Inspired By | Jess from New Girl

Some years ago, I received a text from Geneva (best friend).  Roughly, it said, "HAVE YOU WATCHED NEW GIRL? YOU ARE JESS."

And, especially at that time, Geneva was right. Jess and I did have a long, long, list of similarities. I dressed just like Jess. I had bangs and long hair. I taught children. I loved rosé and making up songs on the spot. If caught off guard by a cute animal photo, it was likely that I would cry, just like Jess. I could continue, but it would get monotonous. 

Most of my Jess similarities still persist, but one has not: my Jess wardrobe. If you don't watch New Girl (?!?!?!), here's an overview of Jess' style: A typical Jess outfit is an above-the-knee fit and flare dress in either a bright color or whimsical pattern, typically paired with black tights, ballet flats, and, often, a cardigan. As a big-hipped, small-shouldered woman, this silhouette was my bread and butter. (I also like wearing tights, which, I'm just learning, isn't common!?)

So, why'd I let it go? When I dressed like Jess (and like me! I dressed that way before New Girl premiered) I often wasn't taken seriously. Frequently, I was called "cute" or "adorable" (trigger words for anyone who was given the kid's menu until they were sixteen) and then whatever point I had been trying to convey was ignored.

So, gradually, I changed my look. I started wearing more pants. I wore boots instead of ballet flats. I wore lots and lots of black. I got rid of the bangs and I dyed my hair red. To some degree, these changes worked, but only marginally.

Tonight is the premier of the final season of New Girl. I knew I wanted to pay homage to Jess's style before the show was gone for good, but part of me was apprehensive to return to my old ways, even just for a day. But then I remembered a New Girl episode that particularly spoke to me: 

Jess attempts to ply her roommate's lawyer-girlfriend with baked goods to persuade her to help her get out of a traffic ticket. She received said ticket while braking for a bird in the street. The lawyer-girlfriend spends the episode not taking Jess seriously, until the end of the episode when Jess reaches her breaking point. She says,

"I brake for birds. I rock a lot of polka dots. I have touched glitter in the last 24 hours. I spend my entire day talking to children. And I find it fundamentally strange that you’re not a dessert person. That’s just weird, and it freaks me out. And I’m sorry I don’t talk like Murphy Brown. And I hate your pantsuit. I wish it had ribbons on it or something to make it just slightly cuter. And that doesn’t mean I’m not smart and tough and strong."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Let's get to it!

THE EVENT: Monday, an out-of-the-house workday.

THE BROKEN RULE: Never wear anything too girlish.

THE OUTFIT: For this Inspired By, I went head-to-toe Jess. I curled my hair. I wore my glasses. I knew I wanted to wear my black jumper. I wasn't sure if Jess had worn one, but I'm positive she would. The denim shirt underneath was more circumstantial. (I really need to do laundry and my choice of long-sleeved shirts was minimal.) Then, came black tights and mary-jane ballet flats. When I left the house, I added my bright yellow coat and elephant bag. This purse has baby elephants on it!!! I'm sure Jess would be excited about that, too.

THE EXPERIENCE: Wearing this outfit felt like a homecoming. That in itself, surprised me. I also found that feeling a bit more put together with the curled hair, and an outfit that required tights, gave my Monday a little extra oomph. (An oomph that all Mondays can use!)

Now to the big question, how was I treated? Was I listened to and respected and considered to be an adult? In most cases, yes! There was one person I encountered who was quite unpleasant, but I'm nearly positive that's their all-the-time personality, and their behavior wasn't related to my attire.

THE CONCLUSION: If this went so well, will I go back to my Jess-like style of years ago? Yes and no. I was quite surprised by how happy I was to be in this outfit, but I may revert to the Jess-silhouette with a twist. There are parts of my new "grown up" style that I do, truly like. Instead of Jess's cardigans, I prefer fun jackets. I've never found ballet flats to be that comfortable. I do, finally, like wearing pants. My style has evolved but it was nice to go back and visit where I came from. 

Are you a New Girl fan, too? Are you looking forward to this final season?? Do you have any predictions? Favorite episodes? Favorite Jess outfits? Let's talk about it! Leave a comment below or shoot me a message! 

Need to catch up? Click here to rewatch last season!

Until next time!