This isn’t cosplay. This is about channeling the essence of the women who made moodiness, rebellion, romance, and unapologetic defiance timeless. I get it, breaking into the classics isn’t easy. The language can feel like it’s trying to confuse you on purpose to get a good laugh. But, what the literary scholars won’t tell you: most of our favorite “classics” are just the OG Gossip Girl and Clueless.
The first book that hooked me was Emma by Jane Austen. Emma gossips about British high society, judges everyone around her, plays matchmaker, and wears the kind of outfits that would kill on a runway. She’s basically Blair Waldorf in a bonnet.
And while these stories may seem like they’re about women just “existing,” it’s that existence that makes them so powerful. These women left a mark on our brains and our wardrobes. Literature gives us heroines with depth and resilience; fashion gives us a way to embody them in the real world.
As someone who studied literature in college, these women were my Pinterest board before Pinterest was even on my radar. They taught me to dress like someone who was one page turn away from a grand, dramatic, romantic revelation. Like I had secrets. Like I had money. And honestly? It’s kind of the only way I know how to live, So yes, my opinion holds some weight here.
Fashion as Romatic Delusion
Literature and fashion are both about performance, identity, and transformation. They are art forms that let us rebel, long, rage, and experience romance, whether through prose or a puff sleeve. I mean, Virginia Woolf and Elsa Schiaparelli were modernists at the same time, both building their own world-building aesthetic. And if that connection jumped into my head unprompted, then these two worlds definitely belong together.
We romanticize life to survive it. So why not do it in a trench coat that makes you feel like Elizabeth Bennet walking through the mud to Mr. Darcy’s house?
We live in a time where identity is curated. Our lives consist of Instagram reels and TikTok, and the clothes we wear only make stakes higher and matters worse. Outfits are no longer just outfits, they’re personality tests. They’re the narrative we build for who we are or who we are going to be.
Iconic Heroines & How to Channel Them (Without Looking Like a Halloween Costume)
Here is where we translate the spirit of these women into wearable, modern fashion that makes you feel like her. The kind of outfit that says, “Yes, I’ve read the book—and no, I won’t be explaining myself any further.”
Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Predjudice)
Sharp, earthy, classy but with a rebellious twist.Lizzy is a paradox in the best way: graceful but awkward, witty but grounded, protective yet provocative. She’ll roast a suitor at the dinner table and still somehow be the most charming woman in the room.
The Look: Think brown boots, linen trousers, vintage button-ups, soft knits. Add one element that feels totally unexpected: a profanity-laced earring, a tote bag decorated like Jane Birkin’s. Something charmingly out of pocket—just like her.
For the girl who: Roast men for fun, has three unread texts from a suitor she has intellectually outpaced, and romanticizes ambition without apology.
Starter Pack:
Free People ‘Forever Young’ Bloomer Pants
As for the attitude, well, that’s up to you.
Edna Pontellier (The Awakening)
Impulsive, introspective, and absolutely unafraid to ruin a dinner party with an existential crisis. Edna craves freedom and has a flirtation with danger. Edna’s duality of fierceness and naivety is her chicest trait.
The Look: Think linen dresses, sun-kissed gold jewelry, undone hair, and a coverup you only wear after a solo evening swim. Be the boho princess in a room full of done-up corsets.
For the girl who: Protects her peace, thrives in a world built on her own terms, and wants to be asked “what do you feel?” rather than “what do you do?”
Starter Pack:
Anthropologie Strapless Gauze Maxi Dress
Madewell ‘Remy’ Mary Jane Flat
Edna’s look is less about trend and more about truth. Romantic, completely unhinged, but unforgettable.
Emma Woodhouse (Emma)
Effortlessly polished. Quietly expensive. The orginal “it” girl, and not only is she aware of it, she ensures everyone else is as well, but in a way that is tasteful and authentic to her.
The Look: Think structured blazers, ballet flats, pastel tones, nd a silk hair ribbon that does nothing to hold back any hair but is deeply necessary. Emma’s look is controlled and curated.
For the girl who: Secretly wants to micromanage everyone’s love life, but in a matching summer set. Has strong opinions, a “handsome” face, and has the mind to meddle.
Starter Pack:
Jeffrey Campbell ‘Marzipan’ Flats
Ralph Lauren Paisley Silk Scarf
Authoritative femininity with a dash of delusion. Iconic.
Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby)
Beautiful. Tragic. Sparkling with sadness. Daisy is soft and expensive and emotionally unavailable in the most softly feminine way.
The Look: Think Champagne silk, delicate pearls, kitten heels, and a bob that says “I’m fine” (spoiler alert: she’s not). Everything looks glamorous, but could easily be unraveled by one loose thread, and that’s the whole point.
For the girl who: Attempts emotional stability but prefers to cope with champagne anyway. Wears silk but not for comfort, for the sake of wearing it. You look like you have everything, and that’s exactly how you want it.
Starter Pack:
The Pearl Source Olive Drop Earrings
Sam Edelman ‘Brit Orchid’ Kitten Heel
From Page to Closet
Ultimately, dressing like these women isn’t about playing pretend—it’s about feeling seen. It’s using fashion as a tool for exploring different versions of ourselves, just like literature gives people access to explore other realities. We read about these women to better understand our own feelings, and we dress like them to express the ones we can’t name.
I feel like a different literary heroine every day. Lately? I’ve been really channeling the narrator from My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. Like I may not be necessarily thriving and confusedly struck with despair, but I am disassociating in style.
Every outfit tells a story. Some become classics. Others are left forgotten. But one thing you should always do is dress like you’re one heartbreak away from your shining moment.