One major occupational hazard that comes up when writing a book about The Mary Tyler Moore Show is staring at all of the gorgeous clothes on Rhoda and Mary. I’m more of a Rhoda than a Mary, fashion-wise — well, everything-wise — but I often drool over Mary’s dresses, too. My boyfriend has actually uttered the exasperated words, “Ugh, I wish you’d just buy a long-sleeved minidress like Mary’s and get it over with already.”
In that spirit, I’ve been browsing around the Internet for some modern-day Rhoda and Mary looks at reasonable prices. (There will be shopping once I get my advance check!) And because I couldn’t find any Mary-related fashion posts out there whose links were up-to-date, I’ll share some of my finds here for the greater good of Internet Marys and Rhodas everywhere:
A simple, classy, Mary-ish dress perfect for any laid-back workplace, from Forever 21:
Free People has loads of ’70s-inspired, but modern-feeling, clothing for the Rhodas among us. (It’s all a little too rocker/hippie for the buttoned-up career girls like Mary.)
Rhoda would plotz for this floaty top, specifically in the bright brick color:
I think Mary and Rhoda could’ve easily shared this flarey dress, which they’d both accessorize to make their own:
And every ’70s-inspired girl needs a good set of flared-leg pants as well as a lace-up top:
And though I’m not sure Mary and Rhoda would shop Urban Outfitters if they were around today — Mary’s definitely more tailored than that — they’d miss out on some good stuff by not going there. A few pretty, affordable pieces:
I’m completely swooning over this red shirt-dress, which is sexier than Mary would ever go, but reminiscent of her endless collection of shirt dresses.
Ditto this hippie-dippie number, a perfect Rhoda dress.
And please, Rhodas, don’t forget your scarves. There’s a cute, bright floral one here, among many others at Urban.
