Ugly Betty: The Antichrist of Conformity
If we refuse to conform to convention, does that make us ugly? In the fashion universe of 2000s Television Show Ugly Betty, that may have been the case– unless of course we look deeper into the reasoning for this categorization.
Ugly Betty’s titular character is played by America Ferrera. Source: Wonderwall
Set in the mid-aughts, Ugly Betty was ABC’s bold entry into the realm of fashion as depicted in Hollywood. The television show’s main premise followed Betty Suarez, a Mexican-American girl from Queens. Betty’s dream of working for a magazine comes true when she is hired at the premiere fashion magazine of Meade Publications, Mode. Now, of course, Mode is a direct parody of Vogue. However, what set this show apart was its portrayal of having a racial and class outsider such as Betty rise the ranks from an assistant to a successful and polished editor.
To understand the significance of Ugly Betty, one needs to really understand the social and political climate of 2006. In the United States, 2006 marked the latter quarter of the Bush administration. But, most importantly, Vogue was considered the keeper of fashion, and the force that made or broke anyone’s career in the fashion industry, an honor that was overseen by Vogue’s former editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.
Vogue’s influence was so strong during the 2000s, that in December of 2006, four months after Ugly Betty had premiered, The New York Times described Vogue as, “...the world's most influential fashion magazine.” The public interest in how Vogue operated, and who ran it was heightened by the release of the summer film The Devil Wears Prada, which was loosely based on Anna Wintour and Vogue. The fashion industry was arguably at its peak, with print sales and circulation remaining high for the magazine. Some of the most memorable fashion campaigns were released during this era, but something was noticeably different about the mid-aughts when compared to the supermodel decadence of the 90s. There was an almost complete and utter lack of black and brown models on the runways, and in the fashion editorials and campaigns. It was almost as if every model had become a clone of the other, with big blue doe eyes and platinum blonde hair becoming the norm in fashion print and runway.
So, with most iconography from this era delegated to people and models who were very similar in appearance, and notably ultra-slim, Betty Suarez became a living foil of individualism and self-expression against the oppressive and exclusionary standards that were enforced during the conforming 2000s.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS!
When the audience meets Betty, Betty Suarez is welcomed by a cold reception upon her early arrival for her interview at Meade Publications in the “Pilot” episode of Ugly Betty. Betty sports a hot pink, blue, and yellow plaid jacket and skirt set with blue lining. Off the bat, Betty’s presentation is bold and some might even say– daring. How dare someone like her apply to a publication as prestigious as Meade? The bold plaid is reminiscent of Cher Horowitz’s iconic yellow Jean Paul Gaultier from the classic Clueless. Similar to the Clueless two-piece, Betty’s two-piece indicates that Betty is a character who is often doubted or underestimated by her peers and family. However, unlike Cher, she does not have the privilege of being an All-American beauty– nor does she have the money to back that up. On the contrary, Betty is definitely not wearing designer labels. However, the girl seated right next to her, is.
Whereas Betty is presented with bold and bright colors, her unnamed colleague introduces herself with a cold, “Milan. Dolce & Gabbana. Fall” – just like the stale and ceramic colors draping her modelesque stature. Adorned in the infamous cream and white plaid Dolce poncho, the unnamed girl who is up for the same interview as Betty is dressed in a much more traditional view of what it means to work at a fashion magazine such as Mode. The fact that the girl sat next to Betty goes unnamed, only further emphasizes that her conformity is so much so that she is practically anonymous– she could pass as anyone in the fashion industry.
Betty (L) and her unnamed colleague (R) in the Pilot. Source: TheMoleHill
Betty’s unnamed colleague's orderly and tight ponytail is striking, but its lack of movement further highlights how conformity confines people. On the contrary, Betty’s hair is set down and loose, which is in line with her ambitions of mobility and the way in which her integrity enables her to be herself, rather than try to be something she is not. Underneath Betty’s plaid two-piece is a bright green blouse, which can indicate growth and success. On the other hand, the seemingly perfect potential employee has a little black dress, which indicates that conformity makes individuals internally unhappy, even if they never admit it, and wrap their feelings with a bow, or in her case, a cream chiffon scarf.
However, the color black is not absent from Betty’s outfit, she herself is wearing black tights. Perhaps the black tights symbolize that while Betty may not be the picture-perfect vision to the staff at Mode, she is someone who reads and absorbs the materials of a prestigious fashion magazine such as Mode. Therefore, the black tights are meant to hint that while Betty’s style is unique, there are still aspects of her outfit that come directly from the magazine, which illustrates that she is knowledgeable about mainstream fashion. But, also, Betty is guarded and does not fully expose her private life to her co-workers.
However, even with Betty’s confidence and boldness, the interviewer does not even give Betty a chance, instead judging her immediately upon making eye contact. Clearly, the interviewer projects many of the conformist traits of the era, which are rooted in racism. Betty’s curvier physique and brown skin boldly yet proudly defy the Eurocentric beauty standards of the time.
With that being said, if you were to look at the Vogue covers from January 2000 to September 2006 (when Ugly Betty premiered), only two of the cover girls were Latinx and only three were black. So, out of a total of 81 covers, only five featured women of color– that is 6.17% of total covers during that period of five years and nine months. A majority of cover girls on Vogue, or roughly 93.83% of covers, featured white models or actors. Eurocentric beauty standards were considered the beauty standard for a long time– not to mention the thinness and lean bodies, all of which Betty herself does not have.
To make matters worse, in the year 2006, Mike Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, informed Salon Magazine that the brand’s target was, “...the attractive all-American kid.” What he meant, of course, was that the target demographic was white and conventionally attractive – reinforcing Eurocentric beauty standards. In all his boldness, he even said, “Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.” He believed that inclusivity had the opposite effect of exclusivity and made a brand, such as Abercrombie & Fitch, “totally vanilla.”
So, Betty’s signature use of an Anne Boleyn necklace dupe with the letter “B” is like a proud sticker that Betty is proud of who she is, regardless of what anyone else thinks of her, or people like her. People who did not meet the cookie-cutter “all-American” look that was enforced by most fashion brands and publications were ostracized.
GUADALAJARA!
Betty’s Guadalajara Poncho Source: Glamour
Betty being Betty, she manages to get the job and arrives on her first day at work in a poncho. Now, it is certainly not “Fall Dolce & Gabanna,” but Betty’s use of a poncho once again reinforces that Betty studies the fashion world and puts in the effort to win the approval of her fashion peers while still maintaining her individuality. Betty’s presence cannot be ignored, given she arrives in a bright red poncho with blueberry blue stitching and the word “Guadalajara” emboldened in yellow across the chest. Immediately, Betty’s choice to include these words shows her love for her Mexican roots, and how she has no shame about her race or ethnicity. Betty’s culture is a pillar of strength for her, and she uses her clothing to show that.
Then there is Wilhelmina Slater. Wilhelmina is the Creative Director at Mode, and is an overaccomplished fashion editor and businesswoman. However, she is snubbed from taking the position of Editor-in-Chief of Mode following the death of the former Editor– and instead the position is handed to the inexperienced son of the CEO of Mode Publications. With that being said, Wilhelmina’s wardrobe is a powerful metaphor for her hard work and accomplishments.
Wilhelmina may not be wearing bold colors, or prints, but she still creates a statement in her all-white peacoat, gold enamel jewelry, and flawless frosty makeup. The all-white peacoat is snatched at the waist, demonstrating that Wilhemina is the epitome of put-together and organized. Moreover, the tight waist stresses that Wilhelmina’s hard work and accomplishments have left her metamorphically out of breath. Wilhelmina takes her job seriously and therefore comes off as tightwound and icy.
The iciness has two meanings– for one, Wilhelmina being a black woman in a white dominated magazine and publication means that she has had to work twice as hard to gain the respectability that she maintains. With that said, the color white is significant because it shows that even Wilhelmina has had to compromise her own individuality in some ways in order to get ahead in the fashion world as a black woman.
Wilhemina subtly masks her individuality, as opposed to Betty, who wears her individuality on full display. This dichotomy demonstrates the different approaches that women of color must ascertain in order to get ahead in not just the fashion industry, but more specifically in white dominated corporate circles.
MAKEOVER?
In the third episode of season one, “Queens for a Day,” Betty undergoes a “makeover” that directly defies the traditional 2000s makeover. Betty manages to arrange a sought-after fashion photographer to shoot for Mode when she calls his office. He is very impressed by her over the phone and suggests that they have a sit-down lunch chat in order to discuss the potential shoot. Betty feels pressured to “dress up” like the girls at Mode– who Betty describes as tall “glamazons.” As a result, Betty goes to a local salon in Queens, where she is given a makeover.
During the montage scene, Betty is seen getting her eyebrows waxed, her hair sprayed, and her nails done– meanwhile, Wilhelmina is at an upscale salon where she is massaged, served champagne, and has her eyebrows threaded. It is an intentional contrast that underscores how Betty’s version of “dressing up” is in line with her culture and upbringing, whereas Wilhelmina is simply maintaining what and who she already presents herself as.
During the reveal, Betty happily exits the salon in permed-up mountain of hair, bold pink makeup, brown lip-liner, gold bangles and jewelry, a green snakeskin skirt, a Pucci-esque multi-colored one-shoulder halter top with flowers, a black leather jacket, a gold sequin handbag, red heels, and fabulous red nails with charms and crystals. While her bold and exaggerated look gets her praise among the crowds as she strolls through her neighborhood in Queens, it is met with cold stares and confusion from her co-workers at Mode.
Betty during her Makeover Montage in S1E3. Source: Ugly Betty Fandom Wiki
Betty’s outfit– which is an exaggerated version of what an actual girl in Queens might have worn in the 2000s– is a bold statement of Betty’s defiance of the norms of the so-called Mode glamazons that stun in their heels in the offices of Meade Publications. It is a clear juxtaposition with the famous makeover scene in The Devil Wears Prada, where Andy, played by Anne Hathaway, completely changes her outward appearance through clothing in order to be taken more seriously at her job, which is also working as an assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of a fashion magazine.
But, unlike Andy in The Devil Wears Prada who assimilates to get ahead, Betty’s outfit goes against what people at Mode believe to be “sensible.” It is a clear indication that Betty is happy with how she looks, and it is not until she is shamed for the way that she is dressed by her Mode colleagues that she feels insecure or upset. In the end, though, Betty sticks to the outfit and successfully wins over the fashion photographer.
CONCLUSION!
Betty is an anti-conformist. She is the black sheep of not just her family, but also her workplace. It is clear that Betty is unapologetically herself, and she often ignores any quips or remarks about how she “should” dress– and instead wears what she wants to. Her strong inclination towards her true self is fortified through the clothing that she wears and through the ways in which she never tries to dress like what is expected of a girl who works at a fashion magazine like Mode.
The heavy use of bold– often clashing– colors and prints often worn by Betty showcase her defiance towards the conventions and sensibilities in the fashion world that she works in. Betty’s bold looks are far from avant-garde, but they are absolutely far from what would have been the norm at a fashion magazine’s office in the 2000s.
Fast forward to 2025, and the tv show Ugly Betty is still a relevant talking point. After all, the fashion industry has changed so much since 2006, with racial diversity and inclusion being a focal point in the current era of fashion. Magazines such as Vogue have used their platforms as influential magazines to expose different perspectives in both domestic and global fashion. In fact, Betty’s own kitschy and layered looks have become quite popular among the general public. It’s a full circle moment for Betty, because she herself never changed who she was, but instead, others learned from her and took that as inspiration.