Twenty-four years since Renée Zellweger first brought Helen Fielding's beloved character to life in "Bridget Jones's Diary," the iconic figure returns in "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy." This time, Bridget Jones is a widow in her 50s, navigating the complexities of single parenthood, career, friendships, and dating. While the character has evolved, her unique personal style remains a defining aspect of her persona.

The Evolution of Bridget Jones's Style

Bridget Jones's fashion sense—characterized by short skirts, cleavage-revealing tops, mumsy cardigans, granny pants, and long scarves—has become an indelible part of pop culture history. Costume designer Rachael Fleming, who worked on the first "Bridget Jones" film in 2001, aimed to create a pragmatic and somewhat disheveled look that resonated with busy women. This approach felt particularly relevant in a world of seemingly perfect and photoshopped images.

Fleming's vision has since inspired a microtrend known as the "Frazzled Englishwoman" aesthetic, which captures the haphazard layering often seen in British fashion due to unpredictable weather. This style has been embraced by luxury brands like Chanel and Miu Miu, and it has also been depicted in films such as "The Holiday" and "Love Actually."

Authenticity and Reality in Costume Design

For the latest installment, "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy," costume designer Molly Emma Rowe focused on maintaining a sense of authenticity and reality. "Bridget has some nice clothes, and she tries her best, but she sort-of always gets it a bit wrong," Rowe explained. "There’s always something a little bit off, whether it’s the fit, or the pattern or color clashing."

In the new film, Bridget's wardrobe has matured along with her character. Gone are the cocktail dresses and cozy twinsets; in their place are work-appropriate blazers and cardigans layered over shirts. However, Rowe retained some of Bridget's flirty personality by incorporating pieces like mini skirts styled with stockings. There are also subtle nods to previous films, such as an emerald green dress that Bridget struggles to zip up in the opening scene—a callback to her look in the third film.

Recreating and Thrifting Iconic Pieces

With only 12 weeks to prepare the wardrobe and few of Bridget's old clothes available, Rowe had to recreate several iconic looks. One example is the infamous red penguin-print pajama set, which Bridget wears on a school run in the new film. "The original ones no longer exist, so we had to recreate them," Rowe said. "We color-tested loads of reds on screen to make sure that after filming it would still look like the original red. That required fading out (the fabric), pulling threads, and breaking buttons to make them look like they’d been worn and washed over 20 years."

Many of the pieces worn by Zellweger were thrifted from charity and consignment stores, such as Mary’s Living and Giving in Hampstead, the London neighborhood where Bridget lives. "Mark died four years ago and Bridget’s not out buying clothes. She’s struggling to keep it together, which is one of the reasons why nothing (in her life) looks new," Rowe explained.

Fashion as a Coping Mechanism

Rowe drew on her personal experience of losing her father as a teenager to explore how grief affects one's fashion choices. "My mom wore a lot of his clothes during that period. I think it was like reaching for a comfort blanket," she said. This inspired the oversized, bobbly gray cardigan and shirts monogrammed with Mark Darcy’s initials that Bridget wears throughout the film. These pieces add a nuanced perspective to the character's journey through grief.

Representation of Middle-Aged Women in Film

"Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" joins a recent wave of films centered on women in their 50s, such as "The Substance" and "Babygirl." This trend is a welcome change after years of underrepresentation of middle-aged and older women in film and television. According to a 2024 report by the Geena Davis Institute in collaboration with the NextFifty Initiative, female characters aged 50 and above continue to have limited screen presence and are less likely to have romantic storylines.

For Rowe, the message is clear: "I hope viewers will be empowered to feel comfortable in their vulnerabilities. To be a woman approaching or in her 50s and having these kinds of films to watch is very inspiring."

"Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" is more than just a sequel; it is a testament to the enduring appeal of a character who has captured the hearts of audiences for over two decades. Bridget Jones's style, rooted in authenticity and reality, continues to resonate with viewers. Through thoughtful costume design, the film not only honors the character's legacy but also addresses contemporary issues such as grief, aging, and representation. As Bridget navigates her new chapter, her wardrobe reflects her growth while staying true to her iconic, endearing essence.