Jenny Humphrey is a recurring character in the show gossip girl. She family of the main characters Rufus and Dan Humphrey. In the beginning, Jenny is a freshman at Constance, captivated by the world of the Upper East Side, and strives for the attention and approval of queen bee Blair Waldorf. Though as the show progresses, Jenny becomes a force of nature that rebels against the norms of the world she longed to be part of as she begins to aspire to become a fashion designer with her own idiosyncratic look.
Jenny throughout the show has a drastic style transformation, I’ll be explained the psychology of her style evolution using fashion psychology as fashion is a tangible extension of one’s inner self. Jenny’s differing looks showcase where her values lie and who she wants to be or who she is Because even at a young age she was infatuated with fashion and drawn to clothing, it acted as an extension of herself and who she wanted to become.
Within Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, he stresses the importance of the process of identity formation and developing a sense of direction. Typically this is formed between the ages of 12 to 18 when young people develop a personal identity and idealized self through the exploration of values, beliefs, and goals. Fashion conveys this and personal style is a part of growth and self-expression for adolescents.
When one is misled or unsure of their place in society, role confusion occurs. She is featured in the first few seasons of gossip girl aged 14 to 17, where her style changes as she undergoes life experiences and forms her identity. In this timeline, we will begin with her first look in season 1, a plaid top beneath a jacket that mirrors the styles of her father and brother who have a more classically artistic and grunge sensibility to them. The dainty necklace and floral detailing add a bit of femininity- hinting at Jenny’s interest in girlish looks and luxury, but also her alternative roots and lenient.
Here she is sweet, innocent, and a people pleaser in awe of the girls around her, especially Blair. Jenny idolizes her and takes cues from her in every way, from how she behaves to how she dresses. She is as trend-conscious as the girls around her who often sports the latest “it” bags and off-the-runway pieces, but often makes her own clothes or thrifts, but never wears a vintage piece.
She sports preppier looks here as her family values education and she is going to a private school. She is not only taking on this look out of aesthetic interest but also the sociological placements of it. Jenny often wears sweet, soft, and innocent pieces such as blouses, pussy bow tops, opaque tights, and of course headband as an ode to Blair. Her go-to look this season is a peacoat paired with a mini skirt. In terms of colors and patterns, she opts for pastels, plaids, florals, and traditionally feminine colors. Colors with feminine appeal are often described as sweet, lovely, beautiful, and romantic which portray her identity as a young girl.
During this time period, she wears a lot of yellow which is psychologically linked to the traits of being uplifting, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness, and fun. Along with this bright hue, she mixes in other bright saturated colors in a similar manner to Blair, while also mirroring her values and adopting her belief system. this is a bidirectional relationship as clothes impact how we feel and how we feel influences what we choose to wear.
By adopting Blair’s look she feels more in tune with her environment and as if she is truly a part of the upper east side. She projects a facade that she is a part of this world and constantly works to uphold her idealized image from clothes and bullying to parties and a boyfriend. The more immersed she becomes the more she begins to act like her friends and her loved ones fear she has become corrupted due to her radical shift from a nice girl into a scheming one like Blair. Eventually, her true identity shows and the cracks of the stories she told full break, Jenny is rejected by the girls after being exposed for lying about her relationship with Asher.
But opposite to this rejection, Jenny learns she has been accepted for a summer fashion internship with Blair’s mother, Eleanor Waldorf, at Waldorf Designs. Beginning in the second season, Jenny’s look strays away from a Blair Waldorf-inspired one towards a Courtney Love aesthetic. In real life, actress Taylor Momsen was in a rock band, The Pretty Reckless, so she wanted her look to be true to her and the look of her music.
Her style was very much her own, So the show’s producers integrated her post-grunge rock look into the show’s storyline as her music career was taking off. The stylists on Gossip Girl were very conscious of the styling and used this new style to push boundaries with Jenny’s character and look. Taylor is quoted saying it is very serious down to how much eyeliner is worn.
The styling of Jenny becomes a key component in her narrative, expressing her identity, but also her goals and placement in the world. Her goal of queen shifts to becoming a fashion designer as she becomes more in touch with who she is and develops further skills within her interests. Jenny’s looks begin to move on the spectrum of sweet and girlish to punk and grunge. Jenny hides away at the atelier since she is the target of torment for Blair and the girls at school.
Her alternative look acts as a rejection of the world she desperately wanted to be a part of, and is symbolic of her paving her own path into the world of fashion. When she no longer feels the need to impress Blair her fashion evolves, colors get darker, hemline higher, and more glam rock references are being made. She is perceived differently due to her new look.
Psychological scientists from California State University, Northridge, and Columbia University find that quote, “The formality of clothing might not only influence the way others perceive a person, and how people perceive themselves but could influence decision making in important ways through its influence on processing style.”
Her fashion here is becoming more individually developed since she no longer wants to be like Blair because she is fully immersed in a life of creativity where fashion and concepts are at her fingertips to explore, although this fear is a constant in the back of her mind. This is the status of Identity moratorium, which is when one is exploring in an attempt to establish an identity but has not committed to one yet. Usually, this occurs in emotionally intense times when young people experiment with different roles or belief systems.
Jenny ultimately decides on homeschooling and continues to pursue fashion. Her looks here feature cardigans, graphic tees, mini dresses skinny jeans, beanies, and tote bags for the essentials. She is influenced by her friend Agnes and artistic youth culture- hence furthering her look to be more alternative.
Rather than continuing to work at Waldorf Designs, she rebels when Elenor takes credit for her work and throws a guerilla fashion show under her own name at a benefit honoring Bart Bass and Lily van der Woodsen in an attempt to get financial backers for the line. Her designs appeal to the 2007 youth culture through edgy couture with references to punk rock that has rebellious undertones and pops of color. The tensions between Jenny and her business partner end with the loss of her work.
Jenny decides to return to Constance and she is in between worlds, when she returns to school her look mixes the traditional uniform with her new look through accessories and detailing. With Jenny’s move to the upper east side and Blair’s blessing, she becomes queen of Constance. However, Blair isn’t pleased with how Jenny conducts her reign and steps in. After this, Jenny becomes very much like how Blair was but still has her own style. Her look as queen features a lot of menswear-inspired pieces, corset tops, layering techniques, and edgier accessories such as fishnets, studded boots, and excessive jewelry. She no longer sports very colorful pieces and goes for blacks and neutrals.
Though she now behaves much like Blair, she still holds onto the clothing that she wore when she broke away from the world of the upper east side, this conveys that this queen’s identity is false and the identity linked to her fashion is set and true to her.
Here fashion becomes a tool for Jenny as it is an extension of herself. The girls around her dress just like her to show their dedication, much like how those in uniforms often follow rules and behavior because of strong alignment. She uses clothing as a tool. For example, when she buys bags for other girls to exert her power as queen, the clothing is not only a status symbol of wealth but one of power. Fashion’s influence can also be indirect and constitute a form of soft power.
Her clothing creates a social distance that enhances abstract cognitive processing, traditionally this occurs with formal and authoritative clothing, so even though this is not the typical prim and proper queen look, it is still one that enhances social distance and hierarchy between the girls. Jenny and Blair’s power struggle continues, ultimately Jenny is banished from Manhattan.
Jenny makes her first appearance in season 4, hereafter time on her own and continuing to hone her skills as a designer Jenny’s fashion is fully established. She claims that leaving the Upper East Side was the best decision for her. She has matured and her alternative look is still present, going from one that stressed rebellion and power to one that is more chic with rock undertones.
Jenny goes to an interview with Tim Gunn but is sabotaged by Blair once again. Rather than fighting back or admitting defeat, Jenny stands her ground and holds her own belief system rather than giving in to Balirs, even declining Blair’s invitation to scheme.
It’s well put together and more polished, much like Jenny’s behaviors. This is evident as she speaks with Tim Gunn one on one about her designs. She is very well-spoken and much more logical when she thinks of herself and has established her own values. This is shown in her clothing as well as it is chic with post-grunge components that are well put together. She leaves the Upper East Side once more and studies at Central Saint Martins in London, but makes a return for her brother’s wedding in the finale.
For her brother’s wedding to Serena, she has her final outfit which is a fitted mini dress with sheer fabric and gold embellishments, with a nude heel with a gold lenient. her hair is stylishly proper with an undone factor, her makeup is heavy but clean. She enters carrying a bag labeled J for Waldorf, showing that Jenny and Blair have mended their relationship and now work together as Jenny has her own line under the brand.
Here Jenny has reached identity achievement which refers to when after one explores multiple avenues of identity, they have formed a commitment to one. She has become an accomplished, educated, fashion designer with a distinct look. Throughout the series, her fashion remained the constant outlet that allowed her to not only express herself but also learn more about herself. Her final style does have components of past identities, making her more versatile and individual. Though she went through many troubling events, she came out of them a stronger person with fashion that will serve others in the same way fashion served her.
SOURCES: Jenny Humphrey Wiki- https://gossipgirl.fandom.com/wiki/Jenny_Humphrey Role Confusion- https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html#:~:text=Role%20confusion%20involves%20the%20individual,or%20their%20place%20in%20society Fashion Psychology- https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-psychology-of-fashion/ Actress- https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/09/172939/gossip-girl-the-new-taylor-momsen-reason-for-leaving-show Style timeline- https://www.collegefashion.net/inspiration/gossip-girl-fashion-retrospective-jenny-humphreys-style-evolution/ Yellow Color Psychology Defintion- https://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-yellow.html Clothing & Cognitive Style- https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/when-clothing-style-influences-cognitive-style.html Reasons behind looks- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/fashion-and-beauty/fashion/the-psychology-of-style-whats-the-real-reasoning-behind-yourlook/article31427994/
