It feels like approximately 200 years since I last did a style post, but here we are again. The reason I stopped writing these for such a long time is that I used to rely on Polyvore to create the fashion collages. When the site shut down a few years ago, I just didn’t feel inspired to find an alternative and continue with this series. However, I’ve been itching with new ideas, and there are now loads of fashion collage sites available, so I thought it was high to to resurrect this series!

To kick things off, I decided to shine a spotlight on Moira Rose from Schitts’ Creek. Moira quickly became my favourite character when I began watching Schitts Creek. This is partially because I love Catherine O’Hara in any role, and partially because her bizarre speech patterns and incredible personal style left a huge imprint on me. In every episode, I find myself scrutinizing the details of what Moira’s wearing, and wishing that I could raid her closet. She is, arguably, one of the best dressed women on television in the last few years.

If I had to choose one word to describe Moira’s style, it would be “Dramatic”. Every piece in Moira’s wardrobe has an element of glamour and flair. The silhouette of her clothing is always eye-catching, and wide shoulders, ruffled collars, trumpet sleeves and sharply tapered trousers are ever-present. Moira doesn’t own a single item of “basic” clothing. Even things that most people would consider wardrobe staples have an extra level of glam in Moira’s case. Her white blouses all have wide collars, huge sleeves or asymmetrical hems. She simply doesn’t know how to do simple, and every item she wears has a design element that makes it feel extra special.

The colour palette of Moira’s wardrobe is fairly limited. She most often wears combinations of black and white, with the occasional sprinkle of grey, gold or silver woven in. Although you would think that wearing only a handful of colours would get monotonous, Moira uses texture and print to add an extra punch to her outfits. She will often mix-and-match fabrics with luxe finishes such as silk and leather and more simple fabrics like cotton. The contrasting textures give her outfits so much depth and stop them from looking like basic black-and-white ensembles. Fur, feathers, sequins and beading also break up the simple colour palette and give Moira a dramatic flair. Moira also loves a print, and can often be seen sporting black and white stripes, digital prints and sharp plaid all in her signature monochrome shades.

You will never, ever see Moira Rose sporting a pair of flat shoes. Heels elevate the drama in her outfits and put a strut in her walk. Unlike her daughter, Alexis, who is often seen in teetering stilettos, Moira tends to favour platform heels and boots. She will also occasionally don a pair of platform mary janes, and I’m fairly certain that I’ve seen her wear a pair of spats in one episode. Many of her shoes are a mixture of black and white, and will often feature embellishments like studs, chains, buckles and cutouts.

Moira loves to layer her outfits and is a huge fan of outerwear. She rarely shows much skin, and typically wears her blouses buttoned all the way up to the neck. Moira loves a pussy-bow blouse or a dramatic collar, and will sometimes top them off with a necktie or bow tie. Coats, blazers and capelets add an extra level of glitz to her ensembles, and she also favours vests and waistcoats. She even wears a waistcoat over her pajamas (adorned with a sparkling brooch). Although Moira often wears short skirts and dresses, she never goes bare-legged, preferring to pair her skirts with pleather leggings, fishnet tights and printed hosiery.

Jewelery is an important staple of Moira’s look, and the woman is the master of the statement necklace. She will layer on multiple chains, pendants and beads to finish off a look. Moira wears a lot of sparkling brooches, often with star or crest motifs. Huge rings are another item that she typically turns to, which will be perfectly displayed when she wraps her hands around her ever-present cup of tea (or glass of wine).

Moira’s makeup remains fairly consistent regardless of what she’s wearing. She usually pairs smoky black eye makeup with a flawless, matte red lip. Her signature makeup look is crisp and commanding. Although her makeup rarely changes, Moira’s hairstyle alters multiple times a day, courtesy of her massive collection of wigs. She’s sported wigs in a variety of lengths and cuts, in a rainbow of colours including seafoam green, pastel pink, carrot orange, burgundy and black. I have often wondered if Moira’s signature makeup is a deliberate choice, to ensure that her face is always recognizable regardless of which wig she’s chosen to wear that day.

Moira’s look is quite severe and sharp, and with her penchant for studs, leather and metallic finishes it almost has an armor-like quality to it. I found it interesting that one of the few times we see Moira wearing colour, she chooses a shade that is a dramatic contrast to her usual hard exterior. When Moira chooses a dress to wear to her movie premiere, she selects a flowing gown in a delicious shade of peach. She wears is with soft makeup and gently curled hair, and the effect is so stripped-back from what we normally see Moira wearing. It’s like she’s shed her armor and is laid bare, vulnerable and soft. That look was such a huge departure from what we normally see Moira wearing that it has really stuck in my mind.

I was instantly hooked on Moira’s style from the very first episode of Schitts Creek. I am wowed by the way she can do so much with so few colours, and enjoy admiring all the details that make her outfits so dramatic and special. I love that Moira has absolutely no concept of dressing down, and is always considerably more dressed-up than the other residents of Schitts Creek. She is dressed to the nines regardless of whether she’s attending a city council meeting, or simply slipping down to the Cafe Tropicana for a fruit compote. She wears brooches to bed and lipstick to the corner store. Moira’s look is one of my favourite parts of Schitts Creek, and I like taking a leaf out of her book to add a little glamour to my everyday style.