I started this show off from a recommended and I’m so excited that I did! The characters are cute, relatable and make you want to be the bold type. Fashion is an incredible way to learn about the world, contrary to many people’s belief. Fashion relates to everything; trends follow politics, social events, science, and of course, people. This show depicts three women working for a fictional magazine called Scarlett. Scarlett is a magazine for women, by women that’s not just about mascara and dresses, but about what that mascara and dress can do for a woman in her career and in her life. I love how the job these women are working is portrayed, I love the girl power, and I love how they show a modern work environment can change and be challenging for all the strangest reasons. Joanna Coles, aka previous EOC of Cosmopolitan and current CCO of Hearst Magazines, is an executive producer of this show and it’s incredible that it’s based off her story.
What I don’t love is how fashion, and specifically clothes, are represented in the show. Working at a fashion magazine does not mean anything goes with the dress code. It is still a place of work and there is a difference in clothes meant for casual day wear, and clothes meant for work. The men portrayed in this show are wearing suits and button ups. Khakis do make an appearance but paired with ties to make up for their casualness. Many of the leading ladies’ outfits, however, feature incredibly short skirts, tops that show torso or a lot of cleavage, or heels that are definately not comfortable for running around an office all day. I am not shaming any women for wearing what they want to wear, but I am questioning the decisions of the costume designer. If we want to represent fashion as the necessity it is to society, why are we still dressing characters as if it doesn’t?