what jess day would wear in 2024
The costume department for New Girl expertly nailed Jess Day’s ultra-feminine, bubbly, preppy style with a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns to capture her bright essence. Despite this, the maximalism in her outfits doesn’t quite translate to the trends of today, which got me thinking: what would Jessica Day wear in 2024?
To understand this and catch a glimpse into a modern-day version of Jess, first we must understand what her style is: twee. The exact definition of this word is “affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, quaint or cute.” Moreover, the word curiously has British origins, linking back to the 60’s/70’s “Mod” style that featured crisp lines, big lashes, bangs and patterns. These things are still relevant to today’s trends, but in more evolved, “refined” ways.
#1: mary janes
So much of jess’ style takes inspiration from past vintage aesthetics, and Mary Janes are a staple of that. Surprisingly, I don’t think we actually ever saw her rock any Mary Janes on the show, but in any style that borrows from past decades and emulates a girlish, delicate feeling, they’re essential - and her style is a perfect encapsulation of that.
#2: bows 🎀
Even though Jess is definitely more “mod” than she is “coquette” with her bright colors and bold patterns, some of her frilly outfits lean into the latter aesthetic. In the Thanksgiving episode of the first season, Jess can be seen wearing an oversized pink bow, so I think she would definitely borrow hallmark accessories from this trend. However, I think she would favor the more subtle, minimalist bows have been at the forefront of the bow resurgence.
#3: denim skirts
The older, more refined sister of the Y2K denim skirt trend is the simplified, French girl denim skirt. Picture a tailored, dark denim skirt paired with timeless ballerina flats and a loose, frilly South of France-esq blouse. While this deviates slightly from Jess’ more preppy, polished & vibrant uniforms, I think a 2024 Jess would embrace different silhouettes while still leaning into her love of mixing textures, fabrics, and silhouettes.
#4: monochromatic > maximalist
Jess is known for her love of polka dots, chevron and nautical themes. However, I think she’d adopt a monochromic look in today’s fashion world. I don’t think she’d be a capsule wardrobe girlie, but instead I think she’d definitely embrace her favorite vibrant colors like blue & pink, in the form of monochromatic uniforms. Despite more subtle colors being favored these days, one thing to note is Jessica Day knows her colors. If you’re a believer in color seasons, she’s an obvious winter with her bright blue eyes and dazzling, contrasting Snow White-like features. Because of this, even if she sports a monochromatic look, I think bold colors are still what she’d reach for the most.
#5: headbands
Statement headbands are more debatable trend — you either love ‘em or hate ‘em —, but it is a favorite of preppy girls everywhere, a category Jess most certainly belongs to. I can totally see her rocking a colorful headband to liven up an otherwise plain outfit (a rarity for her, granted), or even using one when she can’t be bothered to style her bangs. The thicker, sturdier headbands favor a more à la mode vibe, so I think she’d save those for her days when she feels like letting her accessory shine rather than her outfit.
#6: espidrilles
As you can tell by now, I’m a firm believer that Jess would take notes from French girls when evolving her style - it’s classic, like her, but more casual than her normal maximalist colors while still playing with colors with one or two aspects within the outfits. Espadrilles, a French favorite, would definitely be a go-to piece for her. I can totally see her loving the adorable bow adornment that they bring to a look, and how they can elevate outfits without causing you to look too overdressed. Because her hair and bangs especially are an accessory themselves, I think she’d tie her hair back in a loose braid or low messy bun, and pair these shoes with a floral sundress to highlight the classic simplicity of the look.
#7: tailored shorts
High-waisted, tailored shorts are a go-to for Jess, especially colored ones. While we don’t see colored denim as much these days (r.i.p. colorful skinny jeans), capsule colors like black, navy, and white (not beige for her!) would all definitely be found in her 2024 wardrobe. However, I still think she’d reach for some more playful colors too, like her beloved bright reds or emerald greens.
#8: wide-leg jeans
Wide-leg jeans are a hallmark 70’s staple, and while Jess leans more towards the 60's in her style influences, I think as she embraced more casualness within her wardrobe, she would find herself reaching for more relaxed silhouettes rather than her typical a-lines and preppy, clean lines. A bonus is that we already know she’d rock them, considering Zooey herself is often seen sporting a pair and looking gorgeous as she pairs them with a playful frilly blouse (so Jess).
#9: mod sunnies 🕶
Round or cat-eye sunglasses, ones we’d definitely see Jess in even in 2012, are still very much in style. My guess is she’d reach for cat-eye sunglasses as she matured and began to exude a different air of confidence, as they scream “glamour!” and are guaranteed head-turners. On days she wanted to lean into her bubbly, more quirky side, I think she’d reach for more irregular shapes like round ones or even hexagonal sunglasses.
#10: long flowy dresses
You cannot convince me that Jessica Day would not have a least a few dresses that pay homage to cottage-core in her closet! Can you not see her flitting around her kitchen, baking vanilla cupcakes, in a twirly, ankle-length gingham dress? I totally can. Again, an evolved Jess in my mind would try to embrace a more minimalistic style while still staying true to her core style characteristics: patterns, pops of color, and feminine silhouettes, which are all timeless.
I hope you liked this article! I’ve always loved the preppy, girly essence of Jess’ style and have often wondered to myself, while watching the show, how she would navigate evolving with today’s modern style while still staying true to her core style identity. What was most helpful in writing this was Jess’ solid, unwavering style personality, and how easy the repeating characteristics of her outfits are to identify and point out. :)
