Entertainment
Two summers ago, my family and I toured Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles. We had the opportunity to walk by the set that was used as the town of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls, a show I'd never seen. When I arrived home, I queued up the pilot episode on Netflix, and 44 minutes later I was hooked. I introduced my then 11-year-old daughter to the Gilmores, and it quickly became "our show." She loved the fashion of the early 2000s and we joked about making Lorelai and Rory mother-daughter Halloween costumes that year.
I could already see us trick-or-treating in the 1940s swing dresses Lorelai and Rory wore to the Stars Hollow Dance Marathon. I wondered what our neighbors would think if we went door to door wearing hiking backpacks and in head-to-toe Irish garb like when the girls returned from backpacking Europe. But, by then it had been so many years since Gilmore Girls was off the air, that we worried no one would "get" our costumes. We ended up scrapping the idea.
You can imagine our excitement when we heard that a Gilmore Girls revival is planned for the end of the year. I decided to revisit my Lorelai and Rory Halloween costume idea by coming up with some sets of items from my favorite episodes that you can put together for the coolest mother-daughter costumes on your block.
1
"Pilot"
The first time Lorelai and Rory are on screen together, you will catch a glimpse into the fashion scene of the early aughts. To recreate Rory's look, you can wear a pea coat ($20), striped gray top ($9) and some flared jeans ($20). Lorelai's look can be recreated by pairing a pink cardigan ($14) with a gray tank top ($4) and the boot cut jeans ($20) that were all the rage in the year 2000.
2
"Emily In Wonderland"
In Season 1, Episode 19, Rory and Lorelai sit in front of the building that will one day become the Dragonfly Inn. To recreate Lorelai's look, you need a plaid top ($19), her signature boot cut jeans ($20) and some black boots ($27). Rory's look consists of a cowl neck cable knit sweater ($33), her favorite flared jeans ($20) and some Dr. Martens-inspired combat boots ($30).
3
"The Road Trip To Harvard"
In Season 2, Episode 4, Lorelai and Rory take a road trip to visit Harvard, Rory's dream school. Lorelai's college-visiting style consists of a baby ringer tee ($9), some light wash jeans ($24), a pair of funky sunglasses ($35) and a cross-body bag ($12). Rory's look is a pink long sleeve tee ($18), boot cut jeans ($20), and a gray sweatshirt ($9) tied around her wait. You and your daughter can recreate this look for Halloween – and if you are a big enough Gilmore Girls fan, you will save the look for your own mother-daughter Harvard visit.
4
"I Can't Get Started"
In season 2 episode 22, Lorelai and Rory are Sookie's bridesmaids. The mother and daughter wear similar, but slightly different, bridesmaid's dresses. Lorelai wears a long blue gown ($50) with silver sandals ($30). Rory wears a shorter version of the blue dress ($60), silver dress sandals ($28) and each lady holds a purple bouquet ($16).
5
"They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?"
In Season 3, Episode 7, Lorelai and Rory enter the Stars Hollow Dance Marathon. If I had to pick any episode to recreate for Halloween (or even just to wear on a night out) it would be the dance-a-thon. To recreate Lorelai's look, pair a royal blue vintage-style halter dress ($23) with a pair of black t-strap pumps ($35). To get Rory's look, you need a red and while polka dot dress ($14) and some black Mary Jane pumps ($28).
6
"Ballrooms & Biscotti"
At the beginning of Season 4, Episode 1, Lorelai and Rory return home from backpacking Europe. You, too, can have Lorelai's totally Irish look. Mix an Irish tee ($7), with a green track jacket ($27), boot cut jeans ($20), and a green pom-pom beanie ($10). Rory's look includes a ringer tee ($5), cargo shorts ($22), a corduroy jacket ($33) tied around your waist, and a hiking backpack ($20).
7
"Die, Jerk"
In Season 4, Episode 8, Rory meets Lorelai's childhood friend (and future beau) Digger at Friday night dinner at her grandparents' house. To recreate the Gilmore's Friday night look this Halloween, start with Lorelai's pink trench coat ($28) which she takes it off to reveal a paisley dress ($40). To get Rory's look, pair a brown cardigan ($14) with a flannel plaid skirt ($19) and red trench coat ($24).
8
"Wedding Bell Blues"
In Season 5, Episode 13, Emily and Richard renew their vows and Lorelai and Rory serve as Maid of Honor and Best Man. To recreate Lorelai's maid of honor look, you will need a silver dress ($70), a sparkly purple shrug ($13), some dressy silver sandals ($30), and a white bouquet ($22). Rory's best man look can be achieved by pairing of ladies' tuxedo pants ($30), a tuxedo jacket ($14), a pin-tuck tuxedo shirt ($17) and a bow tie ($5).
9
"Always A Godmother, Never A God"
In Season 6, Episode 4 Sookie asks Lorelai and Rory to be godmothers to her children. For Lorelai's look you need a coral maxi dress ($25), a matching shrug ($4), and a beaded Y-necklace ($24). Rory's look is simple to recreate with an off-white or white swing dress ($33) with black detail.
10
"Partings"
Season 6, Episode 22 is the last of the original Gilmore Girls episodes with Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino at the helm. A lot of unforgettable things happen in this episode. One light-hearted moment is when Lorelai and Rory are together at Richard and Emily's house for Friday night dinner, and the elder Gilmores reveal that because of their generous donation in Rory's name, Yale will be erecting a science building named after her. The ladies' reaction is priceless.
Lorelai is a huge fan of shrug over a dress look. To recreate her style you will need a blue maxi dress ($25) and a navy blue shrug ($5). Rory wears a blue floral print fit and flare dress ($158) and some vintage-inspired yellow pumps ($44).
11
"Bon Voyage"
In the series finale of Gilmore Girls, Rory gets a job as a reporter for Barack Obama's campaign, and she and Lorelai say their goodbyes over a 5 a.m. breakfast at Luke's. To recreate Lorelai's final look of the original series, start with a cap sleeve blue blouse ($13), flared jeans ($20), and a Y-necklace ($40)reminiscent of the one Luke gives Lorelai. Rory wears a red short-sleeved button up blouse, a short-sleeve beige cardigan ($16), black slacks ($20) and complete the look with a royal blue rolling suitcase ($15).
