Mary Richards made me wear it!
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran from 1970 to 1977.Mary Tyler Moore played Mary Richards a news producer and single woman . As a working woman the character of Mary Richards became a symbol of American working women .This show was fundamental in the portrayal of working women in America. Mary Richards, Moore's character was a role model to an entire generation. She worked the newsroom like no other and held her own in a man's world.
Mary Tyler Moore who turned the world on with her smile, passed away Wednesday at 80 years old. Moore was a beloved actress ,who also worked hard for charities.She died surrounded by her friends and family. Moore will be remembered most for her portrayal of Mary Richards.
Mary Richards did not just turn the world on with her smile , she also turned the world on with her style. The Mary Tyler Moore Show wardrobe was created by costume designer Leslie Hall. Mary Richards was the first single working woman who was not portrayed as sad and desperate for a man. When she first arrived on our t.v sets she still dressed like a college girl with go-go boots and miniskirts. While the character of Mary Richards evolved so did her wardrobe. Therefore we saw the wardrobe of working women in America evolve and develop .
MARY TYLER MOORE INFLUENCED A GENERATION OF DESIGNERS
I remember Mary Richards in the newsroom as a stylish woman. Her turtlenecks, sweater vests , pea coats,flared pants, and printed shirt dresses helped shape American style.
As a costume designer, designer and stylist I admit I was influenced by the Mary Tyler Moore Show. I loved seeing Mary Richards toss her beret in the opening credits. While working women had been portrayed on television before , like Marlo Thomas in That Girl, this was new. A single working woman who celebrated being single. Most noteworthy this was really the first time we saw the wardrobe of a working woman.The costumes for The Mary Tyler Moore show truly reflected their times. We saw the uniform of the working woman, the clingy knit dresses ,the matching color-block pantsuits, the Evan Picone separates.
As women in the 1970's reinvented themselves, fashion helped.While single women , divorced women , career women and liberated women celebrated a new freedom.Their wardrobes reflected this new age. Clothing even in the office was colorful and personal. The knitwear of the 70's moved with the body. Mary Richards was never compromised by the fact she dressed like a woman.The next decade would show how working women would drop their feminine wiles and adopt the power suit of their male counterparts.The 1970's fashion celebrated womanhood.
MARY TYLER MOORE AN INSPIRATION
Many American designers have cited Moore as an inspiration for the for their collections.Therefore the working women of America today wear clothing influenced by Mary Tyler Moore.
American designers like Tory Burch, Issac Mizrahi , and Michael Kors all stated Mary Tyler Moore as a muse.While designer Zac Posen names Mary Richards and her pal Rhoda as influences on his latest collection for Brooks Brothers .
I was around when Mary worked her charms on America . Therefore I also remember her stylish outfits. The style of Mary Tyler Moore can be seen on runways and catwalks today . The 1970's have been a huge source of inspiration for designers today. Therefore we need look no farther than the reruns of The Mary Tyler Moore Show . to see the fashions that inspire many creative minds of today . Feel inspired to channel your inner Mary Richards by the looks I have compiled. Hence the 70's are alive and well for us to indulge in . Enjoy, shop and feel inspired.
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