Zooey Deschanel Outfits That Completely Fell Flat

“New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel has a great fashion sense, but she’s had a few missteps throughout her career. Deschanel’s style has usually been defined by her fun, whimsical fashions consisting, in part, of floral patterned, ruffled dresses and tailored pants suits. During an August 2009 interview with Style, the actor detailed the things that shaped her fashion sense. “I’ve always been inspired by like just the ’60s in general, like early ’60s mod.” While speaking with Who What Wear in 2021, she also revealed that she gravitates towards fashion that she can enjoy throughout her life. “I love the idea of taking good care of your clothes and having them last a long time. Then you invest in pieces that are well-made, well-constructed, and fit you well,” she continued.

With that said, the beloved star has rocked a few questionable garbs, and she’s even admitted as much! During an interview with People, she shared which early aughts staple she indulged in, but wishes she hadn’t. “Personally, I’m not a fan of low-rise jeans,” she said. “They don’t look good on me.” However, she doesn’t possess a blanket disdain for this particular millennium fad. “But for anyone who wears them and looks great — like Britney Spears did — then go for it!” She continued, “I remember going to film festivals where they would give you low-rise jeans for free, and I would wear them. And then I would think, ‘Why do I look bad?’ It was because they just weren’t for me.” Here’s a few more looks she may come to regret in the future.

Zooey Deschanel got all dolled up for the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards, where she was both a nominee and presenter, and she was certainly dressed for the formal occasion. However, her black and white striped mini-dress didn’t make quite the splash we would’ve hoped. While the feminine frock was certainly flattering on her silhouette, the zig-zagged horizontal stripes made it difficult to focus on some of the more impressive elements of the look, including the dress’s sparkly sequined overlay, the cool hemline, or her signature ’60s inspired hair. Unfortunately, it also distracted from her gorgeous makeup job.

As we all know, however, fashion is subjective, and Deschanel’s love of his particular fit is the best proof of that. In fact, it even warranted a trio of posts over on Instagram. On a July 8 Instagram post, Deschanel jollily ran through her sprawling mansion in an attempt to find her “twee,” which is fashion speak for the ’60s-era fashion that’s been her claim to fame. By the way, this was the last post of the series, which she actually started in June. One month earlier, Deschanel modeled the look in front of a very fancy white door, which probably cost an arm and a leg, further proving how much she loved the look. Well, at least she was feeling confident!

The beautiful thing about fashion is that the once-beloved trends of yesteryear are always waiting in the shadows until its their time to return. While figure-bearing fashion has been dominating the trends for several decades, many fashionistas, famous or not, have been embracing modest, yet still sultry, silhouettes in their dresses in recent years. After all, the uptick in the famous milkmaid dress on social media is definitely no coincidence. That said, modest fashion was also a big thing in 2021 when Zooey Deschanel attended the “We’re Here” Season 2 Premiere. As usual, the actor graced the event with her striking beauty, but this was one day she left her fashion sense at home.

The usually fashionable star stepped out on the scene in a long-sleeved blue dress in a deep shade, which gathered at the waist and flared out in the skirt area. The dress stopped just short of her ankles, creating an unflattering hemline, and the long sleeves, which grew narrower towards her wrists, created an unflattering ballooning effect which may or may not have been intended. And while she definitely got a few bonus points for dress’s simple floral pattern, the look just didn’t quite come together. To round out the look, the talented star paired the frumpy dress with a pair of classic black pumps which, in theory, would’ve worked with a more flattering, eye-catching pattern and design.

As one of the stars of “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” it would’ve been a fashion crime if Zooey Deschanel didn’t pop up at the premiere decked out in purple. However, the bigger offense is the fact that Deschanel reached into her closet and pulled out every purple garment she owned and threw together what could’ve been a super swell, we mean plum, look. Her Twiggy-esque purple dress, emblazoned with blue, geometric designs clashed not only with the purple carpet, but with the deep purple leggings she paired it with. Unfortunately, not even her dainty lavender handbag, which actually provided the look with a bit of much-needed depth, could save this particular ensemble.

Interestingly, this is another look that Deschanel really seemed to like as she also dedicated space on her Instagram account for it. However, the actor wasted no time tossing out a few jokes about her strict adherence to the purple theme. “In my purple crayon era,” she captioned the carousel which included several shots of her flaunting the daring look. Though, if you ask us, the best shot was the featured image of her spelling lavender colored roses in her garden. Be right back, going to Google if purple roses are really a thing, or if Deschanel is just really good with photoshop. So far? The jury is still out.

Zooey Deschanel attended the red carpet premiere for the Beyonce-assisted version of “The Lion King” in 2019, but her outfit did little to evoke warm, nostalgic vibes. While we had high hopes for her look, a black and white bow-clad dress, it failed to make a positive splash. Instead, it simply ended up being a messy amalgamation of fashion features that just didn’t work together. Between the translucent, asymmetrical, pleated hemline, the ’80s-era sleeves, her black stockings, and the giant black bow, the dress amounted to a very pretty fashion fail, which is especially disappointing considering the special occasion.

Zooey, if you weren’t aware, had every incentive to go all out for “The Lion King” premiere because of her family ties to the project. According to People, Deschanel’s father, Caleb Deschanel, a world-renowned cinematographer, was one of the talented creatives who contributed to the audacious undertaking. Zooey attended the premiere with her sister, Emily Deschanel, who donned a similar color scheme, though her garment of choice was much simpler and refined. Oh well, at least she got to experience honoring their father’s legacy and the lifetime bragging rights that came with her affiliation to the Disney staple. Still, this look could’ve definitely been a fashion “do” had she’d reeled in her accessories a little.

Given her love of fashion, it’s not surprising that Zooey Deschanel attended the Stacey Bendet’s Alice + Olivia Spring 2024 fashion show. While this particular black and white, black tie themed ball meant that its attendees didn’t have to choose a look that evoked memories of blooming trees, sunny days, and blue skies, Deschanel still missed the mark. Instead of embracing chic glam, she plopped on a leather pleated skirt and black thermal leggings. She paired the bottoms with a black sweater with white detailing and a large white bowtie, which wasn’t terrible, but definitely wasn’t needed alongside the white collar of her shirt. Her black strapped kitten heels did little to offset the underwhelming fit.

Because even the most disappointing look can have an upside, Deschanel’s hair, styled in long, loose waves, accented by her signature bang, was a total win. Then again, isn’t it always? Since her days on “New Girl,” Deschanel’s healthy hair has always perfectly complemented her fashion, even when it had to pull double duty to compensate for her occasional fashion fail. Another upside? Deschanel at least enjoyed herself at the event. In a video montage highlighting the celebrity guests that attended the event, Deschanel expressed her excitement for the upcoming line. “I just am a big fan, so I’m excited to be here and see everything for the new season,” she gushed. Now we know how she planned to spend her “New Girl” salary.