My Netflix queue ran dry somewhere into my third month of maternity leave, and I ended up clicking onto an episode of The Bold Type [1] in a frenzied attempt to find entertainment I didn't have to leave the house for (and to keep from rewatching old episodes of The Office). Fast forward a few months, and I now spend my Tuesday nights watching Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee), and Sutton (Meghan Fahy) (from the comfort of my tub), then giddily picking out my outfits for the workweek. It's my favourite night (and not just because of the bubble bath, either). I may be an old Millennial, but even this child of the '80s fell hard for the 20-something women of The Bold Type [2] and their individual style. And I haven't felt this way about a show since Sex and The City [3].
Like Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha, these young women speak candidly about sex, friendships, and their careers at the fictional — but very-much-based-in-reality — Scarlet magazine. Their tight-knit relationships with one another are both enviable and relatable, as are their wardrobes. And, in the same way Sex and The City [5], or more specifically watching Carrie Bradshaw, made me think about really using fashion to convey moods, dress for occasions, or generally, tell the world: hello, this is me!, watching The Bold Type made me think about who I am and what I want to say with my outfit when I walk into work post maternity leave. Only, this time, it's less fashion fantasy and more day-to-day inspiration. And that's an important distinction in my life right now.
I agonized over what to wear to work on my first day back from leave. Nothing fit the way I remembered, and I could barely string outfits together (go figure, I could hardly string together sentences, either). The show made me look forward to getting dressed again, to make the transition from yoga pants (or more often spit-up covered pajamas) to real pants (or maybe a dress!). Each of these women, be it Jane in a miniskirt and thigh-high boots, Kat in a cool pair of palazzo pants, or Sutton in her skinnies and a tailored blazer, nails the young, creative professional. And, just as I was reliving my early days in digital publishing watching their story lines play out, I was very much reliving that excitement to dress for the job, too. While Carrie made me pine for a pair of Manolos or tempt me to pair a bra top with my cargo pants, the fashion here is experimental, but grounded, contemporary; and I found it when I needed it most.
Getting dressed for work was going to take effort, but I wanted it. I wanted to look like I care, because I do.
These women look polished, like they're really trying; none of this effortless stuff that's pervaded style culture for the better part of the last decade. (I'll show you effortless — it's me dressed in my husband's old college shirt and probably no pants at all on a Friday night.) Getting dressed for work was going to take effort, but I wanted it. I wanted to look like I care, because I do. So, with all due respect to Carrie and her iconic outfits (which still very much occupy a large portion of my fashion archives playing on repeat in my brain), The Bold Type served up something I couldn't always find watching Sex and The City reruns and that's the simple answer to this question: what should I wear tomorrow?
