It’s the final Friday of 2013 and so we’re bringing you a special end of year “Out of the Box.” This was the first article to run on TV Ate My Wardrobe and it’s been a regular weekly column ever since. Costuming, red carpet appearances, street style and magazine shoots have all featured heavily and we went back through the 36 weeks it has been running to see what shows and faces have appeared the most. The only stipulation is that it had to feature as part of this column and so while there have been many exceptional outfits on TV Ate My Wardrobe if it wasn’t part of “Out of the Box” it hasn’t been included.

The categories we are looking at are most featured show, character, person and favorite individual outfit. There’s also a special mention to the only week where a piece of set was included.

Show: Mad Men 

Mad Men hasn’t been lavished with as much praise in 2013 as it has in previous years, but one aspect that has remained consistently excellent is the costume design work from Janie Bryant. There are many photos I could have chosen including Peggy’s pantsuit of power (thanks Tom & Lorenzo for that name), Bob Benson’s shorts, Stan’s beard and Sally in plaid. Instead I have gone for this one from “The Flood” with Peggy and Megan in their award show frocks. Both are incredibly striking and Megan’s is very I Dream of Jeannie; as we head towards the ’70s things are getting bolder in fabric and color and even though there’s a clash in pattern between the pair there is warmth between these two characters. This scene takes place just before they find out that Martin Luther King, Jr. has been assassinated and it shows the how far removed these characters are from the civil rights movement.

 Character: April Ludgate, Parks and Recreation

April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) from Parks and Recreation appeared on the inaugural “Out of the Box” and many weeks since. With April her costuming is colorful and features a variety of patterns and the occasional animal; it’s mostly casual wear and unlike a character like Olivia Pope it’s a wardrobe that can be recreated with affordable clothes. I’m still on the hunt for the elusive perfect mustard yellow hoodie like the one in the shot above from the season 6 premiere. 2014 will be my year to find one.

Set: Hannibal “Sorbet”

The costuming on Hannibal has been much talked about here at TV Ate My Wardrobe; it’s also the only set design that has appeared on “Out of the Box.” When I wrote the original post I had yet to see The Shining and I am happy to say that this is no longer the case (I watched it after having a wisdom tooth out which was a tad surreal). This exquisite set is an homage to the bathroom in Room 237 in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Hannibal is one of the most visually arresting shows of 2013 and it’s why it deserves this special mention.

Person: Kerry Washington

This has been the year of Kerry Washington as she has dominated Scandal, magazine covers and best dressed lists; she is also the person who has featured the most on “Out of the Box.” Flare is one of the many magazines Washington covered this year (Elle, Essence, Variety, Vanity Fair and Glamour are some of the others) and this is my favorite cover shot. The polka dot Miu Miu coat and scarf have been everywhere this year and for me it is most memorable on Kerry Washington. Versatile style is something Washington has and she’s daring with her choices on the red carpet. While you can pretty much predict what some people will wear every time they hit an event, with Kerry Washington you can never been sure and it’s one of the many reasons why we love to write about her.

Favorite Individual Outfit: Darby Stanchfield at the ABC Disney TCA Party

There are many incredible outfits that have appeared on these pages and so it was tough to highlight just one; I’m going to stick to the Scandal track and go with Darby Stanchfield from an event back in August. This was before we got to see Abby’s season 3 transformation and so the wavy, wilder looking hair was a big departure from the poker straight style we were used to seeing on Stanchfield and so she instantly caught our attention. Stanchfield takes the prize of favorite individual outfit in a jacquard floral-print pleated skirt by Alexa von Canisius that cinches in at the waist and the green metallic tone complements her raven locks.

To look through all of the “Out of the Box” archives head here.

If TV Ate My Wardrobe could raid one character’s closet it probably wouldn’t be Olivia Pope (it’s just too much white for this spiller to handle and I wouldn’t want to ruin those beautiful clothes). Parks and Recreation’s April Ludgate would definitely feature at the top of this list and it’s pretty much the same as why I love Sundance red carpet fashion; it’s pretty much the perfect blend of casual and cool. So many sweaters, plaid shirts and that all important mustard hoodie.

It’s not just April’s office wear that we covet and while she might act like she doesn’t give a shit, her choice of dresses reflects otherwise. That and her mumbled “I love you too” to Ann in the big send off episode last week. This was the moment that tipped me into super misty eye territory and as with Leslie my eyes became pretty much useless.

The purple knit Presley Skye dress has an abstract animal print pattern and it’s kinda hypnotic. It also reminds me of a kaleidoscope and I love the long sleeves (which are definitely needed right now). April’s costuming includes a lot more color and pattern than you might expect for a character with a sardonic edge, not that color is for those with a sunny disposition.

Ann and Chris’ leaving party isn’t the first time April’s worn a fancy dress this season and there was a fancy pants event in the London premiere episode. The dress April is wearing has graced these pages before on Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford during New York Fashion Week. It’s Alice + Olivia and we’re drawn to the various size polka dots, because of course. Leslie also looks great in Stella McCartney in the London episode and a Ted Baker dress in last week’s episode. The pink lip color they’ve been using on Leslie all season is on my ‘find out what color’ list, the same goes with Gina on the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Super Bowl episode. If anyone knows the brand or color then let me know. This is why we need a makeup IMDb.

The Spirit Awards is held by the beach in a white tent so the atmosphere is way more laid back than the big awards show of today. The red carpet reflects this as the people who have been working the awards circuit for the past couple of months can ditch traditional fancy pants frocks and can try something a little different. It’s one of my favorite red carpets for this reason and this year did not disappoint with bold color and pattern being the big trend.

Starting with the guys and Michael B. Jordan shakes things up pairing a cream Dolce & Gabbana with a fun printed button-down shirt and no tie. This is the perfect attire for this afternoon event by the ocean and Jordan shows once again what a snappy dresser he is.

Jordan’s co-star from Fruitvale Station Melonie Diaz is wearing a Preen dress with an amazing zigzag geometric print that I am mesmerized by; it reminds me of an abstract art print. The bracelet is a nice touch that doesn’t seem too overwhelmed by the dress and the dash of pink lipstick also adds to this look.

I’m pretty much head over heels for this orange Narciso Rodriguez shift dress so I’m going to ignore how much I dislike the nude shoes Greta Gerwig is sporting. I get wearing something that doesn’t detract from the frock, but not these shoes. Anyway, I love the dress and Gerwig looks amazing. As Cate Blanchett pointed out I also don’t understand how Gerwig wasn’t nominated for her performance in Frances Ha.

Oh Kathryn Hahn, you bring me so much joy whenever you pop up on Parks and Recreation, your turn on Girls is part of Jessa’s best storyline and this Bibhu Mohapatra lime and navy brocade dress is stunning. The blue belt brings it all together and the side sweep hair is working like a charm. As is the bold pink lip color which I am always partial to.

The most anticipated red carpet arrival tonight is going to be Lupita Nyong’o as she has been the undisputed style queen of awards season and this is another winning look. While I’m not normally a huge fan of playsuits, Lupita is doing wonders for this Stella McCartney metallic one, so I can put my usual animosity for this outfit type to one side.

Another fabulous Preen gown and while it doesn’t have the same wow factor as Diaz’s geometric affair, Aubrey Plaza looks wonderful in this ’50s style silhouette and the dash of orange piping and belting really sets this off. The orange zebra-print pumps are a far cry from most of the heels on this red carpet and they’re wonderful.

More bold color and pattern from another one of the most anticipated red carpet arrivals tonight and that is Cate Blanchett as she tends to wear gowns that could double for a work of art. This is no different and this Roksanda Ilincic dress is another hit for her. The gold belting is bang on trend and the color blocking of this dress combined with the blue flower gives it an elegant, but playful twist.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Best Feature: 12 Years a Slave
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Best Documentary: Morgan Neville, 20 Feet From Stardom
Best Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Female: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Male: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
John Cassavetes Award: This Is Martin Bonner
Best International Film: Blue Is the Warmest Color
Robert Altman Award: Mud
First Feature: Fruitvale Station
First Screenplay: Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Piaget Producers Award: Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston
Best Editing: Nat Sanders, Short Term 12

This week PaleyFest has featured panels for show that are just ending, have barely just begun and ended long ago. Out of the Box is taking a look at some of the best looks from the various panels this week and with shows including Mad Men, Masters of Sex, The Mindy Project and Community still to come expect more next week.

Yunjin Kim is wearing a stunning red structured wrap dress at the Lost reunion panel where we were told once again what we already know and that is the island wasn’t purgatory. Discussion gripes aside it was good to see some of the cast reunited and it’s hard to believe how much the TV landscape has changed since Lost debuted 10 years ago.

Pretty Little Liars is a show I fell behind on and never caught up with, I still hope to but in the meantime here is Troian Bellisario rocking a super cute Charlotte Ronson dress. The red belt breaks up the pattern and it’s making me want to crack out the summer frocks even if it’s still too early (it might be sunny today, but it’s still not warm enough for that).

Jumpsuits aren’t generally my thing; black tends to be where I can jump on board with this trend and Aubrey Plaza’s Jonathan Simkhai getup can join the shortlist of jumpsuits I would consider wearing. First of all it has pockets, always a plus and I like that it cinches in the waist which prompted a mini ‘is this a jumpsuit or top/pants?’ debate. The slight pink accents are a nice touch too.

Lyndie Greenwood has been bumped up to a series regular on Sleepy Hollow next season as Abbie’s sister Jenny and this pleases me no end. Greenwood’s mint green Ted Baker skater dress is both casual and dressy; if I dared to wear light colors this is something I would very much like in my wardrobe. This is maybe a random observation, but Greenwood has the best eyebrows on TV.

Bonus Sleepy Hollow cast as Tom Mison assures the audience while his jeans may look of the skinny variety, they are most certainly not. The cardigan/tee look works very well for Mison. Orlando Jones is repping for his character with a t-shirt bearing his mugshot and “Free Frank Irving” underneath (sadly obscured by his hand here). Nicole Beharie has opted for monochrome and looks amazing; I do wonder what it would be like if the women dressed as casually for these events as the guys. Like I get why they dress up and after all most of Out of the Box this week is women in fancy/casual attire, but it feels like there is an expectation for actresses to get dolled up for these events, whereas the guys can rock up in whatever.

After the foray into Hannibal last week, we return to the red carpet this week with the Tribeca Film Festival and some frocks that have caught our attention.

Aubrey Plaza and Maggie Grace are both pulling off simple and elegant looks at the About Alex premiere with Plaza in scarlet Valentino and Maggie Grace in crisp white Kaufmanfranco. Details like the bow on Plaza’s dress and the flash of canary yellow with both Grace’s pumps and belt set off both looks. Luckily Grace’s heels distract from the nude heel let down on Plaza.

Mindy Kaling ditches her usual colorful palette for a super chic black Helmut Lang ensemble while supporting co-star Chris Messina directorial endeavor Alex of Venice (yes I’ve picked the two movie premieres with Alex in the title). While I don’t want to see Kaling ditching her bold red carpet choices, she looks really great in this non-signature style.

An Ugly Betty reunion at the premiere of America Ferrera’s X/Y with Judith Light posing with her former co-star. We love Judith Light here at TV Ate My Wardrobe (this includes Broad City’s version) and her floral coat is everything. Especially when paired with black pants and turtleneck. Judith Light you can do no wrong. Ferrera looks wonderful in a Roland Mouret navy and white halter dress and the orange Rodo clutch adds a splash of bright color that ties this all together.

Gillian Jacobs poses for a portrait studio session at the Tribeca Film Festival for her new film “Life Partners” and this falls into my striped clothes obsession. It has a hint of the Tanya Taylor outfit we featured a few weeks ago on Jessica Williams and the contrasting vermilion color with gold piping produces a knockout look for Jacobs.

As there’s been a lot of red carpet goings on this week starting with the WHCD followed by the Met Gala (parts one and two) “Out of the Box” is going for a selection box approach of looks that have caught our eye this week. This includes magazine covers, premieres and one of the many romantic moments from The Mindy Project season finale.

Aubrey Plaza attends the LA Palo Alto premiere in a striking Peter Pilotto dress. It’s an edgy take on a spring floral frock and the mix of prints on this silk-blend dress creates a strong visual using bold color and pattern. While it might look a bit like a Magic Eye picture – sadly my eyes weren’t magic as I could never see the boat or whatever it was – it manages to avoid looking like a hypnotic mess. Love the combination of purple, blue and white.

Another bold and colorful choice with Yvonne Strahovski in Emanuel Ungaro at the UK premiere for 24: Live Another Day. This color block creation looks like a fancy bathrobe (in this case not a bad thing) and the contrasting blue panels make quite the impression. It’s been a good week for Strahovski as she also appeared on the new season of Louie and I still need to catch both that and 24. Let the end of season/new shows pile up begin.

Regular readers will know how much I love TV editions of magazines and this year’s New York magazine cover star is in one TV event that I am highly anticipating – The Normal Heart on HBO – and the most watched sitcom on TV right now. Jim Parsons isn’t who I was necessarily expecting to see on the cover (last year was Michael Douglas, Jessica Paré in 2012) and while I’m not a Big Bang Theory fan, I do really like this cover image. It’s an incredibly bright color combination and as with the Jessica Paré covered issue, yellow is an important part of the design concept. If it came out in January this might be too much sunshine styling to handle, but it’s May and I’m all for color explosion like this.

The Mindy Project aired its excellent season 2 finale this week and one of the visual highlights was the Danny and Mindy New York tour that paid homage to the Nora Ephron movies that both Mindy Kaling and Mindy Lahiri hold close to their heart. Mindy Kaling’s Instagram account is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes photos from The Mindy Project including this beautiful sunset shot. It also shows how important it was on this occasion to use real New York rather than a backlot in LA, where it would be impossible to capture a moment like this.

A week of movie premieres, one last Comic-Con shout out and the first in the Fall preview magazine covers in this edition of “Out of the Box.”

The big movie opening this weekend is of course Guardians of the Galaxy and I adore Karen Gillan’s striking fuchsia Gucci dress at the London photocall. The leather Peter Pan collar spices the look up and I am forever in love with her pixie cut – I think I more bummed out by her long hair in the forthcoming Selfie than the terrible name of this show.

The Parks and Recreation cast is killing it this season with anticipated movie projects during the hiatus; Life After Beth is on a much smaller scale and yet it is also taking up the same amount of “aaaaargh I really want to see it” space. Aubrey Plaza is getting not one, but two mentions today proving that it is not just April Ludgate that rates highly on the TV Ate My Wardrobe sartorial list. At the New York screening Plaza wears a beautiful Honor ivory frock with a gold accented tree design. It is both elegant and funky.

Earlier that day Aubrey Plaza wore a cute Tanya Taylor gingham/floral print top pairing it with an edgier pleated leather skirt and flipping back to sweeter baby blue (super high) pumps. It’s a very cool daytime look and one I would like to try (probably switching out the heels for something not so stacked).

Comic-Con has dominated the style posts and panel discussions this week and Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany took part in the Entertainment Weekly “Women who Kick Ass” session in this delightful ensemble. It’s summer, but as Aubrey Plaza, Keri Russell and now Tatiana Maslany show you can still wear this fabric even in the warmest of climates. Maslany’s even gone for tights which might be a step too far into hot legs territory. The black and white stripe blouse narrowly escapes looking like a referee shirt and this is the epitome of cool casual for Comic-Con. And just look how smiley she is.

Portlandia’s Carrie Brownstein covers the new issue of Bust and it makes me so glad that fall is coming if this is what it is going to be like. It is a bold, colorful cover and reminds me I need to catch up with Portlandia still (I’ve seen season 1). The interview covers the dissolution of her band Sleater-Kinney as well as the genesis of her current show and friendship with Fred Armisen. Brownstein is working on a memoir that is slated for release in 2015 and a cookbook inspired by Portlandia will be released in October (I love TV themed cookbooks, even if I buy them and never use them). It even tempts me to wear dungarees with a white tank, which is jumpsuit avoidance territory normally.

Movie premieres featuring TV husband and wife adorableness, street style, talk show appearances, a sneak peek at new web series and a HFPA event are all included in this edition of “Out of the Box.” Alas there is nothing from the Teen Choice Awards, but the sea of crop tops was kind of uninspiring and even Taylor Swift has been wearing better outfits when leaving the gym (and on The Tonight Show as you will see below).

One thing that is always guaranteed to warm my heart is when cast members show their support for their co-stars other projects. Chris Pratt has of course had a huge week with the monstrous success of Guardians of the Galaxy so he is forgiven for ditching tailored suits – I think I like this rugged style better on him anyway – for a more relaxed look at the LA premiere of Aubrey Plaza’s Life After Beth. Plaza has been making some interesting red carpet choices recently and this floral lace Valentino frock is another one I love as both Plaza and her character April Ludgate continue to reign supreme here at TV Ate My Wardrobe.

The color and cut of Kate Mara’s dress is pretty much my ideal (yellow is an ultimate clothing weakness). Paired with shades, a Coach bag, white Jil Sander buckled loafers and an iced drink makes effortless summer in the city styling.

Taylor Swift has turned leaving the gym into something of a catwalk and she delivered when visiting The Tonight Show earlier this week in a Bec & Bridge dress that is giving me all the long legged envy. Also the ability to walk in super stacked Prada sandals without stumbling/falling into an embarrassing heap. Still not sure about the shaggy, voluminous hair as it’s looking a touch bad ’80s, however the dash of pink lip color avoids being too matchy matchy with the similar shade on the dress. Jimmy continues the trend for striking purple ties this week.

It was announced earlier this week on Buzzfeed that the Veronica Mars team are coming back with a web series and creator Rob Thomas explains it “will have more in common with Party Down tonally, but it will be about Ryan Hansen, or at least a version of Ryan Hansen, deciding to capitalize on the current Veronica Mars heat to get his own series on the air.” This is terrific news as I need to find something to fill the Party Down hole in my life; Ryan Hansen shared a sneak look at what we can maybe expect from this show on his Instagram and it is glorious.

Oh hey, Veronica Mars! Kristen Bell with a lovely bouquet of flowers and a rather fetching companion at the HFPA Grants Banquet in LA. Kerry Washington’s strapless Mary Katrantzou floral number is sweet without entering saccharine territory; pairing it with pumps that have colorful edge makes me so happy. No beige shoes here.

The Emmys are over and the red carpet has been awash with fabulous attire (the ‘best of’ rundown is here, here and here) so this edition of “Out of the Box” is a mixture of iconic shots of the week, magazine covers and a new fashion campaign featuring a Game of Thrones star.

While TV Ate My Wardrobe has been Emmy focused this week, another awards show took place with the VMAs and Beyoncé performed an incredible 12-song medley over 16 minutes. One of the defining images came during “Flawless” as Beyoncé stood defiant in front of a huge “FEMINIST” sign (for an excellent article on Beyoncé and this moment head here). It’s been a banner week for women in pop and feminism with Taylor Swift also reconciling her past dismissive thoughts on feminism with an acknowledgement that she is a feminist.

Entertainment Weekly released four in motion Walking Dead covers; this one featuring Michonne is incredible and by far the most striking.

It looks like Nylon magazine is ditching its TV issue special format for their September issue; however one of TV Ate My Wardrobe’s TV favorites is covering the ‘Rebel Fashion’ themed edition with Aubrey Plaza in leather and (faux?) fur. You can watch a video of Aubrey here talking about the location of the photo shoot, designers she is into and the final season of Parks and Recreation.

Kit Harington isn’t the only Game of Thrones star booking fall campaigns as Sophie Turner is looking a far cry from the heavy gown wearing and now feathered shouldered Sansa Stark as part of the new Karen Millen showcase. In the accompanying video (which you can see below) Turner is wearing this floral jacket (you can get an oversized version at the moment) as she travels across London to the shoot while the strains of Elastica’s “Connection” (this song sums up my Britpop years) plays over the top. It’s a cool nod to the decade that is influencing fashion at the moment and London is a prominent feature now as it was then.

Pretty, patterned and textured (alliteration be damned) frocks ahoy from a variety of premieres, award shows and red carpet events on this edition of “Out of the Box.”

It’s not just because of the all important pocket factor that makes me head over heels for Aubrey Plaza in Mary Katrantzou; the bold and colorful print is pure Mary Katrantzou magic and Plaza is a sartorial delight. There’s no need for accessories with a dress like this and I’m so happy to see gold sandals rather than nude pumps as the footwear choice.

Kaitlyn Dever was only in one episode of Party Down as Karen’s wannabe actress daughter Escapade, but because she was mentioned so frequently I still automatically think of the company picnic episode whenever I see her. A slight tangent to start with and here is Dever at the New York premiere of Laggies (I can’t wait to see this movie) in a stunning black lace Oscar de la Renta frock and platform Brian Atwood peep-toes. This look is elegant, age appropriate and uses the sheer trend in way that doesn’t have me yelling “Whyyyyyyyyy?” at my screen for once.

Dolce & Gabbana have embraced fairy tale fashion in their fall 2014 collection and Michelle Monaghan is working the key motif number like a charm at the 20th Annual Fulfillment Fund Stars Benefit Gala. The floral print contrasts with the black jacquard dress and is a prime example of how to wear florals long after the summer is over.

The runway was awash with gingham last month as Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta and Altuzarra were all working this trend; Kristen Schaal wore this super cute blue and white gingham dress to the Bob’s Burgers PaleyFest panel completing the look with a pair of white Oxfords. Flat shoe high five!

MTV and Logo are both premiering Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word documentary tonight and last night Cox was joined by her OITNB co-star Taylor Schilling to celebrate this television event. Cox spent the day wearing a variety of purple outfits for Spirit Day (and you can see them all on her Instagram) and she saved the best for last in this beautiful Monique Lhuillier lace gown. Schilling’s multicolored floral button down has a splash of purple and I wish we could see her shoes (or booties if I had to guess) a little better as it looks like the carpet has merged with her feet. There’s a clash in fancy levels between the two outfits, but as Cox is the one in the spotlight it makes sense that her attire is far dressier.

Kerry Washington does the whole fresh faced look on the cover of Allure and it’s one of her best magazine covers to date (and over the past year there have been many). Wearing what looks like an Olivia Pope wine cardigan this is a far cry from her Scandal character with choppy, tousled and shorter locks plus a whole lot of cleav.

Time to look back at the many amazing outfits that have featured on “Out of the Box” and this year we are splitting it over two parts due to the high volume of incredible looks. There are going to be a variety of categories and a whole host of TV Ate My Wardrobe favorites.

Best Magazine Cover 

A lot of magazine covers have graced these pages this year but none took our breath away quite like Orange is the New Black’s Samira Wiley on the cover of the 20th anniversary issue of the Out100.

Best February NYFW Runway Watching 

I love everything about this super bold color ensemble from Solange. Even that feathered bag.

Best Pleated  

I wrote a whole thing the other day about how I had never worn leather aside from shoes and bags; while leather jackets are still super intimidating I’m pretty sure a pleated leather skirt would be in my wheelhouse. Aubrey Plaza does pattern and pleats well.

Best Red Lip Color

Keri Russell appeared in Brooklyn Magazine back in September and here she wears Urban Decay’s 24/7 lip liner “69,” which has become a red lip color staple in my makeup bag.

Best Summer TCA 

At The Bridge TCA panel (*sob* that it didn’t get renewed) Diane Kruger stunned in this color block Roksanda frock. Super stylish and effortless chic from a TV Ate My Wardrobe staple.

Best High Waisted Shorts

I’m still pretty heartbroken about Selfie’s premature end and instead of dwelling on that sadness; here is Karen Gillan on her way into Jimmy Kimmel Live! from October in a perfect sidewalk strutting ensemble.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week.

Happy Thursday! And yes it is time for another Behind the Insta-Scenes roundup and this week we’ve got an array of photos from sets such as Parks and Recreation (enjoy it while you can as this is the final season), The Good Wife, The Mindy Project (with a bonus special gift from Mindy) and Jane the Virgin.

Father/daughter time on The Good Wife and Sarah Steele is always a welcome sight as Marissa Gold; can she be my body woman please? I wouldn’t mind a glass of milk or a helpful snark filled bit of advice.

What better way to congratulate someone on an Oscar nomination than with a special wreath and the Wreath Witherspoon gag from The Mindy Project’s festive episode is still making me laugh a month later. Glad to see Reese Witherspoon is into this new holiday tradition.

Jenny Slate loves a t-neck (is Felicity her style icon?) and Kroll Show is giving her an outlet to wear this garment.

Going full Claire Danes as Juliet on the set of Jane the Virgin - wings like this will always conjure up Romeo + Juliet feelings – with Gina Rodriguez teasing a potential Chapter Seventeen costume look.

The all-denim Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa styling is still one of my favorite Parks and Recreation costume moments and hopefully we will get to see more outrageous outfits from the pair in this final season.

More from Parks and Rec’s final season (*sob*) with Retta treating us to a closer look at April’s flashback look from her very specific leaving party theme.

Another excellent Mindy Project guest star and Vanessa Williams is getting in on the amazing coat and patterned dress action.

Parks and Recreation is coming to an end (*sob*) and there is a lot I’m going to miss about the show including how it can make me laugh and cry in equal measure; sometimes as with last week’s episode both at the same time. TV Ate My Wardrobe was in part created as a result of how often I would comment on April Ludgate’s costuming and for that I am grateful, but also sad as there is only a limited amount of outfits to covet and I still have yet to find the elusive perfect mustard yellow hoodie.

Multiple outfits standout from this week’s double bill with bold prints on display throughout and several Tory Burch pieces.

First up from “Gryzzlbox” is this floral beauty (disdainful scowl not included, but can be perfected) from Cooper & Ella.

Also from “Gryzzlbox” is this striped and dotty pattern clashing dream that I love as much as Craig’s lists (“Watermelon martinis, exposed brick, Keri Russell’s hair”) with Band of Outsiders on top and Tory Burch ‘Klarissa’ skirt.

In the second of the Parks double bill – two episodes is lovely each week but it means the end is nigh – April’s pattern top glory continues with this Opening Ceremony multicolor print tee. Plus bonus Leslie floral goodness in you guessed it, Tory Burch.

And one final April Ludgate ensemble and while it’s not clear from the shot above this is a polka dot doozy from Tory Burch. The skirt it is paired with over at Farfetch looks a whole lot like the leather pleated one Aubrey Plaza wore and featured on TV Ate My Wardrobe’s Best of 2014 list. An outfit to make my ultimate covet board:

Expect more April Ludgate and Parks and Recreation musings before the end of the season.

Mustard yellow hoodies, sweaters, patterns and prints; April Ludgate is a TV Ate My Wardrobe style icon. With Parks and Recreation coming to an end tonight it is time to celebrate April and while I am sure this character would hate this level of attention and emotional attachment, I’m going to do the equivalent of all those hugs she has tried to avoid over the seasons.

April is fond of snarky comments, references that would have sparked occult fears in the mid-90s and reminding the audience that she hates almost everything. Her costume design doesn’t necessarily reflect this and while it would have been easy to represent this aspect of her personality with dark attire, they went in an entirely different direction with bold color and pattern.

April has proclaimed on many occasions that she hates people:

[Source]

A special few have cracked April’s “I hate people” mantra with Andy being top of the list and going from a ‘will they/won’t’ to getting married shortly after they started dating in season 3 was a shrewd move by the writers.  The Anne obstacle card was played early and getting passed this allowed both Andy and April to grow in unexpected ways. Yeah they still ate turkey-chili off a frisbee and shared one fork, but their romantic union has not really faltered since they became Mr and Mrs Dwyer.

The focus of April’s anxiety as the show has progressed has been career orientated as she has struggled to find a job she finds fulfilling. There was a brief spell where veterinary school was going to be a thing, but that never came to pass (it did lead to a fun Fantasy Costuming post). Leslie is of course the hero of the show and her optimism in the face of everything is inspirational and yet I look to April for more than just her excellent style. Comfort has been found in April’s all too real struggle to find her place in the world and it is one I know well. Trying to figure out what you want to do is terrifying when surrounded by people who know exactly what they want to be and you only have some of your shit together. Television can be many things and reflecting back personal experience is just one of those aspects; while I have never worked in a Parks department I know what it is like to be lost and struggling to pin down a career path. Hell, I still know what it is like as I try and turn this writing thing into something sustainable.

April Ludgate is more than just a TV character to me because in part she represents these feelings of being stuck while also surrounded by an awesome group of people. To see April get what I expect to be a happy ending tonight gives me hope and I’m sure she would roll her eyes hard at that. Aubrey Plaza’s performance has never allowed April to fall into caricature and the emotional scenes where she lets other characters in on her hopes and fears have always been a high point. I even cried when she hugged Ben this season, yes this is where I am at emotionally with this show ending. It’s not just April who is a TV Ate My Wardrobe style favorite as Plaza’s off screen attire leans heavily on prints and pattern; Plaza is also the reason I now have a leather pleated skirt obsession.

And what of the outfits? Without the multiple times I uttered how much I loved something April was wearing this website might not be a thing. This character is in part why TV Ate My Wardrobe came into existence as I wanted my own space to talk about the television I love and the on screen style which has impacted my own wardrobe. April is a huge part of this and while I am still yet to find the perfect mustard hoodie – there will be a parade when this finally comes to pass – the Wish List is losing one of its dream characters when Parks ends tonight. However, there are still outfits left to covet and here are a couple of dresses that made me yelp with joy when they appeared last week in the penultimate episode “Two Funerals.”

*Sings in the style of Jean-Ralphio* Pooooooooooolka Dotssssssss. My feelings towards this outfit are strong and this dress is from Madewell.

The smart business lady wear of characters like Olivia Pope and Alicia Florrick is stunning and covetable from a fantasy point of view; at the moment I don’t have a reason (or budget) to wear clothes like that. April’s appeal covers a lot of ground – she’s fucking hilarious and to use a blech word I find her very relatable – and part of this is how closely her style matches my own, or at least how I aspire it to be. I like dressy attire and the above Cynthia Steffe frock falls into several categories of dress that can be fun, functional and funky (eye rolling at myself for that alliteration). We like to see ourselves reflected on screen and while I’m pretty sure April would hate this essay, she would maybe reluctantly give me a hug and then run away.

And to end things on a moment that not only includes another item I am desperately trying to get my hands on, but one of my all time favorite Parks and Recreation clips.

“Ring-a-ding-ding!”

Find your team and get to work! April Ludgate was the focus of the TV Ate My Wardrobe Parks and Recreation goodbye for both her style influence and how the show managed to capture the anxiety of not knowing what you want to be/do so brilliantly through this character. Parks is all about the team so while April is our style icon, it is perhaps fitting that the leader of the team gets the Wish List costuming honor from the series finale.*

*Please be aware that as I write this the screen is still blurry from the mess these last two episodes have made me.

Throughout the seasons Leslie’s look has got more polished and her blouse collection cannot be rivaled. Floral prints are a repeated motif and this is something we see in the finale; however it is the striking black and white blouse which makes our list.

It mirrors one of our favorite current trends with the lady tux and from a distance the black trim has that effect. The ‘Quiana’ blouse is by Diane von Furstenberg and I would very much like it in my life. And here is a closer look (albeit through a window shot):

And here is one last April Ludgate outfit to covet for good measure:

In the future there will be more sweaters underneath dresses – I kind of like how the future costuming is pretty similar to the clothes of now – and this green dress is T by Alexander Wang. Digging the specs too.

And to round things off how about a song to carry on the Parks related tears and The Gabe Dixon Band’s “All Will Be Well,” which was used during the montage sequence as Andy and April drove to the Grand Canyon in the season 4 episode “End of the World.”

A very busy Behind the Insta-Scenes this week with Oscars action, Mindy Project guest star heaven, the end of Parks and Rec (*sob*) and other set shenanigans.

Winners and losers hanging out together all smiles at the Governors Ball. Yes I yelped with happiness when Questlove appeared on stage during “Everything is Awesome.”

The only caption this needs is swoooooooooooooooooon.

A Gossip Girl reunion we didn’t know we wanted at Elton John’s annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party.

What to do between parties? Grabbing a burger with Jonathan Groff in a tuxedo sure sounds like a great idea. Just don’t spill any sauce on that white shirt.

Halloween in February for Looking with an excellent and high on the cringe factor episode. Bonus points for costumes which actually looked homemade rather than the TV version of homemade.

The Mindy Project excels in the guest department and what could be better than a very beardy Stephen Colbert as a priest?! Not much.

Parks and Recreation finale sadness combined with how much I heart this cast equals all the feelings.

Ben Schwartz has been posting Parks and Rec behind the scenes photos for the duration of season 7 and this is definitely one of my all time fave Jean-Ralphio moments.

Splendid dresses and posing skills from the ladies on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Even spies still want to grab a quick cup of coffee.

The Independent Spirit Awards got lost in the Oscar red carpet crazy and because it is one of my favorite red carpet events – there is SO much color and pattern – most of this week’s “Out of the Box” is dedicated to this with a smattering of the post Oscars Vanity Fair party. February is a whirlwind of fancy pants dresses (sometimes literally), so I am glad to round off the month on a high of print and bold tones.

After tearfully saying goodbye to TV Ate My Wardrobe style icon April Ludgate it is only right to start with Aubrey Plaza in floral Suno; even though Parks is over it is safe to say Plaza will be gracing these pages a whole bunch.

I have strong feelings about Jenny Slate, Mary Katrantzou and the color yellow; together this is perfection. Related – I have spent the past few days saying “look like dis” all thanks to this amazing Kroll Show sketch.

Combining pockets, print and color for one exceptional ensemble is Ava DuVernay.

It is a cute sundress palooza and Gillian Jacobs is an “Out of the Box” staple when it comes to outfits like this Preen frock and red pumps.

Cate Blanchett is a style queen and she gets the laidback vibe spot in a heart fluttering Schiaparelli Couture.

More glorious yellow from How to Get Away with Murder’s Aja Naomi King with a dash of snakeskin pattern pumps. The big question is after ditching HTGAWM mid-season should I watch last night’s finale?

One reason I love the Independent Spirit Awards red carpet so much is it is the optimal point of fun and fancy; where dress length can be anything you want. And Julianne Moore’s Christian Dior Couture sparkly mini number ticks all the boxes.

Even the dudes get in on the colorful attire, although David Oyelowo showed at the Oscars it isn’t a onetime thing and while this baby blue suit is a little rumpled in places I am still swooning all over the place.

Well this just delightful and Emmy Rossum in Oscar de la Renta has me wishing it was a little warmer right now (layers and layers of knits is what I have covered myself in today).

I’m a little mad I didn’t get to this red carpet sooner because look how perfect all of these dresses are?! Another incredible floral beauty with Rinko Kikuchi in Chanel.

A switch in party but not pattern joy with Rashida Jones at the post Oscars Vanity Fair shindig looking resplendent in Andrew Gn.

Deviating from the color/pattern theme and Mindy Kaling wearing another incredible creation from Mindy Project costume designer Salvador Perez. Kaling is normally all about the bold and while this has neither color nor print it might be one of the boldest outfits she has worn. Simply stunning.

A mostly SXSW “Out of the Box” with a dash of PaleyFest, talk show appearance sartorial highs and the Game of Thrones London premiere.

As with PaleyFest, Comic-Con or the TCA press tour the style on show at SXSW is a whole range of things and it tends to lean towards the casual cool end of the scale because it is Austin after all. Aubrey Plaza ditches her usual print signature and goes for a simple and funky salmon skirt with a white top at the Fresno premiere.

Amy Schumer debuted Trainwreck at SXSW and I cannot wait to see this movie and for Inside Amy Schumer to be back on TV. My personal jumpsuit progression has not changed, but when it does I think I will be start with the all black styling Schumer is perfecting. Vanessa Bayer’s bold floral/rope print skirt with the stripe sweater is ideal levels of pattern clashing.

Melissa McCarthy’s teamed up with Paul Feig again for Spy (the reviews have been very good) and the layering/accessorizing of this outfit is fantastic.

A Rose Byrne double and first up on the Spy red carpet in Thakoon and a very 90s Winona Ryder looking getup down to the lip color.

And at a SXSW cocktail party for Adult Beginners, Byrne has me swooning over this burnt orange blazer.

The cast of Jane the Virgin show off colorful style (ignoring the jeans/electric blazer ensemble) with on screen mother/daughter pair Ivonne Coll and Andrea Nevado lighting up this ensemble shot in bold pink and yellow. For a PaleyFest Jane the Virgin behind the scenes treat head here.

Keri Russell shows her support for Seth Meyers on her shirt as she heads to his show and woah is this a knockout look in skintight leather pants, a tuxedo jacket and a fantastic bold pink lip color – ‘Fever’ by Hourglass (thanks Tina Turnbrow for the color confirmation).

Debuting an all new pixie cut also on Late Night with Seth Meyers this week is Lena Dunham and I’ve got all the short hair feels right now. So much better than her Scandal wig.

Rounding off the week with dude in a suit the ‘Kit Harington smolders in Burberry’ edition at the Game of Thrones premiere in London.

Summer TCA continued this week with the Showtime ladies coming out in style. Plus more magazine delights and other various events.

Ruth Wilson put a bird on it in this fabulous flamingo Valentino caped sleeve mini frock at the CBS, CW and Showtime TCA party. Insert all the heart eye emojis here while I go sip on a margarita and dream of this dress.

Opting for the same Valentino Resort 2016 collection is Lizzy Caplan with those same flamingos appearing in a moodier setting. The skirt looks like a painting and Caplan red carpet styling is always such a revelation. It is a shame either Caplan or Wilson have been nominated for an Emmy this year because they both always bring it whether it is a big or small occasions.

Allison Janney has been nominated for two Emmys this year (for Mom and Masters of Sex) and she is serving up simple chic vibes at the TCA event where she was also pulling double duty for these two shows. Her arc on Masters of Sex has been quietly devastating for the third year in a row.

There is a Keri Russell shaped hole in my viewing now that the Felicity watch is over and The Americans won’t be back until the start of next year; I was thrilled to see her at the TCA Awards where The Americans was deservedly being honored (pay attention Emmys). Russell does effortless cool with a twist so well and this beaded kimono inspired Zuhair Murad gown does just that.

#LadySuitWatch2015 alert! Amandla Stenberg covers the new autumn issue of Dazed and I can’t wait to pick up an issue. Stenberg talks about taking teens seriously (continuing the current Dazed trend of talking to smart teens like Maisie Williams and Lorde) saying “I think people discredit teenagers and how wise they can be. Sometimes I meet teenagers who are much wiser than many adults I’ve met, because they haven’t let any insecurities or doubts about themselves get in the way of their thoughts.” Plus she also discusses Tumblr as a social justice platform after her powerful “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows” video.

Mistress America is out today and I am so unbelievably excited for this film and all things Greta Gerwig including this Time Out New York cover.

I need this Ann Taylor* jacket in my life and it will come to the shock of pretty much no one that I have strong positive feelings about an Aubrey Plaza outfit (except those shoes). This is perfect panel attire for a Sundance NEXT FEST event which Plaza co-moderated with Silicon Valley’s Thomas Middleditch.

*Instantly reminded of the Parks episode “Ann’s Decision” where April borrows Leslie’s clothes and says “I don’t know who Ann Taylor is, but I hate her and want to kill her.”

Ending the week with Uzo Aduba looking radiant in so much bold color in a knockout Carmen Marc Valvo dress and thankfully there is not a nude pump in sight; opting for these amazing blue Manolo Balinik heels instead.

A collection of summer dresses, classic silhouettes, sparkles and super chill looks from this week’s “Out of the Box.” Plus more magazine treats including some Fargo season 2 hints.

Lupita Nyong’o continues to reign supreme in the red carpet stakes and this colorful graphic stripes Lanvin mini frock is ideal D23 Expo attire. It is a fun look and I cannot wait until the full blown Star Wars press tour in December.

This is a sparkly floral delight from Kristen Stewart in tailored to perfection Zuhair Murad. Down the red carpet she went barefoot and this only makes me heart her more (the length of time my heels stay on varies, but it is pretty much a flip flop/barefoot swap before the end of the night). This recent KStew press tour has been one sartorial hit after another from magazine covers to the red carpet.

The nude pumps are a bit of a snooze, but I’m going to give Lake Bell a pass on the shoe front as this red Vionnet Resort 2016 dress is super chic excellence. Plus Bell gets the bonus red lipstick and excellent clutch points at the No Escape premiere.

Not sure what I’m lusting after more – Kerry Washington’s sunglasses or her floral Suno frock. This is at Jennifer Klein’s Day of Indulgence event which sounds like a whole lot of free stuff joy, which also sounds very appealing.

Second week in a row for Aubrey Plaza and she once again looks casual cool in sunglasses and buttoned up blouse as she also attends the Day of Indulgence.

The Stephen Colbert September issue GQ profile has plenty of incredible suits and poses throughout New York. It is well worth a read particularly the second half where things turn to dealing with tragedy at a young age.

Kirsten Dunst serves up another 70s inspired photo shoot and whereas Town and Country took a Virgin Suicides inspiration in floaty whites, in Gotham Magazine she is giving off Jane Birkin vibes. The interview is conducted by Julianne Moore and covers quite a lot of ground including which film is closest to her own character (Bring it On), being a child actor and what drew her to Fargo. She also reveals some plot details and the costuming comes up; I am very excited this aspect as this is my favorite clothing decade.

“In the first few episodes, I wanted people to look at Peggy and giggle a little bit—just a pinch! Not at her, but with her, just so that you’re on this girl’s side. Some of the stuff that she manipulates her husband into doing! I had red gloves because I was caught red-handed. And because this character wants to get out of Minnesota, I wanted her to have a beret to wear, or a shirt that has the Eiffel Tower all over it.”

She also says nice things about Jesse Plemons, because of course “He’s awesome. Most of our scenes are together, and we developed a great friendship.”