Tag Archives: New Girl

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

17 May

It’s that time of year when most shows are ending the season and so this edition of “Look of the Week” is focusing on the season finales of three shows. As always this is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. Narrowly missing a place on this week’s list is Mad Men which featured the stunning costuming that we expect from this show, but it didn’t fit in with the finale theme. After last week’s foray into set design this week is returning to the clothes that people wear, but don’t be surprised if locations pop up again (particularly from a show like Hannibal).

Winner: Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project “Take Me With You”

Mindy short hairI wrote earlier in the week about The Mindy Project producing stronger episodes over the second half of the season and a lot of this is thanks to Mindy’s friendship with Danny; Mindy Kaling and Chris Messina have terrific chemistry. The last scene in the finale pushes them further into the ‘will they/won’t they territory’ which will certainly change their dynamic on the show. This comes directly after Danny pulls the old playground move by telling Mindy how much he dislikes her new hair (and he notes that they are now matching). What follows is a moment that made me hold my breath as he took of her glasses to clean them (I have short hair and wear glasses so this scene is extra swoon worthy). Mindy has made no attempt to hide that she cares about how she looks and so cutting her hair off (which I know is a wig really, but she looks cute) is her grand romantic gesture for Casey and it works. Mindy also shows off her professional skills (the inclusion of M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” echo the pilot) and some of this season’s best moments have been when Mindy is using her medical expertise (“Teen Patient” springs to mind). Mindy is a someone whose wardrobe I tend to covert, but it’s this drastic haircut that works as Mindy’s boombox over the head and gives Mindy the number one spot this week.

Runner Up: Cece on New Girl “Elaine’s Big Day”

NewGirl-Ep255_ElaineBigDay-Sc26_00409Cece managed to get rid of her accidental henna beard and unsurprisingly she looked stunning as she walked down the aisle in a lehenga choli (a traditional Indian wedding gown). New Girl costume designer Deb McGuire tells InStyle this was one of four options and when Hannah Simone put this one on first “it took our breath away. We didn’t even attempt to consider the others!” This is a very colorful wedding and New Girl tends to have a very bright color palette; Jess’ blue sari (which you can see here) fits in with this motif and allowed her to stand out against the orange backdrop. Bonus points go to Nick Miller for carrying Jess’ pink purse and being comfortable with this look.

Runner Up: Caroline Forbes, Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett on The Vampire Diaries “Graduation”

TVD graduationIt’s not easy to graduate from high school in a town that is full of supernatural beings and Caroline, Elena and Bonnie successfully manage this achievement on the season 4 finale of The Vampire Diaries. The main snag is that all three are dead in one way or another; Caroline and Elena are both vampires and Bonnie is now a ghost. Caroline and Elena are blissfully unaware of Bonnie’s demise and thanks to some nifty magic Bonnie has the appearance of someone who is very much alive. Considering how much these three women have been through this season it was good to have this moment of happiness together, even if it is tinged with sadness (the Olivia Broadfield track “Gone” that accompanied the ceremony reminds me of a more melancholy “Sway” by Bic Runga) and the screen got a little blurry. This episode also demonstrated that a mortarboard can be more than just as a graduation accessory as Klaus made a rather dramatic and deadly entrance using one. It was pretty awesome.

What is your look of the week?

New Girl and The Mindy Project: Season Finales and Fox Upfront Presentation

14 May

The Fox Upfront Presentation took place in New York yesterday and Fox introduced what new shows they will be airing next season – robots, National Treasure style mysteries, a Gavin & Stacy remake, a cop comedy and more. It is also a time when they bring out cast members of current shows. As it is the New Girl and The Mindy Project’s season finales tonight and because they both look adorable I wanted to share this delightful photo of Zooey Deschanel with Mindy Kaling that Deschanel posted to her Instagram yesterday.

Zooey Deschanel Mindy Kaling upfrontsBoth New Girl and The Mindy Project will remain on Tuesday night in the fall with new comedy shows Dads (I made it half way through the trailer, that laugh track is just the worst) and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (this is much more promising and is from the producers of Parks and Rec). As both New Girl and The Mindy Project have demonstrated comedy shows can take time to find their feet and so I am hopeful for at least one of these new offerings.

New Girl has also been given the much coveted post Super Bowl slot along with one of the freshman comedies (DadsBrooklyn Nine-Nine or Enlisted) and this can lead to a big ratings bump and high exposure.

NewGirl-Ep255_ElaineBigDay-Sc25_00304The big question for New Girl tonight is what will happen with Nick and Jess? Is Nick going to let his doubts about his self-worth get the better of him? Cece’s wedding is center stage and she has her own romantic entanglements with Schmidt to deal with. Plus Taylor Swift is turning up, possibly in an attempt to ruin the wedding. It’s all happening.

The Mindy Project is still figuring out what works and while there was a point around mid-season that I considered quitting this show, I’m glad I stuck around as the second half has been much stronger. This has a lot to do with the central pairing of Mindy and Danny (and not just because Chris Messina is dreamy). I don’t need to see them hooking up any time soon as their dynamic is interesting without these kinds of complications, but it’s good to know that when the inevitable happens they have built up their relationship from antagonists to friends (one shining moment from Danny is with the vending machine after Seth Rogen’s character left).

Over at The A.V. Club Todd VanDerWerff has an interesting proposal for how season 2 can improve using the model of Louie; reduce the ensemble size and focus on the lead. Mindy and Danny are the only two fully formed characters and sometimes aspects of the larger group don’t gel (and the show has already rejigged the cast). I am glad that despite less than stellar ratings The Mindy Project will return in the fall and hopefully produce more of what made the latter half of the season so enjoyable.

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

10 May

It’s been a month since TV Ate My Wardrobe launched and so before I get to the “Look of the Week” I just want to say thanks to everyone who has stopped by. To the “Look of the Week” and as always this is a snapshot of what I have been watching and each pick is for a variety of reasons including; what it adds to the storyline, what it tells us about the characters involved or simply because it looks good. I’m already missing the wigs and 80s styling on The Americans and the April Ludgate clothes I covet on Parks and Recreation (but so happy that Parks got picked up for season 6 yesterday). This week’s winner is slightly different than normal as it is a place rather than a person.

Winner: The Bathroom in Hannibal “Sorbet”

Hannibal bathroomThis is the first time that a location has been given “Look of the Week” and once again the costuming on Hannibal was exceptional (as was the discussion about Hannibal wearing a “person suit”) but it feels like a good time to shine a light on Hannibal’s fantastic sets. If you follow Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller on Twitter (and you really should) you will already know that the above image is a reference to Room Number 237 in The Shining. This isn’t the first set that is an homage to the Stanley Kubrick film as the pilot’s red bathroom was also a nod to the Overlook. Here is a confession; I have never seen The Shining the whole way through (I did read the book a few months ago) and this is something that I will rectify soon. Even without the knowledge of where the look of this set comes from I was still very drawn to the chaos of the tiles particularly when Will is sat in front of them; it feels like the chaos in his mind as Jack pushes him closer to the edge.

Hannibal is visually stunning from the costuming to the set design and if it doesn’t get renewed by NBC then we will be losing a show that is outstanding on every level.

Runner Up: Jess Day on New Girl “Winston’s Birthday”

NG_ep224-sc23_09C8338This outfit in “Winston’s Birthday” is typically Jess; a pretty dress and cardigan combo. The reason why I have chosen it is thanks to the rising number of sites that tell us where you can buy something you have seen on a show (and because it’s something that I would wear). This started in 2000 when ASOS.com launched and was called As Seen on Screen and they sold clothes that featured in films and TV shows (or cheaper alternatives). Now instead of a site that sells the clothes there are blogs that tell you where you can buy these outfits from. InStyle also has a “Found It” column and often features clothing from New Girl that tells you what brand the clothing is. The combination of the mint green (Jessica Simpson) dress and yellow (Kate Spade) cardigan has a calming influence, something that Jess needs as she tries to juggle multiple things at once in this episode.

Runner Up: Megan Draper on Mad Men “For Immediate Release”

MM_606_MY_0116_0632Megan is a divisive character on Mad Man but I am firmly on Team Zou Bisou Bisou. Initially this comes from her main introduction when she comforted Sally after she had fallen in the middle of the SCDP office in the season 4 episode “The Beautiful Girls.” The other reason is because Megan gets to wear all of the high end, really fashionable (for the 1960s) clothes because she is the most fashion forward character. Janie Bryant has done a terrific job of finding really stunning pieces and as the patterns get bolder so does Megan’s style. This is a different twist on last week which saw Megan in a dress that could have been inspired by I Dream of Jeannie; instead this metallic dress evokes the space travel obsession of this era. There are earlier complaints in the episode that rockets are all anyone wants in advertising but the same can also be said for fashion at this time. You can’t see it from the above photo but this is also the shortest hemline we have seen Megan in as she takes her mother’s advice and gets her husband to think about seeing her as more than just a wife.

Runner Up: Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak on Arrow “Darkness on the Edge of Town”

ArrowIt’s the penultimate episode of Arrow and this first season has been a fun ride; “Darkness on the Edge of Town” featured a sequence that was so slick and enjoyable that I thought I was watching a White Collar heist. This is compliment as one thing White Collar excels at is getting Neal Caffrey in and out of dangerous situations. Back to Arrow and the Oliver, Diggle, Felicity team has been reunited and nothing says “Let’s celebrate” like messing with a computer in a highly guarded building. Costuming wise Oliver gets to look great in a suit (standard), Diggle plays security guard and Felicity is a delivery girl. The pairing of Oliver and Felicity exposes an Arrow weakness and that is the lack of chemistry between Oliver and Laurel, who are meant to be the central love story. Instead it is Oliver and Felicity that have a great rapport and this has me rooting against the couple I’m meant to be rooting for. Felicity is wonderfully awkward in the scene where she has to hang onto Oliver as when he tells her to “Hold on to me tight” she responds with “I imagined you saying that under different circumstances. Very platonic circumstances.” 

Who would you choose as your look of the week?

New Girl and the Worthiness of Nick Miller

8 May

New Girl tackled the morning after with the confidence that we have seen all year, confidence that Nick Miller is not in possession of by the end of the episode. Last season it was all about Schmidt, season 2 has been about the evolution of Nick but can he get out of his head for long enough to realize that he isn’t the ‘no ambition screw up’ that he fears that he is?

On Twitter last night New Yorker’s TV critic Emily Nussbaum asked “I need people to explain why Nick’s a colossal fuckup. He’s great in bed. He’s funny. He seems like a decent fellow. What am I missing?” This is the inspiration for this piece as I try to examine why Nick is considered to be this way in both his eyes and those around him.

NG_Ep217_sc25_0647

The moment when we really started to learn who Nick Miller is, beyond the law school quitting, grouchy bar tender was in last season’s excellent episode “Injured” that dealt with his cancer scare. In this episode a drugged up Nick revealed the core of why he doesn’t go for things telling Jess “I can’t just jump into something if I don’t know what’s going to happen, I never have been that guy. I’m the guy that if I don’t know what’s going to happen I don’t do it. Ever. I don’t care how bad I want to do it. I don’t do it.” By the end of this episode Nick acknowledges that this isn’t the way to live and he has to start doing things; Nick has been doing this all year a little bit at a time. The Kiss in “Cooler” was the starting point for Nick doing this and last week’s grand elevator moment continued this un-Nick like approach of going for things without thinking about the “What next?”

It’s the “What’s next?” that doesn’t really happen in last night’s episode as New Girl threw up many obstacles to stop Nick and Jess from having this all important chat and as it’s the finale next week that conversation is definitely coming. Nick spent the day with Jess’ dad Bob (the wonderful Rob Reiner) and after he’d shared such a good day of beer, sandwiches and talking about Yolanda Winston, Nick felt like he had Bob’s approval and revealed that Yolanda is actually Jess. Bob’s instant switcheroo from loving Nick to wanting him away from his daughter is the kind of moment that will stay with Nick; even he denies that Bob’s disapproval has got to him. Nick worried that he is like his own father and when Bob tells him that no, Nick is like him this has just the same impact of making Nick feel unworthy.

Nick isn’t his father though and he isn’t Bob either, even if they have some similar qualities and this feels like Bob imprinting his own failures onto Nick. They showed a different side of Nick when he went home to Chicago; there he is the responsible one who held his family together. He also finished his zombie novel (“Z is for Zombie”) even if it is terrible and contains a word search with no words. Nick is still trying to figure out how to define himself when it comes to his career, law school wasn’t for him and while he might not be the next Ernest Hemingway it’s not a lack of ambition that has him working at the bar. Jake Johnson does a great job of conveying all of Nick’s fears about his life plan (or lack thereof) and it would be a fantastic reflection of his work this season if he gets an Emmy nomination (and sensibly he’s submitted himself in the non-Modern Family crowded Lead Actor category this year).

Nick and Jess

One reason why Nick and Jess are a really great match — other than their chemistry of course — is because they started as friends first. They know what the other fears and have been there for each other when things aren’t going so well. At the start of the season Jess was made redundant from a job that she felt defined her, Nick told her that “Life sucks and then it gets better and then it sucks again and then it just sucks.” Not the most upbeat of advice but what he’s telling her is that she will be fine. In last night’s episode Jess gets an interview to teach children again, or rather she has to sub a class of unruly kids and it looks like Jess will be back in a similar job to the one she had last season.

Jess echoes what Nick said back in that first episode of season 2 by announcing to the kids how the day started out so well but this has quickly changed as “Life’s messy. It kicks you in the ass.” It’s the follow up part that is important as she tells them that the “messy parts are the best parts.” While she doesn’t really get to talk to Nick properly about their situation, what she says to a temporarily bearded Cece (who understandably doesn’t care about Jess’ Nick drama in that moment) is worth noting “I think it might be the start of something really amazing. I don’t want to get my hopes up, it could be something, it could not be something.” The uncertainty about what this could be is what is fuelling both the fear and the desire and it’s Nick’s own insecurities about who he is that magnifies these worries.

One thing that Nick does get to do is give Jess the breakfast he had made her in the morning (grapefruit, pie, eggs), but they are once again interrupted before they can talk things out. One thing is clear, Nick is worthy of Jess he just has to believe that he is.

Taylor Swift’s New Girl Appearance: First Look

2 May

When it was announced that Taylor Swift was going to guest star on the New Girl season 2 finale my initial reaction was apprehension as it felt like stunt casting. This isn’t to say that I have anything against Swift (“Red” has been on constant rotation since it was released) and I find her rather fascinating, but my worry was whether she would add anything to New Girl beyond “Oh hey it’s Taylor Swift.” What makes the casting more intriguing is that Swift isn’t playing herself even though she has been referenced a couple of times on the show (Nick dancing to “22” is a sight to behold), instead she’s appearing as a former girlfriend of Cece’s fiancé Shivrang. Entertainment Weekly has got a first look at this guest appearance and it takes place at Cece and Shivrang’s wedding. Spoilers ahead.

NewGirl-Ep255_ElaineBigDay-ScTaylor_00799.JPGSwift’s character is called Elaine and it’s probably not a coincidence that the title of the episode is “Elaine’s Big Day” and Schmidt isn’t the only one planning to sabotage the wedding. Jess is the maid of honor and has her own personal issues to deal with as she is trying to figure out what is going on with Nick (after that HUGE moment this week). It’s a sitcom wedding so expect a mixture of comedy and drama as well as heartfelt declarations.

New Girl creator Liz Meriwether was super complimentary about the singer and tries to reassure viewers about this casting telling Entertainment Weekly “She kind of came and nailed it. We love bringing in guest stars, but we really try to make it feel like they’re part of the show and it’s not just stunt casting.” Meriwether also teases that Swift “did a little bit of a riff on one of her songs.” Please let it be “I Knew You Were Trouble.”

What are your thoughts on Taylor Swift appearing on New Girl?

 

New Girl and How to Handle a ‘Will They/Won’t They’

1 May

A ‘will they/won’t they’ relationship is tricky for any TV show to navigate but New Girl is showing how it can be done and last night’s episode hit another important milestone for Nick and Jess. In “Virgins” the group revealed embarrassing (and not so embarrassing) tales of how they lost their virginity and this led to another first time. With just two episodes the tension and stakes have increased as Nick and Jess will have to navigate what this means for their relationship.

Nick and JessThe second half of this season has taken this coupling to a new level that started with a super hot kiss and led to non-declarations of feelings, a shouty make-out session, a first date that was three terrible first dates and lots of lingering looks. Finally Nick listened to his father (shout out to Dennis Farina making a return from the grave in the flashbacks) and what he told him the night Walt had gifted Winston and Nick prostitutes; “I just want to make sure that you don’t miss out on the things in life that are happening when you’re not thinking, because believe you me, those are the best things in life.” Sound advice from Walt Miller and Nick hasn’t always followed this course of thinking, he was after all the guy who was afraid to run into the ocean in season 1 (“Injured” is still one of my favorite episodes). In fact a lot of this season has been about these characters doing things that they previously wouldn’t attempt and this evolution is one compelling aspect of New Girl.

So, ‘will they/won’t they’ couples can be a hard line to walk; you get them together too early and it might mess up the tension, you get them together too late and it feels stale. The way the Nick and Jess relationship has developed from the beginning of the show and particularly this season has felt organic. Last year there was flirtation and chemistry that made it clear that something would happen eventually, but both characters have had a series of serious and casual love interests, and this hasn’t felt out of place either. When the focus shifted this season after The Kiss (capitals definitely required) this was also part of the natural progression. Cece pointed out in the last episode that it was all getting a tad farcical and 7th grade and if it had continued in this manner then the audience might get just as frustrated. Thankfully the next step has been taken and after an episode discussing having sex for the first time, Nick and Jess did with each other.

ng_scn20_022

This moment was part of a longer sequence involving everyone else; Schmidt and Elizabeth, Cece and Shivrang, Winston and Daisy. Schmidt has recently got back in touch with his first college girlfriend Elizabeth and the flashback showing their first time was one of the funniest bits of physical comedy that New Girl has produced with Nick and Schmidt rolling around on the floor after too much lube was used (see above). I’d really like to see Merritt Wever’s Elizabeth stick around as she brings out a different side of Schmidt and because she’s so, so good. This will also add something extra to the other ‘will they/won’t they’ of New Girl with Cece and Schmidt turning it into a love quadrangle of sorts. Cece and Shivrang discuss having sex before their wedding (which is in two days) and Cece says they shouldn’t, they both look away awkwardly and this doesn’t bode well for this union. Winston’s performance anxiety troubles with Daisy are soothed when he sees Titanic on the TV, the movie that he’d been watching with Nick just before he (unknowingly) lost his virginity to a hooker.

Back to Nick and Jess and the moment over the closing credits was played extremely well by Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson with 30 seconds of post sex reactions including wide eyes, huge smiles, laughter and the best use of “Ruh-roh.” Rather than opt for the standard romcom cliché of “What next?” it just ended on a Scooby-Doo reference and “Oh boy” (I always read this as a shout out to Quantum Leap). It’s both awkward and comfortable and I hope they play the rest of the season like this.

So what next (I am a romcom cliché)? New Girl creator Liz Meriwether spoke to E!Online and said “Going forward, we were just interested in what does the sex mean to both of them and how does it deepen and complicate the issues that they have between them. I think that’s what the end of the season is about.” A line has been crossed and because they live together it’s going to change the dynamic in the loft. Everything is pretty much out in the open prior to this and Schmidt and Winston have previously thought a Nick/Jess romantic relationship wouldn’t work. Schmidt’s going to be preoccupied with Cece’s wedding as he tries to come up with a scheme to ruin the big day (with Winston’s help) and so this might give them some space to figure stuff out. Or not as Jess’ dad (guest star Rob Reiner) will make a surprise visit.

New Girl has a 25-episode run this year and I’m glad they got an extra episode to play with. This has been one of the consistently funny sitcoms this season and they manage to balance emotional arcs around set pieces that include a giant jar of lube; an impressive achievement from Liz Meriwether and the whole creative New Girl team.

New Girl Auto-Tuned

30 Apr

New Girl is back tonight (it feels like it has been gone for so long) and it is an episode that promises to be hilariously awkward as the group each reveals how they lost their virginity all with the aid of flashbacks. Flashbacks that feature wigs, homemade prom dresses, braces, a miniature castle, Dylan O’Brien from Teen Wolf, a jar of lube and prostitutes. This is definitely an eclectic mix! This looks like it could be a big episode for fans of Nick and Jess as the sexual tension between the pair has been growing since their first kiss; will they be able to keep to the middle school dance rules that Jess suggested after their first date confusion?

Fox has produced a video that features many of these Nick and Jess moments from this season and turned it into an auto-tune remix. It sounds bizarre but it works in a strange/funny way and when Jake Johnson posted the link on Twitter yesterday he teased “This video is ridiculous and I like it. New Girl is new tomorrow night. It’s about sex. Old sex & new sex.”

Enjoy!

Jake Johnson Talks Drunk Acting and the New Girl Audition Process

23 Apr

New Girl isn’t back until next Tuesday, but don’t despair as Jake Johnson joins Paul F. Tompkins on his YouTube series Speakeasy to discuss his forthcoming movie Drinking Buddies, the New Girl audition process and his improv background. It’s a relaxed interview and while the pair enjoy a Stoli on ice with a bit of lime Johnson reveals that the road to Nick Miller was a long one beginning with New Girl creator Liz Meriwether recommending him for the part (thanks to working together on No Strings Attached) to a very long audition process (which appears to be the norm during pilot season). He also discusses what the atmosphere is like on set as there is a lot of good natured teasing when anyone screws up from both the cast and crew. With performing this kind of material you should be having fun with the material and each other and it seems like this is very much the case on New Girl.

For a bonus here is Jake Johnson recreating some popular Internet memes including Grumpy Cat (who did it better Jake Johnson or Alison Brie?)

What Lipstick is She Wearing?

17 Apr

It turns out I am not alone in this dilemma and several of you sent me messages about this unwritten article that is mentioned in the introduction to TV Ate My Wardrobe. We live in an age where style blogs tell us exactly what clothes your favorite TV character is wearing so you can either buy the exact item or a more affordable alternative (my bank balance would be in trouble if every time I saw something I liked on New Girl or Parks and Recreation I went out and bought it). It’s wonderful that I can read an episode by episode guide of the costuming that features on The Good Wife but I would also love to know what shade of lipstick Alicia is wearing in court. This type of blog don’t exist in the same volume for the make-up that is used and it can become an endless Internet treasure hunt to try and find the exact color you have seen on screen.

Carey-Mulligan-in-Shame-008

When I went to see Shame at the cinema, one thing that distracted me (other than the obvious) was the shade of lipstick chosen for Carey Mulligan’s troubled character Sissy. Luckily the brand and color used got a mention in Stylist magazine and I popped to my local MAC counter and purchased Barcelona Red (to my horror I’ve just found out that it has been discontinued). It’s not always this easy and sometimes you just have to go to whichever make-up specialist you prefer with smart phone in hand and ask for the nearest shade to the one in the photograph. I can testify that this doesn’t always yield the best results.

All is not lost though and InStyle has a lipstick finder on their website and while this is helpful, it only appears to deal with red carpet enquires. My quest doesn’t stop here though and this is where you have to go into detective mode as the make-up artists who work with these actors are often mentioned in the “What Lipstick is She Wearing?” blurbs. I decided to look up Zooey Deschanel’s make-up artist Jorjee Douglas and found both her Twitter and Tumblr pages. Douglas also contributes to Deschanel’s website HelloGiggles and has previously answered questions about the make-up featured on New Girl. Social media has given a platform for experts such as Douglas to respond to fan enquiries relating to their work and the products they use.

MM_MY_601_1024_1233.Sized

With a show like Mad Men every aspect is scrutinized and analyzed; costumes and make-up can signify almost as much about the mood of the characters and the storylines as the words spoken. This also gives an opportunity to find out what products are being used and even tutorials to find out how to achieve a similar look (I’m no expert so this is appreciated).

The Cut spoke to Lana Horochowski, Mad Men’s head make-up artist and she discussed her work in the season 6 opener “The Doorway” and how she uses current cosmetics to give the right look for the late 60s. Horochowski also mentions how she approaches each female character so for Peggy her make-up “is always a little messy or rushed because she’s so focused on work. You’ll see it’s kind of crooked.” This type of character detail is why Mad Men is revered and even though it was lipstick that gave Peggy her big break back in season one, it’s how Peggy can sell the product not how she wears the product that is important. Also thanks to this article I now want the Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil that Megan is wearing on the beach.

While I do enjoy a good Internet treasure hunt, it would also cut down on the time I spend online if a database like IMDb existed for make-up products in movies and on television. This would work on several levels; first it would be a boost to the beauty economy and in this climate what industry doesn’t need a cash injection. Secondly it would showcase the work of some really talented folk who don’t always get to be in the spotlight for their talents that are on screen. Thirdly it would help the not so savvy (like myself) in this department and mean that I don’t have to take a photo to a beauty counter in a department store and get an “it’s almost kinda like that one” shade.

Is there a character on TV or film whose make-up bag you would love to sneak a look at?

Nick, Jess and Style Evolution on New Girl

15 Apr

In a recent interview with InStyle magazine New Girl star Zooey Deschanel declared that “People are more affected by how I look and dress myself than I think anyone would care to admit.” Image and how someone is perceived is a construction of many things and in this discussion Deschanel talks about her career progression from being seen as “tough, sardonic, deadpan” in films such as The Good Girl and this changing to “adorable.” Along came New Girl and this evolved into “adorkable” and this tag has been hard to shake thanks to it being used in the marketing of the show. For Deschanel detractors it gives the perfect excuse to talk about the maturity level of her character, but the show and Jess have come a long way from not being able to say the word penis at the start of season one. While a lot of this has been driven by the story, there has also been a subtle shift in some of the costume choices when it comes to Jess.

The bright, bold hues are still on display and there is a girlish quality to a lot of what Jess wears. The dresses are still vintage looking in design and the waist-cinching look is a Jess staple. There have also been plenty of whimsical prints, stripes and a lot of polka dots that also featured in season one, but hemlines have shrunk on certain outfits and the high waisted shorts that Jess loves (and both Nick and Schmidt have raised separate issues with) have made more appearances this year. New Girl’s costume designer Deb McGuire spoke to Entertainment Weekly about this new look for Jess saying “the sexier costumes are due to the storyline, there seems to be more sensuality and sexuality going on.”

NG_ep221-sc8_09C3769Jess has become more confident with her sexuality this season; first there was what started as a casual fling with Sam and now they are exploring the dynamic between Jess and Nick. The chemistry between this pair has been apparent since the start of the show but the writers have wisely allowed their friendship to grow so there is a sexual attraction coupled with emotional depth. So far there has been several hot hook-ups (the first kiss set my twitter feed alight), but now they are at a point where neither character is making a move or expressing how they really feel. Cece called Jess out saying that for two single adults they’re both regressing to 7th grade relationship antics (Jess has also implemented middle school dance rules).

This might be considered as the show taking a step back in terms of character growth as both Nick and Jess have progressed this season, but structurally this emotional obstacle feels necessary to build towards the season finale. Cece’s big truth bomb also helped deflect some of the attention off her own relationship fears with her upcoming nuptials. The big two romantic dilemmas for the finale are “Will Cece go through with the wedding?” and “Will Nick and Jess admit how they really feel?” Aside from general sitcom conventions that would suggest the answers are “no” and “yes” I’d say that both of these propositions don’t have a clear answer. Whereas last season it seemed clear that Nick wouldn’t move in with Caroline and so the stakes in that finale weren’t high.

NG_222-38_0104

Jess isn’t the only one who has had a slight wardrobe update and Nick Miller has been more than just hoodie this season (ok he’s still worn a lot of hoodies this year). In an attempt to impress Jess on their first date, Nick let Schmidt dress him for the occasion. The desire to dress up could be a reaction to what Jess said in “The Cooler” that “Some basic grooming, Nick, and you’d be smoking hot.” The above photo is proof of this (though I’m all for the hoodie look, see also Cary from The Good Wife). I’d say don’t get used to Nick in a suit, especially after last week’s orange tracksuit but if there is going to be a wedding in the season finale I think we can expect to see Nick in formal wear once again.

One aspect of Jess’ wardrobe that won’t be changing any time soon is her vast collection of pajamas (of which I am very jealous) and this was a point of contention in Jess and Cece’s argument in “Bachelorette Party”. This isn’t the first time that Jess and her pajama wearing ways have been used against her in this way and last season during a raging argument with Nick he yelled “Then throw some dumb pajama outfit on and then tell other people how to live their lives.” So what have the pajamas ever done to anyone? They could be seen as a symbol of this idea of Zooey Deschanel and Jess that some people view negatively; all of the cute/adorable/quirky qualities that have caused detractors to roll their eyes at this show. Or they could just be pajamas.

New Girl returns Tuesday, April 30 on Fox.

Variety

Entertainment news, film reviews, awards, film festivals, box office, entertainment industry conferences

Julie Hammerle

Nerds Need Love Too

Sofa and Remote

I love talking about TV as much as I love watching it

Ellie Writes Stuff

About this and that

Twitter Music Club

A rotation curation music club, based on Twitter, mainly for Kiwis

INTO ROW Z

If you enjoy a challenge, like Claude Makélélé, read my blog. Its about sport.

lost somewhere in new york city

We rock a lot of polka dots

sankles

We rock a lot of polka dots

frocktalk.com/

Just another WordPress.com site

Cultural Learnings

Television Reviews and Analysis

judgmental observer

film, tv, popular culture, higher ed, unicorns

Rookie

We rock a lot of polka dots

The Frisky

We rock a lot of polka dots

Tell Us a Story

stories about true things