12/5/12

Wardrobe Inspiration from my Favorite TV Characters: New Girl's Jess & Downton Abbey's Lady Mary


I don't watch a ton of television, but when I do I undoubtedly tune in to ABC's New Girl on Tuesday nights.  (Except for last night... when I somehow, absentmindedly, tragically forgot!)  New Girls gives me my laughs for the week.  My other show would be Downton Abbey.  The setting, the architecture, the drama, the clothes!  Oh, yes the clothes.  

That's what this post is really about.  Clothes.  And borrowing fashion ideas from favorite leading ladies on tv.  Sometimes trying to figure out to wear by staring at the models on the pages of a magazine just doesn't cut... that's when you need to turn on the tv, settle in, and dream up how to dress like your favorite character.


Jess from New Girl is definitely one of my favorites.  Cute, quirky, and a little odd... you can see why she's described as "adorkable."  What I really love about her style is the carefree pairing of patterns and colors... and, of course, the frocks!  In her case, cute dresses really make the girl.  When looking for dresses to emulate Jess' style, keep several things in mind: color, cut, and cuteness.  Bright hues are the most fun.  With cut, go for that retro A-line silhouette that cinches in the waist.  And hunt for cute details like flower prints, lace, buttons, buckles, collars, and pleating.  Keep accessories just as colorful as the dress: a cozy cardigan, a bright belt, fun tights, and lovely flats.  With a few pieces of jewelry and the iconic pair of tortoise-shell glasses... you'll be well on your way to New Girl style.

My other favorite tv character to get style inspiration from is Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey.  Coincidentally, she's quite the opposite of Jess.  Besides hailing from a different era and country (hello, turn-of-the-century English countryside!), you'll never find a quirk in Mary's style.  She wears more subdued colors, sticks to elegant silhouettes, and always looks pulled together.  

Let's have a look at how to pull together her look:

I love this ensemble for a work day at the office!  In Mary's original outfit, the skirt was a lot longer (floor-length) but I modernized it with a pencil skirt and matching belt of the same grayish green hue.  A lacy white blouse pays homage to the feminine flounce of the Victorian days.  I drew a little 20s/30s inspiration for the t-strap, multi-hued shoes.  But I'm sure Mary would approve of the simple pearl earrings and red lipstick.  


For a more casual look that makes me absolutely pine for springtime, I found myself inspired by Mary's summery pinstripe dress.  Definitely shortened the original, more modest hemline and moved the bunches of flowers from the straw hat to a vintage handbag.  A pearl necklace is a throwback to her elegant strands... and I couldn't resist pairing lacy Toms with the ensemble.  

 Whether you're trying to totally emulate a character or just borrow the details... it's fun and easy to find inspiration from the television!  So tell me... what tv character's closet would you most like to raid?




4 comments:

McKenzie said...

These are literally the only two shows I always keep up with! I, too, missed New Girl last night because of a mandatory meeting in my dorm. Like does everyone else NOT watch that? I was shocked!
I love your interpretations of their style! Thanks for sharing. :)

Camille said...

LOVE! Two of my must see shows for sure. I am pretty sure I mostly dress like Jess already anyway... lol, but this gives me more ideas! :)

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