Celebrity, Fashion, Television → Bye Bye Betty
It was four years ago that we met style-challenged Betty. What was an initial attempt to get into the publishing industry turned into a warm, humourous and heart-felt comedy that became a household name. I always loved this show. The exaggerated storylines were always fun and it explored the fashion industry in a way that no other show did.
The best part of the show for me was none other than the fashion. With the genius mind of Patricia Field behind the costuming, who could expect anything less than perfection? Field created amazing, fashion-forward looks which fit every character like a glove. For Betty, though the task was to create looks to emulate a fashion wreck, it was still a pleasure to watch!
Week after week, Betty would trot to Mode in an insane mix of bright colours, explosion of prints and granny-looking garments. Here’s the thing…most of what Betty sported was from a designer label; from Anna Sui to Marc Jacobs to Prada. Somehow, it just worked for Betty’s eccentric, unique sense of style.
Throughout the show, as Betty got a bit slimmer, hair got shinier, eyebrows thinner and as she discovered more body-hugging silhouettes, Betty slowly understood what fashion was…the meaning behind it, what drives it, how it is inspired and how it can connect with people. The underlying element of fashion (from the out-of-this-world storylines and crazy drama to the cluelessness and constant mockery of Betty) paved the way for Betty to become a star. A character that clearly seemed disastrous on day one slowly seeped into our hearts, so much that we started rooting for her. Betty represented the brave few, risk-takers that are gutsy and bold yet honest and compassionate. Betty was in fact, what we like to call, beautiful.
