Season 6 of Parks and Recreation concluded last week with the Unity Concert and big changes. Music festival fashion specials tend to make my eyes roll hard as all kinds of expensive and most likely inappropriate items are suggested – do you really want to be wearing a $300 jumpsuit when you have to use the not so high end festival toilets? This also brings up my greatest fear about the play/jumpsuit trend as you pretty much have to get naked when going to the bathroom and this is even less appealing in the middle of a field. When it comes to dressing for an outdoor music event my first thought is the rather practical “would I care if this got ruined?” as most of the festivals I have been to have a high chance of rain and I don’t really want to get mud all over a brand new dress. Yeah I still want to look good, but I’d rather spend the time enjoying myself rather than being concerned about my clothes. It’s not particularly edgy, but you’re also not going to look like an asshole.
Pawnee is not Coachella and in the Parks and Rec finale there is a distinct lack of underbutt and questionable crochet/macramé attire. Instead it’s all hoodies, plaid shirts, jeans, khaki jackets and Unity Concert tees. No, it’s not the most fashion forward, but it pretty accurately represents the festival fashion that makes sense to me.
Ben is the only one not wearing a Unity Concert tee as he’s got his Letters to Cleo shirt on underneath his staple plaid. This is one of Ben’s repeated costume pieces and he’s definitely the kind of guy who is comfortable wearing the band shirt he is seeing to the actual gig. Everyone else is wearing Staff emblazoned Unity Concert t-shirts and while these are currently not available from the NBC store, I’m sure this will change in the near future as they have previously sold other Pawnee festival related items. Leslie’s khaki green Battalion jacket from Current/Elliott is something she wore in the season 5 finale and it prompted me to dig out my 10+ year old Topshop khaki green jacket which I adore and has been to many festivals with me.
Andy and April rocking the plaid and stripes (both in Unity Concert tees). Costume design on shows that feature high end designer pieces is all about aspiration, Parks and Rec (and probably New Girl) is the nearest to how I actually dress and I adore it for his reason.
There’s always one and Jean-Ralphio is not only wearing double ankle monitors, but he’s also sporting a spectacular pair of Nike Roshe Run Tiger Camo sneakers which are just as bold as he is. These are fine for a sunny venue, though there’s always scuff danger in a large crowd situation.
Post concert fashion is completely different and as the concert was all about saving this merger, Ben and Leslie are on work duty. Ben has switched out his Letters to Cleo tee for a tie and Leslie’s ditched the khaki for this beautiful cherry blossom Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. This definitely falls into the aspirational column (and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Alana Bloom in this over on Hannibal, the shows are VERY different but these two characters share style pointers).
The three year time jump shouldn’t impact the costume design too heavily I shouldn’t think; I do hope they manage to tame Leslie’s bang situation by then and I’m looking forward to finding out why Ben was all dapper and tuxedoed up in that final scene.
TV Ate My Wardrobe 
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