The Stars Hollow’s Role On Fashion And Culture In Gilmore Girls

On October 5, Gilmore Girls celebrated 24 years since their first episode was released. Since then, fans still wish that Stars Hollow was a true city where they could escape from their problems, in the same way that they still discuss who was Rory Gilmore's best boyfriend and try to dress like Lorelai Gilmore. In any case, it is inevitable that since the release, it is the fans who keep the affective memory of this series alive. 

We can't talk about Gilmore Girls without mentioning Rory and Lorelai. But when talking about these characters, don't we realize that we are simultaneously mentioning another indispensable character of the series? There would be no Gilmore Girls without Stars Hollow. After all, the fictional city where the series takes place, has a very particular identity, which manifests itself in both the characters and the local events.

The romanticization of daily life is remarkable, as well as an identification with the residents of that Connecticut city. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for its idealization by fans after two decades of its release. For example, who does not have a friend whose parents are stricter than yours, or maybe even being the friend, just like Lane? Who has never met a grumbler who behind the bad mood had a big heart as Luke? The subjects are relatable as well as the characters. It is as if each character is a piece of the puzzle that brings the town to life. 

In addition, Stars Hollow takes on a very important role in the series, as it is not only a background of everyday life, but also a key factor for the development of the style of the characters, as its own features raise a non-elitization of fashion, but focus on the individuality of the people who live there. 

Rory changed her hair and tried to fit into a certain pattern when she started attending more competitive and formal spaces, such as university and, later, Condé Nast. However, notice that the place where she could always show her personal style without trying to look like something she wasn't, was only in Stars Hollow. After all, even at her own grandparents' house, she resorted to more formal dresses that suited their aesthetics.

Lorelai, on the other hand, acquired her independence when she moved to Stars Hollow, which is even related to her personal style. Her youthful personality and free spirit, despite the maturity acquired throughout the series, could not be better translated by the leather jackets, iconic T-shirts and fascination with shoes. And that clearly wouldn't have been possible in an environment like the extravagant house she used to live in or the salmon canapés she used to eat in Hartford.

The cultural framework of Stars Hollow was influenced by the costumes and style of the characters, especially when they adapted themselves to the various local festivals, such as the Fall Festival scene or the 24-hour Dance Competition.

The slow lifestyle provided by that small city's atmosphere has also allowed one of the highest points of the series, the approach to the aspirations of characters and the development of their authentic styles that, in larger cities, such as Hartford, and even in the current era, would be disregarded, which is seen in Babette and Miss Patty, for example.

The small-town atmosphere also balances the quick dialogues between the characters, as well as distances itself from the automation of the big city, notable in Paris Geller's almost always overloaded behaviors of reactivity or even in Logan Huntzberger's constant rush and anxiety. 

To rewatch Gilmore Girls every beginning of Fall feels almost like coming back to our childhood hometown, slightly adjusted but always a bubble where simplicity is celebrated as an art form. And personally, it is very interesting because I wasn't even born by that time and yet, there is no other atmosphere I remember when I think about familiarity and warm comfort. In fact, I believe the series still has its influence due to its authenticity, making you willing to live in all its episodes… Or, in other words, Stars Hollow.

Happy Fall, from one Gilmore Girls fan to another.