in the world,” she says. “I want everyone to crave it in every color.” But she’s no old-school Hollywood throwback—she’s carving her own path, one sharp wit and killer outfit at a time.”I prefer raw silk—I’m not really into gowns. I’m only nineteen, after all. I like things that are cool, unique, and elegant, but not flashy. And you won’t catch me in some dramatic ballerina getup or a ‘dying swan’ costume.”

For red carpet events, she opts for understated pieces from Prada and Dolce & Gabbana: “At a premiere, you don’t want to be a walking traffic light. You don’t want to shock people.” In her everyday life, she wears vintage finds from high school, Marc by Marc Jacobs (which she likes more than the main line), and whatever else catches her eye. She’s always on the lookout for “long, flowy tops with short sleeves.” Her style inspiration? Marlene Dietrich.

Her fashion sense is bold and playful—exactly what you’d expect from a girl growing out a mullet and embracing the best years of her life.