Tess “I have a mind for business, and a bod for sin” McGill joined All-In’s girl gang for spring. In her dualities of character, (bimbo/brainiac), style (high/low), and class (working class/white collar), this big-shouldered business suit and sneakers-wearing fictional heroine of Working Girl (played brilliantly by Melanie Griffith), who takes the ferry from Staten Island to Wall Street, is a reflection of fashion itself. The 1988 film engages with the idea of projection or dressing the part, putting one’s best face forward, as well as the constructed versus “real” self.
It’s no wonder that designers, whether they saw the movie in theaters, on a VHS borrowed from Blockbuster, through a streaming service, or meme, continue to be mesmerized by Tess. It’s also not surprising that Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø would find such a colorful character alluring, but they weren’t only interested in Tess’s wardrobe, but also her circumstances. Unlike the debutant and pop star of seasons past, Tess must gagner son pain—make a living—and her wardrobe must work for day and night.
Similarly, the designers wanted to add an element of relatability to their work, both in terms of offering and materials. “There was something exciting about this idea of someone trying to impersonate someone from a different background,” said Barron. “I think that often our characters have this idea of something contradictory to them.
.. there’s something about her that is .
