That Girl – A Modern Woman Following Her Dreams

One my first memories was going to the babysitter and being plopped down in front of the television. One of the first shows I remember watching was That Girl. That Girl reminded me of my mom because she had the hair and dressed a Mod-like. I love sixties fashion but the Mod period in fashion is my favorite.

That Girl is about Ann Maire, a single girl and aspiring actress taking on New York City. She lives on her own but her father always finds reasons to pop up. She has a dreamy boyfriend, Donald Hollinger who is a magazine writer. Each week she is always getting herself in some crazy situation. As a struggling actress, she takes a number of jobs that often ends up with hilarious results. Donald saves the day at the end of most episodes. What I admire about Ann Marie is that is fiercely independent. She wants to follow her dreams and not fall back on the traditional lifestyle that women before her had. Her apartment is modest and I find it to believable. You never see Donald spend the night. He has his own pad. What you do see is him often taking Ann Marie out to dinner, lunch and shows. He often tries to help Ann Marie financially but she never hears of it. Basically, he is a dreamboat.

That Girl Mod Fashion

What I love about this show the most is her wardrobe. The show premiered in 1966 during the height of the Mod era. I love the shift dresses, the bold prints and coats and of course the go-go boots. Her wardrobe was designed by Marilyn Lewis for Cardinali. I read an interview with Marlo Thomas who said that she did not like Ann Marie’s trademark bangs. They were so popular that she was not allowed to grow them out. However a compromise was reached and she was wearing clip on bangs for the rest of the series run.

I put together some vintage finds to help you get the look . I think mod fashion has a timelessness about it. You can wear it successfully if you not go full on sixties. Try wearing a low blocked heel shoe instead of go-go boots. The hair should be a modern-day version of the flip but the makeup you can go wild with the liner and the eyelashes if you wish.

Let me know what you think of the mod look and what you think about the show. Currently it is being shown on Hulu or Amazon.