David Lynch’s iconic but short-lived cult serial drama Twin Peaks married elements of 1940s noir film with the soft sepia warmth of early ’90s fashion in which brown lipstick and earth tones were featured heavily. As spring approaches, you may be tempted by ice cream pastels and rave-worthy neons, but don’t dismiss unassumingly modest palettes of creams and browns. My look borrows heavily from the hybrid school girl, grandma-chic of Twin Peaks starlet Lara Flynn Boyle in the role of Donna.
Donna is an exemplar of the studious middle class all-American girl, but in keeping with the grotesque kitsch of David Lynch, her conservative knee-length A-line skirts and loose-fitting clothes take on an eerie nostalgia in their reference to a utilitarian 1940s style. Her preppy facade slowly crumbles as repressed supernatural and corrupt forces take their melodramatic course in the town of Twin Peaks. Whether or not you imagine yourself the epicenter of an early ’90s horror soap opera, you are absolutely entitled to the sweet and subtle style of its heroines.
The first step in your transformation into the deceptively innocuous school girl is acquiring a great pair of brogues. Brogues are as versatile and androgynous as shoe staples come, but when paired with nylons or a sweet pair of stockings, they are suddenly doll-like and delicate. Next, add a dash of fresh air with a flowing floral A-line skirt in an earthy palette. Here, I wear a high-waisted knee-length skort, which is perfect for cycling around campus while also affording me a more formal and polished look than a pair of shorts or jeans. With a thrifted cream top featuring embroidered kittens, and a square-faced watch, I’m ready to gallop to tutorial (or hold secret conspiratorial bathroom meetings with other school girls during it).
