As most people know, inspiration comes from anywhere. Some of my style inspiration over the years has come from what I'm watching on my TV screen so I thought I'd put together a post about some of the characters - or as I've named them 'Fictional Fashionistas' - that have inspired me since I first found the remote control in my hand. In alphabetical order because that's just the best and most organised way.
"I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet."
It wouldn't be much of a fictional fashionista post without Carrie Bradshaw. The star of Sex and the City is in every post about fashion on TV and film, you literally cannot escape the name. But if you love fashion you can kind of see why. Honestly, I'm not a massive fan of Carrie's styling, but I love her attitude about fashion and that is why she is in my list. She is eccentric and bold and I love that the stylist, Patricia Field, does not let age get the in the way of style on the show and I think that is a huge and positive message.
"Do you prefer 'fashion victim' or 'ensembly challenged'?"
As if! Sorry, I had to. I only watched the film Clueless for the first time last year and discovered the gorgeous wardrobe of Cher Horowitz. It is seriously one of my favourite films purely for the fashion, it is so bang-on and even relatable now due to the 90s throwback we are having now. The layering works too well and she really owns plaid and knee-high socks. If I'm blonde by this Halloween, I'm going as Cher.
"You don't like my style? That's fine, but I'm not going to change who I am. So you're just gonna have to deal with it and respect it."
The gorgeous Zooey Deschanel's portrayal of New Girl Jessica Day comes in the form of full skirts, ballet flats, stripes and polka dots and she rocks them. But what I love is that this is similar to how Zooey dresses and she promotes the message saying to not underestimate her just because she may wear or like "cute" things. In Glamour magazine, Zooey was quoted saying, "We can't be feminine and be feminists and be successful? I want to be a fucking feminist and wear a fucking Peter Pan collar. So fucking what?" And that is why people should love her.
OMG, I loved watching Saved by the Bell way back in the 90s! Kelly Kapowski was just perfect, stunning and with such a good wardrobe which could easily still pass for fashionable today! Though Lisa was supposed to be the fashion-crazy one, it was always Kelly I wanted to dress like. The florals, the co-ords and the hair! How they got their hair like that still baffles me to this day.
Another 90s fave of mine was good ol' Lizzie McGuire. She made crimped hair and bubble backpacks cool and I remember wishing my parents would just buy a phone where I could have my own in my room and where three-way calls were possible! Alas, they would not allow it and by the time I got my iPhone with three-way calling, I was using Skype. Oh well.
Holiday in the Sun, So Little Time, It Takes Two
Getting There, When In Rome, Getting There
Two of a Kind, Holiday in the Sun, New York Minute
There was no way I could have picked only one film where these gals inspired me. So I chose them all. And one TV show. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were my ultimate inspiration growing-up, so much so, my younger sister and I would pretend to be twins and I would tell her we had to dress similar because we wanted to be them so bad. No matter what film they were in, I would take something from it and even make notes about the hairstyles they had with what outfit and we also had most of the items from their clothing range at Asda. Obsessed. But it was all worth it, because they are still amazing to this day.
"You are so in style right now. I don't suppose you've seen the cover of British Vogue, have you?"
Friends is probably my favourite sitcom ever and I'm not sure if people noticed this through all the hilarious jokes but season 1/season 2 Rachel Green was so stylish! She definitely lost it through the middle seasons, I'll admit, but her mid 90s wardrobe is full of checks and denim and, of course, that hairstyle! You have no idea how much I wish that hairstyle was still fashionable/didn't make me look middle-aged because it would probably be my dream 'do. Then again, Jennifer Aniston can do no wrong when it comes to hair.
"I fall asleep thinking about guys named Louboutin and Laurent."
Finally, we have a more modern fashionista in the form of Serena Van der Woodson. The Gossip Girl's wardrobe was the most glamorous and most unachievable of all my fashion icons with designer dress after designer dress debuted in each episode. As were the legs of the actress, Blake Lively, portraying the character. Her style was definitely a glamorised-boho look and her blonde locks are still enviable to this day.
And that's the lot! This post took a lot of effort and time but was so much fun to do as I loved looking back at outfits that used to inspire me and still do today. I look forward to all the new fictional - and real - fashionistas that I will find on my TV in the coming years and I look forward to the posts I'll probably do featuring them. I hope others look forward to them too!
