Character Wear: Elizabeth Bennett

One of the most popular women in literary (and BBC movie) history is Jane Austen’s Miss Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice.  This beloved character, in case you haven’t read the book or watched one of the movies, is feisty and intelligent.  Lizzie was different from the other women of her time, much like Jane Austen herself.  She loved learning and books, wasn’t a master at the pianoforte (uncommon for the time), preferred walking to riding in a carriage, and wanted to marry for love, not for status.  She stood up for herself, and in the end she married the man she loved, overcoming a formidable relative against the marriage, his prejudice, and her pride.

Lizzie’s style was more rugged and simple than the other female characters in the story.  She dressed up for dances of course, but didn’t make as much of a fuss about it as her sisters.  I’m basing this modern take on Elizabeth Bennett’s wardrobe on an outfit from the Keira Knightley movie version.  I stuck with the same color palate, but updated it so that you won’t get strange looks when you dress like her in public.  Start with a pair of deep brown cropped pants, then add a dark blue, wide scoop neck tee with long sleeves.  The more flowy on the bottom, the better.  Add a camel colored trench coat that is a little bit slouchy and not so buttoned up, to make it feel more relaxed.  Some black heels with thick straps and a dark maroon lipstick elevate the look a little bit and make it more classic.  In the picture I used, her hair is in a bun, but I prefer it when her hair is in a thick braid off to the side.  It’s every girl’s dream to be a princess, but I think it’s every literary girl’s dream to be Elizabeth Bennett. When you dress like her, be as witty and feisty and independent as she is.  Perhaps if you do, you’ll find yourself, and maybe you’ll also find your own, personal, Mr. Darcy!