Ever since Disney Plus has premiered, I’ve been binge-watching my favorite childhood TV show: Wizards of Waverly Place. There’s plenty to love about this show between the wacky shenanigans, original spell names, sibling rivalries and iconic one liners. However, my favorite aspect of the show is one of the main characters: Alex Russo. Played by Selena Gomez, Alex is a street smart, ambitious and sly wizard-in-training. Her character goes through major development in the show’s four seasons. Alex goes from being a selfish girl only concerned with winning her family’s wizard competition to being a loving and loyal friend. All while doing this, Alex never compromises what she wants and works for; but she does learn how to play nice with others.
Alex influenced me in so many ways. She inspired me to be independent, smart and confident, but more than anything, she taught me how to dress. To date Alex Russo is the undeniable queen of fashion. I’ve never watched another TV show where I envied a character’s wardrobe. While growing up, I questioned every purchase of clothing in the hope that I’d find a shirt that “looked like Alex’s.” Everything from her pajamas to dresses to shoes to accessories looked perfect on her. Alex’s style varied from bohemian to street chic to casual, depending on her mood. These are just a few of her most memorable pieces.
More than once Alex paired sweaters with elaborate shirts. This classic combo usually included a comfy sweater thrown over a bohemian shirt and finished with a layer of necklaces. It’s easy to see why I’m now obsessed with pairing one color sweaters with everything else in my wardrobe! Alex was always good at taking classic pieces, like the blue sweater pictured above, and pairing it with her own unique sense of style.
In the TV show’s third and fourth seasons, Alex begins her love affair with scarves. These multi-colored accessories added a feminine and sophisticated flair to her wardrobe. Alex begins wearing more adult outfits and more mature styles. Scarves were the first step of this transition. My love of infinity scarves was definitely inspired by Alex!
This next fashion choice isn’t clothing per say, but it definitely makes a statement. I remember watching Wizards of Waverly Place and seeing Alex with highlights in her hair. I was shocked and impressed! I’d never met or seen anyone with such daring hair. Alex’s whole character was about standing apart from the crowd, so what better way to do that than with colored hair? Since being inspired by Alex, my hair has been blue and has been treated with natural highlights. Now highlights are commonplace, especially among teenagers, but Alex was the original trendsetter.
Another favorite fashion of Alex’s is scoop neck tops with loose sleeves. When I started practicing yoga, Alex’s clothes were used as inspiration by me. Alex’s shirts are always loose-fitting in a comfortable way, something I wanted to be apart of my yoga outfit. It’s common to see this style of workout shirts in department stores now. Of course, when Alex wore them, she just did it to look awesome!
Alex usually wears her wavy locks freely, but then there’s the occasional messy bun. Alex proved that messy buns of the early 2000s looked cool! I almost always wear my hair in a messy bun for convenience. Alex’s character is notoriously lazy, so I can understand why the messy bun is an ideal choice for her. I love how the TV show features Alex struggling to get to school on time and just throwing her hair up in a messy bun. She’s such a relatable character!
Alex is usually described as tough and her clothes reflect that personality trait. While occasionally she’ll wear dresses, she always pairs them with converse sneakers. She tends to dress down, opting for pajamas versus a ball gown. Her style is the ultimate tomboy look. I am a self-proclaimed tomboy and Alex’s clothes inspired me to wear whatever I want. Who says tomboys can’t look cute and cool?
While we’re discussing what I liked best about Alex, her tomboy look never included pink clothes. I never related more to a TV character than when Alex looked horrified at her reflection in a pink dress. I have never liked the color pink even though all the other girls in school did. I felt pressured to fit in and dress like everyone else until Alex Russo came along. I realized that I wasn’t alone! Her confident attitude and refusal to change to fit anyone’s expectations made me realize that I could do the same. This character ended up being a positive influence on me. If clothes are a reflection of a person, then Alex is one powerful and daring woman! Also, let’s not forget the time she graced us with her iconic evil witch look.