Fictional Style Icon: Jessica Day

New Girl is one of those shows I just couldn’t give up on as I blossomed into adulthood. It just had a special place in my heart that was rooted deeper than any other show I started in high school. Jessica Day rationalized my level of weird and social anxiety. She made me wish I had an elementary school teacher like her. (And I’m sure school would have been slightly less traumatizing if I did.) She was sweet, fun, and just relatable enough that I’d still want to be her friend.

But, oh, Jess… Lovely, quirky Jessica Day… you lied to me.  Dating a guy with the persona of a barely-functioning old man is not as cute as she made it seem. And, who would’ve thought that sharing an apartment with a bunch of guys isn’t that fun? (Spoiler alert: I spent a year living with five grown men. I still live with four of them. We’re only friends when we’re drinking and nobody has fallen in love. Boring.)

I can’t hold that against her, though, especially considering people have given her enough BS over the years. Love her or hate her, you can’t deny that Jess was the fictional fashionista that brought quirky, retro fashion into the mainstream.

Printed everything 

Over seven seasons, we’ve seen Jess rock every print imaginable. From bicycles to umbrellas to math equations, nothing was ever too strange for her. Of course, they weren’t always over-the-top. She did enjoy a good polka dot frock quite often, or a colorful mod print, like the dress pictured above. Sidenote: how adorable is that perfectly coordinated headband?

The cutest pajama sets

In case you haven’t noticed yet, I always think cute sleepwear is worth mentioning. As someone who, more often than not, sleeps in shorts and t-shirts, I can really appreciate someone who goes of their way to look perfectly put together for bed. Jess has the most adorable collection of pajama sets that look as comfy as they are fun.

Queen of cardigans & A-line silhouettes

Say what you will about Jess and her wardrobe, but you can’t deny this is a classic combo. Clean, polished, and perfectly preppy, it’s the perfect way to add a bit of New Girl flair to your wardrobe because this look isn’t going out of style anytime soon.

Need more fictional fashion in your life? Check out last week’s style icon, Astrid Teo.