Oddly enough, the inspiration for this post was a Glee photo shoot gone wrong for Vogue. I thought they weren’t dressed to represent their characters both on and off screen, so I decided to write about stealing their signature Glee looks. These are not tips on how to copy her appearance, but to serve as inspiration on how to match her clothes and your personal style.
kurt hummel
They always say that Mercedes is the diva and fashionista of the glee club, but that’s up for serious debate. Kurt Hummerl played by award-winning actor Chris Colfer, with his fitted double-breasted jackets, bow ties and impeccable capes, is arguably the true fashionista of the show. I distinctly remember him mentioning that his jacket was Alexander McQueen in one episode and taking it off before the school bullies were about to throw it away.
The key to achieving the Kurt Hummel look is layering. You can’t just wear a shirt, you have to wear a shirt with a knitted vest over it and a double-breasted coat over it all. It’s also about accessories, Kurt always wears a tie or bow tie with his button down shirts. And instead of sneakers, wear proper shoes, perhaps some boots or brogues.
raquel berry
Lea Michelle never fails to impress in all her red carpet appearances, but her character on Glee is a far cry from the fashionista she is in real life. Miniskirts, mid-calf socks with lace frills, and cardigans in every color there is to buy. But there’s a certain Catholic schoolgirl vibe to the way she’s dressed, which reminds me a bit of a mix of Alicia Silverstone on Clueless, Liv Tyler on Empire Records, and Lindsay Lohan after joining The Plastics on Mean Girls.
To get the look, we are going to update the classic school girl look, that is, the short pleated skirt and the white button-down shirt. Let’s start with the short pleated kilt, which is like the base of any Rachel Berry outfit, now instead of pairing it with a white button-down shirt, go for a white t-shirt with a large graphic print. A long gray cardigan that goes almost to the bottom of the skirt and keeps the socks in, but instead of just wearing flats, swap them out for some T-bar pumps.
tina chang
A petite gothic Lolita who can tap dance epitomizes Tina Chang’s style on Glee. Goth Lolita or Goth Loli is a type of Japanese street fashion that is inspired by Victorian dolls. So basically it’s a puffy knee-length skirt, socks, Mary Janes, and lots of lace. A lot.
But let’s make the Goth Loli look work for everyday life by making a few tweaks here and there. Because lace is an integral part of the whole look, we’ll keep it, but not in the form of a voluminous knee-length lace skirt with a peplum underneath. Instead, you can wear a tiered lace mini skirt and pair it with a tank top and cropped leather jacket. Finish the look with a bit of eyeliner, make sure it doesn’t bleed, especially if you plan on wearing it all day. My advice is to put a little at the beginning of the day, because as the day progresses and you go to reapply it, it will build up.