As an equal parts fashion and television addict, I admittedly spend many a night in my flannel pajama bottoms and Green Bay Packers championship t-shirt coveting many a fictional character’s wardrobe. (Perhaps I should become a costume designer when I grow up?) Jess Day from New Girl. Annie Edison from Community. Zoey Hart from Hart of Dixie. Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. Joan Harris from Mad Men (well, if we’re being honest, everyone from Mad Men). I have even been known to covet Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory‘s t-shirts. No really.
Jess Day from New Girl is some intriguing combination of ModCloth meets neighborhood garage sale meets Anthropologie meets Rainbow Brite and all the rest of the Color Kids.
Who’s That Girl….It’s Jess!
She strikes that perfect balance of your artsy teen daughter and that effortlessly cool mom at your son’s elementary school. (There’s one of those at every K-8, right?) Slightly age-inappropriate but not in a disturbing way.
So grab your turquoise ballerina flats, turn on some Lumineers, and put on your hipster glasses. These “wacks” ones from Oliver Peoples, in fact.
“Don’t you think they make me look smarter?” “Nah! You can still see your face!”
Now let me show you all the ways of Jess Day’s wardrobe. It’s actually a pretty simple look to achieve.
Step 1: Add polka dots!
Step 2: Add stripes!
Step 3: Incorporate some red, red, red!
And then go ahead and add some more red.
Step 4: Remove all black from your wardrobe. It’s too plain. The key to this look is quirk. The quirkier, the better. If it has birds on it? Good! If it has bicycles on it? Better! Mix stripes with polka dots and throw a cardigan over it! Add a crazy belt! Add flats to everything! When it doubt, throw a bow in your hair!
All of your teachers dress like this!
Here are a few key pieces I would recommend:
Ditsy Bow Sweater, $23.80 Forever 21
Colorblock striped shirt, $46.99, J.Crew
See You Round Skirt, $42.99, Modcloth
Crimson Ponte Dress, $158, anthropologie
Velvet doll flats, $34,99, Ruche
Bow belt, $28, Yesstyle.com
About Ali Martell
