Parks & Rec fashion

Are you watching Parks & Recreation?  I'm typically a little slow picking up new shows, and when this one started in 2009, "by the creators of The Office", all I could think was "the Office sucks now, how does this look any better?"  And man, the first season is pretty bad.

BUT!

Amazingly, the show is really hitting its stride now, and Seasons 2 & 3 are Office Season 2 level good.  [Season 2 (and 1, but really, 1 is pretty horrible) is up Netflix Instant Watch now.]  Amy Poheler's character Leslie Knope is now less a Michael Scott clone and more a competent-but-completely-awkward combination of awesome. Additionally, P&R has done a terrific job of incorporating the wide variety of characters into each storyline and giving them recognizable personalities of their own.  The town of Pawnee is like a non-animated Simpson's Springfield, complete with its own array of interesting townsfolk and personalities, from the obnoxiously competitive local talk show host to the local news talent named Perd, as well as all the crazies who come out for any of the various local townhalls.

So, seriously, if you're not watching, look into it.  

But that's not what's important, is it?  Of course not!  Now, P&R is pretty good about sticking to correct character development, including wardrobe, which is pretty standard Midwest casual work wear.  Unlike Glee and How I Met Your Mother, there's not oodles of Anthropologie and Kate Spade and J. Crew proliferating through the wardrobes of the staff of the Parks Department.  In an interview, Amy Poheler even stated that if she was wearing anything as Leslie that could be considered "cute" she took it off.  

Nevertheless, there have been two instances of items in LEslie's wardrobe that were a "Hey!  I recognize that! moment. (Heh - yes, 2 moments in 2 seasons.  Whatever.  Yes, this does merit an entire blog post. What?).  In my excitement, I just had to go find the items.  

Season 2 Episode 16 - 'Galentine's Day'

Leslie wears this adorable MBMJ polka dot wrap dress for her annual celebration of 'Galentine's Day'

"What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas!"

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Season 3 Episode 7 - 'Harvest Festival'

Leslie wears the Leifsdottir Andalusian Horse Dress at her first day running her huge project - the Harvest Festival.  And pairs it with a stylish blazer with the sleeves rolled up.  This is seriously the most fashion-forward I've seen her for work.

"You're all amazing, wonderful people and I really want you to have fun today and not focus on the fact that if one thing goes wrong, we're all gonna lose our jobs."

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The latter I'm really annoyed that I never got around to buying (it was on sale, but out of my monthly budget, and then it was gone.  Gar!).  

Do you have shows you watch only for the fashion?  (For me, it's Gossip Girl.  Actually, I don't even watch it anymore.  I just check up on what they wear.) 

Do you ever spot fashion items you love on non-fashiony-shows?