Friday 14 January 2011

Style Icon on screen: Emma Pillsbury

First of all - UK readers:
Here might be Glee spoilers as season 2 is well on it's way on FOX in the states and I have already watched it online.

I am a Gleek.
Only through Glee Beyonce and the likes find their way to my ears without me wincing or turning it off.
I am so hooked on the gripping story lines and I think all the young actors (and the older ones) are doing a marvelous job. But most of all I could swoon over the styling of the show all the time.
There's one clear stand-out character. And that is - of course - Emma Pillsbury.
(click to enlarge all pictures)


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Emma is the guidance counsellor of the school and one of the most complex characters. She divides her day between her OCDs, handing out pamphlets, giving advice and drooling over Will (well at least she used to) and buying the most incredible clothes. Her wardrobe presents an eclectic vintage, modern, prim and proper but still cheerful mix. Simply adorable. Emma somehow manages to mix the 70s (look at that flick of her hair in season 1 and all those pussybows) with a flair of the 50s and still looks so immaculately modern and fresh. At the beginning of season 1 she seemed to always go for one colour and wear many items in different tones - and it worked! Later on she combined more colours but never more than 3.

Bows, bows, bows. Emma sometimes sports 3-4 bows within one single outfit.

I love bows. Amongst polkadots and fruit prints (she's got cherry earrings!) my most favourite thing.  
Miss Pillsbury has an amazing collection of cardigans. In every episode she appears there's for sure more than just one cardigan to admire.

This is only a very very small selection of some of her cardigans. I think sometimes she wears vintage cardigans and sometimes modern day ones. Please note the most fantastic Mary Poppins one (by Forever 21) - second from the right at the bottom. Mary Poppins on a cardigan - it's just dreamy!

Emma always wears skirts or dresses. Full stop. As seen above in the bow collage she either wears uni coloured pencil skirts (especially one with bows by J.Crew, she wears that one in many colours) or floral ones (the only items in her wardrobe I am not keen on) or colourful A-line skirts like these ones. Or polkadotted ones! Emma also has signature shoes - these beautiful Mary Janes - "Penelope" by J.Crew which she has at least in those 2 colours.
Obviously she needs coats to match her cute outfits - I particularily like the green stripey Kate Spade coat.

And when she emerged in THAT wedding dress (by J.Crew) I looked about the same as Will - wide eyed, gasping for air and ready to lick the telly (though in a puppy kind of way, I wouldn't want to scare Emma with any dirtyness)

Miss Pillsbury (or shall I call her Mrs. Howell? No I simply refuse) also has an amazing collection of jewllery

Emma often wears huge vintage enamel flower brooches or beaded necklaces with big enamel flowers attached. There's so much jewllery like this on Etsy at the moment!
But the most important - to me - jewllery she wears are her sweater guards. I adore them. I have to thank Miss Pillsbury for bringing them to my attention. I liked them so much on her that I got myself one and that led to my vintage journey. So basically it's all her fault.

A.d.or.a.b.l.e.! I also love it when she clips them to her collar!

 Obviously Emma Pillsbury is a fictional character played by the incredibly cute actress Jayma Mays.
So who is behind Emmas - or Glees - incredible styling? Costume designer Lou Eyrich who did Nip/Tuck (which I found very stylish) before Glee. I love this woman - such great work.
I love it how Lou recycles all the clothes - on Glee you will see staple items many a times but mostly combined differently - like a real person would do. The characters have obviously their favourite pieces!
And many of those just mentioned have the most tremendous wardrobe - i.e. Kurt. But my second favourite is Rachel - in season 1 Rachel had a great mix of granny-toddler going on (it worked!) but in season 2 she upgraded a bit to a more polished version of herself.
She actually wears a lot of similar items to Emma but styled very differently.

Like this beautiful Marc Jacobs dress - Emma more grown up pairs a cardi, a belt, a brooch and her trusted MJs whereas Rachel prefers loud matching tights and flats. Same dress in a different colour scheme but such a different look!

I love Emma. SO adorable. She's with Carrie Bradshaw my most favourite style icon on screen - ever. And I am for sure not the only one of this opinion - if you type Emma Pillsbury into Google "clothes" is the first suggestion. Emma Pillsbury has a whole worshipping following which is led by one of the most fantastic blogs I have come across. Please have a look at "WHAT WOULD EMMA PILLSBURY WEAR" - the ladies who've set this blog up have put their heart and soul into research, they live and breathe Emma. There are guest writers who channel Emma on a daily basis and reproduce her outfits - amazing pictures. One of them also gives a tremendously heplful "Gleebay" update - she searches for Emmas (and some of Rachels and Quinns) outfits on Ebay and posts the links. Truly marvelous!


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Sadly in season 2 there's not much Emma to admire. Admittedly the whole Kurt storyline is very touching and gripping but I miss Emma and Will. Yes I loved Uncle Jesse when he was Uncle Jesse but now I want Will! And I don't like it that they are only touching upon their relationship on the surface. It's kind of lost in the glee club tornado of emotions though it was such a shocker when she got married. I truly heart Will Schuester and hopefully they find a way to each other again! She seems to have loosened up a lot - it also shows in her wardrobe. She looks much less prim and proper in season 2. Well what we get to see of her. I do have to say I dislike her hair - whereas it was her perfect 70s flick before it now seems to have curled up and looks sometimes quite untidy throughout various episodes. Very un-Emma! Let's hope the second half of season 2 has more Emma clothes and more Emma hearting Will to offer!

I leave you now with a great quote by Jayma Mays and some links of Emmas favourite labels!
"Within one episode, Emma could be disinfecting a pencil sharpener, offering advice, and dealing with overwhelming feelings for Will Schuester...What am I saying? I really just love the clothes."

J.Crew - http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp
And even though she's not so much on Emmas linklist (though not to forget the cherry earrings!) but the whole Glee cast (their show dresses!) she NEEDS a mention because I love her

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